I exhibited this bird and Mr. Ball's for the purpose of showing their specific identity.*

It was considered desirable to look as critically as possible to these birds, on account of the singular fact of their appearance in this hemisphere. Some ornithologists can hardly believe that they crossed the Atlantic. Temminck conjectures that this cuckoo must breed in the north of Europe, whence the individuals migrated to the British Islands. But our knowledge of their occurrence here only in the more western parts (Ireland, Wales, and Cornwall), in addition to the fact, that at the very period of their being met with, the species, according to Wilson and Audubon, is in course of migration in the western hemisphere, seems to me presumptive evidence of their having really crossed the ocean. Audubon has seen this bird in summer so far north as Labrador. It winters in temperate climates.

THE ROLLER.

Coracias garrula, Linn.

Appears, on the following testimony, to have visited this island.

Mr. R. Ball, when walking through the demesne at Carton, the seat of the Duke of Leinster, in the middle of September, 1831, had his attention attracted by a bird, pursued by a great number of rooks. Instead of flying off to avoid them, it continued for a considerable time (so long as he remained) to dash into the midst of them, apparently for the sake only of annoyance. From the size, brilliant plumage, and singular flight of this bird, my friend was satisfied of its being a roller. Mr. Walker of Granby Row, Dublin, states that one of these birds, shot in the county of Sligo some years ago, was preserved for a relative of his who resides there. Another roller has been mentioned to me as obtained in the south of Ireland some years since; but as yet, no example of the bird unquestionably killed in this island, has to

*Proc. Zool. Soc. 1835, p. 84.

my knowledge come under the inspection of the naturalist. This species is a rare and occasional visitant to England and Scotland.

THE BEE-EATER.

Merops Apiaster, Linn.

Has very rarely been met with in Ireland.

Dr. J. D. Marshall of Belfast, in a communication to the Magazine of Natural History (vol. ii.), dated July, 1829, stated that one "was killed in the county of Wicklow a few years ago." Dr. R. Graves of Dublin, in a letter addressed to a mutual friend in Belfast, in November, 1830, mentioned, that he had known three bee-eaters to have been obtained in the interior of Ireland, one of which was shot by Mr. Tardy, the eminent entomologist; its stomach was found to contain many bees. It is doubtless the same individual which is alluded to by Mr. Vigors in the Zoological Journal (No. 4, p. 589) as being in the possession of that gentleman ; but is there stated to have been shot "on the sea-coast, near Wexford, in the winter of 1820." (?)

I had the opportunity, as noticed in the Magazine of Natural History (vol. ii. p. 18, new series), of examining in a recent state, the only one of these birds yet recorded as obtained in Scotland. It was said to have been shot on the 6th of October, 1832, by Capt. James M'Dowall, 2nd Life Guards, at his seat near the Mull of Galloway. The specimen was sent to Belfast by my friend Capt. Fayrer, R.N., to be preserved, and set up for that gentleman. But few of these birds have been obtained in England.

I have had the gratification of seeing the bee-eater in scenes with which its brilliant plumage was more in harmony than with any in the British Isles. It first excited my admiration in August 1826, when visiting the celebrated grotto of Egeria, near Rome. On approaching this classic spot, several of these birds, in rapid, swift-like flight, swept closely past and around us, uttering their peculiar call, and with their graceful form and brilliant colours proved irresistibly attractive. My companion, who, as well as

myself, beheld them for the first time, was so greatly struck with the beauty of their plumage and bold sweeping flight, as to term them the presiding deities over Egeria's Grotto. Rich as was the spot in historical and poetical associations, it was not less so in pictorial charms; all was in admirable keeping :-the picturesque grotto with its ivy-mantled entrance and gushing spring; the gracefully reclining, though headless white marble statue of the nymph; the sides of the grotto covered with the exquisitely beautiful maiden-hair fern in the richest luxuriance; the wilderness of wild flowers around the exterior, attracting the bees, on which the Merops was feeding; and over all, the deep blue sky of Rome completing the picture.

