230 SCOLOPACI1M5. 



This species, which is of frequent occurrence on the shores of 

 Donegal, is described by my correspondents to be common in 

 suitable localities — the soft oozy or sandy beach being preferred 

 — southward from those already named to Dublin Bay, Wexford, 

 Waterford, and Cork Harbours, and round to the western bays of 

 Kerry and Galway. It is chiefly known as an autumnal visitant, 

 but remains in some places until spring. About Lough Derg, an 

 expansion of the river Shannon, it is said to be met with every 

 year in the months of September and October : — in April 1847, 

 two were killed there : — it is, however, much more of an estuary 

 or marine bird, than the black-tailed godwit. 



The Limosa rufa, although so much more common than the 

 black -tailed species, which still continues to breed (though very 

 sparingly) in England, is not known to nidify in any part of the 

 British Islands. 



THE RUFF. 



Machetes pugnax, Linn, (sp.) 

 Tringa 



Visits Ireland on its autumnal migration southward not 

 unfrequently ; but very rarely appears on its vernal 

 movement northward. 



An adult male in full plumage shot in company with two others in 

 the Creagh bogs, near Castledawson, county of Londonderry, in 

 May 1821, came into the possession of the late Mr. John Mont- 

 gomery, in a recent state. It was preserved for his collection, and 

 is now in the Belfast Museum. In March 1833, I saw in the 

 possession of Mrs. Desmond, Dublin, two ruffs and a reeve in 

 full nuptial plumage, which had been shot about the river Shannon. 

 The collection of Mr. Massey, Pigeon-house Fort, Dublin Bay, 

 contained in 1833 an immature specimen of the ruff which had 

 been killed there : subsequently one was shot " when frost was on 



