FOR THE PEOPLE
FOR EDVCATION
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LIBRA
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THE AMERICAN MUSEUM
OF

NATURAL HISTORY

BY GIFT OF
OGDEN MILLS

COLOURED FIGURES

OF THE

BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.

r
7=

ISSUED BY

LORD? LITNOR DD ESZ.8:;) ETC:

PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION.
VOLUME VI.

LONDON:
k. H. PORTER, 7 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

1885—1897.

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TITLEPAGE

ConTENTS

—— *~ —

Couuation or Epirions .

List or Piares
PLATES

Text .

COLLATE TON OF EDI LON Ss:

Tis Work was issued

5, IBIBNGK AMoNn Gini doen ote
. WHITE-WINGED Brack

TERN.

. WHISKERED TERN

. GULL-BILLED TERN ....
SUGASRTAN) ADETING vei cratite
. NANDWICH TERN ......
. ROSEATH THRN';.......
. Common Tarn ........
ANTSMNWC) MMO” 5 hlo.ged o 06
, Harn oA IN Biogas ao a
5 SOOM IMIS Gondoancue
. Lesser Sooty TErRN....
FUINODDY MORIN waitin
SUS AB ENG S) Grim ern ese
. CUNEATE-TAILED GULL. .

a” 29 bh]

. BONAPARTE’S GUI ....
» Iie) (Cit Gh ooedes
. BLACK-HEADED GULL ..
. MrpITERRANBAN Buack-

HEADED GULL.

. Greav BLack-HEADED

GULL.

Bu @OMMON! GiUdslinere erence
PP ELBRRING=G.Uiii. yeieraenee

. Lesser BLacK-BACKED
GULL.

25. GRHAT BLACK-BACKED
GULL.

96) Guucous GULL) so... -

Die wi em anesinats

98. -ICHUAND GULL 4.5...»

OO) Gina; HS Cho doa ooAS

in two Editions:

1st Edition.

PART

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XGVLET:

XX.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXXII.

XOXOXGYE
OID,
TOR.
OCHOL.
XXVII.
OIG
Oras
XXXI.
XXIV.
XOX.
Sona
XXY.
OA
XXVIL
XXVI.
XXIV.

Sept.

Noy.

Sept.

Nov.

Sept.

Noy.

Sept.

Dee.

Sept.

Noy.
Noy.
Nov.
Novy.
Dec.
Mar.
Dec.
Noy.

Aug.
June

June
Dec.
Mar.
Oct.

Mar.

Dec.
Noy.

June 1893.

1894.
1894.

1894.
1894.
1894.

1894.

1894.
1891.
1894.
1894.

1896.

1897.
1894.
1891.
1893.
1893.
1894.

”

the First commence
October 1885, and the Second April 1891, both [Editions ending
simultaneously ; the Plates in Volume VI. appeared as follows :—

2nd Edition.

PART

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXVIII.

XIV.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXXII.

XXXV.
ODS
XIV.
Oe,
XXVI.
XXIX,
XV.
XXXL.
XXIII.
XIV.
KOS
XXIV.
XxX,
XXVI.
XXV.
aan,

Sept. 1S9+4.
Noy. 1894.

Sept. 1894.
Noy. 1894.
Sept. 1894,
Nov. 1894.
Sept. 1894.
July 1892.
Sept. 1894.
Noy. 189+.
Noy. 1896.
Nov. 1897.
Noy. 1894.
July 1892.
Mar. 1893.
Dee. 1893.
Noy. 1894.

Aug. 1892.
June 1895.

July 1893.

July 1892.
Mar. 1893.

Oct. 1893.

Mar. 1893.
Dee. 1893.
Noy. 1898.
July 1893.

Vi

o> OV He

COLLATION OF

Par lavi@ Raven Gy Ute beeen
~ GREAT SKRUA ...,.-..
. T}WIST-TAILED SKUA....

oy) ‘ ”

. RIcHARDSON’S SKUA....
. LONG-TAILED or Bour-

FON’S SKUA.

5 IRAWOMBBE 66060 000c
{5 (GHRISA JAWIX np ceocoouc
. Common GUILLEMOT

9. Brinyicu’s GUILLEMOT.

2 tr)

. Bnack GUILLEMOT ....
fs baer HNO 6 ooo eas oc
SOR UREING lsc imcreeae
. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER.
. WHITH-BILLED GREAT

NortHERN DIver.

3. BLACK-THROATED DIVER.
. RED-THROATED DIVER ..
. GREAT CRESTED GREBE.
. RED-NECKED GREBE....
50. LEssER CRESTED, HORNED,

or SCLAVONIAN GREBE.

. BARED GREBE ........
. LitTLE GREBE or DasB-

CHICK.

) STORM-PETREL....2.-+
. FORK-TAILED PETREL ..
. RipGWAY’s PETREL ....
. LONG-LEGGED or WIL-

son's PETREL.

57. WHITE-FACED PETREL ..

. GREAT SHEARWATER

. SOOTY SHEARWATER....
. Manx SHEARWATER....
. Dusky SHEARWATER

. BULWER’s PETREL

33. COLLARED PETREL

. Caprep PETREL J; ...-
See UMAR oe oe aceeeice eee

EDITIONS.

ist Edition.

PART
XXVI.

SOIL

OO
XXXII.

XIT.
XVIII,

XAT.
XXXII.

SOCHIE
X.
XXV.
XXXIV.

XXXY.
XVIIL.
XXVI.
XXVILI.
XY.
XX.

XXVIII.

XXXII.
XXXV.
XXIX.

AXXIV.

Wan ite
WAGE

XXXIV.
XXXIT.

VI.
XXXY.

XXXIV.

1890.

1891.
. 1892.

1896.

1893. |

cy)

. 1889.

1893.
1897.

. 1897.
1891.

1893.
% ieee

1893.
1891.

. 1894.
r. 1896.
1897.
. 1894.

. 1897.
. 1888.
. 1888.
5 USO a
r, 1896.
. 1888.
1897.

2)

1897.

2nd Edition.

PART
KXYV.

KV.

XXX.
XXXII.

XXVIL.
XIX.
XV.

XXXII.
XX.

X.
XXIV.
XXXIV,

XXXV.
XIX.
XXV.
XXVL.

XXIV.
XIV.

XXVIII.

XXXIT.
XXXY.
XXIX.

XXXIV.

VILL.
Walls

XXXIV.

XXXIT,
WaAgL
AXXY.

XXXIV.

Noy. 1893.

or)

Aug. 1892.

June 1895.
Apr. 1896.

Aug. 1894.
Feb. 1893.
Aug. 1892.
Apr. 1896.

Mar. 1893.

Dec. 1891.
Oct. 1893.
Apr. 1897

Nov. 1897.
Feb. 1893.

Noy. 1893
Dec. 1893.

Oct. 1893.
July 1892.

Sept. 1894.
Apr. 1896.
Noy. 1897.
Noy. 1894.

Apr. 1897.
Aug. 1891.
July 18381.
Apr. 1897.
Apr. 1896.
July 1891.
Noy. 1897.

Apr. 1897.

ts OF SEAT ES

IN VOLUME VI.

To face
page
1. Brack Tern. Hydrochelidon nigra (Linn.) 1
2. Wurtre-wincrep Brack Tern. Hydrochelidon leu-
coptera (Schinz) : 3
3. Wuiskerep Tern. Hydr achelidon hati ida (Pallas) 5
4. Guii-BitLep Tern. Sterna anglica, Montagu 9
5. Caspian Tern. Sterna caspia, Pallas Le
6. Sanpwicu Tern. Sterna cantiaca, J. ¥. Gmelin. 13
7. Rosrare Turn. Sterna dougalli, Montagu. 15
8. Common TERN. Sterna fluviatilis, Naum. . 17
9, Arctic Tern. Sterna macrura, Naun. 20
10. Lirriz Tern. Sterna minuta, Linn. 21
ll. Soory Tern. Sterna fuliginosa, J. ¥. Gmenn 26
12. Lessrr Sooty Tern. Sterna anestheta, Scopoli . 28
13. Noppy Tern. Anous stolidus (Linn.) 29
14. Sasinn’s Guutt. Larus sabinii, J. Sabine 32
15. Cunnare-taitep Guit. Larus roseus, Macg. 33
16. Do. Do. Immature and winter . 834.
17. Bonaparte’s Guiy. Larus philadelphicus (Ord) . . 85
18. Lirrte Guii. Larus minutus, Pall. . 37
19. Buacx-neavep Gury. Larus ridibundus, Linn. 39
90. Mepirerranean Burack-neapep Guu. Larus
melanocephalus, Natterer 43

vill PLATES IN VOL. VI.
To face
page
21. Great Buacx-neapep Gut. Larus ichthyaelus,

AP aR ieiaiaee Ne Nioetetee ae teed at lee et Ie uect el bs MaRS
22. Common Gut. Larus canus, Linn... . . . 49
23. Herrine-Guuit. Larus argentatus, J. F. Gmelin 51
24. Lesser Buack-Backep Gut. Larus fuscus, Linn. 55
25. Grear Biack-BackeD GuLu. Larus marinus,Linn. 57
26. Giaucous Guru. Larus glaucus,O. Fabricius . 59
Pio Dios Ito), | Iban GG Shin Me GO.
28. lcrztanp Guu. Larus rae US, aber ones OF
29. Kirtiwaxe. Rissa tridactyla (inn.) . . . . 68
830. Ivory Gutt. Pagophila eburnea (Phipps). . . 68
31. Great Sxua. Lestris catarrhactes (Linn.) . . 69
32. Twist-rartep Sxua. Lestris pomatorhinus, Temm.
: \ 74
33. Do. Do.
34. Ricuarpson’s Sxua. Lestris richardsoni,Swainson. 73
35. Lone-raitep or Burron’s Sxua. Lestris para-

siticus (Linn.) .. soba ekg teenie peu Ady
36. Razorsity. Alea torda, ane Beet Uta ioos Gt ho)
37: Great Aux. Alea impennis, Linn. . . .. . 812
38. Common Guittemor. Uria troile (Linn.) . . . 88
39. Brtnnicu’s Gurttemor. Uria bruennichi, E.

Sabines « Summenplumeaccewaisee aie eee euIeNA
40. Do. Do. Winter plumage. Bh one ne els’
41. Buack Guittemor. Uria grylle ( Gian) oo ge ll
42. Lirtiz Aux. Mergulus alle (imn.).°. . . . 94
43. Purrin. Fratercula arctica (Linn.) . . . . . 96

. Great Nortuern Diver. Colymbus glacialis,Linn. 97
. Wuite-BILLED Great NortHERN Diver. Colymbus

adamsi, G.R. Gray . . . - 102

. Biack-rHRoatep Driver. Conia “ante, LA. 104:
. Rep-ruroarep Diver. Colymbus septentrionalis,

AGNI, See sae eee hy eae We eis yore)

. Great Crested Grese. Podiceps cristutus (Linn.). 109
. Rep-necKED Gree. Podiceps griseigena (Bod-

Gaert ye. Mie eal. tom ee aeGe ween wane creat Reem eh

PLATES IN VOL. VI.

. Lesser Crestep, Hornep, or Scravonian GReBE.

Podiceps auritus (Linn.) .

. Earep Gress. Podiceps nigricollis, c. L. prelia
. Lirrte Grese or Dascuicn. Podiceps minor

(Briss. )

. Storm-Petrer. Procellaria pelagica, Linn.
. Fork-rarrep Perres. Procellaria leucorrhoa,

Vieillot

. Ripeway’s Perret. Procellaria cryptoleucura

(Ridgway)

. LoNG-LEGGED or WILSON’s eee Oceanites

oceanicus (Kuhl)

. Wuitn-racrD Pprret. Pelagodroma marina

(Latham) .

. Great Suearwater. Puffiinus major, Faber

. Soory Sugarwater. Pufinus griseus (Gmel.)

. Manx Suearwater. Pufinus anglorum (Temm.).
. Dusky Surarwater. Pufinus obscurus (Gmel.) .
. Butwer’s Prrrer. Procellaria bulweri, Jard. &

Sly ib So 16 2.6 8 ol od Sou a Po

- Cortarep Perret. Méstrelata brevipes (Peale)
. Caprep Perret. Céstrelata hesitata (Kuhl)
. Furmar. Fulmarus glacialis (Linn.) .

VOL. VI. b

1x
To face
page

115
117

119
123

127

130

131

134
136
138
140
141

144.
146
148
150

*NOGNOT

‘OlONLS LHY OHLIT-OWOYHD

“(CmuT) eapiu uopiyayooupkH
‘NUAL WOVII

A0 Yi

BLACK TERN.

HYDROCHELIDON NIGRA (Linn.).

Sterna nigra, Linn. S. N.1i. p. 227 (1766) ; Nawm.x. p. 189 ;
Hewitson, i. p. 488.

Hydrochelidon nigra, Macg, v. p. 658 ; Yarr. ed. 4, 11. p. 516;
Dresser, viii. p. 327.

Guifette noire, French; Schwarze See-Schwalbe, German ;
Golondrina de mar negra, Charran negro, Spanish.

This bird, though it formerly bred in abundance in
England, has now, from the drainage and reclamation
of its favourite marshes, become an irregular and not
very common straggler to our country. It was, well
within the memory of living man, a regular vernal
migrant to many parts of our fen-countries, and was
well-known by various local names, e.g. “ Blue Darr,”
“ Car-Swallow,” “Starn,’ “Dare,” and “Skelper.”
My acquaintance with this Marsh-Tern in England is
confined to having occasionally met with it during its
wanderings in Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, but
we found it nesting in great abundance in Southern
Spain in company with the Whiskered Tern. As its
habits very closely resemble those of that species, and
are alluded to in my article thereon in this work, I do

not go into any details concerning them in this place.
I have seen hundreds of the eggs of this bird at various
times in Leadenhall Market, received there from the
marshes of the Netherlands with those of many other
species.

In common with all the other European members of
the marsh or freshwater-Tern family, this species lives
principally upon various insects and leeches; tadpoles
are also favourite morsels. I have met with the Black
Tern in small numbers in various parts of the Mediter-
ranean, and also in Switzerland, and found one pair,
with their nest and eggs, in close vicinity to a colony of
Common Terns on an islet of one of the brackish
lagoons of Sardinia. In my experience this bird is a
somewhat scarce vernal migrant to the Ionian Islands,
where it makes no stay, nor did I find it breeding on the
mainland opposite to these islands, although there was
no lack of apparently very suitable localities in Epirus
and Albania. Mr. H. Saunders states that the winter
range of this Tern is scarcely known to extend beyond
North Africa, Egypt, and Palestine; but that it is
of tolerably general diffusion in the breeding-season
throughout Europe from Southern Sweden southwards.

~

ner
)

surptog ‘AOI “M ‘OUT

“<(zmyag) e1oydoone] uoplayso1pAy

‘NN@L MOVId GHONIM-ALIHM

WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN.

HYDROCHELIDON LEUCOPTERA (Schinz).

Sterna leucoptera, Schinz in Meisn. & Schinz’s Vég. d.
Schweiz, p. 264 (1815); Naum. x. p. 215.

Hydrochelidon leucoptera, Macg. v. p. 661; Yarr. ed. 4, iil.
p- 522; Dresser, viii. p. 321.

Hirondelle de mer leucoptere, French; Weissfliigelige
Seeschwalbe, German; Fumarell, Valencian; Alsio,
Catalan.

This bird, though never abundant in our country,
may be considered as a frequent vernal visitor to
England and Ireland, and from its close resemblance in
size, form, and habits to the Black Tern, it is more
than possible that it may in former years often have
escaped special notice or record. At the present time,
however, the Black Tern is nearly, if not quite, as
casual a visitor as the present species, and British bird-
collectors would, I fear, show as little mercy to the one
as to the other. ‘The White-winged Black Tern was
very common during the vernal passage in April and May
in the Ionian marshes; but I could not ascertain that
it bred either in the islands or on the opposite main-

land of Epirus. We met with it in great abundance
near Paphos in May, and I have no doubt that it
breeds in many of the freshwater or brackish marshes
of Cyprus. The only difference of habit that I could
perceive between this species and the Black Tern was
that its flight is somewhat less wavering and indirect
than that of the latter species; but IT must admit that I
have never visited a breeding locality of this, as I have
many of the former bird.

The White-winged Black Tern is known as a vernal
migrant throughout the Mediterranean, and_ breeds
(fide Yarrell) in some parts of Southern Germany,
Hungary, Poland, and throughout Southern Russia.
In Spain, though common on the eastern coast in May,
I never met with it in Andalucia, and have only on one
occasion received a few specimens from that province.
The diet of this species consists almost exclusively of
insects taken on the wing or from the surface of lakes
and ponds.

*NOGNOT ‘O1GNLS LHY “OHLIT-OWO:

yHO

“(y7eq) Bpraqky vuopreyoouphy
‘NUGL GANANSIHM

WHISKERED TERN,

HYDROCHELIDON HYBRIDA (Pallas).

Sterna hybrida, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-As. ii. p. 338 (1811).

Sterna leucopareia, Naum. x. p. 168 ; Hewitson, ii. p. 483.

Hydrochelidon leucopareia, Macy. v. p. 663.

Hydrochelidon hybrida, Yar. ed. 4, iii. p. 527 ; Dresser, viii.
p. 315.

Hirondelle de mer moustac, French ; Golondrina de mar
Charran, Spanish.

>

This Marsh-Tern is a very rare straggler to our
country. I only find six occurrences recorded by
Mr. Howard Saunders; it is, in fact, a southern
species, and our Islands lie far to the northward of its
habitual range. I became intimately acquainted with
this bird in a certain wild district of Southern Spain,
where we found it in great abundance nesting in
company with the Black Tern and many other birds of
various species, upon some small freshwater lakelets,—I
can hardly call them lakes, and ponds would convey the
idea of human agency in their formation. It was more
than pleasant to le amongst the rushes on the sandy
banks of these waters in the splendid sunshine of an

Andalucian May, and to watch the birds; of these the
most locally abundant were the Whiskered and the
Black Tern, whose nests were on the water amongst
thick masses of a white-flowered weed, or on the
rubbish left on the banks by the subsidence of winter
floods. Here were also, at the time of our visits, many
Grebes of three species, their nests interspersed with
those of the Terns on the tangle of weed that covered
considerable portions of the water-surface. Stilts, Red-
shanks, and other Waders were clamorous around us,
whilst Bee-eaters coursed the upper air, and Warblers
of many species sang and chattered amongst the bul-
rushes. Harriers were constantly sailing about, and,
as a matter of course in Andalucia, a Vulture or two
soared high above all. I am only writing of what
might be taken in at a glance, and will not here refer to
several other birds whose nests we discovered on close
examination of our surroundings. I must in honesty
confess that the mosquito was not absent from this
ornithological paradise, but tobacco and the birds
rendered us indifferent to his attacks, and personally I
have always considered this insect as far less irritating
than the homely midge of our own country.

To come back to the special subject of my present
article, the Terns disturbed at our appearance rose in a
cloud, and dashed about us with great clamour till we
had satisfied our greed by taking some of their eges by
riding into the water and ladling them out of the nests ;
but they took very little notice of our presence as we
sat about the margin of the tarns after this operation,
and many of them settled quietly down upon their eggs

within a few yards of us, whilst others hawked slant
unconcernedly after flying insects, or dipped for the
leeches and water-beetles that swarmed amongst the
weeds. I could discover no difference between the
habits of this bird and those of the Black Tern, which
was perhaps the more numerous of the two species in
the locality of which 1 am treating, but there is a
slight difference in the note, that of the present bird
being somewhat harsher and more prolonged than that
of the other. ‘The nests of the Whiskered Tern, how-
ever, were generally composed of various water-plants
only, and were often of considerable bulk, whilst those
of the Black Tern were much slighter, flatter, and
generally had some broken reed-stems, pieces of rushes,
and occasionally some twigs as a foundation.

