Birds. 6963 



the many examples which might be quoted from the other groups of 

 birds falling under the same categories, for these have sufficiently 

 proven that the explanation given is correct. Confirmation of the 

 same thing is also seen if examination be made into other facts 

 relating to distribution ; for instance, we find that of the group of 

 birds which are resident in Great Britain, non-resident, yet occasional 

 visitants to Ireland, all are migratory in some parts of the European 

 continent *and have occurred in Ireland in the winter ; as examples 

 may be cited, — the kite {Falco milvus) and the great spotted wood- 

 pecker {Picus major), Antrim, 1839 and 1849 ; Londonderry, 1802 ; 

 Armagh, 1845; Dublin, 1831 and 1850 ; Carlow, 1845 ; Tipperary, 

 1831 and 1849; Sligo, 1835 and 1850; in two cases only have 

 these birds occurred here (viz.. May and August) in other than the 

 winter months. It is remarkable also that all the southern species 

 which have only occurred once or twice in this country have done so 

 in winter, — the spotted eagle {Falco ncevius), griffon vulture [Vultur 

 fulvus). White's thrush {Turdus Whiiei), crested lark {Alauda 

 cristata), two-barred crossbill {Loxia bifasciata\ &c. Northern 

 stragglers occurring here, as the eagle owl [Stria: bubo), snowy owl 

 {Strix nyctea) and Bohemian waxwing {Bombycilla garrula), have 

 been long ago recognized as birds driven from their migratory course, 

 and an error has been committed in not making a more general 

 application of the same law in all cases of accidental visitants, — 

 an error the more surprising as some of our authorities, as for 

 instance William Thompson have recognized that such is the case in 

 regard to many species, as the woodpecker, quoted above. 



I have little doubt that to the same principles we must look for the 

 explanation of the fact, that the occurrence of Australian, American 

 and African birds, such as the great spotted cuckoo {Cuculus glan- 

 darius), yellowbilled cuckoo [Cuculus americanus), belted kingfisher 

 [Alcedo alcyon), Egyptian goose [Anser (Bgyptiacus), and soft-billed 

 duck {Anas membranaceus), have mostly occurred in the winter. 



I must apologize for the length to which these remarks have run, 

 but that they were called for is sufficiently shown by the constant 

 remarks of wonderment met with in authors, as to the absence, in 

 Irish and Scotch lists, of species met with in England and also 

 occurring much further north. I hope to return to the subject 

 at some future time, and will now conclude by calling attention to 

 the fact that, by examination of the iew dates given, it will be seen 

 that these accidental occurrences of species have occurred nearly in 



