SSMASSARSAARAAAA

Smithsonian Institution
Shibraries

Alexander Wetmore
19406 dath Secretary 1953

oa

[euTdOW SEIMmoOdpny
Tie ANS Belin Tait =p
: cl el ib ib (| nm A
duct

>

at

BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND

Chi liGAl Ey Tod Vio LED:

INCLUDING SOME NOTES

ON THE

BIRDS OF WESTMORLAND.

BY
THE REV. H. A. MACPHERSON, M.A.,

AND

WILLIAM DUCKWORTH.

CARLISLE :
CHAS. THURNAM & SONS, 11 ENGLISH STREET.

1886.

[ Ad rights reserved. |

yanees “tee

TO THE MEMORY

OF

JOON BREYSHAM, M.D,

AND

THOMAS COULTHARD HEYSHAM,
BOTH EMINENT NATURALISTS,

THIS STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE
BIRDS OF THEIR COUNTY

IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED.

4
“gs

» Ry riae a l imtall. =

a

“The good effects of faunal works . . . none can doubt.
‘Every kingdom, every province, should have its own monographer,’
wrote Gilbert White more than one hundred years ago, and

experience has proved the truth of his assertion.”

Proressor Newton, Lnacycl. Brit., 9th Ed., Vol. XVIII, p. 18.

PREFACE.

To working ornithologists, the maritime counties of
England are essentially of primary interest, both from
the numerous species which regularly haunt the seaboard
and estuaries, and from the frequent occurrence of rare
European forms upon the coastline. .

When, therefore, I came to Cumberland, in 1882, I
naturally asked myself, “What is the Avi-fauna of this
county?” An examination’ of faunal literature shewed
that, while the counties of Durham and Northumberland,
of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Sussex, Cornwall, and
Somerset, had been treated of exhaustively, or in part,
by Messrs. John Hancock (1874), W. E. Clarke (1881),
J. Cordeaux (1872), H. Stevenson (1866-70), A. E. Knox
(1849), E. H. Rodd (1880), Cecil Smith (1869), the literature
of the Aves of the north-west of England was wholly of
a meagre and unsatisfactory character.t I at once decided
to devote every fragment of leisure to the elucidation of
the Avi-fauna of Cumberland, and sought the fullest in-
formation on all hands, visiting all districts and sifting
every fact presented to me with the utmost care. As

my notes amassed, I proposed to my valued colleague,

+ Mr. Mitchell’s Birds of Lancashire, and A Catalogue of the Birds of
Norfolk, by Mr. J. H. Gurney, junr., have since appeared ; as, also,
Mr. Armistead’s Notes on some of the Birds of the Solway district
(Naturalist, 1885, 1886).

vi PREFACE.

Mr. W. Duckworth, who had already explored the fells
and valleys of his native county for twenty years, that we
should write a county “list” of Birds. Mr. J. G. Goodchild,
the indefatigable Editor of the Cumberland and West-
morland Association for the Advancement of Literature
and Science, most kindly requested that our list should
be published in the “ Transactions.” To this we consented,
but, unfortunately, when the list had been completed, and
revised by Mr. O. V. Aplin, in August last, Mr. Goodchild
found that it would be impossible to publish our list during
the present year (1885), and that it could not appear in the
“Transactions” before December, 1886. In consideration
of the pains bestowed to incorporate our latest notes,
Mr. Duckworth concurred with me in thinking that our
right course would be to at once prepare the list for
publication in an expanded form. In the task of enlarging
the original text, I have strictly adhered to the principle
of copying all descriptions of the habits of birds from
our joint note-books, written in the open air, and fre-
quently written together, but containing only rough and
ready memoranda for personal use. Myr. Duckworth’s
observations refer especially to such inland-breeding species
as the Dipper and Pied Flycatcher, while mine refer more
particularly to Ducks, Sea Fowl, and Waders; but we
have neither of us confined our observations to any one
group, or to any one part of the county, though Mr.
Duckworth is most at home on the fell-side, and I am
best acquainted with the coast and salt marshes. The
simplest language has constantly been employed, our single

endeavour having been to arrive at correct conclusions,

PREFACE. Vil

and to present them to our fellow ornithologists fortified
by facts which are incontestable. All descriptions of
plumage are based on my local specimens, and have
been incorporated in the text for the sake of such local
observers as may have little or no access to works of
reference. All species, marked with an asterisk, have been
excluded from the census of Cumberland. The details,
which refer to the Birds of Westmorland, have been
added in deference to the urgent wishes of ornithologists

interested in that county.

H. A. MACPHERSON.

Carlisle, October, 1885.

| YorMmurndly) JOM

ex
eI a by sarin!

/

| »
pqgeany

= _y

ee
= ot TPO] ’
{yo 5 eq Ubivta Oy

|
|
|
|

sainanitanes PP rete terepo POTTY
AND UAUN NADY YL SpUAS2A1dat OUIINO]O) AY,

aL Las z oT g i d 2
1 7 $$ —_}—— + — ——

vapyr ys7ybug

CNVIYONISHUM 8 CGNVTHH EA)

10 SHILNOOO AHL

1 7 =

——

THE COUNTIES OF

| CUMBERLAND & WESTMORLAND

:

ragtish Aitee
a

Physical
features.

INTRODUCTION.

Situated on the borders of the two sister kingdoms, having
its shores washed by the Solway and the Irish Sea, the County
of Cumberland includes within its area of 1,515 square miles
a rare diversity of physical features, bleak moorlands, lowland
mosses, and upland tarns blending their influences to counter-
act the grave disadvantages imposed upon the county by its
westerly position. The total area of Cumberland may be
divided into three nearly equal portions of arable land, of
grazings, and of waste, the latter comprehending such ex-
tensive woodlands as Penrith Beacon, Barron and Coombe
Wood, and the plantations of the Netherby estate. The
Pennine hills constitute the eastern boundary. About twelve
miles south and west of Carlisle, the fells of Caldbeck rise
gently from the Cumbrian plain, while behind them tower the
massive proportions of Skiddaw (3,058 ft.), and a host of
brother giants, containing in their generally well-wooded
vales a cluster of lakes, of which Ulleswater (nine miles in
length) is the largest, though the reedy Bassenthwaite is most
favoured by wildfowl. The becks and rivers of Cumberland
are numerous, including the Duddon, Derwent, Esk, Irt, Mite,
Lyne, Irthing, Caldew, Petteril, but especially the rocky Eden,
which, springing in Westmorland, flows steadily northward,
to irrigate an undulating tract extending from the base of the
Pennine range to the confines of the lake district. Between
the western shores of Cumberland and the higher grounds,
there extends a belt of low ground from two to five miles in

Drainage.

Migration.

INTRODUCTION.

breadth, joing issue upon its border with the littoral sand-
hills which flank the coastline continuously, unless interrupted
by modern industries, as between Maryport and Workington,
or by natural features as at Whitehaven. But it is upon the
Ravenglass estuary that the conical sandhills become most
pronounced, affording shelter to a colony of Sandwich Terns,
which, with many other species, breed increasingly under the
vigilant protection of Lord Muncaster. Immediately south
of the town of Whitehaven, the coastline, otherwise depressed,
is diversified by the St. Bees sandstone, which, rising to a
height of 333 ft. at Sandwith, affords a safe retreat to Raven
and to Falcon upon its fatal precipices, the Razorbill and the
Common Guillemot occupying the lower ledges, in close
proximity to a flourishing colony of the Herring Gull.

The extension of surface drainage has rendered many
portions of our fells and salt marshes less suitable for wildfowl
than was formerly the case; but with the exception of
Rockliffe lough, Tarn Wadling (100 acres), Cardew Mire
(once a rushy bog, two miles in length and a quarter of a
mile in breadth, where the Bittern is reputed to have bred),
our mosses and loughs have for the most part escaped the
doom of being converted to the prosaic uses of agriculture.

A large extent of moorland has also been reclaimed during
the last thirty years, but despite these changes, the Black-
headed Gull, and other moss-loving birds are on the increase.
Nor should it be forgotten that the estuaries of the Duddon,
at Millom; of the Irt, Mite, and Esk, at Ravenglass; of the
Waver, Wampool, Esk, and Eden, on the Solway ; combine
with the numerous creeks intersecting our salt marshes (of
which, between five and six thousand acres impinge on the
Solway), to arrest the attention of waders and wildfowl during
their periodical migrations.

It has been ably suggested by Mr. Mitchell (Birds of

INTRODUCTION. x1

Lancashire, Introductory, p. x), that the numbers of the
Limicole and Anatide which visit the west coast of England
are greatly inferior to those of the east coast, and it is pro-
bably true of Cumberland; but it must be borne in mind that
certain species are fully as abundantly represented on the west
coast as on the east, e.g., myriads upon myriads of Oyster-
catchers winter on the shingled shores of the Cumbrian
Solway, whilst “clouds”? of Dunlins are present on the
entire Cumbrian coast, except during the breeding season.
But, when Mr. Mitchell goes on to state, that Scandinavian
and Siberian forms are “ very irregularly represented on the
west coast in comparison with species breeding in Scotland,
Iceland, and Greenland,’ he appears to us, to adopt an
uncertain footing ; for, if it be granted that all the Whimbrels,
Purple Sandpipers, Barnacle Geese, and other species probably
nesting in the great north-west region thus created by Mr.
Mitchell, are the identical individuals which visit the west
coast of England during autumn and winter; we shall still
have to account for the presence of the Grey Plover, Green
Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Woodcock, Solitary Snipe,
Jack Snipe, Little Stint, Goldeneye, Smew, and a host of
other visitants from north-east Europe. Or, if the Redwing
and Siskin visit the western counties from Iceland and
Scotland, at least the Fieldfare, the Brambling, the Short-eared
Owl, arrive in dense numbers from Scandinavia. Whilst,
therefore, the west coast route is no doubt followed by a large
proportion of winter immigrants from the north-west, as well
as by many summer visitants, e.g., the Sand Martin, Common
Sandpiper ; it can hardly be denied that a route or routes must
exist, by which the little voyageurs from north-east Europe
annually travel in safety to the woods and shores of Cumber-
land. And the key to the problem lies in the fact, long since
suggested by Mr. R. Gray, endorsed also, incidentally, by

xl

INTRODUCTION.

Mr. Harvie-Brown, that a large number of species follow the
trending of the Solway during their periodical journeys. On
this subject precise data is sadly meagre, but our own
experience, and that also of careful observers, enable us to
suggest three probable migratory lines. Line No. 1 would
start about Berwick, and, passing from north-east to south-west,
would culminate on the Solway basin. Line No. 2 would
start from Tynemouth, and, following the rivers Tyne and

»

Tithing, would meet the first line on the Solway. Line No. 3
would start from the Durham coast, and, passing through
Weardale or Teesdale, would enter Cumberland near Alston,
thence trending south-west to empty its passengers on the
Ravenglass and Duddon estuaries. It is impossible to do
more than indicate these lines as probable, nor must it be
supposed in any case that all species would uniformly adhere
to these main tracks of migration. The fact, however, that a
very large proportion of the rarer forms obtained in Cumber-
land have been found in close proximity to the lines of
migration thus suggested, is full of significance ; and the lines
of flight thus perhaps adopted in autumn, appear to be
reverted to by many species on their vernal migration. Thus,
in 1885, a great rush of migrants passed over Rockliffe on
April 17th, the passage commencing at 8-45 p.m., and being
still in full swing at 10-30 p.m.; Wigeon, Goldeneyes, Geese,
and many other species passing in the same direction, from
south-west to north-east, wind north-west, night clear, birds
flying high; the passage was resumed on the following
evening, with wind west. It must, however, be pointed out,
that while many species appear to use the routes thus
delineated both in autumn and spring, yet certain species, e.g.,
the Ruff, evidently strike eastward from some more southern
point, when returning to their breeding grounds, since they

rarely or never occur in Cumberland, except in autumn.

Literature.

INTRODUCTION. Xiil

Further research may possibly indicate that the Solway
basin is an ornithological junction, where the feathered pas-
sengers from north-east Europe either “take seats” for
Treland, or follow the coast line directly south; but, on this
point, no satisfactory evidence seems to have been obtained
hitherto.

