42 Contributiojis to the 



Postscript. — Since the above paper was written, I have had an 

 opportunity (through the kindness of Mr Gray) of examining, in 

 company with Mr Bell, the different specimens of British and Con- 

 tinental shrews preserved in the British Museum. The result was 

 most satisfactory, being in exact accordance with what I had been 

 led to believe from Duvernoy's memoir. In that collection, there 

 are French specimens both of the S. araneiis and the S. Dauben- 

 tonii of foreign authors, and on closely comparing them with indi- 

 viduals of our own species, the differences in the teeth became im- 

 mediately obvious. 



London, Feb. 25, 1837. 



Ill Contributions to the Natural History of Ireland. By Wil- 

 liam Thompson, Esq. Vice-President of the Belfast Natural 

 History Society. 



No. 2. On the Birds of the Order Raptores. 

 In the following paper it will be observed, that the catalogues of 

 birds in the Statistical Surveys of Ireland are but rarely quoted, 

 and, although it is my earnest desire to do justice to every one who 

 has in any way contributed to a knowledge of the Natural History 

 of the country, I am unwilling to bring forward species from the 

 mere circumstance of their names appearing in a catalogue ; indeed, 

 in some instances where descriptions are given, from which the spe- 

 cies can be identified, they have evidently been copied from authors, 

 instead of being the result of an examination of actual specimens. 

 The common English names, too, of species being misapplied, have 

 led to errors, in consequence of the scientific appellation being ap- 

 pended as if they were correct : the county history, which contains 

 the best and most ample catalogues of birds and fishes, bears evidence 

 of this in both departments. Having thus far written in„ explana- 

 tion, it must be added that I complain not of these catalogues, but 

 consider that it would be most unreasonable to expect the many in- 

 dividuals who undertake writing in the statistics of a country, and 

 who have not previously bestowed attention on natural history, to 

 furnish us with zoological or botanical catalogues to satisfy the sci- 

 entific naturalist. 



Golden Eagle — Aquila chrysaetos, Vigors. — The collection of 

 my friend, William Sinclaire, Esq. of Belfast, contains a splendid 

 specimen in adult plumage of the golden eagle, which was trapped 



I 



I 



