414 [Proc. B.N.F.C, 



After briefly contrasting the flight organs of mammals and 

 reptiles with the highly specialised wings of birds, and pointing 

 out the paucity of fossil birds discovered, he proceeded to give 

 some practical hints on bird-watching, or field ornithology. 

 For the pursuit of this study, the only requirement, in addition 

 to the eyes and ears with which nature has endowed us, is a 

 good field-glass, by the aid of which birds can be closely ob- 

 served at a considerable distance, for so^ wary are some species 

 that it is almost impossible to approach them so closely as to 

 be able to follow their movements with the unaided eye. 



Correct identification was imperative if the observations 

 were to be of any value, and the lecturer gave some general 

 directions as to how the different species of birds might be 

 distinguished. Size, shape, colour, characteristic actions, sound 

 emitted, as well as the physical features of the bird's habitat, 

 applied singly or collectively, were the main aids to identifica- 

 tion in the field, and examples were cited of the characteristic 

 differences by which many of our native birds might be 

 recognised. In this pursuit quiet patience and solitude were 

 very desirable, as when a number of people are walking about 

 birds, as a rule, will be frightened, and remove themselves from 

 the vicinity of what is by them considered a source of danger. 

 Mr. Foster remarked that it was strange that many species 

 of birds common in Great Britain were either unknown or only 

 recorded as accidental stragglers to Ireland. Many a rare 

 wanderer to our island undoubtedly escaped notice, and he 

 urged the importance of having every bird, which the capturer 

 might consider rare, submitted tO' a local expert with full 

 particulars as to when and where it had been obtained. In 

 conclusion, he said he would like to have a reliable observer 

 resident in each area of say 20 to 30 miles in our country, who 

 would chronicle from month tO' month the various species of 

 birds observed in his district. Such records kept regularly all 

 over the country would prove invaluable in the correct com- 

 pilation of our avifauna. 



The Vice-President mentioned some extraordinary results 

 of watching bird-migration off the West Coast of Scotland this 



