The Natural History of Ireland/Volume 1/Preface

by William Thompson

PREFACE.

The adoption of the title Natural History of Ireland for this work, of which the Birds only are announced for early publication, requires some explanation. The Zoology of Ireland,—on nearly every branch of which the author has matter almost ready for the press,—would, it must be admitted, have been more strictly correct, as little else than that portion of the general subject is intended to be comprised in the work. It is, however, to be hoped that the name selected, may not be considered too presumptuous.

The volumes on Birds are put forward merely as supplementary to the several excellent works already published on British Ornithology. Hence it is unnecessary to enter into a description of the form or plumage, or into a general history of each species, these subjects having been amply treated of in the publications alluded to. The whole economy of the species, however, though not always dwelt upon, will be often fully illustrated from original observation.

Figures of Irish birds are not required, as all the species are included, down to the period of publication (to mention British works only) in Selby's Illustrations of British Ornithology; Gould's Birds of Europe; and the History of British Birds by Bewick, and Yarrell, respectively. Coloured figures of many of the species are also given in Sir Wm. Jardine's work on British Birds; and in Mr. Macgillivray's, the heads, at least, of nearly all the land birds are represented.

With so much already done pictorially and descriptively, on the subject of British ornithology, it may be considered superfluous to treat of the birds of Ireland in a separate work, but, in the author's opinion, every country should possess a Natural History specially appertaining to itself. In the publications referred to, the birds of Ireland have been but briefly indicated,—a species generally dismissed in a single line, and so much appearing only in two works;—those of Sir Wm. Jardine and Mr. Yarrell.

The least reflection will convince any one who appreciates the geographical distribution of species, that the birds of Ireland are in this respect even more interesting than those of Great Britain, as, within its latitude and longitude, Ireland is the "ultima Thule," the extreme western limit to which the European species not found in the Western Hemisphere, resort. The geographical position of the island, also renders it occasionally the first European land on which North American species, after having crossed the Atlantic, alight.

Considerable differences, too, consequent on physical causes, will be found to exist in the economy of the same species in Great Britain and Ireland.

The Physical Geography or natural features of the country compared with those of Great Britain, cannot be said to deprive Ireland of more than one species (the ptarmigan). The relative proportion in the two countries, of land to water, of heaths and bogs to cultivated grounds and plantations, has influence only on the number of individuals.

Nor does the difference in the mineralogical structure of Ireland compared with Great Britain affect the actual presence of any species, although it is the primary cause which influences the number of individuals prevailing in different parts of the island. The plants which appear on particular soils attract such land birds as feed upon their seeds. The submarine rocks and grounds on which sea-weeds grow plentifully so as to afford shelter to the minute fishes, and the molluscous and crustaceous animals on which the wading and swimming birds feed, tempt them in greater numbers to the neighbouring shores. The oozy, the sandy, the gravelly, the stony, the rocky beach, has each its favourite species, as has every peculiar natural or artificial feature of a country from the level of the sea to the most lofty mountain summit.

The difference in climate between Ireland and Great Britain cannot be said to deprive the former island of any species found in the latter. The comparative mildness of winter in the more western island has, however, great influence on birds. Even in the north of Ireland, a few land species, considered as birds of passage in England, except in the extreme south, become resident; and some grallatorial birds remain throughout the winter, although found only in the south of Eugland at this season. The soft-billed birds also being generally able to procure abundance of food, are by the comparatively high temperature, more inclined to song at this period of the year. The humidity of the climate, together with the great extent of bog throughout the island, brings hither to winter, different species of grallatorial and other birds, in much greater numbers than prevail in England or Scotland. The extent of moist and rich meadows in summer has a similar, but more limited, influence. The want of extensive districts of old timber seems, when fully considered, to have little effect in excluding from Ireland species which inhabit Great Britain.

To the laws of geographical distribution alone must, I conceive, be attributed our want of species not affected by any of the foregoing causes,—viz., physical geography, mineralogical structure, climate, and absence of old timber. It should be borne in mind that in all the preceding remarks the mere absence or presence of species is considered; consequently, nothing is said of birds from different causes being less frequently met with in Ireland, than in particular parts of England or Scotland. Such points will be fully treated of under the respective species.

