DtJBLTN- NATTTEAL HISTOBT 80CIETT. 61 



ticular birds in question. For two of the specimens we are indebted to my 

 relative, Richard Quin, Esq., of Firgrove, Innishannon, Coimty Cork. The 

 village of Innishannon stands on the left bank of " the pleasant Bandon, 

 crowned with many a wood," which rises from the river to a considera- 

 ble elevation, facing the rocky hill clothed with wood, which, on the 

 opposite side, rises nearly perpendicularly. Along both sides of the 

 Bandon, there are alluvial flats, which above Innishannon form rich 

 pasturage for cattle in the bends of the river; at one of which, opposite 

 Firgrove, Mr. Quinn (1846) shot the fine specimen of the Canada goose 

 {Anser Canadensis), which is in the museum of the Society ; below In- 

 nishannon, whether it be from want of improvement, or from being at 

 a lower elevation, these flats extend to a considerable length and breadth, 

 nearly to Kinsale, where the river enters the sea. In very high tides 

 and floods they are partially submerged ; about three miles down the 

 river from Innishannon lies Shippool marsh, adjoining Shippool Castle, 

 a very old seat of the Hemck family. 



Eai'ly in December last year, while looking for snipe on the marsh, 

 Mr. James Herrick fell in with a flock of four spoonbills, of which he shot 

 one ; of this I had immediate notice from Mr. Quin, for I had previously 

 requested him to be on the look out for rare birds, the river near Kinsale 

 being celebrated for the number of water-fowl and waders that frequent 

 it. I wrote to him to endeavour to secure it, if it was really a spoon- 

 bill, and not the shoveller duck (Anas cli/peafa), which is often so-called ; 

 the result was, that Mr. Herrick most kindly presented it at once. For 

 some days after, two were seen, and Mr. Quin was indefatigable in try- 

 ing to secure them for me ; but, owing to their wildness, it was very 

 difficult to approach them. He, however, succeeded in shooting one 

 (the specimen which I have had set up with expanded wings, to show 

 the peculiar black shafts) ; the other he wounded ; but on account of the 

 extent of slob uncovered by the receding tide, it escaped, and has not 

 since been heard of ; it probably died, and was carried away by the 

 winter's floods, which in the Bandon are very powerful on the fall of the 

 tide, which rises to a considerable height, and pushes its waters as far 

 as Innishannon Bridge. 



About the same time, another was shot by Thomas Hungerford, Esq., 

 of the Island, Clonakilty, County Cork, which he has also presented. 

 These three birds were immature males, and, I presume, birds of the se- 

 cond year ; what impresses me vsdth this idea is, that I learn three other 

 specimens have been sent to Mr. Glennon, of Sufl'olk -street, to be pre- 

 served, all of which were males ; they were smaller, and not so white as 

 the specimens before you ; they are probably of the same age as the 

 living specimens which may be seen at the Zoological Gardens. 



On consulting Mr. Yarrell's work, and others relating to the spoon- 

 bills, it will be found that considerable dififerences are apparent between 

 the immature and adult bird, the most remarkable of whicli is the crest 

 or mane of elongated feathers of the occiput and neck in the adult bii-ds. 

 In the present specimens, there is but a very partial elongation ; the 

 colour of these is altogether white, except the shafts of the wing feathers ; 



