The Natural History of Ireland: Revised and enlarged by Howard SaundersReeve, Benham and Reeve, 1851 - Zoology |
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Page 4
... bill from point to forehead 4 inches 2 lines , -to rictus 4 inches 3 lines , -from eye to point 5 inches 3 lines . Tarsus 4 inches 9 lines ; mid- dle toe and nail 6 inches 10 lines . Tail - feathers 20 in number . Colour : -feathers ...
... bill from point to forehead 4 inches 2 lines , -to rictus 4 inches 3 lines , -from eye to point 5 inches 3 lines . Tarsus 4 inches 9 lines ; mid- dle toe and nail 6 inches 10 lines . Tail - feathers 20 in number . Colour : -feathers ...
Page 6
... bill to end of tail . of wing from carpus to end of longest quill bill from first feathers on forehead to point rictus to point tarsus eye to point middle toe and nail The black colour of the upper mandible extends from the point ...
... bill to end of tail . of wing from carpus to end of longest quill bill from first feathers on forehead to point rictus to point tarsus eye to point middle toe and nail The black colour of the upper mandible extends from the point ...
Page 8
... bill , & c . , shows that both species were obtained by him . He often saw grey immature birds . His statement is as follows : - " I never saw any WILD SWANS in this part of the country ; but in all the counties of Connaught they are ...
... bill , & c . , shows that both species were obtained by him . He often saw grey immature birds . His statement is as follows : - " I never saw any WILD SWANS in this part of the country ; but in all the counties of Connaught they are ...
Page 15
... bill is of a pale lemon - colour , whilst that of the other bird is orange : there are also such other differences observable as indicate the sexes of swans and geese in a living state . In conclusion , I shall only remark that these ...
... bill is of a pale lemon - colour , whilst that of the other bird is orange : there are also such other differences observable as indicate the sexes of swans and geese in a living state . In conclusion , I shall only remark that these ...
Page 17
... bill very small ; feathers on forehead deep rust - colour ; on sides of head tinged with pale rust - colour at their extremities ; tips of feathers on breast and entire under surface of belly of a rust colour , so extremely pale as to ...
... bill very small ; feathers on forehead deep rust - colour ; on sides of head tinged with pale rust - colour at their extremities ; tips of feathers on breast and entire under surface of belly of a rust colour , so extremely pale as to ...
Common terms and phrases
adult bird adult male appeared April arctic arctic terns August autumn bean goose Belfast Bay bill black-backed bred breeding breeding-haunt brent geese brent goose cliffs coast colour common common tern Cork cormorant diving Dublin eggs feathers February feeding female fish flight flock flying frequently gannet goose grebe grey lag guillemot gull harbour head herring-gull hirundo immature inches informed Ireland island islet January Jardine June Kerry killed kittiwake lake Larne Lough Larus latter lesser black-backed gull Linn locality Lough Neagh March mentioned miles month nests nidify noticed observed obtained occasionally pair petrels plumage pochards procured puffin R. J. Montgomery razorbill remarked river Lagan rocks roseate scaup Scotland season seen Selby shooter shore shot skua species specimen stomach Strangford Lough summer teal terns toe and nail tufted ducks visited Wexford wigeon wild ducks wild-fowl wing winter yards Yarrell young birds
Popular passages
Page 351 - Moor, moor the barge, ye gallant crew ! And, gentle ladye, deign to stay ! Rest thee in Castle Ravensheuch, Nor tempt the stormy firth to-day. " The blackening wave is edged with white : To inch* and rock the sea-mews fly; The fishers have heard the Water-Sprite, Whose screams forebode that wreck is nigh.
Page 9 - Beautiful bird ! thou voyagest to thine home, Where thy sweet mate will twine her downy neck With thine, and welcome thy return with eyes Bright in the lustre of their own fond joy.
Page 198 - ... inches from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail when spread as far as possible flat.
Page 221 - They are so numerous that we have frequently seen an uninterrupted line of them extending full half way over the bay, or to a distance of more than three miles, and so close together that thirty have fallen at one shot. This living column, on an average, might have been about six yards broad, and as many deep ; so that, allowing sixteen birds to a cubic yard, there must have been nearly four millions of birds on the wing at one time.
Page 234 - I observed with concern the extraordinary affection manifested by these birds towards each other ; for, whenever one fell dead or wounded on the water, its mate or a stranger immediately alighted by its side, swam round it, pushed it with its bill as if to urge it to fly or dive, and seldom would leave it until an oar was raised to knock it on the head, when at last, aware of the danger, it would plunge below in an instant.
Page 220 - Hill, from the myriads of small birds of that name which frequent its base, and appear to prefer its environs to every other part of the harbour. " They are so numerous that we have frequently seen an uninterrupted line of them extending full half way over the bay, or to a distance of more than three miles, and so close together that thirty have fallen at one shot.
Page 351 - The search after food, as we agreed on a former occasion, is the principal cause why animals change their places. The different tribes of the wading birds always migrate when rain is about to take place...
Page 234 - July, the old ones show vast affection towards them, and seem totally insensible of danger in the breeding season. If a parent is taken at that time, and suspended by the wings, it will, in a sort of despair, treat itself most cruelly, by biting every part it can reach ; and the moment it is loosed, will never offer to escape, but instantly resort to its unfledged young...
Page 261 - Here the ganet soares high into the sky to espy his prey in the sea under him, at which he casts himself headlong into the sea, and swallows up whole herrings in a morsell. This bird flys through the ship's sailes, piercing them with his beak.
Page 370 - ... by night, and with a candle light kill abundance of them. Here are severall wells and pooles, yet in extraordinary dry weather, people must turn their cattell out of the islands, and the corn failes.