Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/279

Rh M. alba, was too much injured by the shot to keep for a specimen, but the other two I sent to Mr. E. Williams, of Dublin, for preservation.

Again, on May 10th, Mr. Kirkwood came across a small flock of fifteen birds, resting on a bare stony slope of a small hillock, near where he saw the bird last season. On looking at them with his glass, he observed that all were in the light grey plumage, but on approaching for a closer view they all rose from the hill, and pitched on the shore amongst the rocks and stones. Just then, a heavy shower coming on, he said it was amusing to see them seeking for shelter from the rain under the lee of the rocks. Sometimes two or three birds might be seen huddled together on the sheltered side of rocks or large stones, evincing a decided aversion to the rain wetting their plumage. These birds appeared to Mr. Kirkwood to be resting, and not inclined to feed, probably being tired after struggling against the stiff gale of N.N. W. wind that had been blowing for two or three days past; and that when passing over Bartragh they dropped down to rest a little before continuing their flight across the sea to Iceland, which was evidently their destination. Mr. Kirkwood obtained three birds out of this flock, and more lovely specimens of the M. alba I never saw, the intense black of the breast and head contrasting so strongly with the snow-white of the forehead, cheeks, and sides of neck, which extended down almost to the shoulders.

One of the specimens was very badly injured by the shots, but the other two were sent to my friend Mr. Howard Saunders, of London, who presented them to the Natural History Museum. It is a strange fact that up to the present (except on the Island of Bartragh) there is no authentic record of the capture of Motacilla alba in any other part of Ireland; and why Bartragh Island should be so favoured it is difficult to say. However, I may suggest that the birds met with on Bartragh were on their way to their breeding-haunts in Iceland; and as the direct course from their winter- quarters in Spain to Iceland would be across the sea, right over Ireland, and the straight line of flight passing over Bartragh and Killala Bay, is it not more likely that the tired birds would rest on Bartragh, the last point of land between them and Iceland, rather than on any of the more