217 



THE GREENSHANK. 



Totanus glottis, Linn, (sp.) 

 Scolopax „ „ 



Is a regular autumnal migrant, and of occasional oc- 

 currence in winter. 



This species is not quite so rare in Ireland as it would seem to be 

 in Great Britain ; where, as remarked by Mr. Selby, it is a scarce 

 bird, " generally only to be met with about the period of its 

 vernal and autumnal migrations."* It is noticed by Sir Win. 

 Jardine as "a straggling visitor." f Thougli of regular annual 

 appearance in the north of Ireland, it comes in extremely limited 

 numbers, and is one of the earliest species in arrival after the 

 breeding season ; — a fact to which our attention is directed by 

 its peculiar cry. About the middle of July, it has always 

 appeared in Belfast Bay ; the earliest noted by me were seen on 

 the 2nd of that month (1846), and on the 29th of June (1848). 

 The specimen obtained at the latter date came under my notice 

 just after being killed; it was beautifully and conspicuously 

 spotted on the neck and breast with black, having a bronzed 

 lustre ; the spots becoming gradually larger downwards, towards 

 the body. On the back and scapulars were dark bronze-coloured 

 feathers, looking very handsome among those of the ordinary 

 light-coloured brown. Like our other Grallatores, this bird 

 is chiefly here in the month of September. Its very limited 

 numbers — generally three or four in a flock — vary little ; during 

 some years, however, (in 1822 or 1823, in 1835 and in 1843,) 

 more than usual appeared. On the 14th of September, 1835, 

 a bird-preserver had received six of them ; being more than he 

 had obtained in any previous autumn. They are extremely 

 wary. I have known, in one season, three of them to be fre- 

 quently seen and pursued by fowlers for six or seven weeks, by 



* Vol. ii. p. 87. t Brit. Birds, vol. iii. p. 205. 



