The Zoologist— February, 1870. 2019 



and Willie's ihrusli (T". Whilei), and the ruddy sliieldralie, have occurred within the 

 last few years iu Ijelaud, yel if a modern woik on British birds were got up, in all 

 probability these would be shorn from the laurels of Ireland, especially when we have 

 no Thompson now living. The blue thrush was presented lo the lloyal Dublin 

 Society by Mr. Brassington : it was killed on the 17th of Xovember, 1866 {vide label 

 attached), in Westmealli. White's thrush was shown me by Mr. Glennon, of Wicklow 

 Street, Dublin, who stuffed it. The ruddy shieldrake was sent to Mr. Williams, of 

 Dame Street, lo stuff.— 7/. Blake-Knnx ; Dalkry, December 23, 1869. 



Black Redstart in the Counti/ of Dublin. — December 13. While driving past the 

 Colamore to-day I had the pleasure of seeing a male black redstart, in full distinctive 

 dress: it was in a field opposite Alma and Biva Cottages. It disported itself quite 

 close to me while I remained, flying from every little eminence to the grass with that 

 quiik vagrant action so peculiar to these birds: there was also a sunny wall along the 

 field, against the face of which it flew frequently, a habit so common to the species 

 that I never saw one that did not do so. I am sorry to say that J was templed to go 

 for my gun : on my return the bird was still in the field, hut showed great wariness 

 and restlessness. I fired at a disadvantage, only wounding it, when it sought safely in 

 an old wall, where I had to leave it. Frequently in company with it I saw other 

 birds, but I think they were stonechats, but of this I am not sure, for J could 

 not get near enough to distinguish them — at all events, they were not male birds. 

 December 14. Saw a male black redstart in same field as yesterday, did not molest 

 him: hope he may be the same bird: he seems all right. For the last twelve years 

 I have met with the black redstart every second winter: this rule was never violated, 

 except in 1867, and in that year I spent much of my time on the sen.— Id. 



On the Plumage of the Block Redstart.— Has the black redstart a winter and a 

 summer plumage? I say not. Dr. Bree, in his ' Birds of Europe,' is under the im- 

 pression it has. I argue the fact that it has not two seasonal plumages, because 

 birds shot liy myself in December and January, nol to speak of many seen in October 

 and November, are similar to others from the Continent shot during the summer 

 months, with the slight difference that the older the plutnage the more the fringes or 

 edges to the feathers wear off, which is common to all the Syhiadae, finches, &c. The 

 adult male black redstarts in winter (County Dublin specimens) agree wilh the plates 

 and woodcuts in so many of our works on Natural History, and certainly never with 

 S. Cairii of Dr. Bree. " This bird," writes Dr. Bree (vol. ii. p. 6), in reference lo 

 S. Cairii, " is exactly similar in plumage lo the autumnal moult of the male S. Tithys, 

 the black red^lart of the British lists. It affords a good example of what is termed a 

 permanenl variety or r.ice, because it has been found by careful examination that it 

 never assumes the dark breeding plumage of the latter bird ; I have thought it right 

 therefore to give a figure and notice of it in this work, more particularly as the black 

 redstart is a rare straggler in Britain, and not likely lo be met with here in its 

 moulting plumage." Dr. Bree here overlooks the fact that ihe black redstart is a 

 winter migrant or wanderer, chiefly to Britain, and that if the winter plumage (I do 

 not understand ihe term " moulting plumage") of the male bird is similar lo that of 

 S. Cairii, that would be the plumage in which British observers would more generally 

 find it; in other words, thai male would be similar to female. But as most of the 

 male black redstarts that I have heard of or seen as British have been shot after the 

 autumnal moult, and as all of them were in the full black redstart plumage, or the 



