i6 The Irish Naturalist. January, 1911. 



Hybrid between Bream and Rudd. 



In the Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (8), vol. ii., 1908, p. 162, Mr. C. T. 

 Regan alludes to having received from Lough Erne several specimens 

 of fish, which he regards as natural hybrids between Abramis brama and 

 Leuciscus erythropthalmus . Tlie Rudd, as he remarks, is fond of joining 

 as an interloper in the spawning of other fishes with the result that 

 hybrids are sometimes protluccd. Mr. Regan also informs us, on the 

 authority of Major Trevelyan, that this hybrid is known among the Lough 

 Erne fishermen as the " white roach," in contradistinction to the " red 

 roach," which is really the Rudd. The true English Roach does not 

 occur in Ireland, the name roach being there employed for the Rudd, 

 which somewhat resembles the Roach. It is probable, according to Mr. 

 Regan, that William Thompson's Abramis Buggenhagii (" Nat. Hist, of 

 Ireland," vol. iv., p. 137), refers to the same hybrid. 



American Blue winged Teal in Ireland. 



A Blue-winged Teal (Qucrqiicdula discors, Linn.) was shot by Mr. 

 W. Bonaparte Wise, on 9th September last, near Ballycottin, in the 

 south-east of Co. Cork, a part of Ireland, as Mr. Ussher points out, 

 famous for the capture of rare birds, e.g. : — Griffin Vulture, Spotted 

 Eagle, Little Bustard, most of the rarer Herons, Waxwing, Bee-eater, 

 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, &c. This is the first known occurrence of the 

 American Blue-winged Teal in Ireland, and there appear to be only two 

 authenticated records of its occurrence in Great Britain (near Dumfries 

 and in Cheshire about fifty years ago). 



It is an immature full-winged female and does not show any signs of 

 having been kept in captivity, but is possibly not a genuine wild bird ; 

 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant (of the British Museum), who has seen the 

 specimen, writes that he finds this species bred lately at Woburn, Bedford- 

 shire, and that it seems quite possible some of the full-winged young 

 may account for the occurrence in Ireland. The specimen has been 

 kindly presented to the National Museum, Dublin, by Mr. Wise. 



A. R. Nichols. 

 National Museum, Dublin. 



Black Redstart in Co. Waterford. 

 A Black Redstart, presumably a male from its dark face, has frequented 

 this house (which is six miles from the sea at Dungarvan) since 27th 

 October. It may be seen in the day-time on the roof, cornices and window 

 sills taking flies and constantly on the move. If often enters the house 

 and seems little alarmed when taken in the hand. I have repeatedly seen 

 birds of this species here in the autumn, and once on the 28th March. 



R. J. UsSHER. 



Cappagh House, Co. Waterford. 



The number of Black Redstarts received this autumn from the light- 

 houses has been remarkable, and I rather think it is in excess of any 

 year since the migration statistics commenced in 1880-81. 



Richard M. Barrington. 



Fassaroe, Bray. 



