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II. 



A NEW liEITLSH AND TWO NEW IRISH BIEDS. 

 By RICHARD M. BAERINGTON, M.A. 



[Read Novkmbeii 24. Ordered for Publication December 8, 1908. PiiUishdd Febritaky 2, 1909.] 

 PALLAS'S GRASSHOPPER WARBLER {Locitstella certhioJa, Pall). 



The above species is perhaps the most interesting yet obtained at our Irish 

 Light-stations. It was picked up dead at Rockabill Light-house, on the 

 28th September last, by Martin Kennedy, assistant Light-keeper. 



If we except the specimen obtained at Heligoland Light-house by 

 Heinrich Gatke, on August 13th, 1856, there is no other European record. 

 Oatke says' tliat Rudolf Blasius, the eminent German ornithologist, considered 

 it "the jewel of his collection." It is a native of Eastern Asia, passing 

 througli China on migration, wintering iu Burma, India, and some islands 

 of the Malay Archipelago. It resembles our own Grasshopper Warbler 

 {Locustella ncevia), but is much larger, and the feathers on the back are striped 

 with black. The greyish-white tips to the under-tail feathers first attracted 

 attention, and euabled me to identify it at once by the figure in Dresser's 

 splendid work on tlie birds of Europe. = It was in plump condition, and 

 on dissection proved to be a male. This Asiatic species is one of the 

 most remarkable of recent additions to the British avifauna. 



THE LITTLE BUNTING {Emheriza pusilla, Pall). 



On October 2nd, 1908, a specimen of the Little Bunting was killed, 

 striking the Rockabill Light-house lantern, and was forwarded by the 

 principal keeper, Mr. B. R. Jeffers, as a Twite {Linota flavirosfris) . It was 

 like a small specimen of our Common Reed-Bunting except for the absence 

 of the ferruginous colour on tlie small wing-coverts ; but on closer examina- 

 tion it proved to be the above species, and is the first specimen obtained in 

 Ireland. 



'"Heligoland as an ornithological observatory," liy Heinrich Gatke, translated by Rudolph 

 Eosenstock. Edinburgh, 1895, p. 126 ; also " Die Vogelwarte Helgoland, Yon Heinrich Gatke, 

 ierausgegeben von Professor Rudolf Blasius. Braunschweig, 1900," p. 331. 



' "A History of the Birds of Europe, including all the species inhabiting the "Western palaearctio 

 region." London, 1871-96. 