The eggs of the Whiskered Tern are three in com-
plement, and are easily to be distinguished from those
of any other European Tern by their elongated shape
and invariable pale, but decided green ground-colour.

In Spain this Tern is a summer migrant, arriving
towards the end of April, and departing in July or
early in August; but I frequently met with it about
the shores of the Ionian Sea in late autumn and winter.
From the accounts of authors it appears that the range
of the Whiskered Tern extends from the extreme west
of Africa and Europe, with certain breaks of continuity,
to China and the Philippines. It breeds abundantly in
the marshes of North Africa; but I never met with it
in the western basin of the Mediterranean.

nbvjuoyy “eIydue eUIZ}S

‘NYAL GHTTIA-TITMNS

"uTpog ‘aaeLy "MQ ‘OugYT

GULL-BILLED TERN,

STERNA ANGLICA, Montagu.

Sterna anglica, Montagu, Orn. Dict., Suppl. (1813) ; Naum.
x. p. 38; Hewitson, ii. p. 476; Yarr. ed. 4, i. p. 531;
Dresser, viii. p. 295.

Sterne-hansel, French; Lach-Meerschwalbe, German ;
Charran, Cagara, Golondrina de mar, Spanish.

This species is an occasional and uncommon visitor
to our country, and was first made known by Colonel
Montagu from specimens obtained in Sussex and Kent.
My personal acquaintance with this Tern is confined to
the shores of the Ionian Sea (where I frequently noticed
it in February and March) and to certain localities in
Andalucia, where it breeds in great abundance. In
many of its habits, as well as in certain points of form,
this bird, as the editor of the 4th ed. of ‘ Yarrell’ truly
remarks, approaches the Marsh-Terns more closely than
do any others of the European Sea-Terns. In my own
limited experience I specially noticed that it frequently
takes beetles from dry ground, and captures flying
insects on wing. Its manner of flight, which is com-
paratively wavering, and frequently broken by pauses to

hover, at once distinguishes it from the Sandwich Tern,
to which in distribution of colour and in size it bears
a strong resemblance. In Spain the Gull-billed Tern
breeds not only on the sandy sea-shores, but also in very
great numbers upon the islets left in the “marisma”
of the Guadalquivir by the subsidence of the winter
floods. The cry of this Tern differs considerably from
that of any other with which I am acquainted, and is a
sort of laughing chatter varied by an occasional screech.
This bird is said to breed on the coast and islands
belonging to Denmark, and I know of its doing so
on the lagoons of Mesolonghi. I am not aware of its
nesting in any European locality besides those already
mentioned, but its range extends to China, Ceylon, and
Australia, and it is not uncommon in certain districts of
North and South America.

‘soyng ‘eidseo eBUle}S

‘NHL NVYIdSvo

“Unptog, ‘AAD “MM COUITT

€

LE

CASPIAN TERN.

STERNA CASPIA, Pallas.

Sterna caspia, Pall. Nov. Comm. Petrop. xiv. p. 582 (1769) ;
Naum. x. p. 18; Hewitson, ii. p. 477; Yarr. ed. 4, i.
p. 536; Dresser, viii. p. 289.

Sylochelidon caspia, Macg. v. p. 626.

Raub-Meerschwalbe, German; Golondrina de mar grande,
Charran, Spanish.

The Caspian Tern is a rare straggler to our shores ;
almost all of its recorded occurrences in England have
taken place in the eastern counties, and the majority of
these records refer to the months of May, June, July,
and August. My personal acquaintance with this fine
Tern is very small, and (with the exception of a pair
observed on the Guadalquivir in May 1883) confined to
the Ionian Sea and the coast of Cyprus. From what I
have read and the little that I have seen of this species,
I gather that its habits closely resemble those of the
other European Sea-Terns, as distinct from the marsh
or freshwater-loving members of the family. The
egos are laid on the bare sand, the food consists
exclusively of fish, taken by “stoops” from the air,
the flight is graceful and buoyant, and the note is harsh

and discordant. J think that pretty much the same
remarks apply generally to all of the British Sea-Terns.

I observe that the editor of the 4th edition of ‘ Yarrell’
mentions that the Caspian Tern has a characteristic
habit of keeping its bill pointed downwards when
searching for food. I can corroborate this from my
own experience, but I have very frequently noticed
the same habit in other species. From the authority just
referred to, I glean that this bird may be roughly said
to range over nearly the whole of Europe, a considerable
region of Asia, the entire coast of Africa, and the east
and west coasts of N. America from Labrador and the
Bering Sea to Florida and North Mexico. It is also
found in Australia and New Zealand. In Europe it
breeds in Sweden, Denmark, and certain localities in
the Mediterranean; but m my somewhat extensive
experience of that sea I never had the good fortune to
meet with its nest or eggs. In Spain it is certainly an
uncommon bird, although I have reason to believe that
it occasionally breeds upon the Balearic Islands.

if
ie

‘

net}

Sy,
fil

ee

ee

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‘NYGL HOIMANYS

“UNIO ‘OAOLD “MOUNT Z

SANDWICH TERN.

STERNA CANTIACA, J. F. Gmelin.

Sterna cantiaca, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. 1. p. 606 (1788) ; Naw.
x. p. 50; Macy. v. p. 630; Hewitson, ii. p. 478; Yarr.
ed. 4, ii. p. 540; Dresser, vill. p. 301.

Hirondelle de mer Caugek, French; Brand-Meerschwilbe,
German; Golondrina de mar, Spanish.

It is a somewhat remarkable fact that this handsome
bird, which is by no means uncommon in several British
localities, should have retained, since 1784, the name
of the ancient town near which it was observed and
obtained for the first time in this country in that year.
I have no sort of ill feeling towards Sandwich either in
its primary or secondary signification, but it strikes me
that the word as applied to this bird is nearly as absurd
as “ Bohemian” Waxwing or “Dartford” Warbler. I
have seen but very little of this species in our Islands,
and have never visited any of its breeding-haunts, but I
have met with it frequently in the Mediterranean, and
rarely in the Ionian and Adriatic seas. In all its habits,
as observed by me, it closely resembles the other Sea-
Terns of my acquaintance, but when travelling its flight

is more direct and less wavering than that of the
Common or the Little Tern.

We do not often hear of the occurrence of the present
species at any great distance from salt water, but I have
a very fine pair of adult birds stuffed, that were killed
on the Isis in Port Meadow, close to Oxford, about
1853. This is the only species of Tern that I have ever
kept or attempted to keep in captivity; at the present
moment (August 21, 1894) I have two fine young birds
that I received from the north of England on June 27.
They refused to eat for the first few days after their
arrival at Lilford, and had to be forcibly crammed, but
they now feed greedily upon small fishes or pieces of
large ones; they are remarkably tame, and very peace-
able with the many other species that inhabit the same
compartment of our aviary. The elongated feathers of
the occipital crest are already very noticeable in these
youngsters. Ege-collectors and dealers have done their
utmost to exterminate this beautiful bird in our country,
and as it does not leave our coasts till after the end of
close-time, it is, of course, liable to slaughter by the
loafers who supply “wings” for plumiferous human
females.

nbvjuoye ‘“TYESNOp eu3za39

‘NaHaL ALvasSOad

Vi

ROSEATE TERN,

STERNA DOUGALLI, Montagu.

Sterna dougallii, Montagu, Orn. Dict. Suppl. (1813) ; Macg.
v. p. 648; Hewitson, ii. p. 479.

Sterna dougalli, Naum. x. p. 78; Yarr. ed. 4, iti. p. 544;
Dresser, viii. p. 2738.

Sterne de Dougall, French; Dougall’s Seeschwalbe, Ger-
man.

This very beautiful species, formerly a_ tolerably
common summer visitor to several localities on our
Islands, has become of late years a decidedly rare
British bird. My friend Mr. Howard Saunders, in his
excellent ‘Manual,’ attributes the present scarcity of
this ‘Tern in our country mainly to the increase of the
Common Tern, a stronger-billed and altogether more
robust bird, and informs us that he has been assured
that three colonies of the Roseate have successively
given way to the former Tern on the coast of Brittany
in the course of a few years. I saw a very few of the
present species about one of the islets of the Scilly
group in 1852; my attention was drawn to them at

once by the difference between their note and that of

the Common Tern, and their more slender forms and
the great length of the tail-feathers satisfied me that I
saw the Roseate Tern for the first and, (as it has proved
to be) the only time. The peculiarities just mentioned
proved fatal to what I believe to be the only recorded
Norfolk specimen of this Tern: this specimen was given
to me by the friend who shot it, and I had the pleasure
of presenting it to the Norfolk and Norwich Museum.
From what I have just said, it is obvious that I am not
competent to tell anything of the general habits of this
species from personal observation, for, as a matter of
fact, I only saw one on the first day of my explorations
im Scilly, and two, possibly three, on a subsequent
occasion. For particulars concerning the nesting and
distribution of this Tern, I must therefore refer my
readers to our standard authorities, merely adding, from
one of these authorities, that it is much more abundant
in America than in Europe.

uN ‘SIPWELANY BVu1d3g
‘Nadal NOWWOSO

UO PADI “AL “OUT

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COMMON TERN,

STERNA FLUVIATILIS, Naum.

Sterna fluviatilis, Nawm. Isis, 1819, p. 1848; Yarr. ed. 4, iii.
p. 549; Dresser, viii. p. 263.

Sterna hirundo, Naum. x. p. 89; Macy. v. p. 638; Hewitson,
i. p. 480.

Pierre-Garin, French; Gemeine Meerschwalbe, German ;
Golondrina de mar, Charrdn, Spanish.

This very graceful bird, which is commonly known as
“Sea-Swallow,” is a spring migrant to this country,
generally arriving early in May, nesting on the sandy
and shingly portions of our coasts, and not uncommonly
on the pebbly margins of lakes, taking its departure in
September or October. During both seasons of migra-
tion the Common ‘Tern wanders along the courses of
our rivers to long distances from the sea; but, as a
rule, breeds in the neighbourhood of salt water.

The eggs, three in number, are laid, with very little
in the way of a nest, on sand or shingle.

A flock of Terns hovering over and stooping into the
“summer sea” is a very interesting and beautiful sight

that might some years ago have been enjoyed within

Ht |

easy reach of many of our most frequented sea-side
resorts, and is, no doubt, still to be seen in certain
localities remote from the haunts of man. But, alas!
this bird is one of the many that the plumassiers consider
as an appropriate “set-off” for the heads of their custo-
mers, and I have frequently been horrified at seeing the
whole skin of a Tern stuck in front of a woman’s hat,
with the addition of glass eyes, generally red or yellow,
but never of the right colour; the forked tails also of
this species and of the Little Tern are very common
disfigurements to the occasionally otherwise attractive
heads of the slaves of barbarous Fashion.

The food of this ‘Tern consists almost exclusively of
small fishes. I never noticed it in pursuit of flying
insects, which form a large part of the diet of the
Marsh-Terns, Hydrochelidon.

I have met with this species throughout the Mediter-
ranean and on some of the lakes of Northern Italy and
Switzerland.

ARCTIC TERN.

STERNA MACRURA, Naum.

Sterna macrura, Naum. Isis, 1819, p. 1847; Naum. x. p. 114;
Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 553.

Sterna arctica, Macy. v. p. 643; Hewitson, ii. p. 481.

Sterna hirundo, Dresser, viii. p. 255.

Nordische See-Schwalbe, German.

As this is a species with which I have virtually no
personal acquaintance, except in cabinets and glass-cases,
I will only say that it is the most abundant species of its
family throughout the northern portions of the British
Islands, and, in fact, of those of Europe in general. It
is, however, by no means strictly confined to the extreme
north, and breeds on many of the islands off the south
and west coast of Ireland. In food and habits this bird
is said hardly to vary from the Common Tern. In adult
plumage the Arctic may always be distinguished from
the Common Tern by its dark grey underparts, longer
tail-feathers, wholly red bill, and very short tarsi, whilst
the immature birds may, according to Mr. H. Saunders,
be always recognized by the narrowness of the dark
line that runs along the shaft on the inner webs of the
primaries. ‘This line is both darker and more extensive
in the Common Tern. The range of this species extends

2)

from “as far north as human foot has trodden’ to

Brazil, Peru, and Table Bay.

MUMDAT “BANAOBU BULITS

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LITTLE TERN.

STERNA MINUTA, Linn.

Sterna minuta, Linn. 8. N. 1. p. 228 (1766) ; Naum. x. p. 145 ;
Macg. v. p. 652; Hewitson, ii. p. 484; Yarr. ed. 4, ii.
p. 558; Dresser, vill. p. 279.

Sterne naine, French; Zwerg-Seeschwalbe, German ;
Charranchico, Catalinita, Moncheta, Spanish,

This exceedingly graceful bird is a summer visitor to
the coasts and lakes of Great Britain and Ireland,
generally arriving early in May, and taking its departure
in September. In all its habits the Little Tern closely
resembles the Common Tern or “ Sea-Swallow ;” but I
never met with the present species in its breeding-
haunts in such numbers as I frequently have in the
case of the former bird. On an unfrequented stretch
of sandy coast, that I will not particularize, I many
years ago found a considerable number of Little Terns
breeding. No nest is made, and the eggs, of which I
consider three as the average full complement, are very
difficult to discover till the eye becomes accustomed to
distinguish them by their shape from the mottled
pebbles amongst which they are generally layed. The

birds are extraordinarily tame, and often remain on
the eggs till the intruder is within a few feet, when
they usually walk off to a few yards distance, or take
wing and hover closely around, uttering a short grating
note.

In the locality to which I allude many Sea-Pies and
Ringed Plovers were also breeding at the time of my
visits, and their agitation and endeavours to draw our
attention away from their eggs and young were curiously
in contrast with the feigned indifference of the Terns.
In one instance we discovered two very recently hatched
Ring-Plovers cowering over three eggs of the Little
Tern. The Editor of the 4th edition of ‘ Yarrell* refers
to some eggs of this species taken at the end of the
North Wall, Dublin; and I have found some within a few
yards of a constantly frequented footway in Spain. In
the same country I have often watched these Terns
fishing within a few yards of the spot upon which I and
others sat on the shore, or in our boat, without any
attempt at concealment.

From its great beauty and marvellous tameness, the
Little Tern is a special object of pursuit to the loafers
who infest our sea-coasts, and shoot at every bird that
presents itself; and, alas! the bodies of this Tern find a
ready sale for the decoration of the hats and bonnets of
thoughtless womankind. It is not very long ago since
I met, on the favourite promenade of a well-known
sea-side resort, a young woman who evidently con-
sidered that her natural attractions were enhanced by
the exhibition of a whole skin of one of these Terns,
with wings extended, and glass eyes of bright orange,

in the front of her hat, the sides of which were respec-
tively adorned with about half of a West-African Glossy
Starling and the wing of a Kingfisher. Let us hope
that this fair one may have been brought to a sense of
decency, as have many others of her sex, through the
praiseworthy exertions of the Ladies’ Society for the
Protection of Birds.

I have met with this Tern at various seasons on all
parts of the Mediterranean shores, and found it breeding
on the great lagoons of Sardinia.

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SOOTY TERN.

STERNA FULIGINOSA, J. F. Gmelin.

Sterna fuliginosa, J. F. Gmelin, S. N.i. p. 605; Naum. xiii.
(Schluss) p. 267; Dresser, viii. p. 307; Yarr. ed. 4, iii.
p. 562.

The Sooty Tern has been noticed three times in
England, and a few instances are recorded of its
occurrence on the Continent.

Its home is the tropical seas of nearly the whole
circuit of the world. Vast numbers gather together
at the breeding-season on certain islands, such as
Ascension, where the assemblage is called a “ Wide-
awake Fair.” [O. S.]

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‘NAaGL ALOOS

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—— é

LESSER SOOTY TERN.

STERNA ANAUSTHETA, Scopoli.

Sterna anestheta, Scopoli, Del. Faun. et Flor. Insubr. i. p. 92 ;
Saunders, Zool. 1877, p. 213; Cat. Birds Brit. Mus.
xxy. p. 101.

Sterna panayensis, J. F. Gmelin, S. N. i. p. 607.

Mr. Howard Saunders reported in 1877 that he had
examined a specimen of this species said to have been
captured on one of the lightships at the mouth of the
Thames in September 1875.

The range of the Lesser Sooty Tern encircles the
globe in tropical and subtropical seas. The probability
of a straggling bird occurring on our shores is at least
as great as one of either the Sooty or Noddy Tern
doing so. [O. S.]

VIPOEL “OADTE “AL *

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NODDY TERN,

ANOUS STOLIDUS (Linn.).

Sterna stolida, Linn. S. N. i. p. 227 (1766); Hewitson, ii.
p. 486.

Megalopterus stolidus, Macg. v. p. 672.

Anois stolidus, Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 567.

As this is a species witb which I have no acquaintance
except in museums, I therefore quote from ‘ Yarrell’
to the effect that the only authentic record of its
capture in British territory was sent by the late William
Thompson to the ‘Magazine of Zoology and Botany,’
and refers to two specimens that were said to have been
taken in the summer about 1830, between the Tuskar
Lighthouse and Dublin Bay by the captain of a vessel,
who brought them to Mr. William Massey, of the
Pigeon House, Dublin. One of these two birds is
now in the Science and Art Museum of that city.

The Noddy is of general distribution throughout the
tropics. An interesting account of its breeding-habits
is quoted at length from Audubon in the 4th ed. of
‘Yarrell,’ vol. in. pp. 568-570; this quotation is fol-
lowed by another from a letter written to John Gould
by Mr. Gilbert, who collected for him in Western

Australia, and describes the habits of the Noddy as
observed by the writer in that part of the world.

I do not go into details of these quotations, as I pre-
sume that the work that contains them is, as it certainly
ought to be, at hand to most of those who take interest
enough in birds to honour me by subscribing to my

picture-book.

SABINE’S GULL.

LARUS SABINI, J. Sabine.

Larus sabini, J. Sabine, Trans. Linn. Soc. xii. p. 522 (1818).
Larus sabiniui, Naum. xiii. pt. 2, p. 272.

Gavia sabini, Macg. v. p. 607.

Xema sabinii, Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p.573; Dresser, viii. p. 337.

This bird is an irregular and scarce visitor to our
country from high northern latitudes. I have never
met with Sabine’s Gull alive; but gather from our recent
authorities that between thirty and forty occurrences
have been recorded in our Islands; that, with few
exceptions, these occurrences have taken place during
the months of August, September, and October, and
that the specimens obtained have, with very few excep-
tions, been young birds of the year.

I am indebted to Mr. J. Backhouse for the loan of
two specimens of this species in skin, for the use of
this work: these two Gulls were obtained near Brid-
lington, in September 1890, and from one of them
the figure of the immature bird in the Plate was
taken. I find that Sabine’s Gull has recently been
discovered breeding in large numbers in the marshes

of Alaska.

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CUNEATE-TAILED GULL.

RHODOSTETHIA ROSEA (Macg.).

