( 73 ) 



IRISH COAST. 



In the spring of 1882 forty schedules were forwarded to the 

 light-keepers, and in the autumn forty-one. Thirty-one stations 

 returned answers in the spring, and thirty-two in the autumn. 



The same stations were selected as in the autumn of 1881, 

 with the exception of Dursey Island, which was substituted for 

 the Calf Kock ; and Dungarvan, which was added in the autumn 

 of 1882. 



Some improvement in filling the schedules is apparent. A 

 few errors in the identification of species probably have been 

 made, but no blame is attached to the light-keepers, who 

 gratuitously observe for us to the best of their ability. 



In accordance with a desire expressed by the other members 

 of the Committee, and for the sake of uniformity, the observations 

 have been arranged under each species instead of under the day 

 of the month, and the light-stations are arranged geographically, 

 beginning at the Fastnet, in Cork, and going round by the east 

 and north to the west coast. The entries in the spring schedules 

 are placed first under each species. 



The severe frost which visited these islands for about ten 

 days, beginning on December 6th, caused a local migration of 

 many land-birds to the sea-coast, and several entries occur in 

 the schedules at this time. 



The weather observations taken by the light-keepers, when of 

 an ordinary character, have been sometimes omitted ; but with 

 scarcely an exception every entry in the schedules, which refers 

 to the occurrence of a particular species on a given date, is 

 recorded. 



The name given by the light-keepers to the birds is always 

 adopted, and generally without comment ; but occasionally 

 inverted commas are used when it appears advantageous to 

 insert them. 



Looking through the records, and comparing them with 

 reports from the English coast and elsewhere, it is evident that 



L 



