THE GREY PHALAROPE. 341 



shot on Conswater, where it empties itself into the channel, Belfast 

 Bay, two grey phalaropes ; he had seen them there together for a 

 few days previously, and described them as proud-looking little 

 birds, light as corks on the water (a favourite simile), and hardly 

 touching the surface. Their movements were extraordinarily 

 quick as they wheeled about from one side to the other to pick 

 up objects, " quicker than an eddy of wind would waft a feather." 

 Their stomachs, which I examined, were filled with small Crustacea 

 {Idotece), univalve shell-fish (Paludina miiriatica, Lam.) — of which 

 there were numbers, — and one insect larva. 



Late in the autumn of 1846, phalaropes were more widely 

 distributed on the coast, &c. of Ireland, than they had been since 

 the same season of 1831. At the Pigeon-house wall, Dublin Bay, 

 one was killed, on the 13th of September, and in the next 

 month, another, near Eaheny in that quarter. On the 9th of 

 October, Mr. E. Chute obtained a specimen (in winter plumage) 

 which was shot near Castle Gregory, on the coast of Kerry, the 

 first bird of the species killed in the county that had come 

 under his notice. On the following day, he procured another (in 

 mixed summer and winter plumage) which was found inland 

 fifteen miles from the sea. In the adjoining county of Cork, an 

 immature bird was shot about the same time. According to 

 Mr. R. Davis, jun., of Clonmel : — " On the 10th of October our 

 cook brought me, living, ' a queer bird • she had caught in our 

 yard in the centre of the town, that proved to be a grey phala- 

 rope. I tried to keep it alive, and it fed freely on worms placed 

 in water, but pined away after three or four days. It was much 

 emaciated when taken.. The weather had been extremely wet 

 and stormy for some days previously." A single bird was seen 

 at one part of Belfast Bay, on the 14th of October, and two in 

 company at another ; the former admitted of a very close approach 

 as it kept feeding in the foam along the edge of the flowing tide. 

 One was shot about this time at Mount Louise (Monaghan), 

 where it was observed to be struck at, on the surface of the water, 

 by crows, from the assaults of which it dived.* 



* Robert Evatt, Esq. 



