The Natural History of Ireland: Birds, comprising the orders Raptores & Insessores.-v. 2. Birds, comprising the orders Rasores & Grallatores.-v. 3. Birds, comprising the order Natatores.-v. 4. Mammalia, reptiles, and fishes, also Invertebrata1849 - Birds |
From inside the book
Page vii
... throughout the winter , although found only in the south of England 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 ...
... throughout the winter , although found only in the south of England 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 ...
Page viii
... 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 ...
... 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 ...
Page ix
... 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 ...
... 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 ...
Page xi
... throughout the year . When the willows planted at the water's edge had attained a goodly size , the splendid king- fisher occasionally visited it during autumn . Rarely do the water- ouzel and kingfisher meet " to drink at the same pool ...
... throughout the year . When the willows planted at the water's edge had attained a goodly size , the splendid king- fisher occasionally visited it during autumn . Rarely do the water- ouzel and kingfisher meet " to drink at the same pool ...
Page xv
... 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 ...
... 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 ...
Common terms and phrases
Aberarder alpine swift appeared April autumn Belfast Belfast bay blackbird breeding Brit British Birds chaffinches chough cliffs Clonmel colour common Cork crow distance districts Donegal Dublin eggs England eyrie favourite feeding female fieldfare flew flight flocks flying frequently garden golden eagle grey crow ground haunts hawk heard insects instance Inverness-shire Ireland island Jardine June Kerry kestrel killed known larvæ late latter Linn localities Lough Neagh Macgillivray magpie male mentioned migration miles month mountains Natural History neighbourhood nest north of Ireland noticed observed obtained occasionally once pair Park perched peregrine falcon plumage prey remarked river Lagan rocks rooks roost sand-martin Scotland sea eagle season seen Selby shot Sir Wm snowy owl song sparrows species specimen starlings stomach summer swallow swift thrush titmouse trees vicinity visitant weather Wexford wild wing winter wooded wren yards Youghal young birds دو
Popular passages
Page 18 - Scaling yonder peak, I saw an eagle wheeling near its brow O'er the abyss: — his broad -expanded wings Lay calm and motionless upon the air, As if he floated there without their aid, By the sole act of his unlorded will, That buoyed him proudly up.
Page 18 - O'er the abyss. His broad expanded wings Lay calm and motionless upon the air, As if he floated there without their aid, By the sole act of his unlorded will, That buoyed him proudly up. Instinctively I bent my bow; yet kept he rounding still His airy circle, as in the delight Of measuring the ample range beneath And round about; absorbed, he heeded not The death that threatened him. I could not shoot— 'Twas Liberty! I turned my bow aside, And let him soar away!
Page 350 - My box would speak if it had but a tongue, And two or three shillings would do it no wrong, Sing holly, sing ivy — sing ivy, sing holly, A drop just to drink, it would drown melancholy.
Page 351 - Rhodian children sang of old, in Spring, bearing in their hands, from door to door, a swallow, as herald of the season : " The Swallow is come ! The Swallow is come ! O fair are the seasons, and light Are the days that she brings, With her dusky wings, And her bosom snowy white!
Page 379 - ... open halls. Here and there a bird may affect some odd, peculiar place ; as we have known a swallow build down the shaft of an old well, through which chalk had been formerly drawn up, for the purpose of manure ; but, in general, with us this hirundo breeds in chimneys, and loves to haunt those stacks where there is a constant fire — no doubt for the sake of warmth.
Page 269 - ... linnets congregating towards the close of a fine winter's evening, perched on the summit of some bare tree, pluming themselves in the last rays of the sun, chirruping the commencement of their evening song, and then bursting simultaneously into one general chorus; again resuming their single strains, and again joining, as if happy and rejoicing at the termination of their day's employment.
Page 350 - The favourite in the betting was of course the eagle, who at once, and in full confidence of victory, commenced his flight towards the sun : when he had vastly distanced all competitors, he proclaimed with a mighty voice his monarchy over all things that had wings. Suddenly, however, the wren, who had secreted himself under the feathers of the eagle's crest (another account says, tail), popped from his hiding-place, flew a few inches upwards, and chirped out as loudly as he could, " Birds, look up...
Page 350 - The wran, the wran, the king of all birds, St. Stephen's day was cot in the furze, Although he is little his family's grate, Put yer hand in yer pocket and give us a trate.
Page 328 - Do you find all places without trees ? Pray observe the inhabitants about Wexford ; they are old English; see what they have particular in their manners, names, and language. Magpies have been always there, and no where else in Ireland, till of late years.
Page 9 - But my friend Richard Langtry, Esq. of Fortwilliam, near Belfast, has at present a bird of this species, which is extremely docile and tractable. It was taken last summer from a nest in Inverness-shire, and came into his possession about the end of September. This bird at once became attached to its owner, who, after having it about a month, ventured to give it liberty, a privilege which was not in the eagle's part abused, as it came to the lure whenever called.