ICTERINE WARBLER. 45 



so betray their presence to a remarkable degree. Moreover, 

 as before mentioned, there was absolutely no mark whatever 

 on the body to indicate that the bird had struck the lantern. 



In regard to the particulars which I made out from an exami- 

 nation and a dissection of the body, in addition to the general 

 bodily condition already described, they are as follows : Total 

 length, 12 - 8 cm. ; wings, 7'62 cm., both being of the same 

 length; bastard primary, 1*1 cm.; tip of wings to tip of tail, 

 1*4 cm. ; tail, 5'5 cm. ; feet, 2'2 cm., leaden-colour, toes 

 similar, nails dirty white in colour ; beak, l'l cm ; almost 

 the entire lower segment, light yellowish-brown in colour ; the 

 upper segment, brownish. Weight, 1 dr. 34 gr. Condition, 

 markedly emaciated. Sex, female. Age, immature. Plumage, 

 first autumn, bright and clean. Gizzard, quite empty. 



Summary of Previous Occurrences of the Icterine Warbler 

 in the British Isles. 



This Icterine Warbler from Tuskar Eock is the first of its 

 kind which has been procured from an Irish light-station, and 

 is the second Irish specimen which has been authentically 

 recorded. The first bird was collected as long ago as June 8th, 

 1856, at Dunsinea, Co. Dublin, by Mr. J. G. Eathborne, who 

 presented it to the National Museum, Dublin, where it is now 

 preserved.* Fifty-eight years and three calendar months less 

 six days therefore elapsed between the capture of these two 

 Icterine Warblers. Nevertheless, the great rarity of the species 

 in Ireland must not be regarded as absolutely conclusive on the 

 mere evidence of only two birds being obtained at very long 

 intervals. Preference to this point will be made again more 

 fully, in dealing with the status of the species as an Irish 

 bird. 



The occurrences in Great Britain, though by no means 

 numerous, are much more so proportionately than those which 

 have taken place in Ireland. They are as follows : One 

 obtained near Dover, Kent, on June 15th, 1848 ; one obtained at 

 Blakeney, Norfolk, on September 11th, 1884 ; one obtained at 

 Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northumberland, on June 20th, 1889 ; one 

 * Useher, ' Birds of Ireland,' 1900, p. 23. 



