Page:The Natural History of Ireland vol1.djvu/22

 as an extremely rare visitant to any part of the island; this species would be affected by the absence of wood. The Bittern, on the other hand, affected by the draining of the bogs, has almost ceased to breed in Ireland, though it commonly did so throughout the island, until a late period. It now ranks as little more than an occasional winter visitant from more northern countries. The curlew, golden plover, lapwing, and others, have been driven from many of their breeding grounds by the drainage of the bogs; as has the shell-drake from many rabbit-burrows, which are no longer retired, owing to the increase of population. This has likewise influenced the whimbrel to change its haunts around Belfast, where, until the last forty or fifty years, it regularly frequented the pastures, including the upland ones, during the few weeks of its sojourn when on migration northwards. Of late years, it has been seen only on the sea-shore: pastures and bogs seemed to be its favourite places of resort in spring. The total disappearance of the beautiful goldfinch and bullfinch from districts which they had regularly frequented, the varying increase and decrease of the swallow tribe, partridge, &c., will be found treated of under the species, as will the great increase and decrease of the black-headed gull at particular localities.

It is not on the land only that changes have taken place. Wigeon, in consequence of being too much disturbed in Belfast bay, by increase of shipping, steam-vessels, &c., even by night—their feeding time—have greatly diminished within the last twenty years. Previous to that period, they arrived here every evening at twilight, in vast numbers from Strangford lough, and after remaining to feed during the night, again retired every morning before daybreak, to the comparative quietude of its waters. Morning and evening, shooters took their station on the