156 Guide to Belfast. 



in the locality has not enabled me to trace it, and we never 

 heard of one being seen or shot. 



Picarise. — The *Swift is a common summer visitor. 

 The Alpine Swift has occurred once — in 1866 — as in May 

 •of that year Howard Saunders saw one which had been 

 picked up on the shores of Lough Neagh {ZooL, 1866, 

 p. 389). The *Nightjar is fairly common in certain 

 districts ; many were observed in the neighbourhood of 

 Belfast in the summer of 1901, but it seems more abundant 

 in Co. Down. The Great Spotted Woodpecker is a very 

 rare winter visitor ; about a dozen have occurred in the two 

 counties, the last in 1889. The other British Woodpeckers 

 are quite unknown. The *Kingfisher in many places is not 

 uncommon. We know of a pair breeding regularly within 

 half a mile of the boundary of the city of Belfast ; and it is 

 often seen on the shores of Belfast Lough. The Roller 

 is a very rare visitor, the only capture being one near 

 Randalstown in September 1891 ; but there is a note of one 

 having been seen at Ballykilbeg, Co. Down, by the late Wm. 

 Johnston, m.p., on 8 June, 1868. The Hoopoe is not quite 

 so rare as the last species, about nine being recorded, the 

 last in April 1900 at Glendun, Co. Antrim. In summer 

 the *Cuckoo is common, and heard everywhere. R. M. 

 Barrington records {Irish N'at., vol. x, p. 50) a young 

 Cuckoo killed, striking the lantern on Skulmartin Lightship, 

 off Ballywalter, Co. Down, at the very remarkable date of 

 26 November. 



Striges. — Our only resident Owls are fairly common; 

 the *Long-eared is the more numerous of the two; but 

 from Co. Down the *Barn Owl is more frequently sent in to 

 Belfast to be preserved, the numbers in a given period 

 ■being — 



Down. Antrim. 



49 Long-eared 41 Long-eared = 90. 



52 Barn 16 Barn = 68. 



loi 57 



AS shown by an examination of taxidermists' books. 



The Short-eared Owl is found in varying numbers in 

 winter, sometimes being fairly abundant, Down again seeming 



