VOL. VI.] NOTES. 221 



In the ordinary sense, this species is local and resident 

 in southern England, and is one of the few warblers 

 which winter in Great Britain. In the more extended sense 

 of the word " migratory " it is not even an occasional wan- 

 derer across the sea, for though it has twice occurred in 

 Heligoland, it has never, so far as I am aware, been obtained 

 at any Light station in Great Britain or Ireland : it is said, 

 in Newton's Yarrell, p. 401. never to fly on land more than 

 fifty yards at a time. Seebohm states in 1883 in his British 

 Birds (Vol. I., p. 415) that, " It is not knoAvn to be anywhere 

 a migratory bird." Newton, on the other hand, in his 

 Dictionary of Birds, 1898, says, " It is known to be migratory 

 in most parts of the Continent." Howard 8aunders, in his 

 Manual, 1899, says that, " Allowing for a little wandering, 

 it is a resident species in the south of England " ; and in the 

 most recent Hand-List of British Birds, 1912, it is given as 

 " resident." 



The specimen received was an adult, in rather bad con- 

 dition ; however, Avith care a veiy good skin was made. 

 Mr. W. P. Pycraft, of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.), kindly 

 dissected the body ; it proved to be a female. 



Three races have been distinguished by Dr. Hartert ( Vog. 

 pal. Fauna, p. 600-1), viz. Sylvia undata midata, inhabiting 

 south-western Europe, Sylvia undata toni, north-western 

 .AJrica, and Sylvia undata darffordiensis, to A^hich the Irish 

 specimen belongs, being resident in southern England and 

 north-western France. 



This solitary occurrence in Ireland, though very interesting 

 and totally imexpected, is not, I think, evidence of any special 

 movement. It may have been due to a very strong south-east 

 gale which swept across the mouth of the Channel on 

 October 26th and 27th, blowing direct from the south-west 

 of England to the south-east of Ireland (see daily weather- 

 charts).* 



The following is a complete list of birds forwarded to me 

 from Irish Light stations since 1887, which up to that date 

 had not been recorded as occurring in Ireland. 



1887, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Lapland Bunting ; 1889, 

 Greenland Redpoll ; 1890, Yellow-browed Warbler, Lesser 

 Wliitethroat, and Short-toed Lark ; 1892, Antarctic Sheath- 

 bill ; 1893, Woodchat Shrike; 1903, Aquatic Warbler; 



* Since writing the above, Prof. Patten has, without having seen 

 the bird and without ascertaining its age, sex, racial form or destina- 

 tion, written to the daily Press annoimcing its occurrence — on the 

 authority of the lightkeeper, to whom I communicated the name. 

 This explanation is necessary to prevent the inference that two 

 specimens were obtained. — R.M.B. 



