266 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



on this point. From Seebohm's description I should say that the bird is 

 an adult male in winter dress, and was in full moult at the time it was pro- 

 cured. Mr. Howard saw others, and under circumstances which led him 

 to suppose that they had been bred in the district. On this score also 

 Mr. Howard's surmise may be wrong, and the birds he saw may very likely 

 have been a small flock, or family party even, resting on their return 

 migration, as the date in this case also favours this view. Nevertheless, it 

 is quite possible that the bird may occasionally breed on the north-west or 

 west coast of Ireland — Mr. Howard has not met with the bird since, 

 although he has several times returned to the coast ; neither did I see it 

 the last time I visited Donegal, and paid special attention to Pipits — and 

 has been overlooked by Irish naturalists, from the fact that the spot where 

 the bird was found is very secluded, and the ground is strictly preserved, 

 no person being allowed to carry a gun in the district without the per- 

 mission of the lord of the manor. In this communication I have purposely 

 clouded localities — the counties only are sufficient ; but I am pleased to 

 say that should any of the birds return at any time there is not much danger 

 of their retreat being invaded by collectors. 



During my journey across Ireland from west to east, I paid special 

 attention to Meadow-Pipits, after procuring my specimen, and did not see 

 any more like it ; they were all of the type with which I am so thoroughly 

 familiar, but perhaps slightly darker on the upper parts when nearest the 

 east coast. On the west coast they struck me as being distinctly greyer on 

 the mantle and upper parts generally than in the typical birds. The 

 general appearance of Mr. Howard's bird is very bold and striking. The 

 throat is pale buff, breast and flanks a rich brownish buff, graduating into 

 cream on the middle portion of breast and belly, under tail-coverts rich 

 cream ; from the throat to end of flanks a series of bold black stripes, 

 but not so broad as in the summer specimen. Crown dark brown, 

 centre margined with fawn-brown, cheeks and neck an obscure greyish 

 brown, tinged with buff on ear-coverts. Mantle broad, black, centres 

 with very distinct huffish white margins on the scapular region ; middle 

 of back and rump a more obscure black, margined with fawn-brown ; 

 upper tail-coverts fawn-brown, with more dusky centres. Tail — two 

 centre feathers missing — blackish brown, fringed with light fawn, 

 excepting two outer feathers, which have the outer portion dusky white 

 to the base ; second pair tipped only with dusky white. Wing — 

 closed — dark hair-brown, margined with buff, the median and greater 

 coverts broadly margined with a lighter buff; axillaries palest straw-yellow 

 on outer portion, obscure grey on inner. Bill dusky along culmen and tip, 

 other parts pale brown. Legs and toes whitish buff, nails dark umber. 

 The general appearance of the bird fully bears out its specific name 

 cervinus — fawn-coloured. 



