4 



The Irish Naturalist. 



January, 



The termination of the regular period of song is of 

 special interest to me, because, though I suppose moulting 

 has a good deal to do with it, I find that the termination 

 in some species strikingly coincides with the last of the 

 unmated singers getting mates, thus suggesting that the 

 termination is due to mating. I regret I know nothing 

 about moulting, but if it is moulting which stops the song, 

 does moulting take place later in S.E. England than here, 

 inasmuch as the termination seems later there ? (I may 

 remark about this termination, that amongst all the songsters 

 as far as I know (including Corncrake) when the song has 

 so declined as to be no more heard in ordinary day time, 

 it may still be heard in early morning.) 



I have culled the following list from Messrs. Alexander's 

 papers, showing the end of some of their " regular " periods, 

 remembering that occasional song may continue with them 

 two or three weeks later, such as in Starling, Lapwing, 

 Missel-Thrush, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Whitethroat. Irish 

 observers may like to compare with them. 



Begin, of May 

 Mid. May 



Starling 

 Lapwing 



Fourth week May Missel-Thrush 

 Begin. June . . Great, Coal, and 



Blue Tits 

 Mid. June . . Creeper 

 Late June . . Cuckoo 

 End June . . . Goldcrest 

 Robin 



Meadow Pipit 

 Willow Wren 

 Corncrake 

 Whinchat 



First week July Chaffinch 



Sand Martin 



Second week July Gardin Warbler 



Mid. July 



Third week July 

 Fourth week July 

 End July 



Mid. August . . 

 Fourth week Aug 

 End August 

 End September 

 Begin. October 



Whitethroat (g) 

 Sedge Warbler 

 Grass Warbler 

 Song Thrush 

 Linnet 

 Blackbird 

 Chiflchaff 

 Hedge Sparrow 

 Reed Bunting 



Skylark 

 Martin 



Lesser Redpoll 

 Yellow-hammer 

 Greenfinch 

 Swallow 

 Wood Pigeon 



For an individual observer to set himself to investigate 

 the relation of song to nesting, and to cover any considerable 

 number of species, is rather a "tall order." But, perhaps, 

 even such more or less tentative results as have been 

 obtained by my observations may be worth recording. 

 They may help as a basis for others to amend or extend. 

 The study needs much persistence and includes many 



