Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 283 



angles, which are nearly right angles ; the upper surface is 

 but little convex, the reflected lateral margins are rather 

 broad, the dorsal channel moderately distinct, but obliterated 

 near the anterior and posterior margins of the thorax ; on each 

 side, behind, are two oblique, long, smooth foveas, between 

 which is a transverse impression situated at about one-fourth 

 of the distance from the base towards the apex of the thorax — 

 this transverse impression is not strongly marked. Elytra 

 elongate-ovate, above subdepressed, the lateral reflected mar- 

 gins broad and distinct, the surface nearly smooth but ex- 

 hibiting indistinct stria?, and these are most faintly punc- 

 tured ; two smallish red spots are observable on each elytron 

 near the outer margin, one towards the base of the elytron, 

 and the other on the apical fourth ; the legs are pitchy or 

 pitchy-red. Sometimes the red spots on the elytra are obli- 

 terated, the legs are nearly black, and the antenna? and palpi 

 are pitchy. 



Obs. — As regards one of the characters upon which I found 

 the present genus, I allude to the male sex having _/o?rr of the 

 joints of the anterior tarsi distinctly dilated, I may call at- 

 tention to the remark by Dejean in his observations on the 

 Feronice, viz. that this group is distinguished from the Hai'- 

 jmH by the structure of the intermediate tarsi [i. e. they are 

 not dilated), and by the fourth joint of the anterior tarsus, 

 which is never dilated in the male sex. The genus Lissopterus 

 therefore affords a remarkable exception to a general rule. 



XLIV.— 77^e Birds of Ireland By Wm. Thompson, Esq., 



Pres. Nat. Hist. Society, Belfast. 



[Continued from vol. x. p. 179.] 



The Rixg-Dove * — Columba Palumbus, Linn. — is common 

 throughout the wooded districts of the island. 



Mr. Waterton is rather disposed to believe that in his part of York- 

 shire there is an annual increase by migration to the numbers of na- 

 tive birds. Mr. Selby states, in general terms, that there is not any 

 such increase. The great numbers that congregate in autumn, and 

 remain together during winter in Ireland, I have always considered 

 as our indigenous birds only, collected together in their choicest 

 haunts, however widely separated they may have been in the breed- 

 ing-season. 



Belvoir Park near Belfast, with its fine and extensive woods, is 

 quite a preserve for these birds, and throughout the autumn and 

 winter they may be daily seen there in the afternoon, in multitudi- 



* Commonly called Wood Quest and Wood Pigeon in the north of Ire- 

 land. 



