William Thompson

“ 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 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 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 ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”