The literature of the Birds of Cumberland can hardly be
said to extend over a longer period than a hundred years.
Speed (1611), tells us that Cumberland is “ overspread

5]

with great varietie of fowles’’ Childrey shrewdly remarks
(Britannia Baconica, 1661), that the “ Maritime parts are wel
furnished with Fish and Fowl.’’ Robinson records the pre-
sence of Swans in the lakes, but his “Ocular observations”’
appear to have been confined to “Subterranean Matters”
(Essay towards a Natural History of Westmorland and Cum-
berland, 1709). Clarke included a few items of bird lore in
his Survey of the Lakes (1787); but the first attempt to
render a statistical return of the Birds of Cumberland was
made by Dr. Heysham, in 1797. Dr. Heysham contributed
his essay to Hutchinson’s History of Cumberland, a work

which bears the date 1794 on its title page, but it was pro-

_bably printed gradually, and internal evidence shows that the

MS. was still in Dr. Heysham’s hands in the spring of 1797.
In this list, of about twenty pages, Dr. Heysham enumerates
one hundred and sixty-seven species of Birds as having
occurred to his knowledge in Cumberland, but the Mute
Swan, Muscovy Duck, and other interlopers, are included in
his estimates. Most of his notes are based on personal obser-
vation, and those upon the Swift, Hen Harrier, Goosander,
and Waxwing, display considerable research. The Rev.
W. Richardson at the same time contributed to the county
history an essay on the zoology of Ulleswater, of which the
Birds occupy about nine pages.

INTRODUCTION.

After a blank period of more than thirty years, Dr. Stanley,
an ardent collector, contributed a list of the Birds of White-
haven to Loudon’s Natural History Magazine, and at the same
time, Mr. T. C. Heysham, upon whom his father’s mantle had
descended, broke silence to furnish a series of reports from the
Carlisle district to the Philosophical and other Magazines.
Mr. Heysham’s observations were anonymous at this period,
but his nom de plume of “A Correspondent”? was well known
to all his cotemporaries except Professor Rennie, who lacerated
Mr. Heysham’s feelings, by referrmg his important notes on
the nesting of the Pied Flycatcher to the pen of Dr. Stanley
of Whitehaven. Mr. 'T. C. Heysham was a personal friend
of Mr. Yarrell, who derived many notes from Mr. Heysham.
Mr. Heysham’s scattered writings exhibit the characteristics
of extreme caution and great thoroughness, his scientific
researches not being limited to ornithology. He had almost
reached middle life when he began to publish his observations,
and they consequently bear ample traces of his matured
genius. Another student of the Birds of Cumberland, or at
least of its borders, was the late Sir W. Jardine, whose notes
on the Birds of the Solway were embodied in his Birds of
Great Britain and Ireland (1838-43). In 1854, a list of the
Birds of West Cumberland was contributed to the Zoologist
by Mr, Robson, but had better have been omitted. Its value
was shewn at once by the criticisms of Mr. R. Birbeck. In
1865, 1867, and in 1878, the Zoologist published essays on
the Avi-fauna of the Lakes, contributed by Mr. H. Saunders,
Mr. J. Cordeaux, Mr. W. A. Durnford, followed in 1879 by
a comprehensive account of the Birds of Ravenglass written
by a resident ornithologist, Dr. Parker of Gosforth, and
supplemented by subsequent notes.

In 1881, Mr. Charles Murray Adamson included in his
“More Scraps about Birds” the most important notes on the

MS.

information.

INTRODUCTION. XV

waders of the Solway that had appeared since Mr. Heysham’s
reports, though written in the same period.

In 1882, the late Mr. W. Dickinson inserted a few notes
on Birds in his small work ‘‘ Reminiscences of West Cumber-
land,” privately printed. Mr. Dickinson was a man of many
talents, and his notes, though short, are worthy of their
author.

Further references exist in Yarrell’s British Birds, of
which the fourth edition is really a new work; in Mr.
Harting’s Handbook of British Birds; in the Zoologist,
Field, Morris’ Naturalist, Loudon’s Natural History Magazine,
Philosophical Magazine, local newspapers, and elsewhere ; all
necessary references to which have been incorporated in the
text. Valuable data relating to the physical features of the
county will be found in papers published in the Transactions
of the Cumberland and Westmorland Association, especially
Mr. J. Jackson’s ‘‘ Notes on Inglewood Forest,” and Mr.
Harrison’s paper on Mosses.

The only early MS. information, available, exists in
Edmund Sandford’s History of Cumberland, of which the
original copy exists in the archives of the Dean and Chapter
of Carlisle. Unfortunately, the last sheet, containing, ap-
parently, an account of the netting of Sea Birds at St. Bees,
is imperfect in this copy. The only references to Birds in the
remaining MS. have been incorporated in the text. Sandford
was a cadet of the house of Askham. Of recent information,
some MS. notes kept by the late Mr. Proud were kindly lent
to us by his daughter, the late Mrs. Wannop, and have been
augmented by our correspondence with his son, Mr. W. Proud,
of Chico, Butte County, California.

Mr. J. W. Harris generously supplied an admirable list
of the Birds of Cumberland drawn up by himself, thus
adding the Fulmar and Little Crake to the census.

Xvl1

INTRODUCTION.

Dr. Parker of Gosforth also supplied a detailed and very
valuable paper on the Birds of Ravenglass.

In addition to the information thus conveyed, the whole
area of the county has been covered by district lists, annotated
by resident observers : Alston, Mr. B. Greenwell, supplemented
by Mr. J. Walton; Penrith, Mr. T. Hope, supplemented by
Messrs. Lunson and Fleming; Ulleswater, Mr. W. Hodgson,
A.L.S.; Millom, Mr. T. N. Postlethwaite, supplemented by
Mr. W. A. Durnford (list of Anatide), and Mr. R. Moore
(birds of the estuary) ; Ravenglass, Dr. Parker, supplemented
by Mr. Reynolds; Whitehaven, Dr. Lumb ; Keswick, Capt.
Kinsey Dover, supplemented by Mr. John Birkett and Mr.
Greenip ; Cockermouth and Bassenthwaite, Mr. H. P. Senhouse;
Cleator, Mr. F. D. Power; Longtown, Mr. Plenderleath ;
Lyneside, Mr. H. Kerr; Bewcastle, Mr. Crow; Brampton,
Capt. Johnson; Carlisle, Mr. J. B. Hodgkinson, Mr. Tom
Duckworth, supplemented by Mr. J. Cairns, Mr. Henry
Halton, Mr. P. Shepherd, Mr. J. Graham, Mr. Ritson, Mr.
W. Sharp, Mr. J. Davidson, Mr. B. Johnston, Mr. James Fell,
Mr. S. Watson, Mr. G. Dawson, and many others. The
important district of the Solway has received the especial
attention of Mr. A. Smith at Rockliffey Mr. Tremble at
Burgh, and Mr. R. Mann at Allonby.

Whilst the heartiest acknowledgments are due to these
gentlemen for their zealous co-operation, cordial thanks
are tendered also to Mr. John Hancock, Mr. J. H. Gurney,
junr., Professor Newton, Mr. A. G. More, Mr. J. E. Harting,
Mr. Francis Nicholson, Mr. W. E. Clarke, Mr. F. §. Mitchell,
Mr. W. A. Durnford, Mr. J. J. Armistead, Mr. J. R. Earle,
Mr. T. Horrocks, the Rev. H. H. Slater, Mr. J. Backhouse, junr.,
but especially to Messrs. E. Bidwell and O. V. Aplin, for the
indulgence with which various enquiries have been answered

and progress furthered.

Faunistic
changes.

INTRODUCTION. XVil

The most acceptable feature of the work, to general
readers, is undoubtedly constituted by the delightful Dotterel
experiences of Mr. Francis Nicholson of Altrincham.

The chief faunistic changes which have taken place during
the last hundred years are identical with the departure of the
White-tailed Eagle, the Marsh Harrier, the Kite, the Chough,
the Bittern, and other breeding species which only occur as
stragglers at the present time; and, with the increase of the
Pheasant, the Partridge, and many small species of birds in
proportion to the pains expended to destroy their natural
enemies.

Some species are slowly pressing forward, such as the
Pied Flycatcher. Others have progressed by leaps, such as
the Starling, Stockdove, Jackdaw, and the Rook. Some,
while holding their ground with firmness, are forced to con-
centrate themselves and to breed less sporadically than
formerly ; the Shelldrake is an instance. The Quail and
Grasshopper Warbler are tolerably numerous in some seasons,
and scarce in others; but such has always been the experience
of observers. Some species are slightly decreasing, e.g., the
Barn Owl. Others appear only on passage in the districts in
which they formerly bred, as the Wryneck. The Nuthatch
has not been authenticated in Cumberland during the present
century. On the other hand, the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
has bred with us, and possibly the Hawfinch ; but it would be
unsafe to infer that Cumberland is the north-west breeding
limit of these two species, on the evidence of isolated facts.
But the Siskin, always a winter visitant, has for some years
past regularly nested in the north of the county, and the
Turtledove appears to do the same.

Certain winter visitants are scarcer than formerly, eg. the
Grey Lag Goose; but others, e.g. the Barnacle, are on the
increase. Nor does a local decrease, of necessity, imply that a

eee

XV111

Census.

INTRODUCTION.

species is becoming less plentiful. Frequently it points to the
conclusion, that a species has slightly changed its quarters.
Thus, Mr. W. Hodgson, A.L.S., considers that, during his
thirty years’ close study of the lakes’ fauna, the Ring Ouzel has
decreased greatly in the Ulleswater district; but we know as
a fact that it has become more numerous on the Cumbrian
portion of the Pennine range, the breeding birds having some-
what shifted their nesting quarters to the north-east. Again,
while we learn from Mr. F. §. Mitchell (B. of Lancashire,
p. 51), that the Pied Flycatcher is more scarce than formerly
in Lancashire, we point, in reply, to its extension of breeding
ground in Cumberland, as shewing that this species is working
its way steadily northward.

The present essay includes a total of 250 species, or
84 residents, 81 periodical visitants, and 85 irregular and
accidental visitants.

The strength of Cumberland lies in its breeding species.
Cumberland, a county of 1,515 square miles, possesses 116
breeding species; Lancashire, 1,887 square miles, 114;
Yorkshire, 6,150 square miles, as worked out by Mr. W. E.
Clarke, 120. Not only are Cumberland and Lancashire
destitute of many of the rare forms which have been detected
on the Yorkshire coast, such as the two species of Bluethroat
Warbler; but even the scarce stragglers, which have occurred
in all three counties, have occurred far more sparingly in the
two western counties; thus, the Spoonbill has occurred nine
times in Yorkshire, but only twice in Lancashire and twice in
Cumberland ; the Scops Owl has occurred nine times in
Yorkshire (1881), but only once in Cumberland and once
in Lancashire. But this phenomenon is naturally accounted
for by the connection between the east coast of England and
the continent.

Among the rarer Palearctic forms obtained in Cumberland

Species
rejected.

Conclusion.

INTRODUCTION. X1x

are the Two-barred Crossbill, Parrot Crossbill, Roller, Goshawk,
Iceland Falcon, Pallas’ Sand Grouse, Cream-coloured Courser,
Collared Pratincole, Spotted Redshank, and Rose-coloured
Pastor. That pelagic wanderer, Wilson’s Petrel, has twice
occurred. The only three purely Nearctic species, as yet
obtained in Cumberland, are the Buffbreasted Sandpiper,
Surf Scoter, and Red-breasted Snipe.

The Swallow-tailed Kite, Nutcracker, Crested Tit, Spotted
Sandpiper, were included by the late Mr. J. Robson in a list
of the Birds of West Cumberland (Zool., 1854, p. 4167, et
seq.), but the first-named appears to have been represented by
an immature Peregrine (J. W. Harris MS.), and not one
shred of evidence was adduced in support of the others. The
Nightingale has been included as ranging into Cumberland
by Dr. Kinahan and others; but, though we could adduce
supposed recent occurrences on the good faith of gentlemen
well acquainted with the song of this species, yet the pro-
duction of a specimen in the flesh is necessary to substantiate
its claims.

British ornithology is essentially progressive, and it is
much to be wished that all visitations of rare species to
Cumberland may, in future, be fully chronicled. The subject
of migration is still shrouded by a good deal of mystery, and
all notes which include data as to wind and weather, and the
direction of the flight of migrating birds, are of real value.
Changes also occur from time to time in the distribution of
breeding birds, and those require to be carefully worked out.
The authors, therefore, rely upon the continued support of
their fellow observers, and will at all times be glad to identify
specimens or to render any other assistance in their power.

Whilst the birds of Cumberland have chiefly occupied
their attention, the mammals of their county have not been
entirely forgotten. The Bats and the Cetacea especially

INTRODUCTION.

invite research, but information as to the distribution of the
Dormouse, Red Bank Vole, and Harvest Mouse, would be
highly valued.

The classification adopted is that of the “Ibis” list, but
the British Long-tailed Titmouse, British Coal Titmouse, and
Pallas’ Grey Shrike, are considered unworthy of full specific
rank.

