283 



"THE BIRDS OF HILLSBOROUGH." 



The first meeting of the Winter Session was held in the 

 Museum on 16th November, when the President, Mr. Nevin H. 

 Foster, M.B.O.U., delivered his inaugural address on the above 

 subject. 



Mr. Foster, after thanking the Members for placing him in 

 the President's chair, said that it was an understood thing that 

 the Presidential Address should be upon some subject in which 

 he (the President) was particularly interested, and that, as many 

 of his observations had been directed towards a Class in the 

 Animal Kingdom for which almost every person professed an 

 affection, he thought it might serve to intensify that interest by 

 his speaking on the birds of the neighbourhood in which he 

 resided. For some years past he had kept a careful record of all 

 the birds observed within a radius of some three or four miles 

 from the village of Hillsborough. This area was, he considered, 

 above the average rich in bird life, possessing as it did great 

 variety in its topographical details, and so affording many ideal 

 haunts for birds of various habits. The elevation of the district 

 varied from about ioo feet above sea-level at the bank of the river 

 Lagan in the north, to an altitude of 596 feet a couple of miles 

 south of the village. For the most part the land was under high 

 cultivation, but some fairly extensive areas of marsh, moor, and 

 bogland occurred ; and, although there were no extensive woods, 

 yet trees were abundant all over the district ; whilst the existence 

 of some enclosed private demesnes tended to attract birds whose 

 retiring habits caused them to frequent such undisturbed areas. 

 The Lagan was the only river of any importance in the district, 

 but several lakes and ponds and the canal furnished suitable 

 haunts for water-frequenting birds. Since he had kept this record 

 of the birds observed in the neighbourhood he had noted in all 

 96 species out of the 231 recorded from the North-East of Ireland, 



