Extracts from the Minute-Booh of the Linnean Society. 557 



pistrelle of French authors" (Linn. Trans, vol. 16.), induced him to 

 examine specimens of the common Bat of the North of Ireland ; 

 which hitherto, like that of England, up to the period of Mr. Je- 

 nyns's paper, has been considered the Fespertilio murinus of Lin- 

 naeus, as well as of recent continental authors. 



This examination led to the same conclusion as that of Mr. Jenyns, 

 the common Bat of Ireland proving identical with that of England, 

 and consequently with the F. Pipistrellus of the Continent. 



Observations on the habits, &c. of this species, when at large and 

 in captivity, were also given in detail, and were followed by some 

 remarks on the Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus) as observed in 

 Ireland. 



The occurrence of the Larus Sabini in Ireland on two occasions 

 was next adverted to. Of this bird two specimens only had pre- 

 viously been recorded as met with in the Eastern Hemisphere, both 

 of which were obtained by Captain Sabine at Spitzbergen. The 

 specimens which formed the subject of the present paper were ren- 

 dered peculiarly interesting from being in the plumage of the first 

 year, in which state the Larus Sabini had not before come under 

 the inspection of the naturalist. The appearance presented by the 

 species at this age was described with great minuteness, and also 

 the differential characters by which it may at all ages be distin- 

 guished from its congener the Larus minutus. 



The specimens described are contained in the Museums of the 

 Natui-al History Society of Belfast and the Royal Society of Dublin. 



From the examination of a specimen of the Cygmts Bewickii, 

 killed in the North of Ireland, and preserved in the Belfast Museum, 

 the author stated that he was led to discover that some of the cha- 

 racters by which this species has hitherto been distinguished are 

 erroneous. 



The principal character pointed out as such was the number of 

 rectrices or tail-feathers, which are described in the Linn. Trans, (vol. 

 xvi. p. 445, et seq.), Illust. of Orn. (part 6.), Illust. of Brit. Orn., &c., 

 to be 18, though they are in i-eality 20. The correctness of the view 