Communications, intended for either author, may be sent to

the care of Mr, W. Duckworru, 8a George Street, Carlisle.

)

—

)

—

p

)

—

Bh hat A.

. 8, line 15, read in brackets from “it possessed” to “ wings,”
inclusive.

. 49, for Pityopscittacus, read Pityopsittacus.

. 124, footnote, for “was shot,” read ‘* were shot.”

. 128, line 14, for «“ Zool., 1889, read “ Zool., 1879.”

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Family TURDID. Sub-Family TURDIN 4.

Genus TURDUS.

T. Viscivorus Mussreu-THrusnu.

The Missel-Thrush is a generally distributed
resident, breeding with equal freedom among the
heather-clad rocks at St. Bees, and in the orchards
of farmsteads ; remarkably familiar when nesting.
The resident birds gather into small parties in
September. Large flocks occasionally visit us on
migration, and we once saw a drove of a hundred
birds settle in Kinemoor wood to roost.

At the close of the last century, this species
was scarce in Cumberland. Dr. Heysham had to go
to Kirklinton, a distance of nine miles, to examine
a nest of the Missel-Thrush in 1782, and carefully
describes the eggs. It was probably rare at that
time in the other northern counties, since it is said
that Bewick, living at Newcastle, found it difficult
to secure a specimen. (Yarreill, B. B., Vol. I, p. 261,
4th ed.)

T. Musicus. Sone-Turusn.

The Song-Thrush is an abundant resident, but
no influx occurs in autumn, and many districts
are destitute of Song-Thrushes during the winter
months, Variation in the genus Turdus occurs less

B

D: THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

frequently than in the genus Merula, but we have
local notes of a white Song-Thrush, of another in
which the upper parts are white, and of a third of
a uniform buff.

Two white Fieldfares and one pied bird have
come under our notice, besides two pied Redwings.
All these were wild specimens. A caged Song-
Thrush, belonging to Mr. Coulthard of Blackwell,
unexpectedly assumed a dress of a uniform black in
its third autumnal moult. In two successive seasons
Nature strove to correct the freak, and the bird
became much lighter, being, at its death, a pale
melanoid form.

T. Ihacus. ReEepwina.

The Redwing is a common winter visitant,
generally dispersed through cultivated districts.
Owing to its dependence on live food, it is one of
the first birds to succumb to severe frost, and many
perished in the winters 1879 and 1880.

An interesting passage of Redwings immediately
over the centre of the city of Carlisle was observed,
in 1884, by Mr. Cairns, on October 21st. About
midnight a stream of Redwings began to pass, and
the movement continued for about thirty minutes,
the birds seeming to just clear the chimneys, calling
loudly, and all flying in a southerly direction. The
night was calm, but very dark, and the birds ap-
peared to be attracted by the street lights.

T. Pilaris. FIrLpFARE.

The Fieldfare is a winter visitant, most abundant
from October to March inclusive, and almost as

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 3

gregarious during the winter as in its breeding
quarters. Stragelers, and occasionally large flocks,
linger into the second week of May before departing
northward.

T. Merula. Buracksirp.

The Blackbird is a common and_ increasing
resident, nesting later in mountainous situations
than in cultivated districts. In April, 1883, a fe-
male Blackbird chose a curious site for her nest, in
a water-spout above the porch of a private house at
Carlisle, the male bird frequently singing upon the
gables. Unfortunately, when a heavy shower came,
the nest was flooded, and the eggs were chilled.
The female at once re-commenced to build, but
chose a more normal situation. We have often
found the nest in the interior of cattle-sheds.

T. Torquatus. Rina Ovzet.

The Ring Ouzel is a local summer visitant,
breeding in many elevated districts, especially on
the Pennine range, and at rare intervals on lower
grounds. A few pairs annually nest on the face of
the broken precipices immediately south of the town
of Whitehaven.

A. variety of situations are selected as the
nesting site.

We examined one nest in an old pit level, and
have seen others placed in nearly the same situation
as that of the Dipper, upon a face of rock over-
hanging a little pool on a fell “beck.” It often
happens that these birds frequent a few stunted
whin bushes on the bare fellside, in which case it is

A THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

difficult to approach the nest without being seen at
along distance, when the warning cry of the “fell
throstle” rings out to startle every bird in the
vicinity.

Upon the breeding grounds, the food of the
Ring Ouzel appears to consist principally of slugs
and beetles. Consequently, fresh fruit is eagerly
sought after, when the birds descend to lower
grounds in early autumn ; nor are they content to
take toll of the scarlet rowan berries alone, but
venturing into gardens in small droves, composed of
both adults and young, they proceed to levy black-
mail on the cherries, raspberries, and gooseberries.

Some notes on a charming pet bird of this
species will be found in the “ Zoologist,” 1883,
pp. 295, 296.

Genus SAXICOLA.

S. (Gnanthe. \WHEATEAR.

The Wheatear is an early summer visitant,
nesting numerously among the sand hills of the
coast and about the stone walls of our fells. It is
rarely seen in the lower arable districts during the
breeding season, but regularly visits the salt marshes
of the Solway on spring and autumn migration,
being most widely distributed at the latter season.

Genus PRATINCOLA.

P. Rubetra. Wuincuart.

The Whinchat is a common summer visitant,
nesting generally in meadow lands and on railway

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 5

cuttings. Adult males vary considerably in tint,
and this is partly due to the presence or absence of
the long buff fringes of the upper parts, which
appear to become atrophied as the season advances.

P. Rubicola. StToNECHAT.

The Stonechat is resident and numerous, but
local in its preferences, chiefly confined to the coast
line and the higher grounds, and nowhere more
strongly established than at St. Bees Head. Some
immature birds, as well as adults, pass the winter
on our coast, but an influx occurs in early spring.

Genus RUTICILLA.

R. Phenicurus. ReEpDstTArt.

The Redstart is a summer visitant, decidedly
searce near the coast line, but plentiful in elevated
districts. The same nesting hole of the Redstart is
occupied year after year, and is very often con-
tiguous to a dwelling-house. One hole above the
lintel of a barndoor, which was in constant use, was
occupied by birds of this species for fifteen years in
succession. In 1879, we observed a pair of Red-
starts ousting a pair of Pied Flycatchers from their
nestinghole.

R. Titys. Bruack Repsrarr.

The Black Redstart is a rare visitant to Cum-
berland. In the spring of 1876 a pair of Black
Redstarts were shot at Scotby by Mr. Trueman,
and were fully identified by Mr. A. Sutton and
others. Mr. Dickinson met with the Black Red-

6 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

start in the Lake district on three occasions (fH. P.
Senhouse, MS.) Immature birds are most likely to
occur in November, and should be searched for in
the neighbourhood of stables and kitchen middens,
which they frequent for food. They are fond of
perching on houses and on telegraph wires.

Genus ERITHACUS.

E. Rubecula. Repsreast.

The Robin is a common resident, but many leave
us in autumn, first appearing in the gardens after
quitting the woods in which they breed, and then
quietly slipping away southward. In autumn, soli-
tary stragglers haunt the narrowest creeks of our
salt meadows. In severe weather, when the ground
was covered with snow, we have seen the Robin
miles away from houses, feeding by the river side,
between the water and the snowline.

Sub-Family SYLVIIN &.
Genus SYLVIA.

S. Cinerea. WHiItETHROAT.

The Whitethroat is a summer visitant, breeding
in great abundance, but chiefly restricted to the
cultivated districts. It has occurred on migration
at St. Bees lighthouse.

S. Curruca. usszER WHITETHROAT.

The Lesser Whitethroat is a very scarce summer
visitant, tolerably established in the Lake district,
and breeding irregularly in the north of the county.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 7

It becomes very familiar in confinement and is
passionately fond of ripe fruit in autumn.

S. Atricapilla. Buackcap.

The Blackcap is a local summer visitant, scarce
in the Lakes, and not observed by ourselves or
reported by others in south Cumberland. -It breeds
in many localities in the north of the county.

S. Hortensis. GARDEN WARBLER.

The Garden Warbler is an increasing summer
visitant, fairly numerous in north Cumberland, but
searce elsewhere. Dr. Heysham, in whose time the
Garden Warbler was a rare visitant, found his first
nest on the west side of Botchergate, Carlisle,
June 2nd, 1797.

Genus REGULUS.

Ry. Christatus. GOLDCREST.

The Golderest is a common resident, uniformly
distributed through spruce and fir woods. The nest
is placed at various heights, but constantly beneath
the cover of a long bough, and its whereabouts is
soon learned from the active movements and shrill
tre-tre of the female. A very pretty sight, is to
watch a party of young Goldcrests, which have
evacuated their nest, arranging themselves to roost
in a long row on a branch of larch. The hustling
and scrimmaging which ensue, as the birdlets
sleepily jostle their brethren, are amusing to a quiet
eye. A large influx of Goldcrests is noticeable in
our plantations in October, but Mr. Nott informs

8 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

us that in 1884, great numbers of Goldcrests
fluttered against St. Bees lighthouse at midnight on
September 16th, wind §.E., light breeze, weather
gloomy. A land arrival was noticed at Carlisle at
the same time. <A caged Goldcrest was partial to
egg food and dried ant cocoons, mealworms it
refused, but eagerly accepted from our fingers the
larvee of clothes moths, seizing them by the head
and striking them repeatedly against a perch before
proceeding to swallow them.

R. Lgnicapillus. Firecrest.

The Fivecrest is a rare winter visitant, and we
have but one record of its occurrence in Cumberland.
“Tn 1845 I killed a Firecrest with a stone at Rose-
hill, two miles from Carlisle. It was identified, after
a careful reference to Yarrell, as an adult male, it
possessed the three black facial stripes and golden
tint on the body above the wings, by expert orni-
thologists. The bird was preserved by Mr. Story,
and from his collection passed into that of the late

T. C. Heysham.” (Mr. J. Graham in lit.)

Gius PHY LOOSco PRUs:
P. Rufus. Curr Cuarr.

The Chiff Chaff is a very local summer visitant,
scarce in the south and east of the county, tolerably
plentiful in the lake district, and increasing in north
Cumberland. Twelve years ago it first made its
appearance in certain districts near Carlisle ; and
in April, 1879, as Mr. Plenderleath informs us, its

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 9

not-to-be-mistaken notes were heard for the first
time in the woods of Netherby, where, since then,
it has nested regularly.

P. Trochilus. Wittow WaArBLER.

The Willow Wren is a common summer visitant,
and has latterly increased in numbers in the north
of the county. Though later in arrival than the
Chiff Chaff, it is an early nester, but its passage ap- -
pears to be protracted considerably. Thus, in 1885, a
large influx of Willow Wrens occurred in the Carlisle
district about April 19th, but on the 20th of the
May following Mr. Nott observed hundreds of this
species fluttering on the lantern of St. Bees light-
house, together with a few common Whitethroats ;
and, as he kindly sent us specimens, there is no doubt
as to the identity of the species. The domed nest
of the Willow Wren is built of moss, dried grass, and
dead leaves, and is lined with a warm quilting of
feathers.

It is usually placed on the ground, generally under
the shelter of a small plantation, and is by no means
difficult to find if the anxious motions of the old
birds be carefully watched.

In some rare instances the nest is slightly
elevated. Mr. Shepherd lately found a nest of the
Willow Wren placed in a short scrubby hazel bush
about two feet from the ground, and caught one of
the old birds sitting upon seven egos. Another was
discovered by Mr. Plenderleath in a spruce fir about
two feet from the ground, and we found a third built
into some brambles at the same height. Yet another

10 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

nest was detected by Mr. Tom Duckworth in the
interior of an old tin pan, under the cover of a thick
hedge. :

Variation of plumage in the direction of leucotism
is rare in the Sylviade, but in 1879 two Willow
Warblers were shot near Cummersdale, presumably
birds of the same nest as they were both nestlings,
in which the ground colour is white, blotched with
olive on the upper parts.

On August 5th of the present year, we had the
pleasure of observing a still prettier variety near
Warwick Bridge, and of hearing its familiar song.
The entire under parts were of a very delicate cream
colour, the upper parts being a shade or two darker.

P. Sibilatrix. Woop WARBLER.

The Wood Wren is a local but numerous summer
visitant, delighting in well-sheltered valleys clothed
with old timber, but not confined to such situations,
Its domed nest is similar in material and situation
to those of the Chiff Chaff and Willow Wren, but
while those species constantly line their nests with
feathers the Wood Wren is content to quilt the in-
terior with hair and fine grass.

Givus ACHRO CHP HAL Us:
A. Streperus. Rump WARBLER.

