248 BRITISH BIRDS. 



(Wilts.), 31st (Dorset, Hants., Gloucester). The Land-Rail 

 was neither heard nor seen in 1907 by observers in Hants., 

 Sussex, Middlesex, Essex, Bucks., Herts., or Suffolk, and only 

 once in Kent, twice in Berks, and Lincoln, and thrice in 

 Norfolk. It seemed practically confined during the year 

 under notice to the western counties. A specimen of the 

 Continental Robin {Erithacus rubecula rubecula), which is 

 common on migration on the east coast, was taken on April 

 7th at St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight. On page 180 

 the curious statement is made that the Dartford Warbler is 

 rarely seen in winter in Hampshire ! 



In conclusion, we can unreservedly recommend the present 

 and the two previous " Reports " to every student of migra- 

 tion, and we may add that the B.O.C. Committee and its many 

 helpers all over the country by no means labour in vain. 



H.F.W. 



A List of Irish Birds. By R. J. Ussher, M.R.I. A., M.B.O.U. 



Dublin : A. Thorn & Co. 4d. 

 This is a very useful up-to-date " abbreviated text book " 

 on Irish birds. Mr. Ussher has placed within square brackets 

 those American land birds which have been recorded from 

 Ireland, and, on the whole, this is perhaps wise, although in 

 a case such as the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, which has now occurred 

 so many times in England, although seldom in Ireland, the 

 rule might, perhaps, have been relaxed. Amongst other 

 birds placed within square brackets we may mention the 

 Noddy Tern, which has long been accorded a regular 

 place upon the British list on the basis of two examples recorded 

 by Thompson as having been obtained between the Tuskar 

 Lighthouse and the Bay of DubHn about 1830. The birds 

 were brought into port skinned, and we think that Mr. Ussher 

 is perfectly right in not admitting them, more especially as the 

 taxidermist who was responsible for the record was proved 

 to have been unreliable in the case of two Belted Kingfishers 

 supposed to have been shot a few years later. Of positive 

 information additional to that given in the author's well- 

 known " Birds of Ireland," there is very little, but we note 

 the following, which do not appear to have been recorded 

 elsewhere : — Five occurrences (against three in Saunders' 

 Manual) of the Red-breasted Flycatcher are noted, but no dates 

 are given ; an example of the Serin Finch, the second for 

 Ireland, was taken on January 31st, 1907 ; a third specimen 

 of the Lapland Bunting was taken alive at Kilbarrack on 

 December 12th, 1907 ; the Jay is extending its range, and has 

 spread into Kildare and Meath ; a pair of Pochards, with their 

 young, were identified by Mr. R. Patterson in June, 1907, 

 in Monaghan. H.F.W. 



