Page:The Natural History of Ireland vol1.djvu/204

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
180
sylviadæ.

one which he had shot on the preceding evening at the Falls ; its stomach was filled with coleopterous insects. Mr. Wm. Sinclaire on visiting the scene of its death on the following even- ing, and hearing its mate sing, recognised the note as having been often heard by him in the same place for the preceding six or seven years, when he had imagined it to proceed from some insect. This exact locality has not since been frequented by the species, but about a mile distant, the song of one was heard one night in June, 1845, so late as 11 o'clock; and in a subsequent year, on the 29th of April, so late as 12 o'clock. The one loca- lity is less than a mile, the other twice that distance from Belfast, county of Down, in the summer of 1838, the intelligent game- keeper assured me that he had heard its note (which he correctly imitated) there early in that season. About Killaloe, county of Clare, the Rev. Thomas Knox has seen and heard a bird, the note and habits of which correspond with those of the grass- hopper warbler, but no specimen has been obtained for examination. Mr. R. Davis in a letter dated August 2nd, 1838, mentioned tins species as breeding within a few miles of Clonmel, whence a nest containing four eggs was brought to him, about two months be- fore that time. He kindly sent for my inspection an adult male bird, which was shot near Wexford, on the 11th of June, 1843, by Mr. Poole, who remarked that it frequented the thorn bushes on a fence, and would sing while he was close to it, adding, that "its peculiar rotatory song bears no greater resemblance to anything than to the running out of a slick wheel." Mr. R. Ball remarks that he has often heard its curious voice, like the tapping of two stones together, in the neighbourhood of Youghal.

THE SEDGE WARBLER.

Salicaria phragmitis, Bechst. (sp.)
Sylvia phragmitis, Bechst.
——salicaria, Lath.

Is a regular summer visitant from south to north.

It is generally observed around Belfast within the first ten days of May, and once only have I been aware of its arrival not taking