WHITH WAGTAIL IN IRELAND. 247 
M. alba, was too much injured by the shot to keep for a specimen, 
but the other two I sent to Mr. EK. Williams, of Dublin, for 
preservation. 
Again, on May 10th, Mr. Kirkwood came across a small 
flock of fifteen birds, resting on a bare stony slope of a small 
hillock, near where he saw the bird last season. On looking at 
them with his glass, he observed that all were in the light grey 
plumage, but on approaching for a closer view they all rose from 
the hill, and pitched on the shore amongst the rocks and stones. 
Just then, a heavy shower coming on, he said it was amusing to 
see them seeking for shelter from the rain under the lee of the 
rocks. Sometimes two or three birds might be seen huddled 
together on the sheltered side of rocks or large stones, evincing 
a decided aversion to the rain wetting their plumage. These 
birds appeared to Mr. Kirkwood to be resting, and not inclined 
to feed, probably being tired after struggling against the stiff 
gale of N.N.W. wind that had been blowing for two or three days 
past; and that when passing over Bartragh they dropped down to 
rest a little before continuing their flight across the sea to 
Iceland, which was evidently their destination. Mr. Kirkwood 
obtained three birds out of this flock, and more lovely specimens 
of the M. alba I never saw, the intense black of the breast and 
head contrasting so strongly with the snow-white of the forehead, 
cheeks, and sides of neck, which extended down almost to the 
shoulders. 
One of the specimens was very badly injured by the shots, but 
the other two were sent to my friend Mr. Howard Saunders, 
of London, who presented them to the Natural History Museum. 
_Itis a strange fact that up to the present (except on the Island 
of Bartragh) there is no authentic record of the capture of 
Motacilla alba in any other part of Ireland; and why Bartragh 
Island should be so favoured it is difficult to say. However, I 
May suggest that the birds met with on Bartragh were on their 
way to their breeding-haunts in Iceland; and as the direct course 
| from their winter-quarters in Spain to Iceland would be across 
the sea, right over Ireland, and the straight line of flight passing | 
over Bartragh and Killala Bay, is it not more likely that the 
tired birds would rest on Bartragh, the last point of land 
between them and Iceland, rather than on any of the more 
