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Vol. II. FEBRUARY, 1893. No. 2. 



AMERICAN BIRD-VISITORS TO IRELAND AT HOME. 



BY W. B. PRAEGER, OF KEOKUK, IOWA. 

 (Associate Member American Ornithologists' Union). 



I. The American Robin {Turdus viigratoritis). 



The capture of an American Robin in County Dublin was 

 recorded in the Irish Naturalist, April, 1892 (vol. i page 4). 

 There is some probability that the example in question may 

 have escaped from confinement, but as no evidence is forth- 

 coming on the point, the bird is entitled to the benefit of the 

 doubt. While the Robin is one of those that would be likely 

 kept as a cage-bird, being nearly omnivorous, and of attractive 

 appearance, and exceptional vocal powers ; yet, on the other 

 hand, it is so abundant on the American continent, performs 

 such extensive migrations, and is at the same time able to 

 endure such extremes of temperature, that if American land- 

 birds ever do cross the Atlantic — and some undoubtedly do— 

 the Robin would be one of those most likely to accomplish the 

 journey. 



The Robin is the most abundant, conspicuous, widely 

 distributed, and best known of the North American thrushes. 

 It is distributed all over the continent, but migrates out of 

 the more northern portions in winter. It has no very near 

 allies on the eastern side of the Rocky mountains, but on the 

 Pacific coast there are several species not distantly related ; 

 none of these are likely ever to reach Ireland in a wild 

 state, though individuals have crossed the continent and been 

 obtained on the East coast. 



In the locality in which I am situated, the Robin is a 

 abundant migrant and summer resident, and an occasional 

 winter resident ; indeed Robins have been known to remain 