The Reed Warbler is a rare summer visitant,
stragglers occasionally appearing to find their way
into Cumberland.

A nest of the Reed Warbler, containing four
eggs, was taken on the Eden, in 1840, by Mr.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 1 |

Graham. An adult bird was shot some years ago at
Bassenthwaite, and was examined by Mr. Hodgson,
A.L.S., but a diligent search through the reed beds
of that locality during the present summer was not
rewarded by the detection of the Reed Warbler.
Mr. H. Kerr informs us that he has seen the Reed
Warbler on the Lyne in the breeding season.

A. Phragmitis. Sepce Warsier.
The Sedge Warbler is a widely distributed

summer visitant, nesting among tangled hedgerows
as well as by the water side.

In Mirebank we once found six nests, all con-
taining eggs, in a small patch of undergrowth a few
yards in diameter. A nest of the Sedge Warbler,
built in a whin bush (Ude« Nanus) on Kingmoor,
contained five eggs of a uniform pink. Hewitson
states that he received a clutch of pure white eggs
from T.C. Heysham. The elder Heysham, however,
considered the Sedge Warbler “a very rare bird.”
He shot a specimen on the Eden in 1796, and sub-
sequently secured two nests in the neighbourhood.

Gruss LOCUSTELLA.

L. Nevia. GRASSHOPPER WARBLER.

The Grasshopper Warbler is a local summer
visitant, rare in the Lake district, not reported from
south Cumberland, but well established in several
localities in the east of Cumberland, tolerably plenti-
ful near Carlisle, and numerous on the Solway littoral.
It varies greatly in abundance or scarcity in different
seasons, a fact due, no doubt, to the species taking

12 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

a more easterly direction on the spring migration,
in those years in which it is scantily represented
with us.

When crossing Newbiggan Fell, one bright May
morning, about 7 a.m., we saw upwards of a dozen
Grasshopper Warblers at once, all in the act of utter-
ing their peculiar cry from the topmost sprigs of
some tall heather.

Mr. Hodgson informs us that, on one occasion,
he observed a “flock” of Grasshopper Warblers,
evidently newly arrived, on a bank of gorse near
Kirkbride, April 23rd, 1868.

The following are extracts from Mr. W. Duck-
worth’s note-books ;—

“May 6th, 1881, 8 pm. While coming up one
of the Stainton lanes to-night, I heard the peculiar
note of the Grasshopper Warbler. The sound ap-
parently came from a thin hawthorn hedge, with a
rough bottom; and I thought it would be a good
opportunity of testing the supposed ventriloquism of
the bird. After marking the place, I crept quietly
on hands and feet until I was just opposite the bird,
which I could distinctly see sitting on a lower branch
of the hawthorn on the further side. Here I re-
mained for fully a quarter of an hour, while all the
time the bird kept uttering its sibilant note, some-
times so low that you could hardly catch it, at others
loud and clear. This fully settled in my own mind
what I had long suspected, that the supposed ven-
triloquism was merely due to the bird’s great com-
mand over its voice, and its long range from p. p. p.
to f. f. f., aided by the motion of its head.”

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. rs

“ April 30, 1885. While on Kingmoor to-night,
I caught a glimpse of a bird moving along the hedge
bottom. Its motion at once struck.me as that of the
Grasshopper Warbler. Bringing the binocular to
bear upon it, as it crept about apparently on the
feed, for twenty minutes I caught occasional glances
of it, when, at last, I heard its well-known note,
but so short and low that at first I could hardly
recognise it. This it repeated after two or three
minutes interval, the note growing louder and
longer each time, until, when I came away, it
being too dark to see, the Grasshopper Warbler
was in full song.”

The sibilant cry or song of the Grasshopper
Warbler starts a little before dusk, and is sustained
all night in warm summer weather, usually ceasing
about 8 am. But the danger of dogmatising too
nicely on such a point is well shewn by the fact that,
when studying the numerous Warblers which haunt
the extensive scrub north of a little village on the
Rhine, in July, 1884, we were positively amazed by
the noise as well as the abundance of Grasshopper
Warblers in a certain quiet corner. There they
were, reeling away most noisily around us, with as
much energy at midday as if the hour had been
5 am. The thickets were very dense, and the
peasants followed regular tracks, so that the birds
were secure from all intrusion and had lulled their
apprehensions to rest.

The nest of the Grasshopper Warbler is most
difficult to find; at least all those which we have
met with have been most carefully concealed. The

14 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

easiest method for finding the nest is to go after
sundown, just allowing time enough to see, to the
place which you believe contains the birds, and,
there arrived, carefully tap all the heather, whin,
and likely tussocks of grass with a long stick. The
bird sometimes flies directly away from the nest, but
never very far. Generally it runs off and creeps out
of your sight, or takes short flights from covert to
covert. Possibly some pairs rear two broods, for
we have found the full clutch of egos on the 17th of
May; and Mr. Tom Duckworth has obtained per-
fectly fresh eggs on August 6th. Nestlings have
spotted tongues. Mr. Tom Duckworth remarks
that eggs of this species which he has received from
the south of England are not so large or so beauti-
fully mottled as his local specimens.

Sub-Family ACCENTORIN
Gms AC CE NTO.

A. Modularis. Hepar Sparrow.

The Hedge Sparrow is a numerous resident,
breeding up to 1,200 feet on the east fells, where it
is known as the creepy-dyke.’ One or two white
and pied specimens have come under our notice
locally—the prettiest being a bird in the collec-
tion of Mr. Hodgkinson. In this bird, which
was obtained near Carlisle, the primaries are
white, and so are the throat and lower parts, but
a slight zone of brown crosses the breast from side
to side,

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. £5

Family CINCLID.
Genus CINCLUS.

C. Aquaticus. Drrpsr.

The Dipper is to be found on nearly all our
northern streams, and has decidedly increased of
late years. It is resident, and each pair occupies
its own portion of the river, though stragglers ap-
pear outside the breeding limits during winter.
The nest is composed of fine dried stems, lined with
oak leaves, and is placed within a circular dome of
moss, being itself saucer-shaped. We have never
found any feathers in the lining. The nest, considered
as a whole, appears large for the Dipper, and has an
entrance at the side. It is frequently placed under
the beams of bridges, or by the side of a waterfall ;
at other times it is attached to the face of a rock,
or is placed in the roots of a tree. Generally, the
nest is somewhat difficult of access, unless the stream
is low; and here the Dipper is sometimes at fault,
for, building early as it does, when the rivers are
swollen by the winter’s rain ; what are then safe
places become less so in the drier summer months.
Often before the young are fledged, the water falls
so much that there is a dry pathway between rock
and river.*

The height of the nest above the water varies
considerably ; we have seen it so near the stream
as to be only two feet above low-water mark ; and,

* In 1773, Miss Calwin of Penrith gave Pennant a drawing of a Dipper in
first feather, subsequently figured and described as the “ Penrith Ouzel”
(Tour to Alston, p. 159. B, Zool., 1812, Vol. I, p. 399.)

16 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

again, as high as fifteen or sixteen feet above the
water, with a clear plunge into a pool as deep. The
building of the nest, in which both birds take part,
is chiefly carried on in the hours of early morning,
and commonly occupies about a fortnight in con-
struction, though in one instance a nest was built
and received six eggs within the space of fifteen
days. Occasionally a pair of Dippers will commence
to build in February, and yet only commence incu-
bation in the first week of April. We have seen
four nests placed side by side on a favourite ledge
of rock, two belonging to the current year and
two to the previous year, but one alone containing
egos, the rest being in different stages of decay.
Our earliest clutch of eggs was completed on
March 38rd, and we have found eggs as late as
July 7th, two broods being commonly reared, and
many of the first broods flying in the latter half of
April.

The normal full complement -of a clutch is
five eggs.

The natural diet of the Dipper consists of
aquatic insects, but it occasionally feeds on small
fish. ‘This summer,” says Capt. K. Dover, writing
in 1881, ‘“ I saw the Dipper in pursuit of a minnow
in a small pool of water about two feet deep and
two or three yards in extent, which it caught after
a good deal of turning and twisting about, using its
wings like the flappers of a seal. After securing the
fish, it flew a couple of yards to be safe from the
water, and then gave the fish a peck upon the
shoulder, and, after a second or two, another on the

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 17

tail, and then, after a second or two more, it took
it up and swallowed it, head first. A few minutes
after this, I saw the Dipper take another minnow
from under a stone in shallow water, which it de-
molished in a minute or two, eating it in the same
way as it ate the first.”

The Dipper usually progresses under water by
using its wings or diving, but we have witnessed its
capacity for walking on the bed of a burn upon
several occasions.

The sweet Thrush-like song of the Dipper is
most often uttered in frosty weather, but we have
listened to it in every month of the year.

Family PARID/.
Genus ACREDULA.

A. Caudata. ‘ona-TAILep TITMOUSE.

The Long-tailed Tit is a fairly numerous resident,
having largely increased since the gun licence came
in, prior to which we had known an entire brood to
be shot off by mischievous boys, owing to these
Titmice roosting in a clump. Though we are not
able to give specific rank to the British form, op-
posed as we are to the needless multiplication of
species, it may be well to remind observers that
the white-headed continental form has occurred in
Northumberland, and may be detected in Cumber-
land also in mid-winter. The appearance of a flock
of adults of this form in their snow-white caps is
refreshing to an insular observer. We examined
one nest of this species, which had a piece of moss

Cc

18 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

hanging over the entrance, which had to be moved
every time the birds went in or out. A white
variety was repeatedly seen at Harker, in April,
1884.

Genus PARUS.

P. Major. Great Trrmovss.

The Great Tit is a generally distributed resident,
decidedly plentiful in wooded districts. A nestling
in our possession learnt the song of a Blackeap

Warbler.

P. Ater. Coat Titmouse.

The Coal Tit is a fairly numerous resident,
breeding all over the county, but especially partial
to young plantations. British specimens have
generally olive backs, as contrasted with the slate-
grey back of typical German specimens, but inter-
mediate forms occur.

P. Palustris. Marsu Titmouse.

The Marsh Tit is a local resident, breeding
sparingly in wooded districts, and nesting in the
pollarded ashes and willows along the fell becks, as
high as suitable wood extends. In autumn, family
parties feed eagerly on thistle seed, but the Marsh
Tit is insectivorous as well as vegetarian.

P. Ceruleus. Buus Tirmovss.

The Blue Tit is an abundant resident, nesting
in a variety of situations, from a church steeple
downwards. Mr. Plenderleath observed a Blue Tit

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 19

which laid her eggs in a nest of the Hedge Sparrow,
from which the rightful tenant’s eggs had been re-
moved. In autumn, the Blue Tit is more widely
distributed than in the breeding season, and if
encouraged, individual pairs will haunt a backyard
year after year, arriving in September and retiring
to breed in spring, but constantly feeding on scraps
and picking bones in the interval. The colour of
the Blue Tit becomes much intensified in early

spring.
Family SITTIDA.

Genus SITTA.

S. Cesia. NutHatcu.*

The Nuthatch may possibly prove to be an oc-
casional visitant, but the only satisfactory occurrence
dates back to 1782, when Dr. Heysham received
one of a pair of Nuthatches from Armathwaite
(where they were probably nesting) on May 11th.
The late Mr. Robson refers the species to Wythop
woods, but adduces no evidence (Zool., 1854,
p. 4168).

Family TROGLODYTIDA.
Genus TROGLODYTES.
T. Parvulus. Wren.

The Wren is a generally distributed resident.
Its numbers were much reduced by the severe
winters 1879-81, but the species has since recovered
its former proportions.

20 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Family MOTACILLID.

Genus MOTACILLA.

M. Alba. Waitt Wacrtalt.

The White Wagtail is a casual visitant on spring
and autumn migration, but does not appear to have
bred with us. It is a slighter bird than the Pied
Wactail, and the gorget upon the breast is much
smaller than in the Pied Wagtail. Some female
Pied Wagtails have very grey backs in summer, but
their gorgets are constantly more extensive than in
the White Wagtail. When studying the White
Wagtail in Norway and Switzerland, and other
parts of the continent, it has always seemed to us
that the call-note of the White Wagtail was softer
and less incisive than that of the Pied Wagtail.
Two White Wagtails were seen on the Irthing, in
the spring of 1850, by Mr. W. Dickinson, An adult
female was shot at Alston in the autumn of 1866.
Mr. F. D. Power had an excellent view of two
White Wagetails near Cleator Moor, April 11th,
1874. Early in April, 1880, a single bird was ob-
served near Hutton John by Mr. Hodgson. We
detected a single bird on the Caldew, April 20th,
1888, and watched another tripping over the lawn
at Rose Castle, April 15th, 1884, and met with a
third on Burgh Marsh on September 5th, 1885.

