308 
LAEIM. 
THE NODDY. 
Sterna stolida, Linn.* 
Has been procured on the coast on one occasion, 
As recorded by me in the following words : — “ In March 1.833, 
when looking over the collection of Irish birds belonging to Thomas 
W. Warren, Esq., of Dublin, I perceived, to my surprise, amongst 
them a specimen of the Sterna stolida. On being informed that 
this bird had been received as Irish from William Massey, Esq., 
of the Pigeon-house, and that his collection contained a second 
specimen, I waited on this gentleman to make inquiry respecting 
them. In May 1834 he informed me, that in the summer about 
four years previously, he was favoured with the two birds in 
question, by the captain of a vessel, who stated that they had 
been shot in his presence a few days before, between the Tusker 
Lighthouse, off the coast of Wexford, and Dublin Bay. That 
only a few days had elapsed since these birds were killed was 
apparent, not only to Mr. Massey himself (who, from occasionally 
preserving birds for his own collection, is conversant with such 
subjects), but to Mr. Glennon, the bird-preserver, by whom they 
were set up. Their having been skinned by an unskilful person, 
who left some of the flesh adhering to the skin without applying 
any preservative to it, proved their comparatively recent state to 
more than one sense. 
“ The history of these birds, as just given, was related to me 
when I first saw them ; but I did not feel myself warranted 
in bringing it forward, without having the direct testimony 
of Mr. Massey. Both specimens are in mature plumage. This 
is, I believe, the first record of the occurrence of the S. stolida 
in Europe.” 
The preceding note was communicated to the Linnean Society 
of London, in June 1834, and soon afterwards published. Since 
that period, this bird has been mentioned by Temminck, in the 
* Genus Anous, Leach ; Megalopterus, Boie. 
