2 



The Irish Naturalist, 



January, 



Willow Wrens sing regularly through August ; I might 

 hear the song twice. They note that several species have 

 an autumn as well as a spring song period ; that this 

 is well seen in the Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Creeper, 

 Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, and Willow Wren, less so in Missel- 

 Thrush, Blackbird and Chaffinch ; that the Song Thrush, 

 Robin, and Hedge Sparrow sing all through the winter, 

 and the Wren makes no appreciable break. They do not 

 hold much to the frequent suggestion that autumn singing 

 is from young birds of the year. This is nearly all 

 superior to my district. I should say the remarks appl}^ 

 to us in the case of Goldcrest, Creeper, Robin, and 

 Wren ; in a much less degree as to the Wagtail, Skylark 

 and Song Thrush, and not at all as to the rest. 



Messrs. Alexander's " regular " period, where I can 

 check it, is also inclined to last later than ours. Thus they 

 put the regular song of Thrush and Blackbird as ending 

 in third and fourth weeks in July respectively, whereas I 

 would put them at least a month earlier. They end the 

 Chaffinch's regular song in first week of July as compared 

 with mine fully a fortnight earlier. The Meteorological 

 Society divides the British Isles for phenological observations 

 into climatic divisions :— A (S.E. England) to K (N. Scotland) 

 and Messrs. Alexander's district and mine would belong to 

 C and G respectively. 



Messrs. Alexander mark, of course, a period of " regular " 

 song as distinct from occasional or fitful song. This regular 

 period is mostly but not always in spring and early summer. 

 Their chief exceptions among the residents are as follows : — 



Robin (Regular period) . . Fourth week in July to fourth week in 



June. 



Hedge Sparrow . . . . Second week in September to end of July, 



Wren . . . . . . All year. 



Pied Wagtail .' . . . October and early November, and Feb- 



ruary to May. 



Starling . . . . . . End of August to beginning of May. 



Then among the migrants they put the following as 

 singing during their entire stay, which I also find : — Swift, 

 Swallow (except on arrival). Nightjar. 



