248 TllE ZOOLOGIST. 



1 Chronicles of Wexford,'* a book which is now out of print. 

 On page 39 it is stated that " in the year 1834, a Cata- 

 logue of Manuscripts, called 'The Southwell MSS.,' was put 

 up for sale by Mr. Thos. Thorpe, containing descriptions of 

 many Counties, and lesser divisions of Ireland, all of which were 

 written for the use of Sir William Petty, when he was about to 

 make his now celebrated * Down Survey.' " One of these MSS., 

 extensively quoted on pp. 49 — 56 of the ' Chronicles,' is an 

 account of Wexford and the Barony of Forth, dated 1682, by 

 Colonel Solomon Eichards.t Among several other interesting 

 natural history notes which the Colonel has left to us is one 

 relating to Magpies on pp. 50, 51, which runs as follows: — 

 " One remarque more is, there came with a strong bleake easterly 

 wind, a flight of Magpies, under a dozen, as I remember, out of 

 England, or Wales, as 'tis verilie believed, none having ever been 

 seen in Ireland before. They lighted in the Barony of Forthe, 

 where they have bredd, and are soe increased, that they are now 

 in every village and wood in this county — especially in this 

 Barony abundant — my own garden, though in the Towne of 

 Wexford, is continually frequented by them, and they are spread 

 more thinly into other counties and parts of the Kingdom. The 

 natural Irish much detest them, saying, * they shall never be rid 

 of the English, while these Magpies remain.' The observation 

 is, that the English Magpies entered Ireland in the same County 

 where the Englishmen first entered it, and in the English 

 Barony alsoe." 



It is to be observed that Colonel Kichards describes the 

 Magpies from his own observation, and the accuracy of the 

 words, " under a dozen, as I remember," gives the impression 

 that he had himself witnessed their arrival. As to the way in 

 which the introduction was effected, he supports Kutty, who 

 wrote of the Magpie in 1772 : — " It is a foreigner, naturalized 

 here since the latter end of K. James the Il.d's reign, and is said 

 to have been driven hither by a strong wind." It would be 



* Published at Enniscorthy in (?) 1879. 



f Colonel Kichards is stated (on p. 57 of the * Chronicles ') to have lived 

 at Badleigh, in Devonshire, before he came to Wexford. He continued in 

 Cromwell's army up to 165 G, and obtained a grant of lands in the county of 

 Wexford, which was confirmed to him by Charles II. Other details of his 

 life are also given. 



