308 LAEIDiE. 



THE NODDY. 



Sterna stollda, Linn."^ 



Has been procured on the coast on one occasion, 



As recorded by me in the following words: — "In March 1833, 

 when looking over the collection of Irish birds belonging to Thomas 

 W. Warren, Esq., of Dublin, I perceived, to my surprise, amongst 

 them a specimen of the Sterna stolida. On being informed that 

 this bird had been received as Irish from William Massey, Esq., 

 of the Pigeon-house, and that his collection contained a second 

 specimen, I waited on this gentleman to make inquiry respecting 

 them. In May 1834 he informed me, that in the summer about 

 four years previously, he was favoured with the two birds in 

 question, by the captain of a vessel, who stated that they had 

 been shot in his presence a few days before, between the Tusker 

 Lighthouse, off the coast of Wexford, and Dublin Bay. That 

 only a few days had elapsed since these birds were killed was 

 apparent, not only to Mr. Massey himself (who, from occasionally 

 preserving birds for his own collection, is conversant with such 

 subjects), but to Mr. Glennon, the bird-preserver, by whom they 

 were set up. Their having been skinned by an unskilful person, 

 who left some of the flesh adhering to the skin without applying 

 any preservative to it, proved their comparatively recent state to 

 more than one sense. 



" The history of these birds, as just given, was related to me 

 when I first saw them ; but I did not feel myself warranted 

 in bringing it forward, without having the direct testimony 

 of Mr. Massey. Both specimens are in mature plumage. This 

 is, I believe, the first record of the occurrence of the S. stolida 

 in Europe." 



The preceding note was communicated to the Linnean Society 

 of London, in June 1834, and soon afterwards published. Since 

 that period, this bird has been mentioned by Temminck, in the 



* Genus Atious, Leach ; Megalopterus, Boie. 



