Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/264

238 Blackbird, Turdus merula.—Very common, and more numerous than the Thrush, which it outnumbers in about the same proportions as the Thrush did the Blackbird in that part of the South of Ireland where I formerly resided—i.e. at Castle Warren, Co. Cork.

Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatus.—A summer visitor to suitable localities in the mountain district. I have seen it near Lough Talt, in the Ox Mountains, County Sligo.

Redwing, Turdus iliacus.—A regular winter visitant.

Hedgesparrow, Accentor modularis.—Common.

Redbreast, Erythaca rubecula.—Common.

Stonechat, Saxicola rubicola.—Common and resident.

Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra.—A summer visitor in very limited numbers to particular localities, and as it seldom leaves its favourite feeding-grounds, is but seldom noticed by the casual observer. I never met with it on the Sligo side of the Moy, but on the Mayo side it is to be found every summer haunting some waste fields near a scrubby hazel covert about a mile from the town of Killala.

Wheatear, Saxicola œnanthe.—A regular summer visitant, very commonly distributed throughout the district.

Sedge Warbler, Salicaria phragmitis.—A regular summer visitant.

Whitethroat, Sylvia cinerea.—A regular summer visitant, generally appearing in this neighbourhood some time in May, from three weeks to a month later than the Willow Wren.

Willow Wren, Phylloscopus trochilus.—A regular summer visitant arriving in April, and, except the Wheatear, the most numerous of all our summer birds.

Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus rufa.—Rare in this district, its haunts being restricted to a few old limbered demesnes. A straggler occasionally remains here in the Moyview trees for a day or two, but then passes on to the finely-wooded demesne of Belleek Manor, the seat of Sir Charles Knox Gore, situated three miles further up the river. It appears strange that none of these little birds remain here during the summer, for the timber is at least sixty years old, and covers about forty acres. In the South of Ireland I have known this bird to frequent much smaller patches of wood, and of younger growth, but in the neighbourhood of very old elms; so that probably aged trees are their favourite feeding-grounds, which they like to return to after an occasional forage amongst younger trees.