164 ardeidjE. 



Cork, written about a century ago, remarks that " they [bitterns] breed 

 in this county ;" in which, however, they now seern to be very scarce. 

 In the autumn of 1838 one was shot at Glengariff. In the winter of 

 1840-41 two were killed; one at Toughal (where the species had 

 before been met with by Mr. K. Ball), and another near the city of 

 Cork. — Kerry. According to Mr. T. F. Neligan of Tralee, as re- 

 ported in 1837, they were then exceedingly rare in the county, although 

 common not many years before that period. In 1846 Mr. It. Chute 

 considered them as "not now to be met with;" but late in the winter 

 of 1848-49 one was shot there. 



It will have been remarked that, in the winter of 1830-31, 

 bitterns were more than commonly frequent in Dublin and the 

 neighbouring counties, — in Waterford and perhaps in Down (those 

 alluded to by the gamekeeper at Tollymore park, but without cer- 

 tainty as to year) ; thus implying an unusual migration to the 

 island. In Great Britain we find the same to have occurred. 

 Mr. Selby informs us that, in the winter of 1830-31, — 

 " More than the usual number of bitterns has been killed in 

 various parts of the kingdom ; and I am credibly informed that 

 no less than ten were exposed for sale in one morning at Bath." 

 Mr. Heysham, writing from Carlisle, states that "During the 

 months of December, January, and February last [winter of 

 1830-31] no less than eight specimens of the bittern were killed 

 in this part of the county. * * * This is the more remark- 

 able, as only a single specimen has been met with in the same 

 district for the last ten or twelve years. It would appear, from 

 the public journals, that about the same period of the year others 

 were killed in Durham, Yorkshire, Devonshire, &c"* With 

 reference to the numbers obtained in England, Sir ¥m. Jardine 

 observed : — " In the south of Scotland a similar comparative 

 abundance occurred ; several were brought to me in Dumfries- 

 shire ; and on a visit to Edinburgh it was found that the bird- 

 preservers there had obtained also a more than usual number of 

 specimens." 



In the winter of 1844-45 again, they were considered to be 



* Philosophical Magazine, 1832, p. 85. 