Although in their polar and equatorial migrations, the crossing of a sea,—as the Mediterranean^[1] for instance,—offers no obstacle to birds, yet is it different when they are spreading latitudinally; either to the east or to the west, in which case the migration of many species terminates at the margin of the sea. Were Ireland therefore geographically joined to Great Britain, some species that are not now found would certainly inhabit it, but the junction would make no difference with respect to others:—resident as well as migratory birds. In that event, we should in the east of Ireland at least, have those species which are found throughout the most western portion of Great Britain in the same parallel of latitude; but not those whose range of distribution does not extend to the most western counties of England and to Wales. The species which Ireland would and would not have, under such circumstances, may be inferred from an examination of the summary appended to the end of each Order of Birds, where the distribution over Great Britain of the species not known as Irish, is pointed out. We should, for example, if the country suited them, have as resident birds, the green woodpecker and the nuthatch; of annual summer migrants, the wood wren and the tree pipit. But we should not have the stock dove,—a resident species in the midland and eastern counties of England;—nor would the melodious nightingale favour us with its presence, so definitively marked is the line of its migration. As to other species, which are found though rarely to the westward,—in Cornwall and Wales,—as the lesser whitethroat, &c., they might then, as a matter of course, be expected as rare visitants; such they possibly may be now, though more unfrequently than they would be in the other instance.

In like manner, the junction of Great Britain throughout its parallels of latitude, with the nearest continental land, would add greatly to the number of British birds, that island being as deficient comparatively in those of the most western European countries, as Ireland is, in comparison with it. The sea lying between the shores of Great Britain and the continent, has the same effect as that extending between the former and Ireland. Were there an island even of equal size to Ireland, situated as far distant to the westward of that country as it is from Great Britain, the diminution of species would be still greater than that actually existing between Ireland and Great Britain, and so on, in an increased ratio, were island after island, about equidistant from each other, placed still farther to the westward.

The falling off would be owing to the principle, that species continue diminishing (each within its different range) the farther we recede from their metropolis, and that the diminution is accelerated by the insular nature of the land, as opposed to its being conterminous or continental.

The preceding remarks apply only to islands like Great Britain and Ireland lying near a continent and deriving their birds thence.^[2][3] There are, however, instances of islands situated sufficiently near large continents to admit of the flight of birds from the latter, and yet deriving comparatively few, or none of their species from them. The most remarkable example is presented by the Galapagos archipelago, situated under the equatorial line, and which, though only 500 to 600 miles westward of the coast of South America, does not contain a land bird from the continent. Even some of the islands of the group have their peculiar species.^[4] Full information on this most interesting subject will be found in Mr. Darwin's excellent journal, kept during the Surveying Voyages of H.M.S. Adventure and Beagle, vol. iii. p. 461 and 473–478. Madagascar, the nearest part of which is only about 250 miles distant from the coast of Africa and extending about 1,000 miles in a parallel direction, offers another striking instance of an island not deriving its fauna from the neighbouring continent. Of 113 known species of birds of Madagascar, 68 are peculiar to it. The fullest information on the subject of the ornithology of that island will be found in a comprehensive essay by Dr. G. Hartlaub of Bremen, published in the Annals of Natural History for Dec., 1848, p. 383–396. For a knowledge of it, and its translation from a German journal, the English reader is indebted to Mr. H. E. Strickland.