Larus roseus, Macgillivray, Mem. Wern. Soc. v. p. 249
(1824).

Rhodostethia rossu, Macy. v. p. 618.

Larus rossi, Naum. xiii. pt, 2, p. 270.

Rhodostethia rosea, Yarr. ed. 4, 11. p. 597; Dresser, viii.
p. 343.

It is perhaps superfluous to state that I am totally
unacquainted personally with this very rare Arctic bird,
whose claim to a place in the British list rests upon a
single occurrence, of which I transcribe the details from
the fourth edition of ‘ Yarrell’s British Birds,’ vol. iu.
p- 580, as supplied to the ‘Zoolegist’ by Mr. Henry
Milner, who states that the Lesser Gull was killed by
Horner, Lord Howden’s head keeper, in February, 1847,
in a ploughed field, near the hamlet of Milton-cum-
Kirby, in the parish of Kirby. Its flight resembled,
according to Horner’s account, the flight of any other
Gull, and it did not seem at all shy. Some doubt appears
to attach to the above account, but, as Mr. Howard
Saunders writes, ‘inasmuch as this Arcti¢ species has
undoubtedly wandered in winter to Heligoland and the

Feeroes, there is at least no inherent improbability in its
occurrence in Yorkshire, and it has been generally added
to the British List.” I will “crib” no more about this
bird, but, for necessary details concerning it, refer my
readers, not for the first time, to Mr. H. Saunders’s
‘Manual’ and conclude with an expression of sincere
gratitude to my friend Professor Alfred Newton, for
the loan of the specimen from which one of the accom-
panying Plates was taken.

Litho. W. Greve, Berlin.

Immature and winter.

CUNEATE-TAILED GULL.

Rhodostethia rosea (Macg.).

——

‘uIpleg 24015 *M ‘OUT

‘pig exydjepepyd sare Ty
‘TINS SALYVdYNOa

a5

BONAPARTE’S GULL.

LARUS PHILADELPHIA (Ord).

Sterna philadelphia, Ord, in Guthrie’s Geogr. 2nd Amer. ed.
ii. p. 319 (1815).

Gavia bonapartii, Macg. v. p. 610.

Larus philadelphia, Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 584; Dresser, viii.
p. 356.

This American Gull is a scarce and accidental straggler
to our Islands. I find that the editor of the 4th ed. of
‘Yarrell,’ in his article upon this species, published in
March 1884, only records five British occurrences as
positively authenticated; of these the earliest was at
Belfast on the Ist of February, 1848, the next in
Scotland about the end of April 1850; these are fol-
lowed by three occurrences in England, viz. one in
Falmouth Harbour on the 4th of January, 1865, another
at Penryn on the 10th of the same month, and the last
at St. Leonards early in November 1870. Two other
supposed occurrences in Ireland are alluded to in the
article to which I have referred, but the first of these
was, to my personal knowledge, a case of mistaken
identity.

My readers will, I trust, excuse me from hunting up

further records, and remain content with the assurance
that this Gull has been met with on our coasts on more
than one occasion besides those above specified. There
is, however, no doubt that many mistakes have arisen
from the close resemblance of the present species in
immature plumage to our common mis-named Black-
headed Gull. Bonaparte’s Gull is somewhat smaller
than the last-named, and, according to the editor from
whom I have above quoted, may be distinguished in all
stages by the white margins to the inner webs of the
outer primaries. As I know nothing whatever about
this bird from personal experience or observation, I will
only add that I gather from the authors quoted in
‘Yarrell,’ loc. supra cit., that it visits the Atlantic coasts
of the North-eastern United States in great numbers in
April and May, and again in autumn, that its breeding-
grounds extend over the greater part of Arctic America,
that it nests in colonies, generally building on trees, and
that its habits very closely resemble those of the other
species above mentioned. In winter it is said to be
abundant on the coast of Florida. It is not known to
breed within the boundaries of the United States.

‘Yod ‘snynula snzreT

‘TJINS ATLLIT

vuIpIeg 940.19 *M ‘OUITT

w

LITTLE GULL.

LARUS MINUTUS, Pall.

Larus minutus, Pallas, Reise Russ. Reichs, ui., App. p. 702
(1776) ; Naum. x. p. 242; Hewitson, 1. p. 490; Yarr.
ed. 4, iii. p. 589; Dresser, vii. p. 373.

Gavia minuta, Macg. v. p. 613.

Mouette pygmée, French; Zwerg-Move, German; Gaviota,
Spanish.

This very graceful species is by no means a very
uncommon visitor to our coasts, especially to those of
our eastern counties, but its visits are very irregular,
generally taking place in the autumn or winter, and
there is, so far as I am aware, not even a recorded
suspicion of its having ever nested in our Islands.
Specimens in the adult summer dress, with black heads,
have been met with in Yorkshire and in Ireland. My
personal acquaintance with this Gull is confined to the
Mediterranean ; it was by no means uncommon, although
not very abundant, in the Bay of Corfu during the late
autumn and winter months, but disappeared about the
beginning of March, and I observed it frequently on the
east coast of Sicily, at Messina, Catania, Agosta, and
Syracuse, and now and then in the harbours of Malta,
during the last-named month. Its habits, as observed
by me on these occasions, exactly resembled those of the
other European Gulls with which it consorted ; it is very

fearless, and had we been so disposed we might have
shot a good many Little Gulls from the deck of our
vessels at anchor in the harbours that I have mentioned.

Doctor H. Guillemard obtained and sent to me two
specimens of this Gull obtained in Cyprus in February
1888, but I did not meet with it in that island, pro-
bably because it had departed for its nesting-quarters
before our arrival in April 1875. [could not discover
that the Little Gull remaims to breed upon any part
of the Mediterranean shores or islands. Mr. W. H.
Hudleston, who has given us in the ‘Ibis’ a most
graphic account of his ornithological researches in the
Dobrudscha, mcluding interesting details regarding this
species as oberved by him it that province, noticed a
rapid diminution of its numbers from the latter end of
April, and came to the conclusion that it does not breed
in that locality at all. This Gull has been found
nesting in large colonies on the lakes in the Ural, and
Mr. Dresser gives a very full account in his ‘ Birds of
Europe’ of its nesting in the vicinity of Lake Ladoga,
as communicated to him by Mr. W. Meves, of Stock-
holm. I gather from this account that in general habits,
the situation of its nests, number of eggs, and diet of
small fishes and insects, the present species differs but
little from Larus ridibundus and some of the Marsh-
Terns.

The Little Gull visits the Baltic and the North Sea,
and ranges across Siberia to the Lena, but, according to
the 4th ed. of ‘ Yarrell,’ from which I quote these latter
localities, it has only been ouce recorded as occurring in
Northern India.

“UlLLOg § 9AGID “AA “OUNT

‘way ‘supunqIplt sniey

‘ITNS GaAaCVYAH—-AOVTa

BLACK-HEADED GULL.

LARUS RIDIBUNDUS, Linn.

Larus ridibundus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 225 (1766) ; Naum. x.
p- 264; Hewitson, ii. p. 491; Yarr. ed. 4, i. p. 594;
Dresser, viii. p. 357.

Gavia ridibunda, Macg. v. p. 593.

Gavia capistrata, Macg. v. p. 605.

Goéland rieur, French; Lachméve, German; Gavina,
Gaviota pequejia, Spanish.

I must commence my remarks upon this species by
expressing my compunction for adopting for it the
commonly applied but obvious misnomer of ‘“ Black-
headed,” for at no season of the year has this Gull any
black about the head; whilst the term is very correctly
applied to another well-known European species, Larus
melanocephalus. I can only say that in thus miscalling
the present bird my sole excuse is general custom; and
I would ask my brother ornithologists why we should
not henceforth agree to call it Brown-headed Gull; at all
events this designation would serve to distinguish our
bird from any other British Gull. In most parts of our
Islands the name “Common ” would apply at least as
well to this Gull as to the species that is known by that

epithet ; for although the latter is certainly “common ”
enough, its breeding-haunts are confined to Scotland
and Ireland, whereas the present species breeds locally
in great numbers throughout the United Kingdom.
This Gull is resident with us, though its inland nesting-
places are deserted for the sea-coast in the winter
months; rough weather, however, or a flood on any of
our larger rivers will generally bring these birds in
considerable flocks to considerable distances from the
salt-water at any time of the year.

In many parts of England these Gulls may be seen
following the plough, and in Norfolk are commonly
known as “Scoulton Crows,” from one of their best
known breeding-places in the west of that county. My
acquaintance with this species during its breeding-
season is confined to another locality in Norfolk, where
the birds have increased greatly since my first visit,
owing to the strict protection afforded them by the
owner.

Such circumstantial details have appeared in ‘ Yarrell’
regarding the many colonies of this bird that it would
be superfluous for me to repeat them; I will therefore
only say that the islands and margins of freshwater
meres, as well as swampy mosses, are generally selected
for nesting purposes; the birds repair to these localities
early in March, and the eggs are found in the greatest
abundance in May; their usual complement is three.

The nests that I have seen were simple masses of
flags and sedge; at the time of my first visit to the
locality that I have previously referred to, the young
were just hatching, and took boldly to the water with,

|
|
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|
|
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.

A\
in some cases, portions of the egg-shells still adhering to
their down.

To convey some idea of the numbers of these Gulls
that nest at Scoulton I condense the following notes by
H. Stevenson, quoted in ‘ Yarrell,’ 4th ed. :—* Two men
are employed to collect three days a week, picking up
every egg they can find, and generally at the rate of
from 1500 to 2000 a day; but when in full laying and
left undisturbed for two clear days, between 3000 and
4000 have been taken in one day. From 10,000 to
20,000 eggs have been obtained in this manner in
different seasons. In 1870 the eggs sold on the spot at
9d. to 1s. a score.”

Some years ago I received several of the species alive
from the owner of another celebrated colony in Lincoln-
shire; two pairs of these Gulls nested and reared
respectively three and two young in my aviaries at
Lilford. I have met with this species during the winter
months in all parts of the western Mediterranean, but
never found it breeding on any of the shores of that sea.

vasayy ‘snyeydaoourjau sniey

‘T1IND GHCYAHH-MOYId NWANWAAaaLIGaW

‘UlLag ‘every “A “OUT

MEDITERRANEAN BLACK-HEADED GULL.

LARUS MELANOCEPHALUS, Natterer.

Larus melanocephalus, Natterer, Isis, 1818, p. 816; Naum.
x. p. 254; Yarr. ed. 4, i. p. 604; Dresser, viii. p. 365.

Goéland-mélanocéphale, French ; Schwarzkopf-Mive, Ger-
man ; Gaviota, Gavina, Spanish.

There are, so far as I am aware, only two records of
the occurrence of this species in England, and some
doubt exists as to the first of these. Mr. H. Saunders
tells us, in the 4th ed. of ‘ Yarrell,’ vol. i. p. 604, that
his attention was called by the late Mr. G. R. Gray to
a specimen of this bird in the British Museum, purchased
from Mr. H. Whitely, Curator of the Royal Artillery
Museum at Woolwich, who in reply to Mr. Saunders’s
enquiries informed him that it was shot in January 1866
near Barking Creek, by a waterman, and brought to him
for sale with other birds. He bought the bird not
knowing to what species it belonged, and took it to
Mr. Gray (who purchased it) in March 1866. Mr.
Saunders goes on to say that this specimen is a bird of
the first year, and that although he has not the slighest
doubt of the facts as above stated, there is just a chance
of an accidental exchange of specimen or label between

1866 and 1871 when he examined the bird in question,

so that he did not consider himself justified at the time
of writing (1884) in admitting it as a British bird.
With regard to the second reported occurrence of this
Gull in England, I received a letter from Mr. George
Smith, naturalist of Great Yarmouth, with date of
December 26, 1886, from which I quote verbatim :—
‘“‘T have got, shot to-day on Breydon, the first British
adult specimen of the Mediterranean Black-headed Gull.”
Mr. G. Smith soon after this letter sent me a coloured
sketch of this specimen; this left no doubt in my mind
that it had been taken from, and fairly represented, an
adult specimen of the present species in winter plumage.
This bird was examined “in the flesh” by Mr. J. H.
Gurney, Jun., Mr. Thomas Southwell, and Major
Feilden ; is recorded by Mr. G. Smith in the ‘ Zoologist ’
for 1887, p. 69, and was exhibited by Mr. H. Saunders
at a meeting of the Zoological Society on January 18,
1887. Ihave met with this Gull locally throughout
the Mediterranean, but not in any abundance to the
westward of Leghorn. It was common in the bay of
Naples, on the east coast of Sicily, and in the harbour of
Valetta, Malta, in January, February, and March,
abundant during the winter at Corfu, and, I find in my
notes on the birds of Cyprus *, “ We often saw, and
more often heard, these beautiful Gulls passing high
over the neighbourhood of Larnaca between April 16
and 21, 1875, but it was not till the 22nd, the morning
after our arrival off Famagusta, that we came to close
quarters with this species on the coasts of Cyprus.
Here we found a flock of certainly some thousands,

* Tbis, July 1889, p. 248.

all in perfect nuptial plumage, haunting the inner
harbour, and with a number of Lesser Kestrels wheeling
amongst them, a little flat peninsula densely overgrown
with cyclamen in the foreground, and the imposing ruins
of the old town in the background, forming a picture
which will ever be bright amongst my many pleasant remi-
niscences of Cyprus. ‘The next day this vast assemblage
of Gulls had entirely left the harbour, and we fell in
with them some eight miles further up the coast in, I
think, still larger numbers.” Mr. H. Saunders observed
this species ‘“‘apparently breeding” near Huelva, and
says that a score frequented the Bay of St. Jean de Luz
during the first fortnight of March 1882, but I bave
never met with it except in the Mediterranean, and may
mention that several eggs sent to me as those of this
Gull from the “ Marisma”’ of the Guadalquivir were all
really the produce of the Gull-billed Tern, Sterna anglica.
The present species nests in small numbers on the
western coasts of European Turkey, and on some of the
coast-marshes of the Black Sea. In habits this Black-
headed Gull does not appear to differ materially from
Larus ridibundus, but its ery is much harsher and deeper-
toned than that of the latter bird, from which it is to be
easily distinguished at all seasons by the greater thick-
ness of its bill and generally more robust form. In
Mr. Saunders’s notice of this species, /oc. supra cit., will
be found remarks on the differences of plumage in the
young of the two species here in question. In the adult
stage the jet-black head and coral-red bill are sufficient
to distinguish the present from any other European

Gull.

GREAT BLACK-HEADED GULL.

LARUS ICHTHYAETUS, Pall.

Larus ichthyaetus, Pall. Reise Russ. Reichs, ii. App. p. 718
(1773); Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 609; Dresser, vill. p. 369..

The only specimen of this fine Gull that has been
hitherto recorded to have occurred in England was shot
near the mouth of the river Exe by one Mr. Pine, a
boatman, about the end of May 1859, and is now pre-
served in the Exeter Museum. It is an adult in full
summer plumage. I find that the best-known breeding-
quarters of this Gull are on the islands and low-lying
shores of the Caspian Sea and the lakes of Turkestan.
It is certainly very uncommon in the Mediterranean, and
I never met with it on any part of that sea, but it is by
no means rare on the Nile during the winter months ;
it occurs on the Red Sea, at Aden, and on both sides of
the Persian Gulf it is reported to be abundant. This is
by far the largest of the “hooded” Gulls of the Old
World, and, in common with the rest of this group, is
not a rock-breeding bird.

WIpLOEL

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COMMON GULL.

LARUS CANUS, Linn.

Larus canus, Linn. 8. N. 1. p. 224 (1766) ; Naum. x. p. 301;
Macg. v. p. 575; Hewitson, ii. p. 495; Yarr. ed. 4, i.
p. 618; Dresser, vill. p. 381.

Goéland cendré, French; Sturm-Méve, German; Gadina
de mar, Spanish.

Although this species is abundant on almost all
parts of our coasts in autumn and winter, and very
frequently to be met with at those seasons far inland,
the word “common” can only be applied to it in
a comparative sense as regards England, as modern
authors seem to agree in stating that it is not now
known to breed in any part of the southern kingdom.
From my own experience on our south coast during
the early summer months I am inclined to consider
this Gull as the least frequently seen of our common
Laride, for the very obvious reason that its breeding-
haunts in our Islands are confined to the north of
Scotland and a few localities in Ireland. In August,
however, old and young birds of this species flock to all
the low-lying districts of the English coast, where they
remain throughout the winter, and occasionally make

long inland journeys in rough weather, in these instances
almost invariably travelling to windward, as, indeed, is
the case with most Gulls and many other maritime
birds. This bird, according to authors better informed
than myself, generally selects low grassy spots for its
nest; in the only instance in which I have found it
breeding the chosen spot was a rushy bog surrounding
a small lonely lake at a considerable distance from the
sea, the nests were composed of twigs of heather and
coarse grasses, and contained two or three eggs apiece.
In Northamptonshire we are annually visited by stray
single birds of this species from August till March, and
in winter flood-times large numbers occasionally visit our
valley in company with other Gulls, and subsist during
their stay on the drowned-out earthworms in our
meadows.

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(Oa)

HERRING-GULL.

LARUS ARGENTATUS, J. F. Gmelin.

Larus argentatus, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 600 (1788) ; Naum.
x. p. 379; Macg. v. p. 544; Hewitson, ii. p. 499; Yarr.
ed. 4, ui. p. 618; Dresser, viii. p. 399.

Goéland argenté, French; Silber-Méve, German; Gaviota
de Mar, Gaivota grande, Spanish.

This is by far the most common cliff-breeding
species of Gull in England, and is also extremely
abundant in all suitable localities in Scotland and
Ireland. I do not think that any spot could be named
on the coast of England where a Herring-Gull might
not be seen on any given day in the year; and in
rough weather, or after the subsidence of heavy floods,
it visits our river-valleys to very considerable dis-
tances inland. In the district of Northamptonshire
with which I am best acquainted we have an annual
irregular passage of this species from N.E. to S.W.
in August and the early part of September ; but at
these seasons the Gulls generally keep at a great height

in the air, and very seldom alight in our neighbourhood.
After a long flood, however, especially in January and
February, we often have many hundreds, sometimes
thousands, of this and other species of Gulls, feeding
ravenously upon the drowned earthworms in our
water-meadows ; and during March, April, and May
many Herring-Gulls pass from S.W. to N.E. in small
flocks without lingering.

The favourite nesting-places of this species are the
ledges and small plateaux on the sea fronts of high
cliffs; but they not infrequently take possession of flat
islands for breeding-purposes. The nest is usually
composed of coarse grass or rushes. The eggs, three
or four in number, are generally hatched by the middle
of June; and in the latter fortnight of July numbers
of young Gulls may be found on the water, well able
to fly, but often unable to mount to the nesting-ledges,
and easy of capture with a boat. A Herring-Gull is
a useful bird in a kitchen-garden, and during open
weather will “keep himself’? upon worms, slugs, and
mice, whilst almost any kitchen refuse or offal is
greedily devoured at all times. In a wild state the
Herring-Gull is, according to my experience, not so
much addicted to carrion as several others of its con-
geners, though by no means very particular in its
diet. I recollect to have noticed two or three Lesser
Black-backed Gulls greedily engaged upon a drowned
and putrid cat upon a certain well-known sea-strand in
Devon, whilst the Herring-Gulls, of which there were

many about the spot, seemed to take no notice of this

viand, and to content themselves with the ordinary
produce of the shore. This certainly was not a case of
fear, for I have repeatedly observed, in cases of hostile
encounter between these two species, that the Herring-
Gull has almost invariably proved the victor.