The White Wagtail was first recorded for Cum-
berland by Mr. T. C. Heysham, an example having
been shot on the Caldew by Mr. J. Cooper.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. Pl |

M. Lugubris. Prep Waeratt.

The Pied Wagtail is a generally plentiful
resident, but the majority of those which breed
with us are summer visitants, flocking before their
departure in September, returning in pairs and
singly in early spring. The Pied Wagtail, like the
continental form (JZ. Alba), is fond of pursuing flies
on the roofs of houses, especially in spring and
autumn.

M. Melanope. Grey Waeratt.

The Grey Wagtail is a common resident,
generally distributed along our becks and rocky
rivers. The majority of those which breed with us
withdraw before the approach of winter, returning
in early spring to their old haunts; but a few
examples generally winter in Cumberland, as was
the case in the severe winters 1879-81.

The following note on the nesting of the
Grey Wagetail has been furnished by Mr. Tom
Duckworth :—

“The Grey Wagtail breeds on the banks of
all our rivers, at least I have found it nesting
on the Hden, Caldew, FPetteril, Irthing, Gelt,
Lyne, Cairn, Croglin, the Ive, and the Roe, and
several of their tributaries. It is a very early
breeder, as I have found many nests in the first
week of April, containing the full complement of
six eggs, occasionally advanced in incubation. It
breeds twice in the season, the second brood being
fully fledged in the second or third week of
July.

bo
bo

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

“The Grey Wagtail nests in the holes of bridges,
in walls by the river side, and in some instances
in the roots of trees overhanging the water ;
but, as a rule, it prefers to build on a ledge of
rock. The Grey Wagtail nests year after year
in the same place. I know of an enchanting little
spot in the Fairy Dell, on the river Petteril, where
I have known the Grey Wagtail to nest for
elghteen successive years. It nests in some of
the most romantic situations. I recollect finding a
nest at Dub Spout on the Caldew, built on the top
of a small rock in a cavern, a most beautiful sight ;
another was placed within a few yards of a much-
frequented footpath.

“The nest is composed externally of roots, moss,
and sometimes a little couch grass; and, in most
districts, is lined inside with white horsehair, though
an alternative lining of fine roots with a small
portion of hair is sometimes substituted. The Grey
Wagtail sits very closely, and I have touched a
brooding bird with my finger before it moved.”

Although birds of the second brood are generally
fully fledged in the middle of July, we found a
clutch of fresh eggs on July 13th, but this occurred
at a height of 1,200 feet above sea level.

From that height, the breeding stations ex-
tend to where the Eden is influenced by the spring
tides.

M. Raw. YELLOW WAGTAIL.

The Yellow Wagtail is a summer visitant, but
local, breeding irregularly in the centre and north

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 23

of Cumberland, but only tolerably numerous in the
south. Upon its arrival in spring, it haunts ploughed
fields in the neighbourhood of our larger rivers.

4

Genus ANTHUS.

A. Pratensis. Mrapow Prr1t.

The Meadow Pipit is a common resident species,
breeding plentifully on our moorlands and coast-line.
Partial migrations occur in March and September.

A bird of the year, of a uniform white, except
where tinged with canary, was shot near Silloth,
September 8th, 1884.

A. Trivialis. Tree Pret.

The Tree Pipit is a numerous but somewhat
local summer visitant, breeding generally in wooded
districts, but more strongly established within a
ten-mile radius of Carlisle than elsewhere in the
county. We have taken seven or eight well-marked
varieties of the eggs of the Tree Pipit.

A. Richardt. Ricwarp’s Prrrr.
In the spring of 1839, Mr. W. Dickinson dis-

covered two examples of this rare straggler from

eastern Kurope, upon Castlerigg Fell. (Rem. W.
Cum., p. 14, H. P. Senhouse, MS.)

A. Obscurus. Rock Prretrr.

The Rock Pipit is a local resident, a few pairs
nesting on Rockcliffe marsh and elsewhere on
the coast-line. During autumn and winter, but
especially in October, a few single birds and small

24 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

parties are constantly to be met with on our salt
marshes, seldom rising when disturbed, but flitting
up and down the narrower creeks, and looking very
dark at a little distance.

Family ORIOLID.

Genus ORIOLUS.
O. Galbula. GoutpEen ORIOLE.

The Golden Oriole is a rare casual visitant, but
from its peculiar call-note and rich flute-like song,
is hardly likely to have occurred without detection.
A female or immature male was shot at Irton in
1857 (Zool., 1879, p. 488) ; another was obtained
near Penrith by T. Hope; several others were seen
near Lorton in 1878. (H. P. Senhouse, MS.)

Family LANIID.

Genus LANIUS.

L. Eecubitor. Great Grey Surike.

The Great Grey Shrike is a rare winter visitant,
but few seasons pass without one or more specimens
being obtained in the county, and others observed ;
for though easily approached at first, this Shrike is
naturally a shy bird, and its rapid flight renders it
difficult to shoot, if its suspicions are aroused. We
have notes of about twenty-five Cumbrian Grey
Shrikes, and have examined half the number, only
three of which can be referred to the sub-species
Lanius Major, characterised by the presence of a

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. . 25

single narrow wing-bar. Of these, the first was
shot at Egremont in 1880, and is in the possession
of Capt. Johnson of Castlesteads. The second was
shot some few years ago at Barrock Park, where it
is preserved. The third, a female, possibly not quite
thoroughbred, as the bases of the secondaries are
slightly tinged on the inner edge with greyish white,
was shot at Carlisle, January 16th, 1884.

Grey Shrikes have chiefly occurred in Cumber-
land from October to March, and no occurrences at
midsummer have as yet been substantiated in the
county. In 1866 an example was shot near Wigton,
on April 14th; another was observed at Stainton,
April 11th, 1828; and in 1884 another lingered
at Carlisle until the 10th of May. Our earliest
autumnal occurrence is that of a fine adult male,
with the usual two bars, shot near Slageyford, on
the borders of Cumberland, on September 13th,
1884, which contained the body of a small bird.
Our most recent notes refer to a bird observed at
Orton in December, 1884; to a second obtained by
Mr. Crow, in a poletrap, near Bewcastle, about the
same time ; and to a third observed by Mr. Cairns,
near Floriston, on March 11th, 1885. Mr. Cairns
had alighted from his trap to investigate the move-
ments of a Sparrowhawk, when a Grey Shrike
flew up and settled on the hedge beside him. Mr.
Cairns subsequently followed the Shrike a con-
siderable distance, but not having a gun with him,
was unable to decide the character of its wing-bars.

The following extract from Mr. Macpherson’s
paper on Shrikes (Trans. Cum. and Westd. Assocn.,

26 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

No. IX, pp. 106, 107) relates to a male of the
Great Grey Shrike, with two well-developed wing-
bars, caught in November, 1883, in Kincardine-
shire, NB.

“From December 14th to 21st, this bird, a
nearly mature male, lived partly on liver, partly
on an allowance of one Sparrow per diem. From
December 21st to 27th I gave him two birds a day.
On December 28th I found him devouring a mouse,
which he must have caught for himself in the
aviary ; when I disturbed him, he was holding it
half-devoured in one foot. On December 28th, I
gave him a dead Blue Tit. He almost at once
spitted it through the neck on an upright thorn ;
he then pulled the head off, and swallowed it,
feathers and all; he returned to flay the breast,
after which he took the bird off the thorn and re-
spitted it, the thorn now passing through the lumbar
region, and the tail being now uppermost ; he then
tore the flesh off, swallowing many feathers, which he
afterwards threw up as pellets; finally, he took the
trunk of the Tit off the thorn and carried it to a corner
of a perch, where he left it, but mounted guard over
it. I then tossed him a dead Wren, which he ate in
the same way. I usually left him a supply of live
Sparrows, which he killed and hung whenever his
larder was bare. I had some misgivings at first as
to whether he would not kill the Sparrows one after
another, and hang them in one long row. But he
was quite well disposed to them, and only killed
them when he wanted a fresh meal. He seemed to
prefer house mice to Sparrows ; but whatever his

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 27

food, he always hung it, whether given him alive
or dead, before holding his post-mortem upon it.”

Writing in 1829, in the Philosophical Magazine,
Mr. T. C. Heysham observes—‘“ For the last five
or six years the Cinereous Shrike has visited this
neighbourhood (Carlisle) pretty regularly, scarcely a
winter passing without one or more having been
either seen or obtained.”

Again, in 1832, he writes of “the Greater
Butcher Bird or Cinereous Shrike (Lanius excubitor) :
During the months of November and December
(1831), three of these birds were obtained in this
vicinity. A female, killed on the 24th of November,
had been feeding greedily on the larvee of Scotophila
purpurea and Amarta myrtilli, several of which had
been swallowed entire, and with little or no injury.
The stomach also contained a very fine specimen of
Carabus hortensis, two or three of Phosphuga atrata,
and the ely/ra of several species of A gonum.”

L. Collurio. JREp-BACKED SHRIKE.

The Red-backed Shrike is a scarce summer
visitant, a few pairs breeding annually in the lake
district. In the north of the county it only occurs
irregularly, Mr. Tom Duckworth found a nest
some years ago, near Newby Cross, and we have
seen the thorns festooned with insects, in other
seasons.

A pair nested near Carlisle in 1883, and another
pair were observed near Gilsland. In August, 1885,
we observed an immature specimen being vigorously
mobbed by some small birds.

28 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

We have studied this Shrike in confinement on
several occasions, and in 1883 kept a brood alive for
many months. In July the tarsi and toes of these
young birds were of a delicate French grey; when
they died, in December, the light grey had become
iron-grey ; and had the birds survived the winter,
doubtless these soft parts would have become black,
as in the adult bird.

‘On one occasion I had an excellent opportunity
of noting the courtship of the Red-backed Shrike.
During the forenoon of October 25th, the sunlight
happened to stream into my rooms, and fell on the
Shrike’s cage.

“The Rock Thrush began to sing and so did the
second male Shrike. Twice did the Shrike sing
most of the Rock Thrush’s song; as he sang on, his
amatory instincts grew, and he began to bow as he
sang’, raising himself to his full height, and then
bowing grotesquely, first on one side and then on
the other. As he sang on, he moved backwards
and forwards, bowing all the time, until at last he
fairly bowed his astonished brother bird off the
perch. Presently, there came a pause, and then
the singing and bowing set in again; once more he
bowed his fellow off the perch, and so pleased was
he, that he fired off the rest of his spirits in a con-
tinuation of clattering war cries, swaying his tail
excitedly ; the performance ended, he flew wildly
backwards and forwards from one end of the aviary
cage to the other, as though seized with a paroxysm
of migratory fever.” (Trans. Cum. & West. Assocn.
IX, pp. 101, 102.)

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 29

L. Pomeranus. WoopcHat SHRIKE.

The Woodchat Shrike is an accidental summer
visitant. In the spring of 1872 the late Mr. W.
Dickinson observed a single example near Stain-
burn tannery, and stood within twenty yards of
it for some minutes. Another was seen at Wood-
side many years since by James Cooper. (J. B.

Hodgkinson, MS.)

Family AMPELIDZ.
Genus AMPELIS.

A. Garrula. Waxwina.

The Bohemian Chatterer is a rare winter visitant.
Probably a few individuals visit us in most seasons.
A few stragglers appeared on the edges of our
plantations in the winters 1878-9, 1883-4, 1884-5,
and if the peculiar running “trill” were more
generally known, doubtless others would have been
detected. Those shot have generally permitted
of a close approach, whilst feeding greedily upon
“choops,” the seed-vessels of wild roses. Several
were shot near Carlisle in 1829, and two of these
were brought to Mr. T. C. Heysham, who quotes
the opinion recorded by his father, Dr. Heysham,
as early as 1797, that the number of the waxen
appendages does not depend upon sex, but upon the
maturity of the individual. Dr. Heysham records
the presence of a great flight of Waxwings in the
winter 1786-7, and received the last on March 22nd,
some time after its death. A similar visitation

30 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

occurred in Cumberland, as in Norfolk and other
counties, in the winter 1866-7, the majority of the
birds being obtained on the eastern borders of
Cumberland, in the vicinity of one of our probable
tracks of migration. We have seven skins obtained
near Alston on this occasion by B. Greenwell, who
shot many more; at Garrigill, some beautiful ex-
amples were shot by Mr. Joseph Walton. In other
years, these wanderers appear to visit us chiefly by
a more northern track, occurring repeatedly in the
same localities near Carlisle in different years. Mr.
G. Parkin has kindly favoured us with photographs
of a Waxwing, shot at Stapleton, near Brampton,
December 4th, 1875, in which the silky plumage of
this bird is well shewn.

