180 sylviad^;. 



one which he had shot on the preceding evening at the Falls ; 

 its stomach was filled with coleopterous insects. Mr. Wm. 

 Sinclaire on visiting the scene of its death on the following even- 

 ing, and hearing its mate sing, recognised the note as having 

 been often heard by him in the same place for the preceding six 

 or seven years, when he had imagined it to proceed from some 

 insect. This exact locality has not since been frequented by the 

 species, but about a mile distant, the song of one was heard one 

 night in June, 1845, so late as 11 o'clock; and in a subsequent 

 year, on the 29th of April, so late as 12 o'clock. The one loca- 

 lity is less than a mile, the other twice that distance from Belfast, 

 county of Down, in the summer of 1838, the intelligent game- 

 keeper assured me that he had heard its note (which he correctly 

 imitated) there early in that season. About Killaloe, county 

 of Clare, the Rev. Thomas Knox has seen and heard a bird, the 

 note and habits of which correspond with those of the grass- 

 hopper warbler, but no specimen has been obtained for examination. 

 Mr. R. Davis in a letter dated August 2nd, 1838, mentioned tins 

 species as breeding within a few miles of Clonmel, whence a nest 

 containing four eggs was brought to him, about two months be- 

 fore that time. He kindly sent for my inspection an adult male 

 bird, which was shot near Wexford, on the 11th of June, 1843, 

 by Mr. Poole, who remarked that it frequented the thorn bushes 

 on a fence, and would sing while he was close to it, adding, 

 that "its peculiar rotatory song bears no greater resemblance to 

 anything than to the running out of a slick wheel." Mr. R. Ball 

 remarks that he has often heard its curious voice, like the tapping 

 of two stones together, in the neighbourhood of Youghal. 



THE SEDGE WARBLER. 



Salicaria pkragmitis, Bechst. (sp.) 

 Sylvia „ „ 



salicaria, Lath. 



Is a regular summer visitant from south to north. 



It is generally observed around Belfast within the first ten days 

 of May, and once only have I been aware of its arrival not taking 