This Gull is a hardy rover, and seems to enjoy
battling against a stiff breeze at sea. In common with
other Gulls it will follow ships to great distances from
land; but in this respect is not, in my experience, so
persistent as the Kittiwake. With plenty of room for
exercise, plenty of food, and opportunities for frequent
washing, these and most of our other British Gulls may
be kept in captivity for many years, and will rear a
brood annually. At Lilford an old male Herring-Gull
paired with a female of the Dominican Gull (Larus
dominicanus), and took his turn upon the eggs, from
which two or three young were reared year after year
for a considerable period; the produce of this pair,
after going through the mottled stage, in which they
could not be distinguished from purely bred Herring-
Gulls of the same age, acquired a mantle only slightly
darker than that of their male parent. I must here
mention that the mantle of the adult Dominican Gull is
very much more truly black than that of the Lesser
Black-backed Gull. These hybrids have never paired
inter se or with any other Gulls at Lilford, or, so far
as I know, shown any disposition to nest. The
Herring-Gulls are very clamorous, and occasionally very
savage when their nests are approached; but although
I have frequently seen them stoop to within a few

Wt

inches of the head of a rock-climber, I never saw one
actually strike home.

The Herring-Gull of the Mediterranean differs from
our common race in the possession of yellow instead of
flesh-coloured legs and feet, and a deep orange-red
ring round the eye. ‘This bird has been specifically
separated by naturalists from Larus argentatus ; but in
all its habits and in cry it exactly resembles that bird,
and in my humble opinion is only a climatic race. It
is by far the most common of the larger Gulls in all
parts of the Mediterranean that I have visited, and has
been met with by Mr. H. Saunders on the western
coast of France.

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"TTND GAMIVA-AOVTIA AASSAT

"NOQNO1 ‘OIOQNLS LHY OHLIT-OWOHHSD

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL.

LARUS FUSCUS, Linn.

Larus fuscus, Linn. 8. N. i. p. 225 (1766) ; Naum. x. p. 419;
Macg. v. p. 538; Hewitson, ii. p. 496; Yarr. ed. 4, iii.
p. 624; Dresser, viii. p. 421.

Goéland « pieds jaunes, French ; Herings-Méve, German ;
Gaviota de Mar, Spanish.

This Gull is abundant in many parts of our Islands,
especially in Scotland; but in the English Channel and
along the whole line of our south coast it is very much
less common than the Herring-Gull. In general habits
this Gull much resembles the bird last-named, but
although it nests in large numbers in certain localities
on the ledges of cliffs, it is more frequently to be found
breeding in colonies on flat marshes and moor-lands
than that species.

The Lesser Black-back is a terrible enemy to the
eges and young of all ground-breeding birds. I was
informed by the game-keepers on a shooting that I
rented for many years in Inverness-shire, at a considerable
distance from the sea, that large numbers of these Gulls,
for the most part in immature plumage, appeared regu-

larly on our low-lying moors in April, and were in every
way worse ‘“‘vermin” than even the Grey Crows; no
Highland keeper could express himself more strongly
in condemnation of any flying creature. Mr. T. E.
Buckley is quoted in ‘ Yarrell’ as saying that this Gull
eats a great deal of grain in the spring months in
Sutherland—a charge that I do not remember to have
heard made against any other species of the Gull-family.
For some reason that I have hitherto been unable to
discover, I have never managed to keep this Gull alive
at Lilford for any considerable length of time. In my
experience in our district of Northamptonshire, this is
the least common of the six species of Gull that
habitually visit our valley, but as the young birds are
not to be distinguished in the mottled plumage of their
first two or three years from those of the Herring-Gull,
I make this statement principally from the evidence of
my ears, as there is a very marked difference between
the cries of the two species. The Lesser Black-back
is common in certain parts of the Mediterranean, whilst
comparatively unknown in others; I consider it to be
more frequent in the eastern than the western portion
of that sea, although we found it breeding in con-
siderable numbers on the little islet of Alboran. It
was constantly seen by our party on the south coast of
Cyprus in April and May.

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GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL.

LARUS MARINUS, Linn.

Larus marinus, Linn. S. N.i. p. 225 (1766) ; Naum. x. p. 438 ;
Macg. v. p. 526; Hewitson, i. p. 501; Yarr. ed. 4, ii.
p- 631 ; Dresser, vii. p. 427.

Goéland « manteau noir, French ; Mantel-Moéve, German ;
Alcatrdz, Spanish ; Gavindt, Valencian.

This Gull, though not so abundant on our British
coasts as several other species of the Zaride, is pro-
bably well known by sight to those of my readers ‘who
have visited and remained at almost any sea-side resort
for any length of time. ‘The superior size of this bird
to our other Gulls is of course sufficient to identify it
at a reasonable distance, and the loud angry bark to
which both old and young constantly give utterance
differs very perceptibly from the cry of any of the
smaller species. During the autumn and winter the
young of the Great Black-back, or, as it is often called,
« Saddle-back ” Gull, are to be met with all round our
coasts and frequently at a considerable distance inland ;
but only a few pairs are known to nest in the south of
England. In Scotland, however, this Gull breeds in

Se ae

considerable numbers; the nests are generally placed
upon the summits of isolated rocks, or “stacks,” as
they are locally called, but also by no means uncom-
monly upon flat grassy islands in freshwater lakes, and
occasionally in open marsh- or moor-land. We found a
few nests of this Gull, from which the young had very
recently flown, on some isolated rocks of the Scilly
group in July. Although the young birds were strong
on wing and could take perfectly good care of them-
selves, the parents swooped fearlessly at us with fierce
barks as we rowed about their nesting-places, and in
one or two instances followed our boat closely to a
considerable distance.

The Great Black-back is accused of attacking sickly
sheep and lambs, and human beings who may have
the misfortune to be found in a drowning condition ;
but I can speak from personal knowledge as to its
frequent minor delinquencies in the way of destroying
the young and eggs of Grouse, Peewits, and other
ground-breeding birds. ‘This Gull is by no means
common, so far as my experience goes, in the Medi-
terranean ; but I have met with it occasionally on the
Guadalquivir within a short distance of Seville.

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‘T7090 SNOINVID

“NOGNO?T ‘o1anis Luv OHLIT-OWOHHO

GLAUCOUS GULL.

LARUS GLAUCUS, O. Fabricius.

Larus glaucus, Fabricius, Faun. Groenl. p. 100 (1780) ; Naum.
x. p. 850; Macy. v. p. 557; Hewitson, ii. p. 504; Yarr.
ed. 4, i. p. 637 ; Dresser, viii. p. 433.

Goéland Bourguemestre, French ; Biirgermeister, Eis-Méve,
German.

This bemg a species that I do not remember ever
to have seen alive in a wild state, I merely quote from
Mr. Howard Saunders’s ‘Manual’ with regard to it—
that it is common and resident in Iceland, and is found
during summer throughout the entire circumpolar
regions of the Old and New World. In severe winters
it is to be met with occasionally in large numbers
about our coasts; but is uncommon to the south of
Norfolk, and rare in Ireland.

In common with all the larger Gulls it is omnivorous,
and a tyrant as regards other and less powerful sea-
birds. From its bullying and masterful disposition it
has acquired the name of “ Burgomaster”’ from those
who “occupy their business on the great waters” of
the northern seas. The Glaucous Gull nests, according

to circumstance, upon the ledges of cliffs or on the

|
|| shore ; the eggs are laid in June.

| Mr. Saunders informs us that the migrations of this
1H species extend to the Mediterranean and Black Seas,
| but it is certainly a very scarce visitor to the former.
| | The only two specimens of this Gull in my own pos-
(Hl session were obtained off Great Yarmouth in the winter

iH season.

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ICELAND GULL

LARUS LEUCOPTERUS, Faber.

Larus leucopterus, Fader, Prodr. Isl. Orn. p. 91 (1822) ;
Naum. x. p: 367 ; Macg.v. p.566 ; Hewitson, i. p. 498 ;
Yarr. ed. 4, 11. p. 642; Dresser, vin. p. 439.

tt Goéland leucoptére, French; Polar-Méve, German.

| This Gull is an irregular winter visitor to the coasts
| | of the British Islands; but, so far as I am able to
i} ascertain from the standard authorities, has not hitherto
been found breeding in any part of Europe. It winters
im Iceland; but, according to Mr. H. Saunders, it
appears to be confined during the breeding-season to
Greenland and the Arctic regions of America. As I
have never met with this species alive, I will merely add
that it closely resembles the Glaucous Gull in its dif-
ferent stages of plumage, but is considerably smaller
and less robust in “ make,” with proportionately longer
| wings than that bird.

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KITTIWAKE.

Rissa tridactyla (Linn).

KITTIW AKE,

RISSA TRIDACTYLA (Linn.).

Larus tridactylus, Linn. 8. N. i. p. 224 (1766); Naum. x.
p- 822; Hewitson, i. p. 493.

Rissa tridactyla, Macg. v. p. 515; Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 650 ;
Dresser, viii. p. 447.

Mouette tridactyle, French; Dreizehige Méve, German ;
Gaviota, Spanish.

This very graceful little Gull is one of the most
common of its family upon the coasts of the British
Islands throughout the year, but it breeds exclusively
on rocks, and on our low-lying shores is principally
known as an autumnal or winter visitor. <A large
number frequent the coast of Devon between Torbay
and Plymouth during July and August, but I could
never hear of more than one nest in that district ; this I
discovered on a rock off Berry Head in June 1876 ; it
contained three young birds nearly ready to fly. I was
constantly yachting about this part of the coast in the
latter part of July and beginning of August in the years
1880, 1881, 1882, and 1883, and none of the local
fishermen and boatmen would believe that I was not
mistaken about this isolated nest, and maintained that

it must have been a Herring-Gull’s; but as we could
almost reach the nest from our boat with a boat-hook,
and plainly see the young birds, as their parents hovered
around us with their constant and unmistakable cry of
“ Kittiweek,” and as a considerable number of Herring-
Gulls were about their nests on the mainland almost
within shot-range, I have every reason to be quite
certain on this matter. I quite admit that this was an
exceptional occurrence, all the more remarkable from
the facts that many other Kittiwakes were haunting the
locality, without, so far as we could discover, having
nested anywhere between Berry Head and Plymouth
Sound, and that this species, as a rule, nests in numerous
colonies. I am not aware that the Kittiwake now nests
regularly on any part of our coasts between Plymouth
and the mouth of the Thames, but we found some
nesting-stations on the south coast of Cornwall and a
very well-stocked one in Scilly in 1852. I never, how-
ever, saw the Kittiwake in any numbers at all to
compare with those that were daily to be noticed in
Clew Bay, off the coast of Mayo, in the summer of
1854, when the rocks, the sea, and the air were posi-
tively alive with them from dawn till dusk. I am only
referring to my personal experience, and am well aware
that vast numbers of this species are to be found during
the breeding-season on almost all parts of our Islands
that are suited to their habits. The Kittiwake makes
a nest of seaweeds on the ledges of cliffs, and lays three
eggs, of a dull greenish drab-colour spotted with brown
and grey. During the winter months a few of this
species often come to a considerable distance inland,

generally in company with other Gulls. In my expe-
rience this Gull is by no means a common visitor to the
Mediterranean ; but I met with it in winter in consider-
able numbers on the Atlantic coasts of Spain, and have
often noticed it following our ship as she ploughed
across the Bay of Biscay. I may mention, as a some-
what curious fact in connection with this bird, that a
Kittiwake, picked up in a miserably emaciated state
near Lilford, in November 1890, rapidly recovered flesh
and condition upon a diet of earthworms, but on the
failure of a supply of these delicacies, owing to intense
frost, entirely refused food of any kind, and actually died
of starvation with an abundance of fish within reach.
For details as to the hideous barbarities practised upon
this pretty and harmless bird for the sake of its feathers
in the interests of Fashion, I beg to refer my readers to
Yarrell’s ‘ British Birds,’ 4th ed. vol. iii. p. 653, in the
hope that any ladies who may honour me by reading
this article may study the passage to which I refer, and
do their utmost to check this sort of atrocity, by no
means, alas! confined to our own country or to the
Kittiwakes,

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IVORY GULL

PAGOPHILA EBURNEA (Phipps).

Larus eburneus, Phipps, Voy. towards N. Pole, p. 187 (1774) ;
Naum. x. p. 341.

Cetosparactes eburneus, Macg. v. p. 508.

Pagophila eburnea, Yarr. ed. 4, ili. p. 656; Dresser, viii.
p. 349.

Mouette blanche, French; Schnee-Move, Elfenbein- Move,
German.

This species is a scarce and irregular visitor to our
shores. It breeds in considerable numbers on certain
parts of the precipitous coasts of Spitzbergen, but its
eges are exceedingly scarce articles in collections.

For a very interesting account of the habits of this
bird I refer my readers to Prof. A. Newton’s “ Notes on
the Birds of Spitsbergen ” (Ibis, 1865).

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GREAT SKUA.

LESTRIS CATARRHACTES (Linzn.).

Larus catarractes, Linn. S. N. i. p. 226 (1766).

Lestris cataractes, Naum. x. p. 470.

Lestris catarractes, Macg. v. p. 479; Hewitson, ii. p. 505.

Stercorarius catarrhactes, Yarr. ed. 4, ii. p. 662; Dresser,
viii. p. 457.

Skua, Bonzie, French; Grosse Raub-Méve, German ;
Cagalo (applied to all the Skuas), Spanish.

T cannot remember having identified a Great Skua on
wing except on one occasion, shortly after rounding
Cape Finisterre on our passage in my yacht from
Santander to Vigo in December 1878, when a solitary
individual of this species sailed past our vessel within
gunshot range. I am therefore unable to dilate upon
the habits of the bird in a wild state. The only breed-
ing-places of these fine birds in the British Islands are
in the Shetlands, on the islands of Unst and Foula,
where, owimg to the most praiseworthy protection
afforded to them by the landowners, they still hold their
ground in some numbers in spite of the constant raids
of collectors, who offer such high prices for the eggs that

a

one can hardly find fault with the island-natives for
aiding them in their wanton depredations. This species
also breeds in Iceland and the Faeroe Islands, and
wanders southwards in the autumn and winter, but,
although occasionally met with on our eastern coasts,
and as far south as the Straits of Gibraltar at those
seasons, the Great Skua may be fairly regarded as rare in
Europe, away from its summer haunts. The “ Bonxie,”
as this bird is called by the Shetlanders, breeds on the
ground on high moor-lands ; the eggs are two in number ;
and Mr. H. Saunders confirms, from personal experience,
the many stories that are related with regard to the
boldness of the parent-birds in defence of their young.
The two birds represented in the accompanying Plate
were most kindly sent to me as a present from the
proprietor of the island of Foula, and were taken from
the nest in the summer of 1891. They arrived at
Lilford at the end of August in charge of a native of
Foula, who had taken and reared them. This man
assured me that the “ Bonxies” on Foula live to a great
extent by the capture of Kittiwakes and other sea-birds
during the breeding-season, and that they can easily
master all the other species that inhabit the island. The
day after their arrival at Lilford the two young birds,
though well fed, managed to drag an incautious American
Teal through the dividing wires of their respective com-
partments, and, when visited in the morning, were found
upon the half-devoured carcase of their victim, which
was held down by the feet of the slayers, and torn to
pieces after the manner of an Eagle in like circumstance.
These birds are still in perfect health (August 1898),

Tl
and, having been pinioned, are, at this time of writing,
living on peaceable terms with eight young Great
Bustards recently received from Spain. These Skuas
are virtually omnivorous, and devour bread or buns with
almost the same avidity as offal, small birds, rats, mice,
frogs, or fishes; they are perfectly tame and fearless,
and have held their own with two young Limmergeyers
and a Giant Heron (4rdea goliath) that formerly shared
their yard with them. The Heron, on being approached
by human visitors, almost invariably vomited his last
meal, which was incontinently devoured by the Shet-
landers. ‘The only notes that these birds utter are a
plaintive wail, and a feeble sort of twittering cry.

TS

TWIST-TAILED SKUA,

LESTRIS POMARINUS, Temm.

Lestris pomarinus, Temm. Man. d’Orn. p. 514 (1815) ; Macg.
vep. 487.

Lestris pomarina, Naum. x. p. 487.

Stercorarius pomatorhinus, Yarr. ed. 4, ii. p. 668; Dresser,
vil. p. 463.

Labbe Pomarin, French; Mittlere Raubmove, German.

‘his is a species that I have only seen alive in our
aviary at Lilford, and I am therefore unable to give any
details as to its natural habits from personal observation.
It is said to have been found breeding in the arctic
regions of Asia and America; but in Europe it is only
known as an irregular autumnal visitor. On our British
coasts its appearance is extremely uncertain; but it
occasionally appears in vast numbers, generally on our
eastern sea-board, to which district, however, its visits
are by no means exclusively confined, and there are
many recorded instances of its occurrence inland.

The examples from which my Plates were taken were
killed from a fishing-smack off Great Yarmouth in the
first week of November 1890, and sent up to London
“in the flesh” by Mr. George Smith, of the first-named
port.

d siijso7q

WOAAS GATIVYI--LSIML

utpaag ‘9Aaay “AA

|

SKUA

TAILED

TWIST

pomarir

T'enm

Sy

stris

ay

‘urPleg ‘eAeTy “A OUT

‘uosmmngy ‘UOSpleyoiI siysoT

‘WOAS S NosdavHold

L

RICHARDSON’S SKUA.

LESTRIS RICHARDSONT, Swainson.

Lestris richardsoni, Swainson, Faun. Bor.-Am. p. 483 (1831) ;
Macg. v. p. 492; Hewitson, ii. p. 509.

Lestris parasitica, Naum. x. p. 506.

Stercorarius crepidatns, Yarr. ed. 4, ili. p.674; Dresser, vii.
p. 471.

Labbe parasite, French; Schmarotzer-Raubméve, German ;
Cagalo, Spanish.

As I have no personal acquaintance with this species
in the British Islands, my friend Colonel Irby has been
good enough to write the following remarks from his
own experience for my benefit and that of my readers :—

« About thirty or forty pairs of Richardson’s Skua
breed on one of the Inner Hebrides, where they arrive
during the end of May and are not seen after the 20th
of August.

“Their nesting district is limited to a flat area of
wettish ground covered with small tussocks of grass,
moss, and stunted heather, but the nests, or rather spots
upon which the eggs are laid, are dry.

“ We found the first egg on the 2nd of June.

“They have a well-known habit of stooping close to

the head of anyone intruding near their nests, always
coming up from behind the person they mob. The
sound made by their swoop resembles the noise made
by the passing of asmall shot ; and not knowing the bird
is coming up from behind, one is quite startled at their
first stoop.

“ These Skuas bully all Gulls which pass near their
breeding-places, but in turn are themselves hustled by
any Peewits near whose young they happen to pass, and
it is a quaint sight to see a Skua on the ground being
buffeted by a pair of Peewits.

“The light and dark forms of this Skua were about
equal in number, perhaps the former were a little more
numerous, but both light and dark birds interpair ; in
the only instance in which I could be certain, the dark
bird was the female.

“Tam happy to say these birds are strictly preserved
in the locality to which I refer.”

My own acquaintance with Richardson’s Skua is
confined to the open sea off the coasts of Spain and
Italy. In the Gulf of Gaeta, in the month of March
1875, I noticed some ten or more of these birds in
varying plumage busily engaged in bullying and chasing
about a flock of Black-headed Gulls.

