38 Nevin H. Foster on 



Order COLUMBIFORMES. 



Family COLUMBID/E. 

 Columba oenas Linnc. Stock- Dovk. 



Resident in small numbers. Average size of eggs oG x 28 '(5 mm. ; 

 average weight of full eggs 17 '142 gr., of empty shells 1 '25 gr. 



Columba palumbus LiiDie. Rinu-Dove or Wood-Pigeok. 



Resident and connnon. In some Winters large flocks of immigrant 

 birds frequent tlie district. Average size of eggs 39'78 x 28'65 mm. ; 

 average weight of full eggs 18'13 gr., of empty shells 1'261 gr. 



Streptopelia turtur {Limie). Turtle-Do ve. 



A specimen (in the writer's possession) was shot about 2 miles from 

 Hillsborough on 24th Maj', 1904. On dissection it proved to be a female 

 with eggs in the ovary. 



Order QALLIFORMES. 



Family PHASIANID^. 

 Phasianus colchicus Linue. Pheasant. 



The Pheasant is listed as P. colchicus, though since the introduction 

 of the Chinese Ring-necked, P. iorquatus, into the British Islands, about 

 a century ago, these species have been bred togetlier, and being perfectly 

 fertile inter .se, it is evident that the present race is mongrel. It may be 

 stated that there is no mention of the Pheasant in Ireland before 1589. 



In pre-war times large numbers of Pheasants were artifically hatched 

 in Hillsborough Park, but numbers bred naturally in the Park and in the 

 adjoining fields. Not infrequentlj' a l)lue egg may be found in a nest of 

 normally-coloured eggs. Average size of egg, 43 '74 x 36 '17 mm. ; average 

 weight of full eggs 31 '095 gr., of empty shells 3'05 gr. 



[For many years a few Golden Plieasants, Thaumaleapieta, existed in 

 a semi-feral condition in Hillsborough Park. Since about 1910 they have 

 disappeared, but at present there are in aviaries in the district examples 

 of this species, and also of the following : — Lady Amherst's T. amherstioi ; 

 P. versicolor ; Elliott's Phasiaims elliotti ; Reeve's P. reevesii ; Silver 

 Euplocomus nycthemei'us ; Swinhoe's E. swinhoii ; Mantchurian Eared, 

 Crossoptilon mantchurinum ; and Impyean or Monal, Lopophorus impey- 

 amis ; some of which have bred in captivity here. It is hardly probable 

 that any of these birds maj' escape and become acclimatised natives of the 

 country. Should such occur' the future historian may have the opportunity 

 of including their names in the local avifa;Una.] 



Perdix perdix {Liune). Partridge, 



Formerly not uncommon, it is probable the Partridge does not now 

 inhabit the district. The last known nest was in 1904. 



Coturnix coturnix [Liune). Quail. 



Resident and common up till about 1870 the Quail or " Wet-my-foot" 

 can now only be regarded as an irregular Summer visitant. For several 

 years its presence had not been detected, but in 1896 its distinctive call 

 was heard. In 1904 it appeared in considerable numbers, and since it has 

 occasionally visited us. Average size of eggs 31 '71 x 23'84 mm. ; average 

 weight of empty egg-shells "8286 gr. 