On the 26th of April, 1841, three bee-eaters coming from the south flew close past H.M.S. Beacon, sailing from Malta to the Morea, but did not alight. We were then about 90 miles from Zante (the nearest land), and 130 from Navarino. On the morning of the next day, when 45 miles from Zante, and 60 west of the Morea, a bee-eater, coming from the south-west, alighted for a moment on the vessel and then flew towards Zante, in a north-east direction: soon afterwards, a flock consisting of fifteen came from the same quarter, hawked about the lee side of the vessel for a short time, and then proceeded north-east; an hour after their departure (ten o'clock), a flock of eight appeared, and alighting on a rope astern the ship, remained there for nearly an hour; they were perched so close together, and so low down on the rope, that by its motion the lowest one was more than once ducked in the water, but nevertheless did not let go its hold, or change the position for a drier one. These birds were but a few yards from the cabin-windows, and looked so extremely beautiful, that they were compared, by some of the spectators, to paroquets, and not very inaptly on account of their gaudy plumage. After these left us, others were seen throughout the day, but generally singly; they rarely alighted; all flew in the same course.*

* When not very far to the westward of Cape Matapan, on the 1st of May, a flock of twenty-nine of the Merops apiaster flew close past the ship towards the Morea.

THE KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Ispida, Linn.

Is at least occasionally to be met with in suitable localities throughout the island.

IT IS nowhere numerous.

As many individuals, however, would seem to be distributed over districts favourable for their abode in Ireland, as in any other country.

The kingfisher is generally said by British authors to be partial to clear streams, but to the correctness of this remark its haunts around Belfast will not bear testimony. Here are streams, which, though not on a grand scale, partake more or less of every natural character, and gently flow or wildly rush through scenery the most varied; yet the muddy, sluggish Lagan is its favourite haunt. About waters of every description it may be seen, not excepting the deep and unpicturesque brick-pits, near to which no tree or shrub appears.

There is decidedly a partial migration or movement of these birds. They came regularly every year about the same time in the month of August, to ponds at our own residence in the country, contiguous to the mountains, and elevated 500 feet above the sea. They remained generally for about six weeks, and once only were seen in winter. Their first appearance in the year 1831 was on the 4th of August; in 1833 on the 14th; in 1834 on the 14th; and in 1835 on the 17th of that month.* Although more frequently solitary, two were occasionally seen in company, and in one instance three, of which a couple were believed to be young birds, from being less brilliant in plumage, and more slow in flight than the other. Their usual haunts here are the willowed banks of ponds, one of which is not more than thirty yards distant from the dwelling-house. At little more than this distance we were once amused

* Intelligent persons resident on the banks of the Lagan, near Belfast, state, that kingfishers appear there in the autumn and remain until March, when they disappear. This accords with the observation of Mr. Weir, who, writing from Linlithgowshire, remarks,-"In my neighbourhood, kingfishers are never seen before the beginning of September, and they usually disappear about the end of March. They then retire to the river Avon, where they breed." — Macgillivray's Brit. Birds, vol. iii. p. 679.

by observing from the windows, a kingfisher perched on the handle of a spade, and looking a miserable object from its being “all droukit" with heavy rain. It did not betray any shyness, though several persons passed within about a dozen paces, but remained on this ungraceful perch for not less than an hour, until driven away by the owner of the spade going to resume his work. This trivial circumstance is mentioned in connection with the chosen haunts of the kingfisher at this locality; some writers having described it as a wild and unapproachable bird, avoiding the vicinity of human dwellings. I have never found it so at any season. A relative, who has bestowed much attention on kingfishers, has been surprised by frequently observing them alight in beds of reeds growing on oozy banks beyond his reach, whence they could not again be raised either by his shouting or throwing stones. When much persecuted, as this bird generally is on account of its splendid plumage, it fortunately does become wild.

To my regret I was once guilty of the death of a kingfisher, but under extenuating circumstances. When in pursuit of woodcocks and snipes along the partially wooded banks of a rivulet, during frost which succeeded a heavy fall of snow, a small bird of a peculiar appearance was sprung two or three times as we advanced, and always within shot; at lastI fired, and to my astonishment, on going to the spot where the victim fell, found it to be a kingfisher. Sportsmen must have remarked the changed aspect of birds rising against a snowy background, but would hardly be prepared, as in this instance, to see a kingfisher lose all its brilliancy, and assume a hue, dark and sooty as the water-ouzel; yet such it did. Had the bird not appeared under false colours, the trigger would have been untouched. Its mode of flight should certainly have indicated the species; but over this, unfortunately, the negative character arising from the absence of its wonted beauty prevailed. Besides, it is not the snow-clad landscape that should bring to mind the kingfisher, whose vesture is more in accordance with the torrid zone than the arctic circle.

* I have seen the kingfisher perched on the not more picturesque brickbat, and on the mud of the river.