THE GREY PHALAROPE. 337 



In the mouth of November 1830, one frequented the dam at 

 Ballydugan mills, county of Down, for about a week, when it was 

 shot, after having, by the elegance of its motions, afforded high 

 gratification to all who saw it."* The individuals hitherto noticed 

 (with one exception) seem to have been solitary wanderers. 



In the autumn of 1831, however, there was quite a migration 

 of phalaropes to Ireland. Late in the month of October, I 

 then saw in the shop of a bird-preserverf in Belfast, at the same 

 time six fresh specimens, and in the possession of an amateur 

 taxidermist a seventh. J These were shot at four different localities 

 remote from each other, in the county of Down. One was 

 obtained inland, near Rathfriland, on the 26th of October, upon 

 which day three were killed on the coast at Dundrum. At Do- 

 naghadee, on the 29th, one, and near Portaferry, about the same 

 time, two, were shot. Of those killed at Dundrum it is remarked 

 in a note now before me, made by the late Mr. John Montgomery : 

 " The first one I saw close by the edge of the river, between the 

 outer and inner bay, and knew to be a stranger by its graceful 

 movements ; it dipped its head often and seemed to be feeding ; 

 was very tame and showed no fear when we came within twenty 

 yards. About ten minutes afterwards we came within sight 

 of a pair of these birds. While rowing in-shore to get near 

 them, I was amused with their liveliness in sipping the water 

 and playing round each other in a circling and graceful man- 

 ner. Their plumage indicated a change between the grey 

 and the white." || On the 25th of October one was shot at 

 Conswater, near Belfast, and not far distant, on the county Down 

 side of the bay, two more (which came under my inspection) 



* Mr. Wm. Sinclaire. 



f On skinning them he particularly remarked the closeness of the feathers on the 

 breast, and that those nest the body were black. 



\ These specimens had the forehead white ; other parts of the head dark brown, 

 of which colour the scapulars and quill feathers also were ; wings rather below the 

 carpal joint, bluish; entire back, fine bluish -grev; all the under parts pure white. 

 —Dr. J. D. Marshall. 



|| Two more phalaropes were killed at Dundrum a few years afterwards. 



VOL. II. Z 



