AQUATIC WARBLEB ON MIGBATION. 91 



Isle of Wight, on the night of September 17th-18th, 1909 

 (H. F. Witherby, ' British Birds,' vol. v. p. 176) ; one (a male) 

 obtained at Norfolk, on October 23rd, 1912 (Clifford Borrer, 

 'British Birds,' vol. vi. p. 220) ; one (a male) obtained at St. 

 Catherine's Lighthouse, Isle of Wight, on August 17th, 1912 

 (A. M. C. Nicholl, 'British Birds,' vol. vi. p. 344). 



It may be seen from the above statistics that, omitting the 

 birds seen but not obtained, there have been procured during 

 the last ninety-eight years seventeen specimens in Great 

 Britain (England) and two in Ireland. The first in Norfolk 

 in 1815. The last to date on Tuskar Bock, Co. Wexford, on 

 August 9th, 1913. It is, no doubt, right to regard the Aquatic 

 Warbler as a rare British bird, but its much greater rarity as 

 disclosed by the earlier records has been apparent rather than 

 real. Not only was the bird confounded with the Sedge- 

 Warbler and specimens left unidentified for years — while 

 probably others from time to time passed out of the hands of 

 museums and private collections as Sedge-Warblers, to make 

 room for valuable specimens — but also owing to the lack of 

 observers at light-stations, many specimens, killed or captured 

 striking, were never procured. Are view of the records which I 

 have summarised show this clearly to be the case, for, with 

 additions in the number of workers on the subject of bird- 

 migration at light-stations, and through the co-operation and 

 increasing vigilance of the light-keepers, we find that an increase 

 in the number of records of rare birds touching our coastlands 

 have come to hand. Two noteworthy instances of birds whose 

 numerical and periodical status as migrants to Ireland have 

 undergone marked change, pari passu, with our growth of 

 knowledge on migration are to be found in the case of the Pied 

 Flycatcher and the White Wagtail. When A. G. More — one of 

 the greatest living authorities on Irish birds of his day — 

 published his ' List of Irish Birds ' for the Science and Art 

 Museum, Dublin, 2nd edition, in 1890, the two species just 

 mentioned were designated as very rare visitors. At the present 

 time I should regard the Pied Flycatcher as a rather scarce and 

 irregular visitor, chiefly in autumn, while the White Wagtail 

 I should certainly designate as a plentiful spring and autumn 

 migrant. In the same manner other species might be cited. 