“aye

OABID “M “OUWT

WOAS

Cum) snoyisered stajso7q

S NOSAANa do GaTIYL-SNOT

7?

LONG-TAILED or BUFFON’S SKUA.

LESTRIS PARASITICUS (Linn.).

Larus parasiticus, Linn. 8. N. i. p. 226 (1766).

Lestris crepidata, Nawm. x. p. 534.

Lestris parasitica, Macg. v. p. 503.

Lestris buffonii, Hewitson, i. p. 508.

Stercorarius parasiticus, Yarr. ed. 4, i. p. 680; Dresser,
vi. p. 481.

Labbe & longe queue, French; Schmarotzer-Raubméve,
German.

This species is an irregular, and not a very common,
autumnal visitor to our shores, and occasionally strag-
gles to considerable distances mland. As I have no
personal acquaintance with this Skua in life, I quote
briefly from the most recent English authorities with
regard to its haunts and habits. The breeding-range
of Buffon’s Skua is said to be confined to the arctic
regions of both hemispheres. Mr. H. Saunders informs
us that a few pairs nest on the Dovrefjeld in 623°
N. lat., and Wolley and Wheelwright found it breeding
in considerable numbers far inland on the fells of
Swedish Lapland. Seebohm met with it on the tundras
of Siberia, but remarks that he did not observe it on
migration im the valley of the Petchora. The last-

named author states that it breeds in colonies, but
that the nests are scattered over a considerable area.
Von Middendorff, who obtained the first authenticated
eggs of this species, says that this Skua arrives on its
breeding-grounds on the Taimur Peninsula on the 17th
of June, that eggs were laid on the 4th of July, and
that young in down appeared on the 27th. On the
16th of September they were still at their breeding-
grounds, and one was seen on the 38rd of October.
The nest is placed in the grass or moss in the open
tundra; the number of eggs is invariably two, and in
colour they precisely resemble those of Richardson’s
Skua. The food of the present species consists of fish,
crustaceans, and molluscs, in addition to the insects,
fruit, lemmings, or small birds which form its chief
diet during the breeding-season. The parents defend
their young with great bravery, and at sea follow and
bully the flocks of Kittiwakes after the fashion of the
other members of the Skua-family. This bird has been
captured in the Straits of Gibraltar, and exceptionally
straggles into the western basin of the Mediterranean.

Litho.

5
Liaw

B

d

ce

Alea tor

RAZORBILL.

ALCA TORDA, Linn.

Alca torda, Linn. S. N. i. p. 210 (1766) ; Naum. xii. p. 606;
Hewitson, ii. p. 468; Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 55; Dresser,
vill. p. 557.

Utamania torda, Macy. v. p. 346.

Pingouin macroptere, French; Tord-Alk, German; Pin-
guino, Gallareta de mar, Spanish.

This is a common cliff-breeding species on our coasts,
and to be found at all seasons of the year in our British
seas.

The Razorbill feeds entirely by diving, at which it is
very expert; in general habits it much resembles the
Common Guillemot and Puffin, frequenting the same
cliffs for breeding-purposes as those species, though in
considerably smaller numbers. The egg of the Razor-
bill is less pointed or pear-shaped than that of the
Guillemot, and is not subject to so many variations in
colour and markings as the produce of that bird, the
usual type being of a dingy-white ground-colour, with
dark brown blotches and streaks. The young birds are
carried down to the sea by their parents before they can
fly, and diligently instructed in the art of diving. As

soon as they are well able to shift for themselves the
majority of Razorbills quit the immediate neighbourhood
of their breeding-places, and may be found in small
parties scattered all over our seas wherever small fishes
are to be found. I am acquainted with several instances
of the occurrence of this bird far inland, but these
erratic appearances are not so frequently recorded of the
Razorbill as of many other oceanic species.

j
’
‘

{
|

{

|

i}

|

i

|
ia

|

GREAT

Alca impennis, Linn.

AUK.

Litho. W. Greve, Berlin

GREAT AUK.

ALCA IMPENNIS, Linn.

Alea impennis, Linn. S. N. i. p. 210 (1766); Naum. xii.
p- 680; Macg. v. p. 359; Hewitson, ii. p. 469; Yarr.
ed. 4, iv. p. 61; Dresser, viii. p. 563.

Grand Pingouin, French; Grosser Alk, German.

I need hardly say that I never had any personal
acquaintance with this extinct and much-lamented fowl
in life, as there is no authentic record of its occurrence
“in the flesh” since 1844. To those interested in
ornithology the history of the Great Auk is probably
well known from the published researches of Professor
Alfred Newton, but I may mention that a valuable
summary of references on the subject is to be found in
the 4th edition of Yarrell’s ‘ British Birds,’ vol. iv. p. 62,
and as all the information in my possession is derived
from the works there enumerated, I will not attempt to
set it forth. I may, however, briefly quote that it is
very doubtful if this bird was ever met with to the
north of the Arctic circle, that its principal haunts were
certain islands in the neighbourhood of Newfoundland,
others near the east coast of Greenland, and some

skerries off the south-west of Iceland, whence the last-
recorded specimens were obtained in the year above
mentioned. I am the fortunate possessor of a fine
stuffed specimen of this species, which, from the date of
a ship’s bill of lading written in Danish and Icelandic,
found inside the skin by the late H. Ward, of Vere
Street, to whom it was sent to be mounted, was pro-
bably obtained on the coast of Iceland about the year
1833; this specimen formerly belonged to my brother-
in-law, Mr. Arthur Crichton, and was purchased by me
after his death, with an egg bought by him from the
collection of the College of Surgeons. Four other eggs
of this species, now at Cambridge, have been owned by
me, and my readers will perhaps be amused at reading
that one of the many visitors to our aviaries at Lilford
told my falconer, who was acting as his guide, that he
had read in a newspaper that I had given a very stiff
price for one of these eggs, and added an earnest
expression of hope that I had “hatched it success-
fully |”

“ulftog ‘PATH "M 'OUINT

(Cuury) s{toay Play)

LOWATIINGD NOWWOD

COMMON GUILLEMOT.

URIA TROILE (Linn.),

Colymbus troile, Linn. S. N. i. p. 220 (1766).

Uria troile, Macg. v. p.318; Hewitson, i. p.455; Yarr. ed. 4,
lv. p. 69.

Uria lomvia, Naum, xii. p. 508.

Uria hringvia, Naum, xii. p. 524.

Uria lacrymans, Macg. v. p. 826.

Alea troile, Dresser, vill. p. 567.

Guillemot troile, French ; Lumme, German.

This bird is exceedingly common on and about the
coasts of the United Kingdom at all seasons, and breeds
in vast numbers on the suitable ledges of pretty nearly
all our considerable ranges of sea-cliffs; but to meet the
requirements of the Guillemot these ledges must be bare
and free from vegetation of any kind. I believe that
after the end of Angust this bird deserts its breeding
places and lives entirely “at sea.’ Our bird is known
in different parts of the country by a variety of names,
of which, perhaps, ‘ Willock,” ‘ Willet,” ‘ Marrock,”
“Scoot,” and “ Murre” are the most generally known ;
but to the bird-butchers who pursue sea-birds in boats

in holiday time for sport! or for the sake of selling

them to the feather-dealers, the Guillemot and Razor-
bill are lumped together as “ Divers.”

The principal food of this species consists of small
fishes, captured under water; but I find it stated that
it also feeds upon crustaceans and marine insects. The
Guillemot lays a single egg of huge size in comparison
to the bulk of the bird; these eggs vary in colour to an
almost unparallelled extent, but are always of an even
pear-shape. On many parts of the coast they are
regularly gathered by natives, who let themselves down
from above by ropes, and the eggs thus collected
are sold, not only for culinary purposes, but, as Mr. H.
Saunders informs us, for clarifying wine and for the pre-
paration of patent leather.

The Guillemot sits upright on her egg, and the
gentleman from whom I have just quoted states at p. 71
of vol. iv. of Yarrell, 4th edition, that he has often seen
the eggs fall in showers from the ledges of Lundy Island
on the disturbance of the birds by the firing of a gun
for the delectation of tourists and “ trippers.”

Against the organized and regulated gathering of the
eggs of sea-birds for open sale there is little to be said ;
the proprietors, lessees, and egg-gatherers may, I think,
be safely trusted not to exterminate any “ fowl’ whose
produce may be profitable; but I cannot too strongly
condemn the practice (only too common, I fear) of
making up parties for sea-bird shooting from boats in
August when many of the victims are unable to fly, and
cannot save their lives by prolonged diving. It is
possible that some of the published accounts of the
doings of these gunners are exaggerated; I most

devoutly hope so, for I have read apparently authentic
reports of Gulls of various species left to a miserable
death, with one or both wings cut or torn from their
bodies, and boat-loads of Guillemots, Razorbills, and

Puffins landed after some hours’ shooting, with as many
of their number alive as dead.

WMO OARLD A “OUDTT

My “yy WYotuuoentq elt)

‘abn UNIT Lauuingy

“LOWATTIINS S HOINNO aa

BRUNNICH’S GUILLEMOT.

URIA BRUENNICHI, E. Sabine.

Uria briinnichii, Sabine, Trans. Linn. Soc. xii. p. 538 (1818) ;
Macg. v. p. 314; Hewitson, ii. p. 460; Dresser, viii.
p. 575.

Uria bruennichi, Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 76.

Uria arra, Naum. xii. p. 535.

Briinnich’s Lumme, German.

Admitting this bird as specifically distinct from the
Common Guillemot, Mr. H. Saunders states (Yarrell,
Ath ed. vol. iv. p. 77) that it has been included in the
British list upon somewhat slight evidence, and goes on
to remark upon the many recorded instances of its
occurrence in the United Kingdom. I think that any
one who reads these remarks with care can only agree
with the writer in his conclusion as above cited. As
my only knowledge of this form is derived from pre-
served specimens, I do not pretend to pronounce
positively as to its specific value, but am inclined to con-
sider it as merely a large form of Common Guillemot ;
perhaps I should express my meaning more correctly by
saying that I look upon our Common Guillemot as a
local race of the species of which I am treating,

SB
Briimnich’s Guillemot is a northern bird, and breeds in
countless thousands in Greenland, Spitsbergen, and
Novaya Zemlya, wintering on the north coast and islands
of Siberia. In Iceland it is said te be very local. This
Guillemot visits the coasts of Norway in winter only:
one is said to have been obtained near Flensborg, and
two others on the coast of Denmark; the most southerly
occurrence of which I can find any record is that of a
specimen taken near Havre. During the memorable
“rush” of Little Auks to our eastern coasts in the
winter of 1894-1895, several of Briinnich’s Guillemot
were met with, and, through the courtesy of their
respective possessors, I had the opportunity of examining
four of them. The first of these I heard of from Doctor
Bendelack Hewetson, as having been obtained at Scar-
borough on the 7th of December, 1894. This bird was
shot near the North Pier, and the shooter not caring to
retrieve it, the bird was seized upon by a boy and
taken by him whilst still warm to Mr. W. J. Clarke, of
44 Huntriss Row, Scarborough, who most obligingly
sent it to me stuffed, for examination, with the following
particulars :—Male by dissection. Total length 18 in.,
expanse of wings 243 in., wing from carpal joint to tip
slightly over 8 in. ‘This specimen was exhibited by
Mr. J. E. Harting at a meeting of the Linnean Society
im January 1895. The next in chronological order was
obtamed near Guyhirn, Cambs., about January 12th,
1895, and sent into Bury St. Edmunds on 16th, where
it was seen in flesh by the wife of my informant, the
Rey. Julian Tuck, of Tostock Rectory, who purchased
the bird, and was good enough to forward it stuffed to

9
to)

BRUNNICH'S GUILLEMOT. Winter

Uria bruennichi, £. Sabine.

Plumage

Litho.

Ww

Greve,

Berlin

89
me. Some doubt having been raised as to the identity

of this specimen, I sent it, with Mr. Tuck’s permission,
to Professor Newton, who, in reply, assured me that
there could be no doubt about its being a genuine
Briinnich’s Guillemot. The third on my list was picked
up by Mr. Oxley Grabham, of Croxton Villa, Grosvenor
Road, Scarborough, who informed me that he found it
in Filey Bay, on January 30th, 1895, “being attracted
by its size, its light-coloured legs, and the very pro-
nounced white line at the base of the upper mandible.”
My correspondent goes on to say: “It was the largest
Guillemot I ever saw, measuring 19% in. in length,
from carpal joint to end of longest primary 84 in., total
expanse of wings 283 in. ‘The tarsi and toes were light
yellowish olive, webs dirty brown. In the flesh the white
on the throat ran up into a point, as in Mr. Clarke’s
bird, and not in a rounded arch as in the Common
Guillemot. It was a male by dissection.” The fourth
was obtained by Mr. Grabham at Scarborough on
January 31st, 1895, and proves to be a female by
dissection. The measurements given by Mr. Grabham
were: total length 182 in., wing 7? in., total expanse
26 in. Both of these latter birds were very courteously
sent to me for examination by Mr. Grabham. With
regard to the accompanying Plates, that of the adult in
summer plumage with young was taken from specimens
obtained by Professor Newton off the coast of Spits-
bergen, and kindly lent to me for this work; the other
is from the Yorkshire specimens above mentioned.

‘Cuay) a{{Ar3 ery

‘LOWATTIINS MOvId

Og faAaTE AA ‘OUTTT

be 8

BLACK GUILLEMOT.

URIA GRYLLE (Linn.).

Colymbus grylle, Linn. S. N. i. p. 220 (1766).

Cepphus grylle, Naum. xii. p. 461.

Uria grylle, Macy. v. p. 331; Hewitson, ii. p. 462; Yarr.
ed, 4, iv. p. 81; Dresser, viii. p. 581.

Guillemot grylle, French; Gryli-Lumme, German,

My personal acquaintance with this species is very
limited, as I have only once been at any of its breeding-
places; this was on the coast of Mayo in 1854. I
found Black Guillemots in small numbers at sea, within
a short distance of the cliffs in which they were breed-
ing. I never saw the eggs of this species iz situ, but
my Westport boatmen obtained a few from under the
great stones within a short scramble from the water.
The birds were exceedingly tame, not even attempting
to dive till we were almost within oar’s length of them.
I have noticed a few during the winter months in
Dublin Bay, and saw one pair off the north coast of the
Isle of Man in the month of May ; and here, oh, reader!
you have all that I can tell you from my own experience

se —

ve

concerning this bird, which is said to be a strictly —
northern species, and certainly is rare on any part of the

English shores, though very abundant on the west and
: north coasts of Scotland and Ireland.

as

‘

oo 7 - :
ye)

LITTLE AUK.

MERGULUS ALLE (Linn.).

Alea alle, Linn. 8S. N. i. p. 211 (1766).

Mergulus alle, Naum. xi. p. 55; Macg. v. p. 341; Yarr.
ed. 4, iv. p. 85; Dresser, viii. p. 591.

Arctica alle, Hewitson, ii. p. 465.

Guillemot nain, French; Kleine Lumme, German.

Here is the presentment of a bird entirely unknown
to me in life, but very fully treated of by all our
standard authorities; I will therefore only quote from
them to the extent of saying that its breeding-haunts
are confined to rocks within the Arctic circle, that it
wanders, occasionally in large numbers, during the
winter months to British seas, and has frequently been
picked up alive and dead in various parts of our Islands
at considerable distances from salt-water. I may men-
tion, however, that in my own county of Northampton
some four or five storm-driven Puffins have been recorded
in local journals as Little Auks, three of these birds
having been sent to me for examination, at my request,
after the publication of the records to which I refer. I
am only acquainted with one occuzrence of the subject
of this article in our county.

¢ we Sans

Ras

.

.
RP
hy

nie pe
wet, ons.

LITTLE AUK.

Mergulus alle (Linn,).

Litho. W. Greve, Berlin.

PUFFIN.

FRATERCULA ARCTICA (Linn.).

Alea arctica, Linn. S. N. i. p. 211 (1766).
Lunda arctica, Nawm. xii. p. 577.
Mormon arcticus, Macg. v. p. 365.
Fratercula arctica, Hewitson, ii. p. 466; Yarr. ed. 4, iv.
p. 90; Dresser, viil. p. 599.
Macareux, French; arktische Lund, German; Frailecillo
(Graells), Spanish ; Frare, Sit (Vayreda), Catalan.

The Puffin breeds in enormous numbers on many
parts of the rocky coasts of the three kingdoms, laying
its solitary egg in burrows either made by itself or by
rabbits at the summit or in the face of sea-cliffs. These
birds come to their breeding-places in March and April,
but do not lay before May, and as soon as the young
are fully fledged and able to provide for themselves the
whole colonies leave their summer-quarters, and it is
exceptional to meet with these birds in any number
on or even near the English coasts during the winter
months. Endless instances of the occurrence of the
Puffin far inland are on record: one of the most remark-
able, in my experience, being that of an adult male of
this species which flew through an open window of an
upper room in Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, on
May 16th, 1887, and is now stuffed in my possession.
The beak of the Puffin undergoes a curious change, on
which subject I cannot do better than quote the concise
account given by Mr. Seebohm, in his ‘ History of
British Birds,’ as follows :—‘ After the autumnal moult
the sheath of the basal half of the bill is cast, as are also
the warty red skin round the gape and the appendages
above and below the eye.”

2
5

RPUPEFIN.

Fratacula artica (Linn)

Litho,

Ww.

Greve, Berlin

“Ulpeg ‘AGTH * AA “OUITT

‘way ‘sipeloeys snquisjoD

‘AGAIG NAAHLYAON Lvaaod

ok

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER.

COLYMBUS GLACIALIS, Linn.

Colymbus glacialis, Linn. S. N. i. p. 221 (1766) ; Macy. v.
p- 283; Hewitson, ii. p. 449; Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 96;
Dresser, vill. p. 609.

Eudytes glacialis, Naum. xii. p. 397.

Plongeon-imbrin, French; Lis-Seetaucher, German ;
Fatoula, Galician.

Almost every individual of the three British species
of the genus Colymbus that is killed at any distance
from the sea, and recorded in the local press, is honoured
with the name of ‘Great Northern Diver ;” but to
those of my readers who have any acquaintance with
British ornithology it is almost needless to state that
the appearance of the present species on inland waters
in England is exceptional, and that the majority of the
records to which I allude relate in fact to the Red-
throated Diver. Off our coasts, however, the Great
Northern Diver is by no means uncommon during
autumn, winter, and early spring. In the very cold
snowy weather of the early part of April 1876 we
found a great many of these birds frequenting the bay

of Weymouth, most of them in immature plumage,
but we could make out a few adults. Both young and
old set all our efforts to obtain any of them at defiance
—in fact, they never allowed our boats, either under sail
or when pulled by four good rowers, to approach within
reasonable shooting distance.

In the month of May of the year above mentioned
we found an adult bird of this species frequenting the
harbour of Santander: he afforded us many most
exciting chases ; but I am glad to say that for all I know
to the contrary he may still be alive and flourishing ;
at all events the last that we saw of him was on the
day of our departure from Santander for Bordeaux in
the second week of June, when he crossed our bows in
a northerly direction just as we cleared the narrow
entrance of the harbour.

