THE SPOONBILL. 179 



session. Since that time, my friend learned that one or two more 

 of these birds had been killed in the same neighbourhood, at Dro- 

 mana (Waterford), and were displayed in the gamekeepers' out-of- 

 door museum along with common "vermin." In February 1832, 

 three spoonbills were shot from a flock of five near Dingle, county 

 of Kerry, and one of them sent to my informant, the late Mr. 

 T. F. Neligan, of Tralee. Major Walker, of Belmont, Wexford, 

 writing to me in November 1836, remarked, that Mr. Deve- 

 reux, jun., of Carrickmannon, in that county, had told him of 

 seven spoonbills having frequented a pond at his place in the 

 preceding winter ; but they were so wary as never to admit of his 

 approach within gun-shot. A spoonbill is said to have been 

 killed in the winter of 1837-38 in the county of Donegal; but 

 not preserved.* As my excellent correspondent, Mr. Joseph 

 Poole, was returning from shooting on the south coast [Wexford ?] 

 in July 1810, with his gun unloaded, a spoonbill passed within 

 about ten yards of him. He afterwards saw the bird several 

 times in a marsh in the same neighbourhood ; but it would not 

 admit of a near approach. On the 26th November, 1841, a female 

 was shot on Rogerstown strand, near Swords, county of Dublin : 

 another spoonbill was in company with it. Mr. T. W. Warren, 

 who informed me of its occurrence, kindly took the following 

 notes for my use : — 



It was 3f lbs. in weight, and in every respect very large. The spoon part of the 

 bill was 2 inches 2 lines in breadth ; the extent of wings 4 feet. The plumage 

 indicated a young bird of the year, as the outer webs of the quills were black ; their 

 tips and those of the secondaries being also of that colour, which was displayed from 

 -j- of an inch to 3 inches in depth. The tail was slate-grey with the shafts of the 

 feathers white ; its under side being of a deeper tint than the upper. Mane-like 

 feathers extended from the back of the head down the neck for 4 inches. Legs 

 blackish-brown, lighter on the inside of the thighs, and beautifully tesselated with 

 hexagonal scales edged with dingy white. Its stomach was filled with shrimps. 



On the 30th of November 1843, one was killed close to the 

 town of Youghal.t 



About the middle of October 1844, a spoonbill was shot in the 



* Mr. T. W. Warren. + Dr. J. R. Harvey. 



N 2 



