Miscellaneous. 285 



tember of this present year, when it appeared in considerable flocks 

 — but few are generally seen together, and not rarely it is met with 

 singly. 



Mr. H. H. Dombrain, of Dublin, informs me that he saw a few 

 individuals of this species, and shot one at Lurgan Green, near Dun- 

 dalk, at the beginning of November 1837. To the bay of Dublin 

 the Pigmy Curlew resorts, as it does to the north-east of Ireland. 



The Little Stint, Tringa minuta, Leisl., — which in reference to 

 Great Britain is regarded only as a rare and occasional visitant, may, 

 like the T. subarquata, be called a regular bird of passage in the 

 north of Ireland. About the year 1823, Mr. John Montgomery saw 

 a bird either of this species or of the allied Tringa Temminckii when 

 out shooting on the extensive sands of Dundrum, in the county of 

 Down, but from its shyness sought in vain to procure it. On Sept. 

 6, 1831, the first Tr. minuta known to me as obtained upon our 

 coast was shot in Belfast Bay, and came into the possession of Dr. J. 

 D. Marshall; others were subsequently killed here in the same season. 

 My attention having since that time been particularly directed to such 

 subjects, I find by reference to notes, that every autumn from 1831 

 to 1839 inclusive, with the single exception of 1835, when I was abs- 

 ent from home, this bird appeared in Belfast Bay, though in every 

 instance in very small numbers. Early in September, 1837, a flock 

 consisting of nine individuals were seen in the bay, and although 

 very wild, were so perse veringly followed, that within a fortnight 

 they had all fallen victims to the gun. So early as the end of July 

 they have been met with here. 



By Thomas W. Warren, Esq., of Dublin, I was favoured with a 

 specimen of this bird, which he shot in Dublin Bay about the 1st of 

 November, 1831. 



Ruff, Tringa pugnax, Linn. Although I have not at present suf- 

 ficient data to enable me to designate this species as a regular au- 

 tumnal bird of passage to the north-east of Ireland, it may be set 

 down as a frequent visitant at this period, when its sojourn is but of 

 short continuance. So early as the end of August, 1828, when the 

 first migration of snipes for the season arrived in the neighbourhood 

 of Belfast, a few Ruffs were found associating with them — within 

 the succeeding two months they have not unfrequently occurred. 

 In spring too RufFs arrayed in their nuptial garb have on a few oc- 

 casions been obtained in different parts of Ireland. 



Ample details on the four species here noticed are reserved for 

 their proper place in my series of papers on the Birds of Ireland, but 

 such facts as those brought forward seemed to call for special an- 

 nouncement. — W. Thompson, Belfast, Oct. 1839. 