In November and December 1878 I found several of
this species in the same locality, and, with the aid of a
steam-launch, procured two or three specimens without
much difficulty, and might have shot more; but the
real sport in Diver-hunting consists in the pursuit, and
not in the actual capture, and marvellous as are the
rapidity and length of the dives of this fine bird, he is
unfairly handicapped in smooth waters by the use of
steam-power. The Great Northern Diver will ride out
very heavy weather on the open sea without resorting
to the quiet waters of harbours and estuaries ; there is
indeed no special reason why this bird should frequent
shallow waters except when in pursuit of some shoal of
favourite fishes, for he can, and constantly does, take
his prey at a depth of forty or fifty fathoms.

99
According to the 4th edition of Yarrell, there is no
absolute proof of the breeding of this Diver in any
part of our islands, though there can be but little
doubt of its havmg done so in Sutherland and the
Shetlands. In Iceland this bird is said to be found in
the breeding-season upon almost every lake. With
regard to its nesting-habits, I must refer my readers to
our standard authorities. In stormy weather this Diver
utters a melancholy resonant moan ; but this cry I have
ouly once heard. I cannot positively assert that I ever
saw the Great Northern Diver in any part of the
Mediterranean, although it does occasionally appear in
the eastern portions of that sea during the winter
months.

WHITE-BILLED GREAT NORTHERN DIVER.

COLYMBUS ADAMSI, G. R. Gray.

Colymbus adamsi, G. R. Gray, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 167; Yarr.
ed. 4, iv. p. 99, & Pref. to vol. iii. p. x; Collett,
Ibis, 1894, p. 269; Dresser, Suppl. p. 413.

Though a specimen of a large Diver with a white
bill killed at Pakefield on the Suffolk coast was
suspected to belong to the then (1859) recently
described Colymbus adamsi, both the identification of
the specimen and the validity of the species have been
questioned until a recent date. Professor Collett’s
paper on C. adamsi has now set the main point at rest,
for he has not only proved the species to be distinct
from C. glacialis, but has also shown, by the examination
of a number of specimens, that the White-billed Great
Northern Diver is not uncommon on the coast of
Norway between October and December. It probably
occurs over a considerable area in the Arctic Regions,
whence moving southwards in autumn it is found both
in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

A second British-killed specimen is preserved.in the
Museum at Newcastle-on-Tyne, which, according to
Hancock, was shot on the coast of Northumberland.

[O. S.]

4
mt i
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f ‘ohg p

Litho. W. Grey

DIVER.

GREAT NORTHERN

W HITE-BILLED

Gray.

Colymbus adamsi, @. &

'
Be |

ai

BLACK-THROATED DIVER.

COLYMBUS ARCTICUS, Linn.

Colymbus arcticus, Linn. 8. N. i. p. 221; Macg. v. p. 294;
Hewitts. i. p. 451; Dresser, vii. p. 615; Yarr. ed. 4, iv.
p- 105.

Eudytes arcticus, Naum. xii. p. 418.

Plongeon a gorge noire, French; Polartaucher, German.

The Black-throated Diver is a not unfrequent visitor
to our coasts in winter, but it breeds regularly in
several of the lochs of the northern counties of Scotland
and in many of the islands of the Outer Hebrides and in
the Orkneys. Lord Lilford includes it in his ‘ Birds of
Northamptonshire,’ an immature bird having been killed
on Naseby Reservoir on 25th October, 1881. Two
others are mentioned as having been obtained near the

borders of the county. [O. S.]

*uyTaou

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‘AGAIG GCALYWOUHL— AOWTE

om

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‘AGAIG GHLYOAHL-daay

RED-THROATED DIVER.

COLYMBUS SEPTENTRIONALIS, Linn.

Colymbus septentrionalis, Linn. S. N. i. p. 220 (1766) ;
Macy. v. p. 891; Hewitson, 1. p. 453; Yarr. ed. 4, iv.
p. 112; Dresser, viii. p. 621.

Eudytes septentrionalis, Nawm. xii. p. 434.

Plongeon cat-marin, French; Rothkehliger Taucher,
German ; Cadellot (Valencia), Agulla (Cataluiia).

This bird is well known on all parts of the coasts of
the three kingdoms, and is not infrequently met with
during the winter and early spring months at a con-
siderable distance from salt water; but its breeding-
haunts in our country are confined to Scotland and its
adjacent islands, and a few localities in the north of
Ireland. ‘The red-throat plumage is assumed in May,
and occasionally carried till late im the succeeding
autumn, but the great majority of the birds of this
species met with on our coasts and estuaries during the
months of late autumn and winter are white-throated,
and commonly known to fishermen as Sprat-Loons, or
Speckled Divers; in this state of plumage I am very
well acquainted with this Diver, and have met with it

on many parts of the south coast of England, and in
Ireland at all seasons from November to May; but I
only once shot a specimen with fully developed red
throat, this was in Plymouth Sound about the middle
of May 1855; this individual was, as far as I could
make out, the only one of perhaps some 30 or 40 then
frequenting the Sound that had any discernible dark
colouring on the throat.

This Diver lays two long olive-brown eggs spotted
with darker brown, these are placed close to the water,
on the margins of secluded pools and lochs, the bird
seldom making any nest; but on this matter I quote
from authority, as I have never met with the bird in its
breeding-localities. The diving-powers of this group of
birds are marvellous, but not so great in this species.
as in the larger Great Northern Diver. I have spent
many hours, [ might say days, in pursuit of both
species in England, Ireland, Spain, and Switzerland ;
the present bird, when feeding, will occasionally permit
of a close approach under sail, but if “light” and hungry
generally rises and flies to a considerable distance when
alarmed, sometimes, however, taking a long precau-
tionary dive before doing so. On the other hand, if the
bird has been observed to dive on its own account four
or five times, it may be reckoned that it is well on
towards what whalers call “ full ship,” and will not
rise at all, in this case its capture, if desired, is merely
a matter, in smooth water, of time and good steer-
ing, for the length of the dives gradually diminishes
till the wearied bird may be almost taken with the
hand. These birds have an objection to fly over the

land, and, if hemmed up in a narrow tidal creek, will
generally rise and pass within easy shot of the boat of
the pursuer; needless to say that the flesh cf the Divers
is worthless, and that they are only worth powder and
shot for the sake of their skins and the chancy nature of
the sport that they afford. I may add that I have often
been requested by fishermen to shoot these birds on
account of their destruction of sprats and other desirable
small fry.

The Red-throated Diver is a swift and powerful flyer,
and breeding throughout the northern regions of the
world, migrates in autumn as far south as Egypt. I
found it in some numbers upon the Lake of Geneva
during the winter, and have met with it abundantly on
the north coast of Spain, and sparsely in the Mediter-
ranean and Adriatic at that season of the year. The
only note that I have ever heard from this species is a
harsh guttural bark.

(uur) gnjeqsiuo sdeoipo q °

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*NOGNO1 ‘OIGNLS LYY OHLIT-OWOHHO

10g

GREAT CRESTED GREBE,

PODICEPS CRISTATUS (Linn).

Colymbus cristatus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 222 (1766) ; Naum. ix.
p. 686.

Podiceps cristatus, Macg. v. p. 250; Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 117;
Dresser, viii. p. 629.

Grébe huppé, French; Grosser Lappentaucher, German ;
Somormyo, Zambullidor, Spanish.

Notwithstanding the persecution to which this remark-
ably beautiful species was formerly, and still is to a
certain extent, subjected, to satisfy the fancy of ladies
for its breast-feathers for their personal adornment, I
am glad to be able to state, from authentic private
information, that of late years it has appeared and
breeds in several localities in England where it was
previously almost unknown, and that in more than one
of these localities it is jealously protected by the pro-
prietors. My own first personal acquaintance with this
Grebe was formed on our Northamptonshire river, the
Nene, in my early shooting-days, when nothing that
flew or dived was sacred for me; but it is now a source
of no slight gratification to me to reflect that both ex-
amples of this locally rare species, that I schemed for days

to obtain, defied my youthful efforts, and never even gave
me the chance of a shot.

On the Lake of Geneva, in the neighbourhood of
Lausanne, this species was very abundant during the
winter of 1850-51, and we devoted a good deal of time
to the method of “chasse”’ described with considerable
accuracy in ‘Yarrell.’ I have, in years long gone by,
met with a good many of these Grebes during the
spring and summer upon certain of the “ Broads” of
East Norfolk; their habits in that district are most
graphically described by the Rev. R. Lubbock in his
‘Fauna of Norfolk,’ publishedin 1845 ; but it must be
most gratifying to all lovers of birds to know that the
gloomy anticipations of this author as to the then very

?

probable extinction of the “ Loon” in the localities of
which he wrote so lovingly, have not been verified, as
Mr. T. Southwell, who has just brought to a successful
conclusion the admirable ‘ Birds of Norfolk’ left un-
finished by the late accomplished naturalist Mr. Henry
Stevenson, informs us that, owing to the various pro-
tective Acts of Parliament and the goodwill of many
Norfolk Jand- and water-owners, the Grebe is now fairly
numerous again in many of its favourite haunts. As
the habits of this bird in Norfolk have been described
at length in the works just mentioned, I will merely say
with regard to England that my experience, as far as it
goes, confirms the details there given in every respect.
I found several pairs of the Great Grebe breeding on
some small sheets of fresh water in Andalucia in May
1872, in company with many Eared Grebes (P. nigri-
collis), Little Grebes (P. fluviatilis), and two species of

Tern (Hydrochelidon hybrida and H. nigra); the nests
of all these birds were built amongst the water-weeds
that almost entirely covered the water, without any
attempt at concealment, though, in the case of the
present species, the sitting bird very deftly covered her
eggs by two plucks at the surrounding weeds before
“going below.” Some of the Grebes’ eggs were fresh,
most of them partially incubated, and a few within a
day or two of hatching; the latter were of a rich
cinnamon or chocolate colour, and we found specimens
varying from that hue through all the gradations of
light rust-colour, buff, and pale yellow, to their normal
colour of greenish white. I must mention that the
water of the little lakes to which I refer was strongly
impregnated with iron, and the surrounding land of a
rich yellowish red. This species is to be met with
during the winter in all the suitable localities of the
Mediterranean coasts that I have visited. One of the
most remarkable facts that I have noticed in connection
with the subject of this article is that a breeding pair
may occasionally be found, of which one bird has the
crest and ruff or tippet fully developed, whilst its mate
remains without any trace of these ornaments. I may
add that the great majority of the eggs of this species
that I have examined zz situ were more or less wet, in
some few instances actually lying in water.

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RED-NECKED GREBE,

PODICEPS GRISEIGENA (Boddaert).

Colymbus grisegena, Boddaert, Tabl. des Pl. Enl. p. 55
(1783).

Colymbus rubricollis, Naum. ix. p. 720.

Podiceps rubricollis, Macg. v. p. 259; Hewitson, ii. p. 443.

Podiceps griseigena, Yarr, ed. 4, iv. p. 124; Dresser, viii.
p. 639.

Grébe jou-gris, French; Rothhalsiger Taucher, German ;
Zambullidor, Spanish.

As this is a species that I never met with alive, I
merely mention here that, although it has never been
known to nest in the United Kingdom, it is by no
means an uncommon autumnal visitor to various parts
of the British coasts, especially to those of the Eastern
counties of England and Scotland. This Grebe is said
to breed abundantly in Denmark, Northern Germany,
Sweden, and Russia. From the records given by many
authors it appears to closely resemble the Great Crested
Grebe in general habits, except that it does not use its
wings in diving. Colonel Irby identified several of this
species at Ras-Doura in Morocco in April, and quotes
from the notes of Favier to the effect that some of these
birds remain to breed in that country *.

* «Ornithology of the Straits of Gibraltar’ (London, 1875).

‘Qdanppog) euasiastas sdaopog

‘AGAHAD GCHAOAN-daa

ey

‘Cum7) snytine sdooipog
‘AGauoO NVINOAVIOS HO ‘'GaANYOH ‘daLsauo aassaTt

suguog ‘oaerg "AA ‘OUT

“

LESSER CRESTED, HORNED, or
SCLAVONIAN GREBE.

PODICEPS AURITUS (Linn.).

Colymbus auritus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 222 (1766); Naum. ix.
p- 768.

Podiceps cornutus, Macy. v. p. 264; Hewitson, ii. p. 444.

Podiceps auritus, Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 128; Dresser, viii. p. 645.

Grebe cornu, French; Ohren-Taucher, German; Escabusé
pardo, Buida-frascos, Valencian,

This bird, although by no means an uncommon
autumnal or winter visitor to Great Britain and Ireland,
has not as yet been found breeding in any part of the
United Kingdom. My personal acquaintance with this
Grebe is limited to a few distant observations on the
river Nene, near Lilford, during the winter, and (as I
ami firmly persuaded) a pretty close view of one on wing
in July 1887. I cannot therefore relate anything from
my own experience as to the nesting or other habits of
this bird, so refer my readers to other writers for
details, especially to an extract from the writings of the
late Mr. Proctor, as quoted in the 4th edition of
‘Yarrell.’ I add, for the information of the unlearned

in Grebes, that the present species may at all times be
distinguished from the Eared Grebe—the only British
species with which it might otherwise be confounded—
by the remarkable difference in the form of the beak,
which in the subject of this article is straight, whilst the
lower mandible of the former bird has a very marked
upward inclination.

mysig "7 ‘9 “St{jooladiu sdasipog

‘Asggqad daava

Ng ‘AAMT AL ONT

Se Aes peel,

EARED GREBE.

-PODICEPS NIGRICOLLIS, C. L. Brehm.

Podiceps nigricollis, C. L. Brehm, Vig. Deutschl. p. 963
(1831); Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 133; Dresser, viii. p. 651.

Colymbus cornutus, Naum. ix. p. 739.

Colymbus arcticus, Naum. ix. p. 755.

Podiceps auritus, Macy. v. p. 270; Hewitson, il. p. 445.

Grébe oreillard, French ; Schwarz-hals Ohrtaucher, Ger-
man; Zambullidor menor, Spanish.

My own acquaintance with this species was originally
formed in the Mediterranean, and subsequently carried
on in certain parts of Spain that are not bordered by
that sea. The only British specimen that I have ever
handled “in the flesh” was a fine male with fairly deve-
loped ear-tufts, that was shot by Lord Clifton from my
yacht’s gig in Weymouth Bay in April 1876. Many
specimens have been obtained (some of them in complete
breeding-dress) in Norfolk, Suffolk, and the southern
counties of England; it also occurs in Scotland and
Treland. Mr. H. Saunders, from whose invaluable
‘Manual’ I quote these particulars, refers to the
‘Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Nat. Hist.
Society’ to the effect that the late well-known collector

Mr. E. Booth had “a full-plumaged adult and a
couple of downy mites”’ brought to him by a Norfolk
marshman.

In the winter months I have found this bird in great
numbers in the bays and creeks of the Mediterranean,
in Southern and Eastern Spain, Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily,
Tunis, and in all parts of the Ionian and Albanian
shores, as well as on inland lakes and lagoons. I also
found it tolerably common in November and December
in the harbour of Santander. In the early summer of
1872 we found a few pairs of this Grebe breeding on
some small freshwater pools in a wild district of Anda-
lucia; the nests were more substantially built than
those of the Great Crested and Little Grebes that were
also frequenting the locality ; but I could not observe
any remarkable difference of habits in this species from
those of their more abundant relations just mentioned.

The Eared Grebe is exceedingly common in the
breeding-season in many parts of N. Africa, and ranges
southward to the Cape.

Litho. W. Greve, Berlin.

alive)

DABCHICK,

or

LITTLE GREBE

(Briss.).

iceps minor

Pod

LITTLE GREBE or DABCHICK.

PODICEPS MINOR (Briss.).

Colymbus minor, Briss, Orn. vi. p. 56 (1760); Naum. ix.
p- 785.

Sylbeocyclus europzeus, Macg. v. p. 276.

Podiceps minor, Hewitson, ii. p. 446.

Podiceps fluviatilis, Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 1387; Dresser, viii.
p. 659.

Le Castagneux, French; Kleiner Taucher, German; Zam-
bullidor chico, Somormujo, Spanish.

This quaint-looking little bird is resident and more
or less common in suitable localities throughout Great
Britain and Ireland, and breeds on quiet waters amongst
reeds and flags, occasionally without any attempt at
concealment of its nest, which is a simple platform of
various water-plants. ‘The first eggs are generally laid
early in April; four is about the average number of a
sitting, although more are occasionally to be met with:
when first laid they are of a greenish white, but from
the habit of the bird of covering them with wet and
dead weed whenever she leaves the nest, they often pass
through a stage of buff to a dirty brown, and, under
the hot sun of Southern Europe, not uncommonly to a
deep chocolate colour, Of late years, as I am informed,

several pairs of Dabchicks have reared their broods
annually on the ornamental water in St. James’s Park.
Mr. Harting has recorded the finding of a nest on the
Round Pond in Kensington Gardens, and I have several
times seen Dabchicks near the bridge that spans the
Serpentine ; these metropolitan Grebes naturally become
perfectly tame and permit very close observation, but in
less frequented localities they are, in my experience,
somewhat shy of man during the summer months, and
as the water is their natural home concealment is easy.
My principal opportunities of close observation of this
bird in England have been on the river Nene during
protracted frosts ; at these seasons almost every “ wake”
or hole in the ice is tenanted by one or two Dabchicks
or ‘“ Didoppers” as they are locally called, the vigour
and suddenness of their dives, and their fashion of
coming to the surface again like a cork, as if they could
not help it, are most amusing, and have often detained
me a delighted spectator, till my numbed feet warned
me that it would be prudent to move on. In the
summer-time the Dabchick obtains much of its food
upon or close to the surface of the water, in the shape
of aquatic insects and tadpoles ; but, when the frost has
put an end to the existence of the insects, and tadpoles
have developed into hybernating frogs, the minute fry of
fishes furnish our birds with their daily food. Although
these birds are very averse to take wing, they can, and
frequently do, take considerable aerial journeys, as is
proved in my experience, not only by several instances
of their being killed by contact with telegraph and other
wires, but also by their sudden appearance upon isolated

small ponds at a distance from their usual haunts. The
usual note of the Little Grebe is a somewhat plaintive
low single note, but where many are together in the late
summer I have frequently heard them utter a shrill and
prolonged cry almost amounting to a scream. It has
been stated that this species is capable of running
swiftly, and the authority quoted in 4th edition of
‘Yarrell’ is so good that I cannot doubt it, but, in the
cases of several of these birds that have been brought to
me uninjured, the only method of progression was an
awkward struggle with wings and legs with the whole of
the breast on the floor; this bird, however, is the only
species of Grebe that I have distinctly observed standing
upright on its feet on land or upon the edge of
the nest.

‘uu ‘eorsejod erieyjoo01g

‘THALAA-WaAOLS ;

“UIBLOEE (OAT "Ay TOUPTL

STORM-PETREL,

PROCELLARIA PELAGICA, Linn.

Procellaria pelagica, Linn. S. N. i. p. 212 (1766); Yarr.
ed. 4, iv. p. 42.

Thalassidroma pelagica, Naum. x. p. 557; Macg. v. p. 460 ;
Hewitson, ii. p. 517 ; Dresser, viii. p. 491.

Thalassidrome tempéte, French ; Sturm-Schwalbe, German ;
Diablo de mar, Pastorcito, Spanish.

