238 emberizidjE. 



island are situated there, — can only be called a rare and occasional 

 visitant. Its numbers are stated similarly to decrease from the 

 north to the south of England. The island of Achil is said to be 

 regularly visited by the snow-bunting j* and small flocks are re- 

 ported as frequent in Connemara in very severe winters.t In a 

 catalogue of the birds of the south, kindly drawn up for my use 

 some years ago, by Dr. Harvey of Cork, the snow-bunting was 

 noticed merely as having been met with at Dunscombe wood, 

 near that city. In the Fauna of Cork since published (1844), 

 he states that it is not very uncommon, in immature plumage, in 

 winter: but one adult bird had been seen by him. In a com- 

 munication made to me in 1841, by Dr. Burkitt of Waterford, 

 the species was noticed as visiting that neighbourhood only in 

 January, 1832. In 1837, I was informed by Mr. T. F. Neligan, 

 that he had never met with it in Kerry ; but in the winters of 

 1840-41, and 1842-43, Mr. E. Chute became aware of its visit- 

 ing different parts of that county. All that can be said of it by 

 my correspondents in Tipperary and Wexford is, that one was 

 shot on a mountain to the south of Clonmel on the 25th of Dec, 

 1841, at which time four or five more were seen; J and that the 

 species was first observed in the latter county in the winter of 

 1846-47. § 



The snow-bunting is truly a most attractive bird, not only from 

 its pleasing form and finely-varied plumage, but as one of the 

 very few species met with in the depth of winter on the mountain- 

 top, where, flitting overhead, uttering its pleasingly wild chirp, 

 the far-distant region within the arctic circle, whence it may have 

 come, is brought before the mind. Its earliest appearance about 

 Belfast noted by me, is the middle of October, 1831 and 1844, 

 and the 23rd of that month, in 1833. At the end of October, it 

 has been killed on the shore of Dublin bay. The latest date 

 noted of its remaining about Belfast is the 21st of March, 1832. 



Although their haunts, in mild weather, are chiefly the mountain- 

 tops, one night's severe frost has been known to drive them to the 

 nearest roads for food : a friend has seen them here in frosty morn- 

 * Dr. W. R. Wilde. t M'Calla. % Mr. Davis! § Mr. Poole. 