It is interesting to observe how birds are affected by the operations of man. I have remarked this particularly at one locality near Belfast, situated 500 feet above the sea, and backed by hills rising to 800 feet. Marshy ground, the abode of little else than the snipe, became drained, and that species was consequently expelled. As cultivation advanced, the numerous species of small birds attendant on it, became visitors, and plantations soon made them inhabitants of the place. The land-rail soon haunted the meadows; the quail and the partridge, the fields of grain. A pond, covering less than an acre of ground, tempted annually for the first few years, a pair of the graceful and handsome sandpipers (Totanus hypoleucos), which, with their brood, appeared at the end of July or beginning of August, on their way to the seaside from their breeding haunt. This was in a moor about a mile distant, where a pair annually bred until driven away by drainage rendering it unsuitable. The pond was supplied by streams descending from the mountains through wild and rocky glens, the favourite haunt of the water-ouzel, which visited its margin daily throughout the year. When the willows planted at the water's edge had attained a goodly size, the splendid kingfisher occasionally visited it during autumn. Rarely do the water-ouzel and kingfisher meet "to drink at the same pool," but here they did so. So soon as there was sufficient cover for the waterhen (Gallinula chloropus) it, an unbidden but most welcome guest, appeared and took up its permanent abode; a number of them frequently joining the poultry in the farm-yard at their repast. The heron, as if conscious that his deeds rendered him unwelcome, stealthily raised his "blue bulk" aloft, and fled at our approach. The innocent and attractive wagtails, both pied and grey, were of course always to be seen about the pond. A couple of wild-ducks, and two or three teal, occasionally at different seasons, became visitants; and once, early in October, a tufted duck (Fuligula cristata) arrived, and after remaining a few days took its departure, but returned in company with two or three others of the same species. These went off several times, but returned on each occasion with an increase to their numbers, until above a dozen adorned the water with their presence. During severe frost, the woodcock was driven to the unfrozen rill dripping into it beneath a dense mass of foliage; and the snipe, together with the jack-snipe, appeared along the edge of the water. The titlark, too, visited it at such times. In summer, the swallow, house-martin, sand-martin, and swift, displayed their respective modes of flight in pursuit of prey above the surface of the pond. The sedge-warbler poured forth its imitative or mocking-notes from the cover on the banks, as did the willow-wren its simple song. This bird was almost constantly to be seen ascending the branches and twigs of the willows (Salix viminalis chiefly) that overhung the water, for Aphides and other insect prey. In winter, lesser redpoles in little flocks were swayed gracefully about, while extracting food from the light and pendent bunches of the alder-seed. Three species of tit (Parus major, cœruleus, and ater,) and the gold-crested regulus, appeared in lively and varied attitudes on the larch and other trees. In winter, also, and especially during frost, the wren and the hedge-accentor were sure to be seen threading their modest way among the entangled roots of the trees and brushwood, little elevated above the surface of the water.

So far only, the pond and bordering foliage have been considered: many other species might be named as seen upon the trees. On the banks a few yards distant, fine Portugal laurels tempted the green-finch to take up its permanent residence, and served as a roost during the winter for many hundred linnets, which made known the place of their choice by congregating in some fine tall poplars that towered above the shrubs, and thence poured forth their evening jubilee.

To name all the birds that cultivation, the erection of houses,^[5] the plantation of trees and shrubs together with the attraction of a garden, brought to the place, would be tedious. It will therefore only be further observed, that the beautiful goldfinch, so long as a neighbouring hill-side was covered with thistles and other plants on the seeds of which it fed, visited the standard cherry-trees to nidify; and the spotted flycatcher, which particularly delights in pleasure-grounds and gardens, annually spent the summer there. Of the six species of British Merulidæ, the resident missel and song thrushes, and the blackbird, inhabited the place; the fieldfare and redwing, winter visitants, were to be seen in their season; and the ring-ouzel, annually during summer, frequented an adjacent rocky glen. Curlews on their way from the sea to the mountain-moor, occasionally alighted in the pasture-fields. The entire number of species seen at this place (seventy-five English acres in extent) was seventy; forty-one or forty-two of which bred there. A few others,-the kestrel, ring-ouzel, sand-martin, and quail,—built in the immediate neighbourhood.

Nearly seventy species have been noticed in Kensington Gardens, London.^[6] White remarks that "Selborne parish alone has exhibited at times [120 species] more than half the birds that are ever seen in all Sweden. The parish comprises an extent of thirty miles in circumference; and where else within the same inland area should we hope to find so many, as amid the seclusion of that little earthly paradise, with all the "kindly aspects, and sloping coverts," pourtrayed in the pages of its amiable historian. By drawing a circuit of thirty miles around Belfast, and its most populous neighbourhood, (the boundary line being a mile and a half inland from the town, and eight miles and a half seaward, so that the opposite verge may include the greater portion of the bay,) we shall find that at least 185 species have been seen within it, some of them, too, possessing very high interest. Within that circle have appeared the first individuals of several species placed on record as visiting Ireland, and the only examples of three species yet obtained; namely, the spotted redshank, the flat-billed sandpiper, and the surf scoter. Within the limited circuit of thirty miles, alighted in 1802, the first white-banded cross-bill (Loxia bifasciata) known to visit Europe, its native country being Siberia; nor for many years afterwards was the species observed in Great Britain, or in any country of continental Europe. Indeed within the last few years only, has it been distinguished from a nearly allied North American bird. Within the same range occurred the only individual of the Bonapartian gull (Larus Bonapartii) yet ascertained to have migrated to Europe, the species being a native of North America, and common in the fur countries, &c. Within that area was also obtained the first fork-tailed gull (Larus Sabini) known to wing its way southward, not only to temperate climes, but towards the continent of Europe; and being a young bird of the year, it appeared in a garb, in which the species had never before come under the notice of the naturalist.