This little bird is one of those with which I have
very little more than a travelling acquaintance. My
own oceanic experience is confined to a few trips across
the Bay of Biscay en route to and from Spain; but on
these trips I never failed to observe some of the present
species ; no matter what the weather might be, there
was ‘“ Mother Carey’s Chicken” equally at home
amongst the Atlantic “ rollers’ driven before a westerly
gale, or skimming the calm surface of the sea in the
full blaze of an August sun. I have also frequently
seen one or two of this species off our southern coasts
in July and August, as we were “hooking” for whiting
from the deck of my yacht; but with the exceptions

of some half-dozen that played round our vessel as she

lay at anchor off the town of Vigo, and a solitary indi-
vidual extracted from its nesting-hole on a remote
island in Scilly, I never met with this Petrel elsewhere
than on the open sea. ‘To us landsmen there is a
certain “uncanny ”’ feeling on seeing for the first time
our ship in a breeze of wind or a calm suddenly
environed or foliowed by these little black Swallow-like
birds, that seem to have sprung from the water, and
are so entirely different in flight and appearance from
what we are accustomed to call sea-birds from the
standpoint of ¢erra firma. The Storm-Petrel is not
infrequently driven inland by stress of weather, and occa-
sionally picked up dead or dying at a great distance
from the sea; but, in my own experience, these occur-
rences are not so common in the case of this species as
in that of several other oceanic birds, e. g. the Manx
Shearwater, the Fork-tailed Petrel, and the Puffin.

The present bird breeds in colonies on many, if not
most, of the islands lying off the coasts of Ireland,
Scotland, and Wales, also in one or two of the islets of
the Scilly group, but has not, so far as I can learn,
been hitherto found breeding upon the mainland or
islands off any part of the eastern coast of England.
One egg only is laid, and generally deposited under
stones fallen from the sea-cliffs or in burrows in soft
soil. A very graphic and interesting description of the
nesting-habits of the Storm-Petrel im a locality of the
latter sort will be found given by the late H. D. Graham
in the ‘ Birds of Iona and Mull’ (Edinburgh, 1890). I
have met with this species sparsely throughout the
Mediterranean from Gibraltar to Cyprus, but never had

OO

Th ioe

the good fortune to discover a breeding-haunt ; it is,
however, well known to nest on many of the numerous
islands of that sea.

According to Buffon the name of “ Petrel” was
applied by English sailors to this bird from its frequent
habit of touching the water with its feet, thereby re-
calling the attempt of the Apostle Peter to walk upon
the Lake of Tiberias, but most of the modern sea-
faring men of my acquaintance call the present species
“ Mother Carey’s Chicken ” or “ Sea-Swallow.”” Many
authors are agreed as to the excellence of the flesh of
the Storm-Petrel. These birds roam the ocean through-
out the night, in fact they are seldom seen abroad near
their breeding-places during the period of incubation,
till the sun is low upon the horizon.

‘JOTPIS1 A ‘eoyrIOoNs] elAe[jaI01g

‘TaaALaAd GaATWL-wWaAo4

WTeR ‘ACID “MK “OTITT

FORKED-TAILED PETREL.

PROCELLARIA LEUCORRHOA, Viceillot.

Procellaria leucorrhoa, Vietllut, Nouv. Dict. xxv. p. 422
(1817).

Thalassidroma leachii, Naum. x. p. 575; Macg. v. p. 451;
Hewitson, ii. p. 520.

Cymochorea leucorrhoa, Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 37.

Thalassidroma leucorrhoa, Dresser, viii. p. 497.

Thalassidrome cul blanc, French.

Although it appears that this Petrel is only known to
breed in two or three British localities, it is, in my
experience, much more frequently picked up, storm-
driven, inland than the common Storm-Petrel. In
Northamptonshire, for instance, I am acquainted with
four or five occurrences of the present species in recent
years, whilst I only know positively of one Storm-
Petrel having been met with in the county. I have
seen a few Forked-tailed Petrels in the ‘chops of the
channel” and in the Bay of Biscay, but have no more
intimate acquaintance with the bird. In flight and
general demeanour at sea this Petrel closely resembles
the Storm-Petrel, but at close quarters alongside or
astern, may readily be distinguished from that bird by

its larger size, its forked tail, and its generally lighter
colour. This Petrel ranges as far south as the island of
ik Madeira on our side of the Atlantic, and is occasionally
HW met with in the Mediterranean. An interesting account
of the breeding-habits of this bird as observed by
Mr. Dixon during a visit to St. Kilda in 1884 will
be found in Seebohm’s ‘British Birds,’ vol. iii.
pp. 444-446.

RIDGWAY’S PETREL.

PROCELLARIA CRYPTOLEUCURA (Ridyway).

Cymochorea cryptoleucura, Ridgw. Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. iv.
p. 337.

Oceanodroma cryptoleucura, Wilson, Aves Hawalienses,
part iv.; Salvin, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxv. p. 350;
Ogilvie Grant, Ibis, 1896, p. 53; Saunders, Ibis, 1896,
p. 401.

Under this name Mr. Ridgway in 1881 described the
Forked-tailed Petrel of the Sandwich Islands ; he after-
wards traced it to the Galapagos. Still more recently
it has been recognized as an inhabitant of St. Helena
and the Salvage Islands in the Atlantic. It has now
found a place in our fauna, a bird undoubtedly of this
species having been picked up dead on the beach at
Littlestone, in Kent, on 5th December, 1895, and passed
into the collection of Mr. Boyd Alexander before it was
skinned. It has also occurred in North America.

[0. $.]

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LONG-LEGGED or WILSON’S PETREL.

OCEANITES OCEANICUS (Kuhl).

Procellaria oceanica, Kuhl, Beitr. Zool. p. 136 (1820).

Thalassidroma wilsonii, Macy. vy. p. 456.

Oceanites oceanicus, Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 48; Dresser, vii.
p- 505.

This Petrel, about whose habits I know nothing from
personal observation, has been met with occasionally in
England, and it is not improbable that it may have
sometimes escaped special notice or record, from having
been mistaken for a more common British species of the
family to which it belongs. I quote from the 4th
edition of ‘Yarrell’ to the effect that it has been found
breeding on Kerguelen Island, and that its range appears
to extend over the South Atlantic to Australia and New
Zealand, and across the South Pacific to Chili and Peru.
In the North Atlantic it is common along the American
coasts, visiting the West Indies and Mexico. ‘These
statements are followed by a detailed and very interesting
account of the breeding-habits of this Petrel as observed
on Kerguelen Island by the Rev. A. E. Eaton. I gather
from these details that the general habits of this species

closely resemble those of the other small members of
the Petrel group. This bird has been met with on the
west coast of France, and rarely in the Mediterranean.
The only specimen in my possession was obtained in -
the Bay of Arosa, in the North-west of Spain.

Niaie

Ps 4 fe
eo ad

i ; f ie

iy nike eh
Tm ;
mn
r

eh

1 8

wt

a

-

WHITE-FACED PETREL.

PELAGODROMA MARINA (Latham).

Procellaria marina, Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 826.

Thalassidroma marina, Gould, Birds Austr. vii. pl. 61.

Pelagodroma marina, H. A. Macpherson, Ibis, 1891, p. 602;
Grant, Ibis, 1896, p. 51; Dresser, Suppl. p. 399.

Two occurrences. The Rev. H. A. Macpherson
records that after a severe gale, in November 1890, a
dead bird of this species was washed ashore on Walney
Island with a number of other birds, including a
Wilson’s Petrel. Mr. W. Eagle Clarke (Bull. Brit. Orn.
Club, no. 41, p. xxvii) reports that on Ist January,
1897, a female of this Petrel was captured alive by the
margin of a stream on the west side of the island of
Colonsay, and that the specimen is now preserved in
the Museum of Science and Art at Edinburgh.

The bird has a very wide range over the seas of the
southern hemisphere and breeds on some islands lying
near Cape Leeuwin, the southwesternmost corner of
Australia, and elsewhere.

It has long been noticed in the neighbourhood of the
Canary Islands, and quite recently Mr. Ogilvie-Grant
found a well-established colony on Great Salvage Island,
north of the Canary group. Many pairs were breeding
there at the end of April 1895. ‘This colony brings
Pelagodroma marina comparatively near our shores.

[0. S.J

“QuDyyoT) BULL BLUOAPOSEad

‘TJAAYLAd-ALWOINH AYO CGeHOWH-AHLIHM

WTO ADI MQ ONT Ss

nF rte

en | _ a i , 7
| 135 i | q

a

: 5

GREAT SHEARWATER.

PUFFINUS MAJOR, Faber.

Puffinus major, Faber, Prodr. isl. Orn. p. 56 (1822).

Puffinus cinereus, Macg. vy. p. 438.

Puffinus major, Hewitson, ii. p.516; Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 12;
Dresser, vil. p. 527.

Pétrel puffin, French.

This Shearwater appears irregularly, occasionally in
large numbers, on our southern and western coasts.

I had the good fortune, in company with Mr. W.
Vingoe, of Penzance, to find a very fine fresh specimen
dead on the beach near Marazion, in the summer of
1852, and this year (1888) purchased the specimen from
which the drawing for the Plate was taken, of that well-
known and excellent taxidermist, recently deceased.

This specimen was killed some years ago in Mount’s
Bay.

It is impossible to distinguish this species on the
wing from the large Shearwater of the Mediterranean
(P. kuhli), but one or the other species is frequent at all
seasons in the Bay of Biscay and off the west coast of
Spain and Portugal.

The fishermen in Scilly assured me that a pair or two
of “ Hagbolts,” as they call this bird, bred amongst the
rocks of one of the south-western islets of the group,
and I saw several during my stay at St. Mary’s in
1852.

oqny “1ofem snuyyjng

“AAGLYMUAVYAHS LYaAUo

Mined ‘eon YQ ‘opr

wv
”
S

SOOTY SHEARWATER.

PUFFINUS GRISEUS (Gmel.).

Procellaria grisea, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 564 (1788).
Puffinus cinereus, Macg. v. p. 438.
Puffinus griseus, Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p.17; Dresser, viii. p.523.

The Sooty Shearwater is a bird of immense oceanic
range, being reported as common off the coasts of
Labrador and Greenland, and found on those of Chili,
California, S. Africa, Australia, and N. Zealand (Yarrell
ut supra). It is an irregular, but not a very uncommon,
visitor to our coasts.

The drawings for the Plate were taken from two birds
obtained on the coast of Yorkshire, and kindly lent to
me by Mr. J. Backhouse, jun., of York.

I have several times observed large Shearwaters in
the Bay of Biscay and off the Spanish coast that showed
no trace of white in their plumage, and must, I think,
have belonged to this species.

0 ‘snosiid snuyjng

AALYMAVAHS ALOOS

MANX SHEARWATER.

PUFFINUS ANGLORUM (Temm.).

Procellaria anglorum, Temm. Man. d’Orn. ii. p. 806.
Puffinus anglorum, Macg. v. p. 441; Hewitson, ui. p. 514;
Dresser, viii. p. 517; Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 21.

Pétrel Manks, French; Nordischer Tauchersturmvogel,
German; Skraapur, Feroese ; Skrdfa, Islandic.

A well-known and common species in the North
Atlantic Ocean, chiefly on the eastern or European
side. Many nesting-places are known on islands off the
western coast of the British Islands and round the coast
of Ireland. It also breeds in some numbers on the
Feroes and is found on the coast of Norway and
throughout the North Sea.

In the Mediterranean a closely allied form, called
P. yelkouan, occurs, the distinctness of which is ques-
tionable. This southern. bird has been traced to the
Atlantic and to the shores of Devonshire. [O. 8.]

Cuma) WNAOpduy snuyyogd

“AALYMAWVAHS XNYW

“UIPag ‘OAO.UD “AL OIDTL

“

CHROMO-LITHO. ART STUDIO. LONDON.

>
Ne

be}
Gmelin).

RWATI

SHE

AY

DUSI

Puffinus obscurus (/. /

DUSKY SHEARWATER.

PUFFINUS OBSCURUS (J. F. Gmelin).

Procellaria obscura, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 559 (1788).
Puffinus obscurus, Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 27.

Only two occurrences of this bird in our country have
hitherto been recorded—one off the island of Valentia,
in May 1853, and the other near Bungay, in Suffolk, in
April 1858; but as the only remarkable differences
between it and the Manx Shearwater are the smaller
size and darker general colour of the upper parts in
the present species, I consider it as more than probable
that the Dusky Shearwater may often occur off our
coasts without special notice. In this connection I
may state that, although I am totally unacquainted with
this species, even “in skin,” I have frequently noticed
considerable difference in the spread of wings in the
smaller Shearwaters seen during sea-passages from this
country to Gibraltar. The Dusky Shearwater is said
to have a wide range, both in the Atlantic and the
Pacific. It was formerly plentiful on the Bermudas,
and breeds in numbers on the Bahamas; in both of

these localities it is, or was, known by the name of
“Pimlico.” It is also met with on the Desertas and
other islets in the neighbourhood of Madeira, as well
as in the Canarian group. In all respects it closely
resembles the Manx Shearwater in habits and breeding-

localities.

7 = i ia been De , 3
: i Pian Seale 1, r r m
v ne cal yo a :
i tire oF ( wu
i in i i ,
+
. “0
-
‘
.
‘ \ , i

- vit a a 1 rT

i
WH

BULWER'S PETREL.

PROCELLARIA BULWERII, Jardine & Selby.

Procellaria bulwerii, Jardine and Selby, Ul. Orn. uu. pl. 65
(circa 1829).

Puffinus columbinus, Moguin-Tandon, Orn. Canar. p. 44
(1841).

Thalassidroma bulwerii, Macg. v. p. 449 ; Hewitson, ii. p. 522.

Bulweria colombina, Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 34.

Bulweria columbina, Dresser, viii. p. 551.

The drawing for the Plate was taken from a specimen
very kindly lent to me for the purpose by Mr. W. Eagle
Clarke, who informed me that it was picked up dead
on Tanfield Bridge, near Ripon, on May 8th, 18387. It
was exhibited by Professor A. Newton at a meeting of
the Zoological Society in November 1887, and Mr. Eagle
Clarke wrote about that time to me, stating his intention
of depositing it in the Leeds Museum. ‘This, according
to the Editor of ed. 4 Yarrell’s ‘ British Birds,’ was the
only authenticated British example of this species known
at the time of his writing.

Bulwer’s Petrel is reported as common in the Canarian
croup of islands, and in the Desertas near Madeira.

Litho. W. Greve, Berlin

JS IES DIES

BULWER'S

& Selby

=

Procellaria bulwerii.

+

1

=m

V45

COLLARED PETREL,

(2STRELATA BREVIPES (Peale).

Procellaria brevipes, Peale, U. S. Expl. Exp. viii. pp. 294,
337, pl. Ixxx.

Cstrelata brevipes, Salvin, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxv. p. 408.

Procellaria torquata, J. Macgillivray, Zool. xviii. p. 7138.

Cstrelata torquata, Harting, Zool. 1890, p. 454; Salvin,
Ibis, 1891, p. 411, pl. ix.

One occurrence. At the end of November or the
beginning of December, 1889, a bird of this species was
shot between Borth and Aberystwith, and an account of
its capture was furnished by Mr. J. Willis Bund to
Mr. Harting, who published it in the ‘ Zoologist.’ The
species is there and elsewhere called by J. Macgillivray’s.
name @. torquata, but from a comparison of types there
is no doubt that it is the same as the bird first described
by Titian Peale as @. brevipes. Peale obtained his
specimens in lat. 60° S. in the Pacific Ocean, when he
accompanied the United States exploring expedition
under Commodore Wilkes. Macgillivray found his bird
on one of the New Hebrides Islands, where they were
breeding. It has also been obtained on the Fiji Islands.

[O. S.]

‘(ajnaq) Sadtaaiq vyeIa14s7p

‘TJaaALAd GaAYTIOO

“Uytog ‘OAOTH “AL ‘OUT S

—
7
~

CAPPED PETREL.

CESTRELATA HAISITATA (Kuhl).

Procellaria hasitata, Kuhl, Beitr. Zool. i. p. 142; Zemm. Pl.
Col. 416; Newton, Zool. 1852, p. 3691.
(Hstrelata heesitata, Dresser, vii. p. 545; Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 8.

One occurrence. Prof. Newton recorded that in
March or April, 1850, a boy captured and killed a bird
of this species on a heath at Southacre, near Swaffham
in Norfolk. This bird was preserved by the late
E. C. Newcome and placed in his collection.

Two casual occurrences of this Petrel have been re-
ported from the Continent of Europe; but its home is or
was the islands of Dominica and Guadeloupe, where it was
once not uncommon. Recent travellers, however, have
failed to discover it in its old haunts. But that other
colonies of it exist seems to be certain from the fact that
three specimens were captured or found dead in as many
places in the Eastern States of America after the great
cyclonic storm which devastated the coast of South
Carolina on August 26-27, 1893 (cf. Allen, Auk, 1894,
p- 241). [C. S.]

(ry) eyeysey Pieyansy)

‘WAALAd GaddWoO

“UTptog, SOAOTA) “AL *

lu Te)

Me

a
14G

FULMAR.
FULMARUS GLACIALIS (Linn.).

Procellaria glacialis, Linn. S. N. i. p. 213; Naum. x. p. 589;
Hewitson, ii. p. 512.

Fulmarus glacialis, Macg. v. p. 429; Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 1;
Dresser, vil. p. 535.

Pétrel Fulmar, French; His Mewensturmvogel, German ;
Is-Stormfugl, Danish; Heavhestur, Feroese ; Fylingur
Fill, Islandic ; Havhest Stormfugl, Norwegian.

A species of the North Atlantic Ocean, an allied form
taking its place in the Pacific.

The Fulmar has long been known to breed on the
islands of the St. Kilda group, and, of late years, on
Foula and Papa Stour in the Shetlands, as well as on
several of the Feeroes. At other seasons birds are found
occasionally all round our coasts.

Besides the birds of normal colour, as depicted in the
foreground of the Plate, others of varying shades of
nearly uniform slate-colour are not uncommon mingled
with the ordinary form. Such a bird is shown standing
on a rock on the left of the Plate. A rarer form is
pure white, and a few birds in this dress appear at
St. Kilda every year, where several have been taken.

The Fulmar is certainly increasing in numbers and
establishing fresh breeding-stations on our northern
outlying islands. The colours of the bill, eye, and feet
in the Plate were taken by Mr. Thorburn from a sketch
made at the request of Lord Lilford by Prof. Newton at
St. Kilda, 25th June, 1895. [OSs]

Cuay7) SYVIOR]S snAvU[Ny|

‘aAYWT1NA
“WIL ‘ARTO “AL OLY E

by Sa ris

ree ng toy) P70
‘“ = ie gh

X, s
i PART XXVI.]} (NOVEMBER 1893.
i
| COLOURED FIGURES

OF THE
|
| BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS,
| ISSUED BY
| LORD LILFORD, F.Z.S. &c.,
PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION,
|
i}
SS
i)
LONDON:

R. H. PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

1893.

PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS,} Price 9s. 6d. [RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET.

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Article “ Coxmron Winp Swan.”
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Article ‘‘ CuRLEW SANDPIPER.”

Third line from end, for “ passing” lege “ purring.”

CODING EAN TS 10 sReauen

XXVI.

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER.

Muscicapa erisora, Linn.

SNOW-GOOSE.

CuEn HyPeRBoreus (Pail.).

GREEN SANDPIPER.

Toranus ocHropus (Linn.).

WOOD-SANDPIPER.

Toranus eLarnota (J. F. Gmelin).

SOLITARY SANDPIPER.

Toranvus soxirarius (Wilson).

