246 THE ZOOLOGIST 
confident that it was the rare Wagtail; but, to be certain of its 
identity, I sent the specimen to my old friend the late Dr. J. R. 
Harvey, of Cork, and he wrote to say that he “had no doubt of 
its being the true M. alba, but that, unfortunately, it had been so 
long delayed in the Post Office, that on its arrival it was unfit 
for preservation, and to his great disappointment the specimen 
was lost.” | } 
For several years after nothing more was seen or heard of the 
White Wagtail, until April 29th, 1893, when visiting Bartragh — 
with some friends, we met a pair of Wagtails feeding on a little 
wet flat piece of sand at the base of the sand-hills, and about 300 — 
yards from where I shot the bird in 1851. These birds walked 
about quietly, with none of the restlessness of the common 
species, for probably they were tired after their long flight from — 
Spain or Africa. After observing them for some time with my — 
glass, and admiring their lovely plumage, I shot one, the other — 
bird flying right off out of our sight, and we did not see it again. © 
This specimen is now in the collection of the Museum of Science 
and Art, Dublin. . 
Having shown the bird to Mr. A. C. Kirkwood (who resides — 
on the island), I asked him to keep a sharp look-out for these — 
Wagtails every season during the month of April; and last — 
season, towards the end of that month, he observed a beautiful — 
bird in the light grey plumage, a short distance from the place | 
where I met the pair in 1898. After looking at it for some time | 
with his glass, he went for his gun, but in the meantime a heavy 
rainfall coming on drove it away to shelter, and when he 
returned to the place the bird had disappeared. However, this 
season he was more fortunate, for on two occasions he met the 
White Wagtail on the island, and obtained three specimens out | 
of each flock. | 
He met the first lot of five birds on April 30th, feeding in a | 
field lately sown with oats, and his attention being attracted by | 
their light grey backs and white cheeks, he brought his glass to | 
bear on them, observing them for a long time, as they (like the | 
birds previously seen) walked quietly about the field, with none | 
of the restlessness so constantly shown by the common Wag: | 
tails. He then got his gun and shot three fine birds, which | 
he kindly brought to show me. One, a perfect type of the . 
