DUBLIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
89 
Shortly before dusk we remarked small parties of starlings begin to 
arrive. These circled about over the reeds, every few moments receiv¬ 
ing considerable accessions to their numbers. Presently, larger bodies 
made their appearance, and, joining their comrades, formed one immense 
flock. This flock then split into two companies, one circling over the 
reeds on the northern side, and the other, apparently endeavouring to 
rival their friends in the beauty of their aerial evolutions, on the south¬ 
ern side; sometimes rising to a considerable height, and forming the 
most beautiful figures against the clear evening sky; then again making 
a downward rush, until the sough of their wings resembled the roar of a 
mountain torrent, they would disappear amongst the reeds; for a mo¬ 
ment all would be still—no sound to be heard but the mournful sigh of 
the wind through the tall reeds, the whistle of the widgeon {Anas pene- 
lope) far out on the lough, or the call of the partridge in the adjoining 
fields; when suddenly a strange guttural chatter would strike upon 
the ear, overcoming every other sound. This would continue a few 
moments only, and then, with a noise like a tempest, would the mighty 
flock arise once more. 
These evolutions continued until it was pretty dark, when the im¬ 
mense multitude finally settled among the reeds. The estimate I made 
of their numbers, at the time, was 18,000 or 20,000; but since then 
I have come to the conclusion that they far exceeded that amount. 
In reply to inquiries I have since made, I find that they have re¬ 
sorted there for a great many years; that they have latterly, especially 
this winter, greatly increased; they commence coming there for the pur¬ 
pose of roosting about November, and disappear by degrees in spring. 
I observed in several parts of the country, though many miles from 
Lough Pern, parties of starlings, towards evening, all flying in the di¬ 
rection of the lough, and my friend, Mr. Harvey, tells me he has ob¬ 
served them in the morning flying apparently from it. 
What surprises me is the fact of their continuing to frequent the same 
place for so many years, as I have, in every other instance which has come 
under my own observation, found the starlings very capricious with regard 
to their roosting-place. I have known several instances in Donegal and 
other counties of their frequenting a place for some years, and then to¬ 
tally deserting it, apparently without cause. Thompson mentions some 
similar cases. I remember in the county of Louth, during the intense 
frost in the winter of 1855,1 observed on several occasions immense flocks 
of starlings towards evening, all flying in the same direction; they 
amounted to many thousands, and were evidently a migration into that 
part of the country. X watched them with very great interest, and 
found that during the severe frost they nightly congregated in a place 
called Ballydonnell, where they roosted among evergreens and small 
trees. Why they selected that place I am at a loss to know; it is only 
half a mile from the extensive old woods and plantation of Beaulieu, 
which they actually passed. I never saw them in great numbers there 
before that winter, nor have I seen them since. 
