THE KENTISH PLOVER. 105 



sidered more numerous during the autumn of 1848 in Belfast 

 bay than had ever before been known. 



I have since learned, from Robert J. Montgomery, Esq., that 

 two Kentish plover were shot in Dublin bay in the autumn of 

 1846, both of which he saw in the hands of the shooter. He 

 fortunately procured one of them. They were killed from a flock 

 of eight, said to have been very tame, and apart from other birds. 

 The specimen obtained was kindly sent from Dublin for my in- 

 spection. 



From the occurrence, in autumn, of the Kentish plover in two 

 years, it might be imagined that, like many other birds, they 

 visited the island in passing southward from their more northern 

 breeding places ; but we have no record of their having any such 

 haunts, from which they would be likely to migrate along the eastern 

 shores of Ireland. We would appear to have something yet to 

 learn of the geographical distribution of the species. Indeed, 

 from the circumstance of the Kentish plover being known to visit 

 the shores of Kent and Sussex only, in Great Britain, for the pur- 

 pose of breeding (arriving in April, and departing in August), 

 and to have been seen but in one other county — Norfolk,* it 

 would have been a fair inference, previous to the occurrence of 

 the bird in Ireland, that the south-east coast of England was the 

 extreme north-west limit of its migratory range. The north of 

 Germany is the highest latitude in Europe which it was known 

 by Temminck to visit ; but in a subsequent work its range is 

 extended a little farther, — to the south of Sweden. t It is not 

 known in North America, but is said to be found in Siberia. X 

 The more southern shores — as those of the Mediterranean, &c. — 

 are its chief haunt in Europe. 



* Yarrell, Brit. Birds (1845). f Keyserliug and Blasius. % Schlegel. 



