THE GREY PHALAROPE. 
341 
shot on Conswater, where it empties itself into the channel, Belfast 
Bay, two grey phalaropes ; he had seen them there together for a 
few clays previously, and described them as proud-looking little 
birds, light as corks on the water (a favourite simile), and hardly 
touching the surface. Their movements were extraordinarily 
quick as they wheeled about from one side to the other to pick 
up objects, ‘‘ quicker than an eddy of wind would waft a feather.'’^ 
Their stomachs, which I examined, were filled with small Crustacea 
{Idotem), univalve shell-fish {Paludina muriatica, Lam.) — of wliich 
there were numbers, ^ — -and one insect larva. 
Late in the autumn of 1846, phalaropes were more widely 
distributed on the coast, &c. of Ireland, than they had been since 
the same season of 1831. At the Pigeon-house wall, Dublin Bay, 
one was killed, on the 13th of September, and in the next 
month, another, near Baheny in that quarter. On the 9th of 
October, Mr. E. Chute obtained a specimen (in winter plumage) 
which was shot near Castle Gregory, on the coast of Kerry, the 
first bird of the species killed in the county that had come 
under his notice. On the following day, he procured another (in 
mixed summer and winter plumage) which was found inland 
fifteen miles from the sea. In the adjoining county of Cork, an 
immature bird was shot about the same time. According to 
Mr. E. Davis, jun., of Clonmel: — On the 1 0th of October our 
cook brought me, living, ^ a queer bird ^ she had caught in our 
yard in the centre of the town, that proved to be a grey phala- 
rope. I tried to keep it alive, and it fed freely on worms placed 
in water, but pined away after three or four days. It was much 
emaciated when taken. The weather had been extremely wet 
and stormy for some days previously.^^ A single bird was seen 
at one part of Belfast Bay, on the I4th of October, and two in 
company at another ; the former admitted of a very close approach 
as it kept feeding in the foam along the edge of the flowing tide. 
One was shot about this time at Mount Louise (Monaghan), 
where it was observed to be struck at, on the surface of the water, 
by crows, from the assaults of which it dived.* 
* Robert Evatt, Esq. 