But to return to the remark of White, respecting the parish of Selborne producing more species than the half of those found in all Sweden, it must be observed, that as a general rule the number of species bears no comparison to the area; thus, there are in the parish of Selborne 120 species; within the same space around Belfast 185; in Ireland 262; in the British Islands generally 320;^[7] in Europe 503;^[8] in North America 471;^[8] in Australia 636;^[9] in the world 5,000.^[10]

The neighbourhood of Belfast, including the bay,^[11] may be considered too fully dwelt upon throughout this work; but what is alluded to in this locality should, unless mentioned as of a local nature, be viewed in the light of an epitome of the general habits or economy of the species. Dates, which may seem too fully given, are interesting in a statistical point of view, as the rapid changes made by man on the material world, affect birds to a great extent. Nowhere is this more required than in connection with the place just named, as railways lately constructed on both sides of the bay, have diminished to a great extent the feeding-ground of the Grallatorial and Natatorial birds. Interesting peculiarities respecting the locality, and the changes effected, will be found noticed under curlew, and other species. The great increase of shipping of late years, and the steam-vessels in particular, have already had a great effect upon them. The swivel-guns, too, tell a deadly tale. The adjacent Strangford lough, owing to its comparative retirement, is becoming annually more and more resorted to by birds which would otherwise remain in Belfast bay.

But on this subject the following information on species, at particular periods, is given, that we may judge of the changes which have taken place, either as to their decrease or increase. Those which have decreased in number shall first be considered. According to the Topographia Hiberniæ of Giraldus de Barri (Canbrensis), written towards the end of the 12th century, the crane was very common in Ireland, about a hundred being sometimes seen in a flock. If the bird meant by that author were the true crane (Grus cinerea), and not the heron (Ardea cinerea), commonly called by that name in Ireland to the present day, the stately bird would seem to have been once as common here, as it was, in early times, in England. The latest published record of its occurrence in this island known to me, is that of Smith, who, in his Histories of Waterford (1745) and Cork (1749), remarks, that a few were seen in those counties during the great frost of 1739. They are mentioned as birds of passage, which do not breed; and in the former work are said not to have been seen "since or before in any person's memory." Two instances of the occurrence of single individuals in Ireland in the present century will be found noticed under the species in the present work. That noble bird, the cock of the wood (Tetrao urogallus), was plentiful throughout the native forests of Ireland, but has long since become extinct, the last bird having been killed about a century since. The great bustard (Otis tarda), too, an inhabitant of the open plain, disappeared about the same period.

In "A Brife description of Ireland made in this yeere 1589, by Robert Payne," it is stated:—"There be great store of wild swannes, * * * much more plentiful than in England." Harris, in his History of the County of Down published in 1744, remarks of the wild swan (Cygnus ferus):—"Great numbers of them breed in the islands of Strangford lake," p. 233. In another part of the volume it is observed:—"Four of these islands are called swan islands, from the number of swans that frequent them," p. 154. That these fine birds built there at so comparatively late a period may seem doubtful; but it should be borne in mind that Low, in his Fauna Orcadensis, written at the end of the last century, informs us that "a few pairs build in the holms of the loch of Stennes," in Orkney.^[12] Rutty, in his Natural History of the County of Dublin published in 1772, observes:—"There are two sorts [of "wild goose, Anser ferus"], the one a bird of passage, that comes about Michaelmas and goes off about March; but there is a larger kind which stays and breeds here, particularly in the Bog of Allen," vol. i. p. 333. Harris, in his History of Down, speaks of the "great harrow goose being found in a red bog in the Ardes near Kirkiston," but says nothing of its breeding there. An octogenarian friend has, however, informed me that a relative often told him that he had robbed the nests of wild geese in this very locality, Kirkiston flow;—red bog of Harris;—the period of his doing so was previous to the year 1775. There is little doubt that the true wild goose (A. ferus) was the bird alluded to, as it formerly bred plentifully in the fens of England, though for a considerable period they, as well as the bogs of Ireland, have been deserted by it.

