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FRINGILLIM. 
tion ; but, in one instance, I had interesting circumstantial evi- 
dence that others have been compelled to visit this island by 
severity of weather. This was a day or two before the very great 
snow-storm in the beginning of January, 1827, when one of these 
birds, which was secured and sent to me, alighted on the Chieftain 
steam-packet, on the passage from Liverpool to Belfast. It had 
most probably been the forerunner of the many, which during the 
deep snow immediately following, were shot in different parts of An- 
trim and Down. They were chiefly met with about stack-yards, in 
company with other small graminivorous birds. The snow-storm as 
usual had commenced earlier in an easterly direction than in Ireland, 
which, to birds flying before the storm, would be the last place of 
resort in its latitude, in the eastern hemisphere. In like manner, 
mountain finches may have crossed the Irish sea, in the very severe 
weather early in the year 1811, as Mr. B. Davis, writing from 
Clonmel, stated that a flock, from which several birds were shot, 
was seen near that town on the 5th of February : * he had not 
before known them as visitants to that neighbourhood. 
In a preceding severe winter, 1837-38, they were much more 
numerous than usual. Specimens, shot during frost in the spacious 
yard of the Loyal Society House, Dublin, came under my notice ; 
and at the most inclement period of that season, I have been' assured 
that some of these birds took shelter in the houses in the town 
of Dundalk. This was the first season in which they were known 
to visit the neighbourhood of Cork : they were found associating 
there, with sparrows, yellow buntings, &c.f In the winter of 
1842-43 they were more numerous than I have ever known them 
to be ; specimens from the counties of Londonderry, Antrim, and 
Down, came under my notice, and about thirty were seen in a 
flock, on the shore of Belfast bay. My correspondent at Clonmel 
too, reported them as of occasional occurrence there, towards 
* When at Fresh- water bay, Isle of Wight, in the autumn of 1841, I saw 
several stuffed specimens of the mountain finch on sale at the “ Museum and 
learned, that they had been shot in the vicinity during the frost and excessive 
cold above noticed, when many of them made their appearance : — a circumstance of 
such rare occurrence, that their species was unknown. 
f Dr. Harvey. 
