IRISH SPECIES UNKNOWN AS BRITISH. 427 



western hemisphere, we should rather, on account of the compar- 

 ative proximity of Great Britain, expect them to be found there 

 than in Ireland. The exceptions are the Lapland Bunting, 

 Mealy Redpole, American white-winged Crossbill, and Red-winged 

 Starling ; the two latter being North American birds, which rarely 

 visit Europe, might as likely have occurred in Ireland as in Great 

 Britain ; the two former, inhabiting the northern parts of both 

 Europe and America, should rather — taking it for granted, that the 

 individuals which visited the latter island came from the north of 

 Europe — be expected to visit Great Britain than Ireland. The 

 occurrence of the Australian Spiny-tailed Swallow in England is 

 paradoxical. ' 



Several of the species in the preceding list will doubtless yet 

 be ascertained to visit Ireland ; a few indeed have already been 

 said to do so, but I have not been able to obtain any satisfactory 

 evidence : — the Green Woodpecker is even stated to be resident 

 in some well-wooded parts of the island, but no positive infor- 

 mation on the subject could be procured. 



Species obtained in Ireland and not in Great Britain. 



Gold-vented Thrush. Turdus aurigaster. 

 Great-spotted Cuckoo. Cucukis glandarius. 

 Belted Kingfisher. Alcedo alcyon. 



These are mere accidental visitants ; a single individual of each 

 of the first two was procured, and two specimens — about the 

 same time — of the last. The Gold- vented Thrush is a native of 

 Africa; the Great Spotted Cuckoo of Southern Europe and 

 Northern Africa ; and the Belted Kingfisher of North America. 

 They will be found treated of in the preceding pages. 



The Ash-coloured Harrier (Circus cineraceus, Mont., sp.), 

 alluded to at p. 83 and p. 107 has since been obtained in Ireland. 



