302 The Zoologist— July, 1866. 



Avocet. — Has occurred ; but is perhaps now a bird of the past. 



Stilt. — Same remarks. 



Blacktailed Godwit. — Autumnal migrant, and to be met with in 

 winter. Not common. 



Common Godwit. — Arrives in numbers from beginning of August ; 

 very abundant in September and October, and to be met with all 

 winter. 



llKJf. — Rare ; has occurred during autumn and spring — in the latter 

 season to myself. 



Woodcock. — Resident; great additions in winter from the end of 

 September. Arrives all through the winter. Migrates locally. 

 Leaves from the end of March till middle of April. 



Great Snipe. — Rare. 



Common Snipe. — Resident; great additions in winter. Arrival too 

 uncertain to stale positively, but generally from September; departure 

 equally uncertain. Residents are paired late in March and early 

 April ; this I have often noticed by the birds " towering " in the air 

 like sky larks, and remaining in the same spot. 



Winter Snipe. — Arrives in October, leaves in February. This 

 bird, though considered as the common snipe, is widely different from 

 it. It is totally different in markings and size ; it also never breeds, 

 to my knowledge, in Ireland, whereas the other does abundantly. 

 Sex or season does not account for this difference. The common 

 snipe is alike in winter and summer, and the male is similar to the 

 female. 1 have also seen male and female of the brown or winter 

 snipe, and they are similar to each other. The bird I allude to is not 

 the brown snipe of authors {MacrorJuimpus griseus): it is known, I 

 suppose, to every snipe-shooter as the "big snipe," the "brown 

 snipe," the " Norway snipe," &c. 



Jnck Snipe. — Never heard of its breeding in Ireland. Common 

 from October till end of March ; generally solitary. May be met with 

 in the ditches, along the east coast, before departure, in pairs. Leaves 

 during March and early part of April. This year I saw one an hour 

 after being shot, in the shooter's hand, on the 2nd of May. 



Sabine's Snipe. — Have heard of its occurring. In other parts of 

 Ireland it has been frequently taken, and I believe is many times eaten 

 by non-naturalists. 



Curlew Sandpiper. — Autumnal migrant ; not at all plentiful, though 

 perhaps more abundant than known. 



Dunlin. — Do not know of its breeding in this county, though, from 



