1 14 The hdsh Naturalist. 



Mealy Redpolls (Linota linaria) on Achill Island.— In the 



early part of February a specimen of the Mealy Redpoll was shot on 

 Achill island, Co. Mayo, and has been presented to the Dublin Museum 

 through Mr. Williams. It appears that a small flock of about eight had 

 remained on the island during the whole winter, having evidently then 

 been on their way south from their northern summer quarters. The 

 track of this bird's migration from northern Scandinavia, where it 

 breeds, to the south, is supposed to pass down the east coast of Scotland 

 and England, and the appearance of the species on the west coast of 

 Ireland, must, therefore, be looked upon as a quite exceptional occur- 

 rence. Mr. A. G. More gives only a single Irish record in his "List of 

 Irish Birds."— R. F. Scharff, Dublin. 



The Serin (Serinus hortulanus) in Ireland.— Mr. E. Williams 

 writes to the Zoologist for March: — On the 2nd of January one of our local 

 bird-catchers brought me a bird which he described as a "Mule Siskin." 

 I was much pleased to identify it as a Serin, Serinus hortulanus, in adult 

 winter plumage, the first occurrence in Ireland. From the fact of never 

 seeing a caged bird of this species here, and the capture of upwards of a 

 dozen in England, I think there can be little doubt that this was a 

 genuine wild bird, and as such, entitled to be added to our Irish list. 



Waxwing (Ampelis garrulus) In Co. Wicklow. — A specimen 

 of the Waxwing, Ampelis garriilus, was shot in the village of Delgany, Co. 

 Wicklow, in the early part of January last. It was exceedingly fat, and 

 had been feeding on holly-berries. — E. Wii,i,iams in Zoologist for March. 



Waxwing in Co. Antrim. — A Waxwing was shot at Ballinderry, 

 Co. Antrim, a day or two ago, by a farm labourer. — "J. A. B.," in Land 

 and Water of 4th March. 



Waxwing near Londonderry. — Another specimen of the Wax- 

 wing was shot near Londonderry during the last week of January, by 

 Mr. Lawrence Nash. — D. C. Campbei^i^, Londonderr3^ 



Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) in Ireland.— Seeing a notice in 

 last month's L-ish Naturalist, p. 86, that the only Irish specimen of the 

 Bittern obtained last year was one shot by Lieut. -Col. Oakes, Kilkee, 

 Co. Clare, I mention that Thomas Plunkett, Esq., Enniskillen, has 

 written to me that he obtained a fine specimen of the Bittern on the 5th 

 January, 1893, about seven miles from that place. I did not think this of 

 sufficient interest to record earlier. — Arthur J. Coi^iyiNS, Belfast. 



Bewick's Swan (Cygnus bewickii) in Co. Armagh, — These 

 swans appeared tobe more numerous near Loughgilly than usual this win- 

 ter. The first record I received was on January 15th, when five "swans" 

 were reported flying south. On the i8th five were again reported north- 

 west. On the 26th I was informed that five birds were feeding on a piece 

 of marshy land that had been flooded over by the heavy rains, and they 

 were reported to be still there on the 28th. On the 2nd of Februar}- I 

 received a message that twelve birds were on the same bog, and on the 4th I 

 was informed that " four or five" were on a small lake known as MuUough- 

 more. On the 7th, seventeen were on the bog first mentioned ; I was 

 told they went away when shot at. They were heard calling by my 

 informant the same night. 



On the 8th fifteen birds passed over in an easterly direction, which 

 from their voice I identified as Bewick's. On the 9th I found five birds 

 on Mulloughmore lake which were also undoubtedly Bewick's Swans. 



In previous winters we only had small flocks of four to eight, which 

 seldom remained for long. — H. Lyster JamEvSON, Killincoole, Castlebel- 

 lingham. 



Ferruginous Duck (Nyroca ferruginea) near Athlone. — Mr. 



E. Williams writes in the Zoologist ior March, that a specimen of this duck 

 was shot on the Shannon, near Athlone, on 21st January last, by Mr. R. 

 Surtington. 



