46 The Irish Naturalist. 



Bantry a few days previously a Hyalinia of the same form. Specimens 

 were then submitted to Prof. Boettger of Frankfort and Dr. Westerlund 

 of Ronneley, Sweden, both of whom agree, as also does the original 

 describer, in pronouncing it to be Hyalinia helvetica, Blum. This species 

 is new to the Irish Fauna, but it has been found in Switzerland, and 

 according to Mr. Westerlund also in Brittany. As both he and Prof. 

 Boettger assert that they possess English specimens of this species, it 

 may be the Hyalinia glabra of English authors (distinct from H. glabra, 

 Stud.) At Whitegate it appears to be very scarce, but Dr. Scharff says 

 that at Bantry it is common. The shell is about the size of H. cellaria, 

 but the umbilicus is much narrower (for description see Nachrichts bl. 

 Malak. Ges.)— R. A. Philips, Cork. 



BIRDS 



Feather Ornaments. —"A Lover of Nature " writes as follows to the 

 Irish Times, and his remarks are well worthy of the serious attention of 

 our readers : — Will you allow me to call the attention of your readers to 

 a letter by the clever author of "The Naturalist in La Plata," Mr. W. 

 H. Hudson, in the Times of October 17th, and now reprinted by the Sel- 

 borne Society, urgently expressive of the thoughtless cruelty of those 

 who wear, or encourage the use of, stuffed birds, wings, and "ospreys" 

 in millinery, and other decoration . Not only is it a useless waste of life, 

 but if this fashion continues much longer the next generation may 

 bitterly tax us with the destruction of the whole race of these beautiful 

 gifts of nature. Already the white herons which supply the " osprey " 

 feathers are entirely exterminated in Florida, where a few years ago 

 they congregated in flocks for the breeding season (in 18S7 I saw them 

 there myself), and the lovely, crimson-throated humming birds are 

 practically extinct throughout North America. And is this any marvel 

 when we consider that for 25 years the custom of wearing birds has 

 existed, and " nine years ago it was estimated that 20 to 30 millions of 

 birds were annually imported to this country to supply the demand." 

 Will not the ladies who are thus ruthlessly despoiling nature of its gems 

 and thoughtlessly flaunting cruelty, stop ere it is too late, and show that 

 they love beauty for its own sake and not merely as the conventionalities 

 of fashion dictate, and so refuse to buy hats and bonnets decorated with 

 birds and "ospreys"? Surely it is want of thought not want of heart 

 that keeps up this cruel fashion. 



The Garden Warbler in Ireland. — It will interest many of your 

 readers to hear of the Garden Warbler {Silvia hortensis, Bechst.), being found 

 in the Co. Cork. As far as I have been able to gather, it has not been ob- 

 served in the county since 1852, when Mr. R. Parker, Sunday's Well, 

 Cork, saw it on several occasions. I had been taking notes for years on 

 birds, but accidentally burned them, so cannot say year for certain, but 

 think it was in 1876 that I saw a cock Garden Warbler at Cuskinny, near 

 Oueenstown. I saw no hen about, but it might have been hatching at 

 the time, though I saw no young ones later 011. In 18S8 I also saw a 

 cock bird at Rockenham, Passage West, and the same remarks apply to 

 it as the above. This year (1893) I had a good opportunity of observing 

 the Garden Warbler at Monkstown, Co. Cork. I cannot be mistaken in 

 the identity of this bird on these occasions, as I both saw it and heard it 

 in Cheshire in 1880 and 1888 on numerous occasions, and also several times 

 with an experienced ornithologist who was quite familiar with the 

 species. This year, by standing concealed for a considerable length of 

 time on several occasions in one position with an opera glass, I had a good 

 view of the pair. On one occasion the pair flew almost into my face 

 when the cock was chasing the hen rather ardently from some brambles 

 — they had to turn aside to avoid flying against me, so I had a good 

 view of them. The colours are more decided and in greater contrast than 

 in the other warblers, being olive-brown above and white underneath. 



