250 FBINGILLULE. 



tion ; but, in one instance, I had interesting circumstantial evi- 

 dence that others have been compelled to visit this island by 

 severity of weather. This was a day or two before the very great 

 snow-storm in the beginning of January, 1827, when one of these 

 birds, which was secured and sent to me, alighted on the Chieftain 

 steam-packet, on the passage from Liverpool to Belfast. It had 

 most probably been the forerunner of the many, which during the 

 deep snow immediately following, were shot in different parts of An- 

 trim and Down. They were chiefly met with about stack-yards, in 

 company with other small graminivorous birds. The snow-storm as 

 usual had commenced earlier in an easterly direction than in Ireland, 

 which, to birds flying before the storm, would be the last place of 

 resort in its latitude, in the eastern hemisphere. In like manner, 

 mountain finches may have crossed the Irish sea, in the very severe 

 weather early in the year 1841, as Mr. E. Davis, writing from 

 Clonmel, stated that a flock, from which several birds were shot, 

 was seen near that town on the 5th of February : * he had not 

 before known them as visitants to that neighbourhood. 



In a preceding severe winter, 1837-38, they were much more 

 numerous than usual. Specimens, shot during frost in the spacious 

 yard of the Royal Society House, Dublin, came under my notice ; 

 and at the most inclement period of that season, I have been assured 

 that some of these birds took shelter in the houses in the town 

 of Dundalk. This was the first season in which they were known 

 to visit the neighbourhood of Cork : they were found associating 

 there, with sparrows, yellow buntings, &c.t In the winter of 

 1842-43 they were more numerous than I have ever known them 

 to be ; specimeus from the counties of Londonderry, Antrim, and 

 Down, came under my notice, and about thirty were seen in a 

 flock, on the shore of Belfast bay. My correspondent at Clonmel 

 too, reported them as of occasional occurrence there, towards 



* When at Fresh-water bay, Isle of Wight, in the autumn of 1841, I saw 

 several stuffed specimens of the mountain finch on sale at the " Museum ;" and 

 learned, that they had been shot in the vicinity during the frost and excessive 

 cold above noticed, when many of them made their appearance : — a circumstance of 

 such rare occurrence, that their species was unknown. 

 t Dr. Harvey. 



