456 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



expected to have left our shores more than a month ago ? — D. A. Ban- 

 nebman (1, Lansdowne Terrace, Grand Parade, Eastbourne). 



Waxwings (Ampelis garrulus) in Co. Antrim. — On Nov. 24th I had 

 the pleasure of seeing, at the establishment of the Messrs. Sheals, the 

 taxidermists here, a pair of male Waxwings that had been shot about 

 a fortnight previously at Toomebridge, Co, Antrim, and sent to them for 

 preservation ; these birds were in splendid plumage, the wax-like appen- 

 dages being very bright and conspicuous. Messrs. Sheals tell me these 

 two make the total up to four that have passed through their hands 

 during the course of their long business connection here. Thompson, 

 in his ' Birds of Ireland,' says the Waxwing "is an occasional but rare 

 winter visitor to Ireland," and records its occurrence on three occasions 

 near Belfast, twice about thirty years previous to 1849, and the other 

 on Feb. 6th, 1835. 



P.S. — Since writing the above quite a large number of Waxwings 

 have been obtained or seen in this district, and, strange to say, nearly 

 all from Co. Antrim. Below I give a list of those sent to Belfast for 

 preservation, and the dates on which they were obtained : — 



Nov. 6th. Two males from Toomebridge, Co. Antrim. 



Nov. 28th. Two males from Antrim, Co. Antrim. 



Dec. 2nd. One male from Larne, Co. Antrim. 



Dec. 5th. One female from Lisburn, Co. Antrim. 



Dec. 5th. One female from Aghalee, Co. Antrim. 



Dec. 8th. One female from Whitehead, Co. Antrim. 



Dec. 10th. One male and one female from Islandmagee, 

 Co. Antrim. 

 In addition, I understand three have been sent to Messrs. Williams, 

 the Dublin taxidermist — two shot near Lurgan, Co. Armagh, and one 

 at Rathangan, as recorded in the ' Field ' ; also one seen near Galway 

 on Nov. 7th. It is interesting to note this constitutes a record migra- 

 tion as far as Ireland is concerned, as there are only two records for 

 the north during the past forty years, namely, Feb. 23rd, 1893, one 

 male shot at Ballinderry, Co. Antrim ; Feb. 23rd, 1894, one male 

 caught alive at Portaferry, Co. Down. — W. C. Wright (Belfast). 



Siskin breeding in the Co. Wicklow. — A young friend, formerly a 

 parishioner of mine, found a pair of Siskins (Chrysomitris spinas) 

 breeding this year near Rathdrum, in the Co. Wicklow. He has 

 written to me several particulars about the birds, which perhaps may 

 prove of interest to others. Two nests were found, the first on May 

 4th. This nest was taken on the 19th, and it then contained two eggs, 

 one of which unfortunately was broken in the fall of the branch upon 

 which the nest was built. He carefully measured the height of the 