IVORY GULL.

PaGOPHILA EBURNEA (Phipps).

GREY LAG GOOSE.

ANSER CINEREUS, Meyer.

ICELAND GULL. (Prate oF Innra-

TURE Brrps.)
Larus Leucorrervs, Faber.

SHELD-DRAKE.

Taporna cornuta (S. G. Gmelin).

GREAT SKUA.

Lustris cararruactes (Linn.).

BEAN-GOOSE.

ANSER sEcErUM (J. F. Gmelin).

RED-NECKED GREBE. 1

Popicrps GRisEIGENA(Boddaert).

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a) io a

PART XXVII.] [DECEMBER 1893. |

COLOURED FIGURES

OF THE

BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.

ISSUED BY

LORD LILFORD, F.Z.S. &c.,

PRWSIDENT OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION.

—=_, ——

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OO IT,

MONTAGU’S HARRIER.

Circus cineraceus (Montagu).

HONEY-BUZZARD. (2 Prates.)

PERNIS APIVoRUS (Linn.).

RED-FOOTED FALCON.

Fatco vespertinus, Linn.

QUAIL.

CotuRnix communis, Bonnaterre.

GLOSSY IBIS.

PLEGADIS FALCINELLUS (Linn.).

LITTLE CRAKE. (Puate or Aputr
Matz.)

Crex PusILia (Bechst.).

CUNEATE-TAILED GULL. (Prats or

Inarature AND Writer Brrps.)

RuoposteTH1a RosEA (Macg.).

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT.

Limosa £cocrPHaLa (Linn).

GLAUCOUS GULL. (Prare or Ima-

TURE Brrp.)

Larus etaucus, O. Fabricus.

COMMON SNIPE. (Puares or Mrtanic
VARIErY.)

ScoLopax saBInI, Vigors.

LESSER CRESTED, HORNED, or SCLAVONIAN GREBE.

Popicyrs auritus (Linn.).

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Tus attempt at a “ Key List” of British Birds is not intended
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“ This little work, compiled by one of our best practical Ornithologists
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engrayed, comprising descriptions of representative birds of the leading
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PART XXVIII.] [SEPTEMBER 1894.

COLOURED FIGURES

OF THE

BIRDS OF THE BRITISH-ISLANDS.

ISSUED BY

LORD LILFORD, F.ZS. &c.,

PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION.

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CONTENTS) OR Al xox ies

CAPERCAILLIE.

TETRAO UROGALLUS, Linn.
TURTLE DOVE.

Turtur communis, Selby.
COMMON PRATINCOLE.

GLAREOLA PRATINCOLA (Linn.).

CREAM-COLOURED COURSER.

CurRsorIUs GALLICUS

[ (J. F. Gmelin).

GREAT or SOLITARY SNIPE.

Scotopax mason, J. F. Gmelin.

RED-BREASTED SNIPE.

MacroRHAMPHUS GRISEUS

[(J. F. Gmelin).

ARCTIC TERN.

Srerna Macrura, Naum.
ROSEATE TERN.
Srerna DoucaLyi, Montagu.

CASPIAN TERN.

Sterna casera, Pallas.

WHISKERED TERN.

HypROCHELIDON HYBRIDA
[ (Pallas).

BLACK TERN.

HyprocHELipon nigra (Linn.). :

STORM-PETREL.

PrRocELLARIA PELAGICA, Linn.

Second Edition. Demy 8vo. Price 2s. 6d., post-free.

PhS Bik Ds:
Mew bs:

BY
LIEUT.-COLONEL L. HOWARD IRBY,

AUTHOR OF ‘ ORNITHOLOGY OF THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR.

SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED.

Tuis attempt at a “Key List” of British Birds is not mtended
for scientific ornithologists; but for those who have only a slight
knowledge of birds, so as to enable them to determine a species
without having to search through bulky volumes.

very endeavour has been made to avoid technical and scientific
terms and to be as concise as possible.

“This little work, compiled by one of our best practical Ornithologists
and sportsmen, is intended for the use of those who already have a slight
knowledge of birds, but require a handy guide to the diagnostic characters
of the species as a companion when travelling. It promises to be most
useful, and certainly represents a great deal of research in a small com-
pasS—NEARLY PERFUCL.”—Athencum.

“This work, written by an excellent practical ornithologist, is likely to
prove of great service, owing to the LARGE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION COM-
PRESSED INTO A SMALL compass.”—Tbis.

“¢ HAs SUPPLIED A REAL WANT.”—WNature.

Demy 8vo, Cloth. Price 21s.

A NATURALIST IN THE TRANSVAAL.

BY
Wire GS ASN Ae
With Coloured Plates of New Species and Original Drawings.

“Mr. Distant could hardly have employed his time to better purpose, as
his readers will acknowledge. He writes with authority on all matters of
natural history, and his habits of close observation, acquired in zoological
pursuits, have stood him in good stead in his study of the social and
political condition of the Transvaal and the personal characteristics of the
Boers. All naturalists will delight in the book, and political students will
find in it much profitable instruction.” —7%mes.

LONDON:
R. H. PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

Cloth, 329 pages. Price 10s. 6d.

i>) he) Se

THE ELEMENTS OF ORNITHOLOGY.

BY
ST. GEORGE MIVART, F-R.S.
With 174 Illustrations, whereof 140 are Original Drawings.

“We can cordially recommend the ‘Elements of Ornithology’ as con-
taining a mine of modern information on the subject of birds, compressed
into a small compass.”—The Ibis.

“To thoroughly appreciate the value of Prof. Mivart’s ‘ Elements’ one
has to be the curator of a museum. Many people, hike myself, must haye
been puzzled by the frequent demand for an elementary, but comprehen-
sive book on birds, such as a man can carry with him on his travels, and
many people about to journey abroad have asked me for a small book
which would explain to them what certain birds were like. I prophesy
that Prof. Mivart’s book will make many collectors, and its handy size
is one of its best features. Commencing in an easy and unconstrained
manner, Prof. Mivart-in his Introduction leads his pupil on through the
various forms of bird-life, his object being not to weight the tyro with too
heavy material for study at starting. All the leading Avian types are
passed in review, and they are illustrated by some admirable woodcuts by
Mr. Keulemans, drawn especially for the work.”— Nature.

‘“« A scientific manual of excellent design. It presents a succinct and
methodical treatment of the whole subject, and in iis comprehensiyeness ot
suryey differs from all other single volumes devoted to the natural history
of birds, with which we are acquainted. The introduction is illustrated by
nearly two hundred drawings, most of which are new, and all admirably _
engraved, comprising descriptions of representative birds of the leading
classes, orders, and families. This portion occupies nearly one-half of the
volume, and will equip the student with a thorough preliminary grasp of
the subject; for, though truly scientific in plan, it treats of the more
popular aspect of a fascinating branch of natural history in a very attractive
style.” Saturday Review.

Small 8vo, Cloth. Price 6s.
SPORTING SKETCHES IN SOUTH AMERICA,

_ BY
ApmMirAL KENNEDY

(COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF EAST INDIA STATION).

WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

«The book is far more than a mere record of Sport, for quite as much
is said about the countries visited as about the animals found in them,
and many works of far higher pretensions do not contain half the ‘ grit’
supplied by this little volume.”— Atheneum.

LONDON:
R. H. PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

. >

PART XXIX.| (NOVEMBER 1894.

COLOURED FIGURES

OF THE

BIRDS OF THE BRITISH [SLANDS.

ISSUED BY

LORD LILFORD, F.ZS. &c.,

PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION.

LONDON:
R. H. PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET; CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

1894.

PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, } Price 9s. 6d. [RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET,

TO THE SUBSCRIBERS.

As several Subscribers, who obtain copies of this Work through

other Booksellers, have expressed a desire that their names should

appear in the printed list of Subscribers, we beg to inform such
that, if they will kindly send their names to the Publisher, their
wishes will be cheerfully acceded to.

CONTENTS, OF (PA

XXIX.

MONTAGU’S HARRIER. Female and dark form of Male..

Circus cinERAczEUs (Montagu).
Part XX VII.

ICELAND FALCON.

Fatco 1stanpus, J. Ff. Gmelin.

(2 Pratss.)

BARTRAM’S PLOVER.

BarRTRAMIA LONGICAUDA

[ (Bechst.).

LITTLE TERN.

STERNA MiInuTA, Linn.

GULL-BILLED TERN.

Sterna aneuica, Montagu.

WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN.

HyDROCHELIDON LEUCOPTERA

[(Sehinz).

Plate only, the text was issued in

NODDY TERN.

Anous stouipus (Linn.).

SANDWICH TERN.

Srerna cantiaca, J. F. Gmelin.

BONAPARTE’S GULL.

Larus PHILADELPHIA (Ord).

LITTLE GULL.

Larus minutus, Pall.

LONG-LEGGED or WILSON’S
PETREL.

OcranitTes oceanicus (Kuhl).

Second Edition. Demy 8vo. Price 2s. 6d., post-free.

PoRenbsre abele ROD) 5:
Ree vie Sl:

BY
Lizur.-Cotonsts L. HOWARD IRBY,

AUTHOR OF ‘ ORNITHOLOGY OF THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR.”

SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED.

Tuis attempt at a “Key List” of British Birds is not intended
for scientific ornithologists ; but for those who have only a slight
knowledge of birds, so as to enable them to determine a species
withont having to search through bulky volumes.

Every endeavour has been made to avoid technical and scientific
terms and to be as concise as possible.

“This little work, compiled by one of our best practical Ornithologists
and sportsmen, is intended for the use of those who already have a slight
knowledge of birds, but require a handy guide to the diagnostic characters
of the species as a companion when travelling .... NEARLY PERFECT.”—
Athenaeum.

“Ts likely to prove of great service, owing to the LARGE AMOUNT or
INFORMATION COMPRESSED INTO A SMALL compass.” —Tbis.

Demy, 8vo, Cloth. Price 21s.

A NATURALIST IN THE TRANSVAAL,

BY
Wire DES IAGN TT:

With Coloured Plates of New Species and Original Drawings.

“Mr. Distant could hardly have employed his time to better purpose, as
his readers will acknowledge. He writes with authority on all matters of
natural history, and his habits of close observation, acquired in zoological
pursuits, have stood him in good stead in his study of the social and
political condition of the Transvaal and the personal characteristics of the
Boers. All naturalists will delight in the book, and political students will
find in it much profitable instruction.” — Times.

Royal 8v0, Cloth extra. Price 7s. 6d.
LONDON BIRDS AND LONDON INSECTS
(REVISED EDITION),
AUN DROVE EEE R= Si Hae HUBS,
BY
Ak, ADC HEM TEE COMML, (Opleh

“ A charming series of Essays, mainly on birds, their ways and their haunts.”— Times.

LONDON:
R. H. PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

Cloth, 329 pages. Price 10s. 6d.

Bln: Ss:

THE ELEMENTS OF ORNITHOLOGY.
BY
ST. GEORGE MIVART, F.R.S.
With 174 Illustrations, whereof 140 are Original Drawings.

“We can cordially recommend the ‘ Hlements of Ornithology’ as con-
taining a mine of modern information on the subject of birds, compressed
into a small compass.”—The Ibis.

“To thoroughly appreciate the value of Prof. Mivart’s ‘ Elements’ one
has to be the curator of a museum. Many people, like myself, must have
been puzzled by the frequent demand for an elementary, but comprehen-
sive book on birds, such as a man can carry with him on his travels, and
many people about to journey abroad have asked me for a small book
which would explain to them what certain birds were like. I prophesy
that Prof. Mivart’s book will make many collectors, and its handy size
is one of its best features. Commencing in an easy and unconstrained
manner, Prof. Mivart in his Introduction leads his pupil on through the
various forms of bird-life, his object being not to weight the tyro with too
heavy material for study at starting. All the leading Avian types are
passed in review, and they are illustrated by some admirable woodcuts by
Mr. Keulemans, drawn especially for the work.”— Nature.

‘«« A scientific manual of excellent design. It presents a succinct and
methodical treatment of the whole subject, and in its comprehensiveness of
survey differs from all other single volumes devoted to the natural history
of birds, with which we are acquainted. The introduction is illustrated by
nearly two hundred drawings, most of which are new, and all admirably
engraved, comprising descriptions of representative birds of the leading
classes, orders, and families. This portion occupies nearly one-half of the
volume, and will equip the student with a thorough preliminary grasp of
the subject; for, though truly scientific in plan, it treats of the more
popular aspect of a fascinating branch of natural history in a very attractive
style.”—Saturday Review.

Sinall 8v0, Cloth. Price 6s.
SPORTING SKETCHES IN SOUTH AMERICA.

BY

ApmMiraL KENNEDY

(COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF EAST INDIA STATION).

WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

«The book is far more than a mere record of Sport, for quite as much
is said about the countries visited as about the animals found in them,
and many works of far higher pretensions do not contain half the ‘ grit’
snpplied by this little volume.”— Atheneum.

Demy 8vo, cloth, price 10s. 6d. net.
Large Paper (Demy 4to), only 100 printed, 21s. net.

THE BIRDS OF PEMBROKESHIRE
AND ITS ISLANDS.

Rev. MURRAY A. MATHEW, M.A.
Illustrated with Maps and Photographs of Bird-Stations in the Islands.

LONDON:
hk. H. PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

PART XXX.) [FEBRUARY 1895.

COLOURED FIGURES

BIRDS OF THE BRITISH [SLAN DS. |

ISSUED BY

LORD LILFORD, F.Z.S. &c.,

PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION.

a )
——

LONDON:

R. H. PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

1895.

PRINTED BY LAYLOR AND FRANCIS,] Price 9s. 6d. (RED LION COURT, FLEET STRERT.

TO THE SUBSCRIBERS.

As several Subscribers, who obtain copies of this Work through
other Booksellers, have expressed a desire that their names should
appear in the printed list of Subscribers, we beg to inform such
that, if they will kindly send their names to the Publisher, their
wishes will be cheerfully acceded to.

CONTENTS 0 Or ARE

XXX,

MEALY REDPOLL. (Arctic Racz.)

Lryota HORNEMANNI, Holbddll.

TENGMALM’S OWL.

NycraLa TENGMALMI

((J. &. Gmelin).

GYR-FALCON.
Falco gyrfalco, Linn.

BUFFEL-HEADED GOLDENEYE,

CLaNGULA ALBEOoLA (Linn.).

HARLEQUIN DUCK.

CosMONETTA HISTRIONICA

[ (Linn.).

LONG-TAILED DUCK.

HaxreEwpa Guaciaxis (Linn.).

KING EIDER.

SoMaTERIA SPECTABILIS (Linn.).

ROCK-DOVE.

Coxtumsa tiviA, J. F. Gmelin.

KENTISH PLOVER.

ANGIALITIs caNTIANA (Latham).

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER.

AQNGIALITIS CURONICA
[ (J. F. Gmelin).

GREY PHALAROPE.

PuHaLaRopus ruLicarius (Linn.).

JACK SNIPE.

ScoLopax GALLINULA, Linn.

Second Edition. Demy 8vo. Price 2s. 6d., post-free.

BINiad £S.0. BARDS:
KOR oT:

BY
Licur.-Coronsr L. HOWARD IRBY,

’
AUTIIOR OF ‘ ORNITTIIOLOGY OF TIE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR.

SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED,

Tuis attempt at a “Key List” of British Birds is not intended
for scientific ornithologists; but for those who have only a slight
knowledge of birds, so as to enable them to determine a species
without having to scarch through bulky volumes.

Hvery endeavour has been made to avoid technical and scientific
terms and to be as concise as possible.

“This little work, compiled by one of our best practical Ornithologists
and sportsmen, is intended for the use of those who already have a slight
knowledge of birds, but require a handy guide to the diagnostic characters
of the species as a companion when travelling .... NEARLY PERFECT.”—
Athenaeum.

“Is likely to prove of great service, owing to the LARGE AMOUNT OF
INFORMATION COMPRESSED INTO A SMALL compass.” —TJbis.

Demy, 8vo, Cloth. Price 21s.

A NATURALIST IN THE TRANSVAAL

BY
Wie Use i SieAG NEI:

With Coloured Plates of New Species and Original Drawings.

“Mr. Distant could hardly have employed his time to better purpose, as
his readers will acknowledge. He writes with authority on all matters of
natural history, and his habits of close observation, acquired in zoological
pursuits, have stood him in good stead in his study of the social and
political condition of the Transvaal and the personal characteristics of the
Boers. All naturalists will delight in the book, and political students will
find in it much profitable instruction.””— Times.

Royal 8vo0, Cloth extra, Price Ts. 6d.
LONDON BIRDS AND LONDON INSECTS
(REVISED EDITION),
AND OWE EB Ri Sik 2/2 C HE'S,
BY
T. DIGBY PIGOTT, C.B.

“ A charming series of Essays, mainly on birds, their ways and their haunts.”— Times.

LONDON:
R. H. PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

Cloth, 329 pages. Price 10s. 6d.

THE ELEMENTS OF ORNITHOLOGY.
BY
ST. GEORGE MIVART, F.R.S.
With 174 Illustrations, whereof 140 are Original Drawings.

“We can cordially recommend the ‘ Elements of Ornithology’ as con-
taining a mine of modern information on the subject of birds, compressed
into a small eompass.”—The Ibis.

“To thoroughly appreciate the value of Prof. Mivart’s ‘ Elements’ one
has to be the curator of a museum. Many people, like myself, must have
been puzzled by the frequent demand for an elementary, but comprehen-
sive book on birds, such as a man ean carry with him on his travels, and
many people about to journey abroad have asked me for a small book
which would explain to them what certain birds were like. I prophesy
that Prof. Mivart’s book will make many collectors, and its handy size
is one of its best features. Commencing in an easy and unconstrained
manner, Prof. Mivart in his Introduction leads his pupil on through the
various forms of bird-life, his object being not to weight the tyro with too
heavy material for study at starting. All the leading Avian types are
passed in review, and they are illustrated by some admirable woodcuts by
Mr. Keulemans, drawn especially for the work.”— Nature.

‘A scientific manual of excellent design. It presents a succinct and
methodical treatment of the whole subject, and in its comprehensiyeness of
suryey differs from all other single volumes devoted to the natural history

of birds, with which we are acquainted. The introduetion is illustrated by «

nearly two hundred drawings, most of which are new, and all admirably
engraved, comprising descriptions of representative birds of the leading
classes, orders, and families. This portion occupies nearly one-half of the
volume, and will equip the student with a thorough preliminary grasp of
the subject; for, though truly scientific in plan, it treats of the more
popular aspect of a fascinating branch of. antl history in a very attractive
style.”—Saturday Review.

Small 8v0, Cloth. Price 6s.
SPORTING SKETCHES IN SOUTH AMERICA. |

BY

Apmirat KENNEDY

{(COMMANDER- IN-CHIEF EAST ENDIA STATION).

WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

« The book is far more than a mere record of Sport, for quite as much
is said about the countries visited as about the animals found in them,
and many works of far higher pretensions do not contain half the ‘ grit”
supplied by this little volume.”— Atheneum.

Demy 8vo, cloth, price 10s. 6d. net.
Large Paper (Demy 4to), only 109 printed, 21s. net.

THE BIRDS OF PEMBROKESHIRE
AND ITS ISLANDS.

Rey. MURRAY A. MATHEW, M.A.
Tiustrated with Maps and Photographs of Bird-Stations in the Islands.

LONDON:

k, H.:PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

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