Family MUSCICAPID/.

Genus MUSCICAPA.

M. Grisola. Srotrep FLYCATCHER.

The Spotted Flycatcher is a common summer
visitant, arriving early in May, and constantly
repairing to the same breeding haunt.

Mr. B. Johnson reminds us that a Spotted Fly-
catcher has nested in the summers of 1883, 1884,
and 1885, upon one identical branch of a small tree
on Kinemoor; though the situation is close to a
road, and the locality is constantly ransacked by
ego-collectors, the Flycatcher has in each season
reared her brood in safety. The Spotted Flycatcher
is partial to ivied garden walls. We lately saw a

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. Sil

nest in a Chilian pine (or “ Monkey-puzzler”), a tree
seldom used by any birds as a nesting site. Many
pairs nest upon rocks by the river side, where wood
prevails, and range up to an elevation of 900 feet.

M. Aéricapilla. Prep Fiycatcunr.

The Pied Flycatcher is an extremely local
summer visitant, and generally arrives between the
middle and end of April, thus preceding the Spotted
Flycatcher. The head-quarters of the Pied Fly-
catcher, during its sojourn with us, are at Lowther
Park, on the borders of Cumberland and Westmor-
land. In this locality the Pied Flycatcher nested
in the time of Dr. Heysham (1797), the abundance
of fine timber which clothes the hanging banks of
the river Lowther possessing many attractions for
the present species, as also for the Wood Wren,
which is extremely numerous. From the neighbour-
hood of Lowther, to which the majority of our
Pied Flycatchers appear to first proceed on vernal
migration, many pairs evidently pass on to breed in
the centre of the lake district, though they are
always local, and absent, or nearly so, from the
south and west of the district.

When Hewitson made a tour through the English
lakes, he only met with the Pied Flycatcher on the
Eden near Edenhall, on the Eamont and Lowther,
besides a few examples on the borders of Ulleswater.

In the last-named district a few pairs now nest
sporadically. Others pass down the Eden valley, to
nest at sparing intervals, until Wetheral is reached,
a few miles above Carlisle. Others, again, travel

32 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

alone the Gelt, Irthing, and other rivers, a con-
siderable colony nesting on the eastern fells near
Renwick, while stragglers nest intermittently in
other localities, as near Alston.

In the Carlisle district, as elsewhere, the Pied
Flycatcher prefers to nest in the neighbourhood of
water, but the choice of locality varies. A nest
which Mr. W. G. Smith lately found in a small
wood near Upperby, was placed in the hole of a
tree, and contained three eggs of the Pied Fly-
catcher. ‘The nest was made of dried grass and
roots, lined with hair. After I took the three eggs
someone pulled the nest out, and the bird laid a
fourth ege on the bottom of the decayed wood.”

In the year 1877, we had an opportunity of
studying the habits of a Pied Flycatcher from the
date of their arrival on May 7th until incubation
started at the end of the first week in June. The
locality was a narrow wooded valley, watered by a
tributary of the Eden, which has its source among
the Pennine fells. On May 8th, the day after their
arrival, the Pied Flycatchers had mated, and had
dispersed themselves at varying intervals along the
wooded banks of the beck.

The number of birds in the flock, when first
observed, was twenty-six. On the morning of the
8th we came across three pairs which had already
selected nesting holes, and the males were amusingly
fussy, popping in and out of the nests twenty times
within a quarter of an hour. On the 13th we
watched the females carrying materials to their
nesting holes, which in this locality were placed at

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 315)

varying distances from the ground, from one foot to
fourteen feet.

We constantly scrutinised the progress of one
particular nest, but seldom saw the birds near it
during the day, the building being chiefly carried
on in the early morning. On May 26th the first
egg was laid; on the 28th three eggs were taken
from one nest, but four more were laid by the 2nd
of June, and the female began to sit. Another
female began to sit on a complement of six eggs on
June 6th, and a third commenced to incubate a
clutch of seven eggs.

A good many pairs of Pied Flycatchers breed
at Edenhall, but the best locality for studying the
habits of the species is unquestionably Lowther,
where the woods fairly echo with the lively song of
the Pied Flycatcher during the month of May. In
this locality the Pied Flycatchers chiefly affect the
immediate vicinity of the river; ever and anon a
male bird darts out of the woods as though about
to cross the stream, but checking his course in mid-
career poises himself for a moment’s rest upon the
summit of some grey rock in the river bed. During
our protracted study of the Pied Flycatcher, we
have never happened to find a nest of this species
in any cavity, other than in a natural tree ; but, as
it occasionally nests in gardens, it is probable that
holes in walls are sometimes selected. Sometimes
the tree-hole selected is situated in the roots, only a
few inches raised above the ground; but at other
times the elevation chosen is very considerable.
Mr. T. C. Heysham found a pair of Pied Fly-

D

34 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

catchers nesting for two successive summers in the
stump of a felled tree. So frequently is a favourite
hole used in successive seasons, that we have more
than once found it necessary to block up such holes
in order to secure the bird from certain robbery.
The eggs are normally from six to nine in number,
and vary in their precise tint of blue, some speci-
mens being exceedingly pale. When the eggs are
incubated, the female Pied Flycatcher sits so closely,
that actual force is required to lift her off the eggs.

The Pied Flycatcher differs from the Spotted
Flycatcher, inasmuch as it possesses a very decided
song, commencing with some notes resembling those
of the Great Tit, and passing into a sweet strain
suggestive of the song of the common Redstart.
The Pied Flycatcher is frequently to be seen among
the highest branches of forest trees ; while the
Spotted Flycatcher is content with a lower elevation.
The flight of the Pied Flycatcher is not so rapid as
that of the common bird, nor does it obtain its food
as exclusively on the wing. The Pied Flycatcher
loves to take up its position at the extremity of a
dead bough, whence it can watch the tiny insects
stirring in the grass beneath. A caged female con-
stantly exhibited a high degree of adroitness in
darting down upon any insect introduced into her
cage.

Mr. Heysham kept two young males in con-
finement, taken from the nest on June 21st.

Although such a local species, the Pied Fly-
catcher has undoubtedly increased in Cumberland
of late years. The late Mr. Heysham stated in

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 35

1829 that the species had only nested in the Carlisle
district for five or six years, and it is within our
personal cognizance that the Pied Flycatcher has
become fairly established in districts to which it was
formerly an extremely irregular visitant. During
migration, odd birds are seen at a distance from
their favourite breeding stations. Thus, on one
occasion, a single male was seen by Mr. R. Mann at
Aiglegill, in the immediate neighbourhood of the
Solway. In the present spring, we found a nest
completed for eggs on May 5th. Great numbers
of Pied Flycatchers appeared on migration at the
Isle of May, Pentland Skerries, Flamborough, and
Spurn, about the same time, z.e. during the first week
of May, 1885. (Migration Report, 1885, p. 186.)

When visiting the Pied Flycatchers at Lowther
Castle, in 1884, we availed ourselves of a kind per-
mission to obtain some specimens for the Carlisle
Museum ; and finding the species in great abundance,
we shot four males and a temale, on May 19th, all
apparently paired birds, nest building operations
having, of course, started some days previously. Mr.
John Hancock states (Cat. B. of N. and D., p 79),
from an examination of a large series, that the adult
male in the breeding season (of which he gives a
delightful figure), “is black on the upper parts with
a broad obscure band of grey across the rump, anda
transverse band of white in front of the head; the
under parts are white, and the white patch on the
wing is very conspicuous.”

Of our four breeding males, shot on May 19th,
two answer this deseription, the black being as

36 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

nearly pure as possible, and the white forehead well-
developed. The third male is very similar, but
many of the feathers of the crown and nape are
fringed with brown, being however black at the
base, thus illustrating the truth of Mr. Hancock’s
surmise, that the change from autumn plumage to
breeding plumage “appears to be brought about,
not by a moult, but by an alteration in the tint of
the feathers themselves.” No doubt this third male
would have assumed the full black dress in a few
days, the change in colour gradually extending from
the base of the feather to its extremity.

It would appear from the fourth male under
examination, that the male of the year (hatched in
the previous summer) wears a dress similar to that
of the female during its first breeding season. This
bird is of a uniform brown on the upper parts,
scarcely at all darker than that of the female; the
white forehead is present, the white wing-bar is
broader than in the female, and the shoulders of the
wings are black ; but the breast and lower parts are
not of the silvery white of the other three males,
but are slightly tinged with brown, and decidedly
less pure. This bird, a male by dissection, we shot
in the act of singing lustily, and we believed it to be
one of a pair. That some, if not all, of the males of
the year thus resemble the female during the breed-
ing season, is further evidenced by the fact that when
re-visiting Lowther on June 14th of the same year,
we observed a male attired in the same sober brown
dress in full song. If this bird intended to change
his plumage, he would probably have done so

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. o7

between his arrival at the end of April and the
middle of June. A nestling in the Carlisle Museum
agrees with Mr. Hancock’s description of first
plumage, but the under parts are white, spotted
with dark brown, which he does not mention as
present in his specimen. At the beginning of
August, 1881, we observed several broods of Pied
Flycatchers with the old birds, in the neighbourhood
of Geneva, the young birds being very obscure in
tint. In the following September, we found the
species very abundant among the walnut trees at
Montreux. They no longer seemed gregarious, but
were attired in the brown dress of autumn detailed
by Mr. Hancock. A short account of the colony of
Pied Flycatchers at Lowther will be found in the
Naturalist, No. 114, January, 1885, pp. 125, 126.

Family HIRUNDINID/AL.

Genus HIRUNDO.

H. Rustica. Swattow.

The swallow is a common summer visitant, arriv-
ing both singly, in pairs, and in large flocks, during
the month of April. The last parties to go, leave
in October ; but stragglers occur in November, and
even later, for Mr. H. P. Senhouse once saw a single
Swallow flying near Cockermouth on January 6th,
and pointed it out to others, recording it in The Field.
An immature bird, caught at Carlisle, on November
5th, 1884 (on which day another single bird appeared
at Ravenglass), had begun to moult in our inclement
_ climate. In May, 1884, a swallow of a lavender-grey

38 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

colour was observed for some hours by Mr. R. Mann,
flying among a crowd of its fellows. Some old males
are very bright in the breeding season, the lower
parts being suffused with a delicate rose colour.
Mr. J. Davidson possesses a Swallow exhibiting this
intensity of vigour, but the rose colour faded con-
siderably in lustre. We have ourselves observed
similar birds, resting with their mates on telegraph
wires.

Genus CHELIDON.
C. Urbica. Martin.

The House Martin is a summer visitant, much
harassed in nesting operations by the common
Sparrow.

It is decidedly less subject to variation of plum-
age than the Swallow or Sand Martin, of both of
which we occasionally examine albinos, invariably
young birds. On August 10th, 1883, we observed
a pied House Martin near Burgh, the white wings
contrasting prettily with the dark upper parts (as in
that beautiful Ethiopian form, Hirundo Leucosoma,
figured in Messrs. Sharpe & Wyatt’s Monograph of
the Hirundinde).

In the Paris Marché des Oiseaux, young Martins
are often offered for sale, together with young
Swallows, Wrynecks, Wrens, and other small in-
sectivorous birds, and the Frenchmen rear them
successfully on raw liver, comminuted into a paste,
and mixed with the meal of maw (or poppy) seed.
With us such species are so seldom reared by hand,
that it is noteworthy that a brood of young House
Martins were lately reared by Miss Mann of Aigle-

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 39

gill. They throve in confinement until the migratory
season arrived, when they felt the fever of their race
to hurry south, and were released accordingly.

Genus .COTILE.

C. Riparia. Sanp Martin.

The Sand Martin is an abundant summer
visitant, arriving on the Solway with the last days
of March, and subsequently becoming generally
distributed. In June, 1879, Mr. B. Johnson took
a nest of this species in a gravel pit at Dalston,
which to his astonishment contained an egg of the
Swallow (Hirundo Rustica), in addition to a full
clutch of eggs of the Sand Martin. The nest in
question was difficult of access, and had not been
tampered with. We have examined all the eggs in
Mr. Johnson’s collection, and there is no doubt as
to the correctness of the observation. Possibly a
Swallow had found her nest destroyed, and being
forced to deposit the egg, resorted for shelter to
the Sand Martin’s nest. Males of this species,
when pairing, fight pertinaciously, and we have
approached within a foot or two of a pair of duel-
lists, before they quitted the dust in which they
were tussling and flew away.

