386 
HIRUNDINIM. 
seen flying about Stranmillis near Belfast, during ten days. In the 
same month of 1819, one of that colour was killed in Down or 
Antrim : in Donegal another has been obtained.* One was re- 
marked throughout the summer of 1833 (?) at Portaferry, co. Down. 
It returned in the following season to the same place, but no white 
or pied progeny appeared in either year. A brood of four pure-white 
swallows was reared in the summer of 1838 in an outhouse at Hills- 
borough Park, in the last named county white ferrets ( Mustela 
furo ) inhabited the ground floor just beneath this nest. In the 
autumn of 1843 (?) a white individual was observed flying about in 
company with a number of other swallows near Dublin ; and in the 
same season, another appeared in the glens, co. Antrim. f In the 
summer of 1848, varieties occurred in three instances near Belfast. 
One of a very pale whitish-fawn colour was taken from a nest in 
Malone ; another, a young bird of the year, was presented to the 
Museum by Bichard Bateson, Esq., of Belvoir Park : — it is of a light 
fawn colour of various shades ; the wings and tail being almost 
white on the upper surface. In the old court-house, Newtownards, a 
nest of what were called “ white swallows ” was procured. I have 
always remarked that in particular seasons, birds are more prone 
to assume variety in the colour of their plumage than in others. 
I was not therefore surprised at the receipt of the following note 
from Mr. B. Chute, of Blennerville, Kerry in Oct. 1848 : — “I got 
a very pretty swallow lately ; its body, head, and all the under 
parts buff ; the wings and tail white. It was shot near Listowel : 
I think it is this year's bird." 
Departure. When wind and weather are favourable for migra- 
tion, swallows, including many of the first brood, leave the neigh- 
bourhood of Belfast towards the end of August, but about the 
middle of September is the chief time of their departure. Until 
the middle of October some remain every year. Mr. Templeton 
notes his having observed a few on the 30th and 31st of October, 
1813. On the 14th of November, 1815, one was repeatedly 
seen flying about Stranmillis near Belfast, where also on the 28th 
of October, 1819, three appeared after a severe fall of snow and 
* Mr. J. V. Stewart, f Mr. J. R. Garrett. 