The golden eagle is becoming annually more rare, and is now even "very scarce"^[13] in its former stronghold, the county of Kerry. The kite, remarked by Smith in his History of Cork (1749) to be so common as to "need no particular description," and to remain "all the year," has been known in the present century, only 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 hill tops, over which the birds often flew within shot; but of late such "occupation's gone." Similar changes respecting others of the Anatidæ, and also of the Grallatores, will be found under the respective species. The beautiful and graceful roseate tern has nearly, if not wholly, disappeared within the last few years from a favourite annual breeding haunt, the Mew island, at the entrance of Belfast bay, the result, I grieve to say, of wanton cruelty. Persons go to the island every summer to shoot these birds, and the closely allied Arctic and common terns, while they have eggs or young. Should one even of a different species be brought to the ground, while the others are a little distant, they make common cause, wheel down towards their fallen comrade as if to compassionate its fate, and are even at such times "savagely slaughtered." The shooters have no object in view but the heartless one of using as targets these beautiful and innocent creatures, which are afterwards flung away as useless.

Other birds have increased in number of late years; the most striking example of which, for a regular and steady augmentation, is the missel thrush. The long-tailed tit has also become gradually more plentiful: the extension of plantations is accessory to this end, in respect to both species. The singular increase of snow-buntings during a few winters will be found noticed; as will that of crossbills in recent years. Allusion to the rapid multiplication of the magpie from the period of its introduction to the island, must not be omitted. The fact of the starling having deserted the town of Belfast as a building haunt for perhaps forty years, and two or three pair returning again last season, is singular. The increase in the number of quails wintering of late years, and in the number of woodcocks remaining through the summer, to breed in favourite localities, is worthy of record.

A great deal more might be stated, in these general terms, on the subject of the increase and decrease of species. But it is hoped that sufficient has been said to denote the desirableness of our possessing full and accurate ornithological statistics of Ireland, such as the author intends to give in the detailed notices of the species throughout the work.^[14]

The author expects to be enabled to furnish a carefully drawn up list of the Irish names of native birds for the concluding volume.

It now only remains for him to return his most grateful acknowledgements to all whose names appear as contributors of information throughout the work. Every one in Ireland known to the author as possessing positive knowledge on the subject of native birds, on being applied to, most cheerfully imparted the result of his observations. Indeed, so fully have these been taken advantage of, that the work should rather be considered that of Irish ornithologists generally than of the individual whose name appears on the title page.

Belfast, Dec., 1848.

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1. A paper on birds seen crossing the Mediterranean in spring, by the author, will be fully given in the appendix to the last volume; but it was considered desirable to notice each bird included there when treating of its species. This was done that a person might be enabled on referring to any species to have the whole information respecting it before him at once. The author, however, feels that a reader of the matter continuously, may accuse him of too frequent allusion to the subject.
2. One species only, the red grouse, is peculiar to the British Islands.
3. These views were announced with great brevity in my Report on the Vertebrate Fauna of Ireland drawn up for the British Association for the Advancement of Science, and published in the volume for 1840. At the meeting of that Association held at Cambridge in 1845, Professor Edw. Forbes brought forward a very elaborate communication, accounting for the distribution of the species contained in the existing fauna and flora of the British Islands, on geological data. This highly interesting and remarkable essay (pp. 98) was subsequently published in the 1st volume of Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain.
4. The flora of these islands is equally peculiar. See an admirable paper on this subject by Dr. Joseph D. Hooker in the Linnæan Transactions, vol. xx. part 2 (1847).
5. Including houses in the category may seem inadvertent. But the house-martin annually built about the windows or under the roof of the dwelling-house; as the sparrow did in the spouts; the swallow against the rafters of sheds, and the swift in apertures at the eaves:—the thrush, redbreast, and wren also, occasionally nidified in the outhouses.
6. Yarrell.
7. Jenyns in 1843; several species since added.
8. Prince of Canino's Comparative Catal. Birds Europe and North America, 1838.
9. Gould. Introd. to Birds of Australia, 1848.
10. Strickland, Report on Ornithology, Brit. Assoc. Reports, 1844, p. 218. It has been lately remarked that although this is about the number accurately known, there may be in the world 6,000 species. Agassiz and Gould's Principles of Zoology, p. 3, (1848).
11. The plate in Hawker's Instructions to Young Sportsmen, &c. entitled "Approaching Wild-fowl preparatory to the Flowing Tide," gives a good idea of the gullets, as they are called, of Belfast bay.
12. No date is given: the author died in 1795. His work was not published until 1813.
13. Mr. R. Chute.
14. Various general points of economy treated of under the respective species, will be classified in an index to the last volume of Birds.