Family CERTHIID.
Gunes! CHL) HLA,

C. Familiaris, Tren-CreepEr.

The Tree-Creeper is a fairly numerous resident,
chiefly haunting the older woodlands. Its low song
may frequently be heard in March.

40 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Family FRINGILLID.
Sub-Family FRINGILLIN &.
Genus CARDUELIS.

C. Hlegans. GoLpFINcu.

The Goldfinch is a local resident, having generally
decreased of late years, though still numerous in the
south of the county and in the Eden valley. A few
pairs breed sporadically in the north of the county,
and large flights are occasionally observed in autumn,
even upon the lower fells, where thistles flourish.
Several observers assure us that small parties follow
the trending of the Solway at this season, flying
from west to east or north-east, against a north or
north-east wind. We have seen the nestlings fledged
in the middle of June, and have also a note of a
brood of nestlings taken in the nest on September
20th. The last nest we found was placed in the
fork of a walnut tree at Interlaken, and contained
unfledged young upon August 19th. <A pair nested
in a Carlisle garden during the present summer.
HE. W. Parker, Esq., sends us an interesting account
of the abundance of the Goldfinch in the Eden
valley :—‘Goldfinches are very plentiful in this
district, and after the nesting, in the months of
August, September, and October, may be seen in
flocks varying from twenty to a hundred birds,
roving in search of thistles and ‘horse knops”
(Centaurea nigra). Every year I have seen as many
as thirty at a time in my kitchen garden in winter.
They have built there, to my knowledge, for the

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. Al

last seven years, in the apple and pear trees, and
the number of nests increases every year. This
year (1884) there were eight, but some of these,
I know, were second nests. J have never seen
Jackdaws destroy the young Finches, but have
seen them destroy two nests containing eggs. Last
year (1888) a Sparrowhawk took a whole nestful of
young Finches, and I shot it with the last in its
claws.”

The Goldfinch frequently sports some white
feathers upon the crimson zone which encircles the
bill, the white varying in extent from a small spot
no larger than a pea to an entire white throat ; both
sexes vary, and white-throated birds are known as
“bastards” and “hobby” cheverels. Albinism, proper,
is rare; but a caged female became perfectly white
in moult, with the exception of about six crimson
feathers on the forehead, a very faint and delicate
crescent of pale brown on the chest, and a rich
Goldfinch-yellow “bloom” on the wings, repeated
on the breast and outer rectrices. This bird died
in the following moult, and was dissected by Mr.
G. Dawson, who informs us that the liver was
diseased.* The crimson zone varies in extent, and
in a bird in the Bellevue museum is produced to a
point upon the breast, and very brilliant in tone.
The white tips to the wing quills of the Goldfinch,
termed “buttoning” by bird-fanciers, vary much in
extent, and are all but absent in some of the caged

* Mr. Beddard informs us that liver disease is of frequent occurrence in
the class Aves.

Abnormal plumage is probably due in most instances to defection in the
dermal integument.

42 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

German examples kept by mule breeders. In the
Rhine valley, where the Goldfinch is marvellously
well established, and flies about the cottage roofs,
in certain localities, with almost the familiarity of
the Sparrow, we noticed this peculiarity, especially
in the adult birds, which were so much engaged in
tending their young broods as to permit of a very
close examination with our binoculars.

Genus CH RYSOMITRIS.

C. Spinus. SIsKIn.

The Siskin is a local winter visitant, haunting
the alders by our rivers in variable numbers, chiefly
from November to March.

Since 1879, a few pairs have regularly bred
near Longtown, several nests being found by Mr.
Plenderleath, thus confirming the suspicions ex-
pressed by Mr. T. C. Heysham fifty years previously.
Dr. Parker believes that he has seen the Siskin in
the extensive fir woods at Muncaster in the breeding
season.

Genus LIGURINUS.

L. Chloris. GREENFINCH.

The Greenfinch is a common resident, plentiful
in most parts of the county, but scarce in the south-
east, where Mr. Walton has only observed it in a
very few instances. Now, as in Dr. Heysham’s
time, the majority of those that breed with us
depart before winter, possibly passing the colder

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 43

months in the Midlands or on the south coast.
The movement is not, however, correlated with
temperature, but with the supply of food.

Genus COCCOTHRAUSTES.

C. Vulgaris. Hawrincn.

The Hawfinch is a very scarce winter visitant,
occurring in small droves and also singly. It is
possible that it has nested in Cumberland, for a
Hawfinch was observed in summer at Woodside,
many years since. A single bird was observed near
Carlisle in the spring of 1884, and in August, 1882,
a young bird was shot out of a party of five in the
garden of Bridekirk Vicarage (Rev. A. Sutton in lit.)
Mr. E. Sutton was attracted to these Hawfinches
by the shrill notes of the young birds, with which
he was previously acquainted, and writes that the
bird which fell to his gun was certainly a young
one, though he sees no grounds for concluding that
it had been bred in that immediate locality.

In 1880, a female Hawfinch, together with a
nest and clutch of three eggs, was obtained at
Coniston, which is only five miles south of the

Cumberland border. (B. of Lancashire, p. 60.)

Genus PASSER.

P. Domesticus. Sparrow.

The Sparrow is an only too numerous resident,
having increased immensely of late years. ‘‘ Wherever
there is grain,” wrote Dr. Heysham, in words still

44 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

applicable, ‘‘there is an abundance of Sparrows; but
in some of the vales about Keswick, where there is
little or no grain produced, and few inhabitants, it
is an extremely scarce bird.” When the grain is
ripe, a partial migration occurs from housetop to
cornfield. White, pied, black, and buff varieties
have come under our notice in Cumberland.

P. Montanus. Tree Sparrow.

The Tree Sparrow is a very scarce resident,
a few pairs nesting annually in certain isolated
localities.

We first ascertained the presence of the Tree
Sparrow in Cumberland in 1871, when we observed
a pair haunting the yard at Cairn Head, a lonely
house situated at the foot of King Harry. We
watched the birds passing in and out of a hole in
the barn wall, from which we subsequently extracted
the nest with three eggs.

During autumn, the Tree Sparrow wanders:
stragglers may be observed at a distance from their
breeding grounds ; nevertheless it is at all times an
exeedingly scarce bird in Cumberland.

Genus FRINGILLA.

F. Celebs. CHAFFINCH.

The Chaffinch is an abundant resident, more
numerous in certain localities than even the House
Sparrow. Despite the fierce combats which fre-
quently ensue between rival males in the breeding
season, the Chaffinch is chiefly gregarious during

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 45

the winter months. An excellent instance of the
protective instinct of the Chaffinch occurred on the
banks of the Eden, where we found a nest in a
thorn bush at the water side. It was situated just
above some wreckage, which had been deposited
by a flood ; and the nest, instead of being decorated
with lichen, as would have been the case had it
been built in an apple tree, was completely covered
by small pieces of rotten wood, rendering it a
difficult matter to distinguish the nest from the
wreckage immediately below. The eggs in this nest
were of the uniform pale blue type, without any
spots.

A yellow variety of the Chaffinch, an old male,
was shot near Carlisle in October, 1883. Another
yellow Chaffinch was obtained in the Alston district
by Mr. J. B. Hodgkinson.

KF. Montifringilla. Brameuina.

The Brambling is a numerous but local winter
visitant, large flocks arriving in October and
November, departing in March, though a few
linger until the end of April. The harsh chirrup
of the Brambling, during its stay with us, conveys
to an insular ear no more idea of the merry song
of the male, among the fresh birches of its northern
breeding ground, than the dull winter dress sug-
gests the brilliancy of the summer dress, when the
drab fringes of the upper parts have dried up and
dropped off, and the feathers of the breast have
become intensified by vernal passion and a burning
sun.

46 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Bewick’s statement as to the presence of Bramb-
lings in August on the fells of Cumberland was
probably erroneous.

A male, exhibiting an entire black throat, was
shot near Carlisle, November, 1882; and a second
male, exhibiting traces of a black throat, owing to the
black of the head extending to the chin, is preserved
in the Taylor collection. (Cp. J. H. Gurney, junr.,
Zool., 1885, p. 346, Macpherson, ib., p. 389.)

Genus LINOTA.

L. Cannabina. Linnet.

The Linnet is an abundant resident, though
less plentiful than in the midland and southern
counties. We have examined late broods in the
nest in August, and in the open spring of 1884 a
nestling was caught, barely able to fly, in March.*

L. Linaria. Mraty Repro...

The Mealy Redpoll is a rare winter visitant.
Stragglers stray across the east fells from North-
umberland. We have the skin of an example shot
out of a flock near Alston. Another was obtained
near Penrith some years ago (7. Hope, MS.). A
large and very white local example is in the Proud
collection. In 1878, we studied the habits of this
Redpoll on the Dovre Fjeld, and found the young
exceedingly fearless and confiding. They were feed-
ing on grass seeds, but often perched on rails and

* A wild hybrid between the Linnet and Goldfinch was captured at
Cotehill by W. Little, November, 1885.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 47

on the roofs of buildings. Many of them nightly
roosted in the willow scrub of one “station,” also
much frequented by the young of the northern
Bluethroat Warbler.

L. Rufescens. Lussrr ReEppott.

The Lesser Redpoll is a numerous but local
resident, breeding sparsely in the south of the county,
but most strongly established in the north of Cum-
berland, from Bowness-on-Solway to Brampton, at
the base of the east fells. A variety of trees and
shrubs are selected in turn to contain the nest, in-
eluding alder, hazel, crab, birch, and willow. We
have seen five nests at once in a single hawthorn
hedge on the edge of Kingmoor. The height from
the ground at which the nest is placed varies from
four to twenty feet. The composition of the nest
also varies, the exterior generally consisting of moss
and dried grass, with a lining of beautiful satin-like
down from the catkin of the willow. We lately
examined nests composed of dead fir twigs, and
others built of hawthorn and birch twigs. A lining
of fine grass and hairs, with a few feathers, is often
substituted for that of the catkin down. The most
aberrant nest that has come under our notice was
built entirely of cotton waste, and was situated in
close proximity to the Caledonian Railway engine
sheds, whence the birds must have procured the
material.

The first eggs are usually laid early in May, but
we have found fresh eggs in July.

Whilst nest-building is in progress, the Lesser
Redpoll is gregarious, and we have watched a female

48 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

leaving her companions and slipping away to work
at her nest, returning to the party after a short
interval. Whilst the female, which is very fearless,
is sitting, the male bird is constantly in attendance
in the vicinity, and may be seen executing circular
flights at a considerable height, as he trills forth his
short love-song on the wing.

In autumn, many of our breeding Redpolls ap-
pear to leave us, their place being to some extent
replaced by a larger race, with longer wings, which
no doubt visits us from more northern breeding
grounds. Old males exhibiting the crimson nuptial
breast occur occasionally in autumn.

The young in nest dress are more striated than
adults.

A male hybrid between the Lesser Redpoll
and Bullfinech, which exhibited the most marked
characteristics of its origin, was recently living in
the possession of Mr. Scott of Carlisle. It had
been produced in confinement.

L. Flavirostris. Twitk.

The Twite is a resident bird, nesting freely on
the low-lying mosses, and also on the fells, but is
rather local in its preferences. Mr. Hodgson con-
siders that its numbers have decreased in the county
generally during the last thirty years.

The nest is generally built in heather, where the
ground is broken and dispersed with pools of peaty
water, usually composed of sprigs of heath, lined
with hair, wool, and feathers ; but a nest which we
examined on Solway Moss, in June, 1884, containing

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 49

a full complement of eggs, was entirely lined with
peat fibre.

In autumn, small parties of Twites haunt the
margins of our salt marshes, and an old female,
which we shot out of a flock, in the middle of
November, 1884, at Skinburness, was still deep in
moult.

Sub-Family LOXIIN &.
Genus PY RRHULA.

P. Europea. Butirincu.

The Bullfinch is a local resident, most widely
distributed in search of food in autumn and winter.
We lately found a nest with five eggs, placed upon
a lopped branch of fir, lying horizontally upon the
ground. Several feathered nestlings, which we dis-
sected, had their crops crammed with garden seeds.

Of late years, some fine hybrids between this
species and the Goldfinch have been reared in
confinement by Mr. Scott of Carlisle, and other
Cumbrian bird-keepers.

Genus LOXIA.

L. Pityopscittacus. Parrot CrossBILt.

The Parrot Crossbill has accidentally occurred
in Cumberland in two different instances. A male
and female in the Taylor collection were shot on
the Irthing by the late Mr. Proud (#. Lesle, MS.,
W. Proud in lit.), cirea 1847-50.

