The Zoologist — February, 1869. 1549 



by distinct straight lines. The tail-feathers in all the specimens are 

 more or less sWorn, the central feathers, which are wiry to the base, 

 having, in some instances, merely the shafts remaining. 



According to Wilson, this is the largest and handsomest of the 

 American sparrows, and is common from Connecticut to Savannah, 

 particularly in the neighbourhood of the Roanoke river, and in the rice 

 plantations. In summer they retire inland and further north to breed. 

 They remain in flocks during winter, preferring the borders of swampy 

 thickets, creeks, and mill-ponds, skirted with alder-bushes and rank 

 weeds, the seeds of which form their principal food. Early in spring 

 they have a few remarkably sweet and clear notes, which they utter a 

 little after sunrise. " About the 20th of April," adds Wilson, " they 

 disappear, and we see no more of them till the beginning or second 

 week of October." 



Pennant gives Pennsylvania, New York, and Newfoundland as its 

 habitat. 



I am much indebted to Mr. Mitchell for kindly presenting me with 

 this specimen, which has now been added to my collection. From 

 its general resemblance to some of the female buntings, the bird might 

 have, in less enthusiastic hands, altogether escaped observation. 

 When shot it was perched on the top of a whin bush, and attracted 

 Mr. Mitchell's attention by its note, and the manner of flirting its tail. 

 I have only to add that the bird bore no traces of having been in 

 confinement, the wings, tail and all the lower plumage being quite 

 clean. W. C. Angus. 



Irish Insect-hunting Grounds. By Edwin Birchall, Esq. 



The Bog of Allen. 

 Across the centre of Ireland, brown and bare and desolate, covering 

 nearly half a million of acres, and extending eighty miles from east to 

 west, and as much from north to south, lies this huge "Dismal Swamp." 

 It may give some idea of the flatness of the great plain upon which the 

 Bog of Allen is situated, and through which the Shannon rolls its 

 sluggish flood, to say that a light upon Killiney Hill, near Dublin, can 

 be seen from the Nephin Mountains in Mayo, one hundred and fifty 

 miles distant, and the Bog probably owes its origin to the imperfect 

 drainage consequent upon the configuration of the country. Attrac- 

 tions for the wandering tourist the district has none. Even the natu- 

 ralist, to whom the picturesque is a secondary consideration, wisely 



