N ANATID^. 



Baiiiiagher aud the Upper ISiiaimon ; ^ they have been fre- 

 quently shot near Cashel, and have appeared in severe winters on 

 the Bog of Allen and in Bantry Bay.f 



Mr. G. Jackson^ gamekeeper to the Earl of Bantry, at Glen- 

 gariff, Bantry Bay, wrote to me thence, in 1849, in reference to 

 Cij(jimsferu8 and C. Bewickii. His description of size, markings 

 of the bill, &c., shows that both species were obtained by him. 

 He often saw grey immature birds. His statement is as follows : — 



" I never saw any Wild Swans in this part of the country ; 

 but in aU the counties of Connaught they are plentiful in the 

 winter season, generally arriving about the begimiing of December 

 and leaving at the latter end of February. They appear in flocks 

 of from two to a dozen in number. — I do not recollect ever hav- 

 ing seen more than twelve together. On January the 28th, 1836, 

 I shot five out of a flock of seven with a rifle and ball at five con- 

 secutive shots, on a large sheet of water, the overflowing of the 

 river, at a place called Bridgogue, between Frenchpark and Boyle. 

 I was concealed behind a rick of turf on the fii'st being shot ; the 

 others did not rise, but swam round him with outstretched 

 necks, as if in amazement, which the survivors, gradually 

 diminishing in number, continued to do, although shot after 

 shot was fired at them and one killed at each discharge. 

 They never attempted to take flight until a dog belonging to a 

 countryman ran and took the water, when the two remaining 

 birds rose on wing and fled. I never killed more than one at a 

 shot, but have on different occasions, when waiting for duck, &c., 

 at flight-time, procured two out of a flock with the double gun, 

 right and left. When flying with the wind their velocity is 

 astonishing. I used to pay as much attention to getting them as 

 my time would allow, as their down was beautiful, and the 

 females of my family made pelerines, boas, &c., of it, and the 

 black or darker feathers of the wild goose interspersed fancifully 

 ill rings, spots, &c., alternately. These sold at a very high price, 

 and were well worth their attention. The dressmakers, even of 



* Kev. T. Knox. f ^li'' K- Davis, jiin. 



