222 The Irish Nahiralist, [August, 



Odynerus sinuatus (Fab.) In Co. Carlow. 



I found this species common at Rhododendron blossoms this year at 

 Eorris, Co. Carlow, and also found it burrowing in an old wooden post 

 on the bank of the river Barrow in some numbers. As it is new to the 

 Irish list of Aculeate Hymenoptera it is worth recording. 



Percy E. Freke. 



BIRDS. 

 IVlass-IYIIgratlon of Birds at Londonderry. 



In the beginning of INIay a great mass-migration of birds passed over 

 our city. It was observed by Mr. Wm. Roddy, editor of Derry Journal; 

 Mr. Edward M'Court, our local bird-stuffer ; and by many others w^ho 

 were in the street at the time. Mr. Roddy has kindly given me par- 

 ticulars of his obser\"ations. The flight commenced to pass over the city 

 about 10.30 p.m., and between 11 and 12 w^as at its height. Anhourortwo 

 later it dwindled down to scattered flocks. The number was beyond all 

 calculation, not thousands, but hundreds of thousands, of birds. Mr, 

 Roddy said that the columns were so great that he could only describe 

 them by saying that " acres of birds passed overhead." The glare of the 

 electric light so illuminated the sky that it w^as possible to distinguish 

 the species now and then- Wild geese formed the outside columns, 

 while the great bulk of the flight was made up of duck, Wigeon, Curlew, 

 Oyster-catchers, and plover. Mr. M'Court heard the call-notes of both 

 Golden and Ringed Plover, and a friend described to me how he had 

 observed a flock of the former species, attracted by the glare of the 

 ■electric light, circling round and round an electric lamp for some time 

 before joining the mass of birds again. 



The direction of the flight was from S. or S.W. to N.E. The columns 

 were moving at a considerable height, but now and then a flock passed 

 close to the roofs of the houses, attracted it may be by the electric light. 

 The call-notes were incessant, and now and then above the cry of the 

 plover and Curlew was heard a harsh " croak " like the cry of the Heron 

 or the Great Northern Diver. 



D. G. CampbeIvIv. 



The Icterinc Warbler In Ireland. 



With reference to the very interesting paper on the Icteriue Warbler 

 {Hypolais uteri no) in the Irish Naturalist for May, I wish to point out 

 that the birds heard by the Rev. A. Ellison and the Rev. Murray A. 

 INIathew in Co. Wicklow and Pembrokeshire were (supposing that they 

 belonged to the genus Hypolais), very probably examples of Hypolais 

 polyglot la, WiQ " Melodious Warbler," which has a more western range 

 than has H. icterina, and is not at all unlikely to occur in the south or 

 south-western parts of these islands ; indeed, I believe that its nest has 

 been found on one occasion at least in the South of England, although 

 the fact was not proved. This species is smaller (perceptibly so in life) 

 than H. iclerina, and as one of the last-named observers compares the 

 bird he saw to a Willow Warbler, and the other to a ChiffchafT, it is 