Three others, a red bird, a green bird, and a
bird apparently changing from green to red (without

E

50 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

passing through an orange-yellow stage), were shot
at Newby Cross, December, 1865, by Mr. J. Barnes
(J. B. Hodgkinson in lit.)

L. Curvirostra. CROssBILl.

The Crossbill is resident, but very local in north
and east Cumberland, the number of residents being
irregularly swelled by occasional flights which appear
to arrive in autumn from Scotland or Scandinavia.
In the lake district it is less frequently met with.

The diary of the late Mr. Proud supplies a
concise description of the advent and subsequent
residence of a large drove of Crossbills. In August,
1838, several big flocks appeared in the neighbour-
hood of Brampton, where only a single strageler
had been shot during fourteen previous years. In
March, 1839, Mr. Proud recorded that the Cross-
bills were still present in large parties. In April,
their presence is again noted. In August, 1839,
our chronicler observes that there were many Cross-
bills in the neighbourhood all the summer through,
“so that they must have bred in abundance”; and
though his search for nests was unsuccessful, he
shot a bird in the striated nest dress, which we
have examined in his collection.

A similar incursion of Crossbills occurred in the
Penrith district in 1855, both young birds and eggs
being obtained, as Mr. Hope informs us, on Penrith
Beacon, and many pairs of adults “remaining to
breed in the neighbourhood for several years.” It
was upon this information communicated to him,

as to us, by Mr. T. Hope, that Mr. A. G. More

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. gyil

included the Crossbill as having bred in Cumberland,
in his masterly essay on the Distribution of Birds
in Great Britain during the nesting season. (Jbis,
1865, reprint, p. 39).

In other localities, chiefly on the Scottish
borders, a few pairs of Crossbills appear to breed
sporadically.

In 1856, Mr. James Fell observed a pair of Cross-
bills building in a small plantation at Cumwhinton,
and after much patient watching, took the completed
nest, containing four eggs on March 20th. Mr.
T. C. Heysham purchased this nest and two eggs.
The other two eggs exist in Mr. T. Armstrong’s
cabinet. In May, 1885, we had the pleasure of
introducing our friend Mr. Edward Bidwell to the
song of the male Crossbill, “Gip, gip, gip, ci, ci,”
the last two notes soft and slightly prolonged. We
examined a newly-completed nest, which agreed in
materials. with nests in Mr. Bidwell’s collection.
Being unable to re-visit the spot, we tried to make
arrangements for the nest being sent to us when
the eggs were laid, but these accidentally fell —
through.

Two old birds and one of their brood were shot
near Alston on April 15th, 1839. An unfledged
nestling was caught at Armathwaite in 1860, and
Mr. Greenwell subsequently shot a Crossbill in the
striated first plumage, which is in our possession.

L. Bifasciata. Two-Barrep CrosssiLt.

A notable visitation of this resident of north-
east Hurope occurred in the autumn of 1845, when
a flock appeared in the neighbourhood of Brampton,

AL i WAAL

HZ, THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

and at once received the attention of Mr. Proud,
who was already so well acquainted with the com-
mon Crossbill.

A marginal, pencilled note, in the late Mr.
Taylor’s copy of Jardine’s Birds of Great Britain,
brought to light by Mr. Cairns, runs thus :—‘“ Nov.
Ist, 1845. Ihave shot the White-winged Crossbill.”
The natural inference would be, that the female
bird preserved in the late Mr. Taylor’s collection
fell to that gentleman’s gun, but Mr. Leslie is under
the impression that the specimen in question was
presented to Mr. Taylor. At all events, the date
of November 1st renders it tolerably certain that
the birds had arrived during the previous few days,
2.e. in October.

Mr. R. Leslie, who obtained most of the
specimens, informs us that the first bird procured
was shot by a son of the late Mr. Proud on a
Sunday afternoon. Nine or ten others were shot
by Mr. Leslie, two or three birds being too hard
hit for preservation. Mr. J. B. Hodgkinson states
(Zool., 1847, p. 1638), that one of the birds pre-
served was an immature male, and this we have
failed to trace. Two females were sent to Mr.
T. C. Heysham (Cooper, Zool., 1846, p. 1551), and
one of these passed through the collections of
Mr. H. Doubleday and Mr. T. Dix into that of
Mr. H. Stevenson (Zool., 1873, p. 3778). Another
female was sent to Mr. John Hancock (Cat. B. of
N. & D., p. 50), and another, as stated above, exists
in the Taylor collection. Another female and a
fine crimson male are preserved in the Proud col-

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 53

lection. Another female and red male were pre-
sented to the Musgrave family, and are preserved
at Edenhall. Thus eight preserved specimens are
accounted for, but where the ‘immature male”
of Mr. Hodgkinson went to, remains a mystery.
During the winter of 1845-6, Mr. W. Proud ob-
served two more white-winged Crossbills ; and
though no more were obtaimed, a loose note of
Mr. Proud, sen., records that he ‘ heard the white-
winged Crossbill to-day,” 7e. April 11th, 1846.

It is noteworthy that of the eight specimens
extant, no fewer than six should be in female
plumage.

Sub-Family EMBERIZIN &.

Genus EMBERIZA.

E. Miharia. Corn Buntina.

The Corn Bunting is an extremely abundant
resident, but very local in its distribution, being
rare in, or absent from, many suitable districts, but
thoroughly established in others, as near Alston,
Gretna, and Silloth. Formerly it was abundant
around both Carlisle and Keswick, but it is now
decidedly scarce in both localities.

E. Citrinella. Yettow Hamner.

The Yellow Hammer is a plentiful resident,
breeding numerously in cultivated districts. Two
canary-coloured specimens, obtained in Cumberland,
are in Mr. Hodgkinson’s collection.

54 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

E. Scheniclus. Rerp Buntina.

The Reed Bunting is a common resident, chiefly
restricted to the neighbourhood of water during the
breeding season. We lately saw a caged example,
which had been trained to sing the Skylark’s song.

Genus CALCARIUS.

C. Lapponicus. Lartann Buntine.*

The Lapland Bunting appears to have occurred
in Westmorland in a single instance, a solitary bird
having been captured at Milnthorpe in 1843 (Zool.,
1843, p. 316), but the month of “June” was pro-
bably an erroneous date.

Genus PLECTROPHANES.

P. Nivalis. Snow Buntina.

The Snow Bunting is a winter visitant, arriving
on our coasts in October and November, departing
in March. In 1884, Mr. Cairns examined two
old birds shot in the middle of April and almost
in breeding plumage, but too hard shot for pre-
servation.

The Snow Bunting is plentiful on the Pennine
range, scarce on the lake mountains, chiefly noticed
on the lower grounds (apart from the coast) in
severe weather.

A male, in which the rectrices are tinged with
canary yellow, was shot near Carlisle in the winter
1859-60.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 55

Family STURNIDA.

Genus STURNUS.

S. Vulgaris. Srarra.

The Starling is a most numerous resident,
although, within the memory of many, a Starling’s
nest was considered a great rarity in the north of
the county. Now it is so strongly established, that
during the present summer (1885) we observed
several pairs nesting in the holes of Sand Martins,
presumably for want of more commodious quarters.

The first broods haunt our meadows in June,
and are frequently unattended by any old birds, a
percentage of which, as we can personally attest, rear
second broods. During August, immense flocks,
composed of both adults and young, haunt our
salt marshes. In September, the Starlings begin
to congregate at their favourite roosts, where great
numbers gather in the gloaming, flocking in from
all the country side. These vast assemblages of
Starlings disperse about the 20th of October, the
majority departing south to return in February,
occurring in both passages at St. Bees light-
house.

Upon a bright moonlight night these birds may
be heard rehearsing their songs at the roost, and
in the stillness of midnight the babel of their voices
resembles, at a distance, the sound of a volume of
rushing water. The individuals which reside near
the marshes often imitate the ery of the Curlew to

56 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

perfection, and we have known Starlings which had
caught exactly the notes of the Swallow, Goldfinch,
and Pied Wagtail.

The movements of Starlings, when hawking flies
in Swallow fashion, in great circles, are full of grace.
The sexes of adult birds are readily distinguished
externally, the females bemg much spotted with
buff, and generally duller than the other sex. Birds
in the drab nest plumage may be distinguished by
the colour of the irides. On dissection, we have
always found that those with hazel irides were
males, and that birds with pale grey irides were
females.

We have never met with a pied Starling, but
a pure albino was shot about six years since at
Cummersdale, and another white Starling was
repeatedly seen near Cotehill in 1883. A third
was killed some years since near Allonby.

Genus PASTOR.

P. Roseus. Rosr-coLtoureD Pastor.

The Rose Pastor has occurred as a wanderer
from south-east Europe in seven instances. An
example was shot near Alston in June, 1837, and
another was obtained in an orchard at Hayton in
the same year; a third was shot at Flimby in 1838,
a fourth at Papcastle in 1840, a fifth near Rose
Castle, a sixth at High Seaton in 1854, and a
seventh, a brilliant bird, was subsequently shot at

Dub Mill, Allonby.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. a7
Family CORVID.
Genus PYRRHOCORA X.

P. Graculus. Cuovau.

The Chough is a rare casual visitant, possibly
straying to Cumberland from the Isle-of-Man. An
example was shot near Wigton, ze. inland, in 1878 ;
another was seen on the beach near Workington in
the autumn of 1882. Though Dr. Heysham does
not allude to the existence of the Chough in Cum-
berland, it resided in the county for the first half
of the present century. Two or three pairs nested
recularly at St. Bees until 1860 (W. Me.Comish in
lit.), but they appear to have become extinct soon
after that year.

Genus GARRULUS.
G. Glandarius. Jay.

The Jay is a resident but local species, and owing
to the continual persecution to which it is subjected,
is on the decrease. The late Mr. W. Dickinson on
two occasions observed large flights of Jays passing
through the county. (Cf Zool., 1883, p. 1. et seq.)

Genus PICA.

P. Rustica. Maapir.

The Magpie is a generally abundant resident,
nesting up to an elevation of 1,100 feet on our east
fells, and flocking in winter. It is more strongly
established in inland districts than in the vicinity of
the seaboard.

58 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Genus CORVUS.

C. Monedula. JacKxpaw.

The Jackdaw is an abundant and increasing re-
sident, nesting in a variety of situations, from church
towers to the rabbit holes of our river banks. Large
colonies occupy the rabbit holes at Low House and
Corby Castle.

In 1880, Mr. B. Johnson detected an open
nest of the Jackdaw, built in an elm, near Dalston.
Two eggs of the clutch are in Mr. T. Duckworth’s
cabinet.

C. Corone. Carrion Crow.

The Carrion Crow is a common resident, main-
taining its footing bravely in spite of persecution.

A nestling of a uniform reddish-fawn colour was
bred near Cotehill in 1884, the other three birds of
the brood being in normal plumage.

C. Corniz. Hooprep Crow.

The Hooded Crow is a scarce winter visitant,
single stragglers appearing both inland and on the
coast in October and November; one was sent to
us at the end of September. ,

A hybrid between the Hooded and Carrion Crow
was shot in Wastwater, in the autum of 1867, by
Mr. J. Barnes. Another, believed to have been shot
near Brampton, is preserved in the Taylor collection.
Both specimens exhibit rather a preponderance of
the Hoodie’s blood, but the Wastwater bird shows
more of the Carrion Crow than the Brampton
specimen.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 59

C. Frugilegus. Rook.

The Rook is a most abundant resident, and the
mother rookeries are constantly sending out fresh
colonists in all directions.

White, pied, and cream-coloured varieties occur
with more or less frequency, and we possess an
example in which the white and black portions of
the plumage are symmetrically arranged, the bill
and toes being also half white and half black.

A bird of the year, shot at Kirkandrews-on-
Eden, in September, 1885, exhibits the interesting
association of smoke-grey upper wing coverts, and
primaries, secondaries, and rectrices barred ter-
minally with smoke-grey, together with the usual
colour of the species. This bird clearly belongs to
the variety figured by Mr. Hancock. (Cf. B. of
Nprde 1). p. 38.)

C. Coraz. Raven.

The Raven is a local resident, now nesting in
about a dozen localities in the lake district. During
the summer months a pair of Ravens may be con-
stantly observed slowly swinging around the preci-
pices of Skiddaw, or the gloomy cliffs of Honister
Pass. In the Zoologist, 1885, pp. 109, 110, Mr.
R. J. Attye has described his descent, in April, 1884,
to a Cumbrian Raven’s nest, “placed upon a ledge
of rock about midway down a cliff of 150 feet, and
30 feet above the nest the rock began to overhang.”
Mr. Attye subsequently visited three other nests
in the district. The Raven suffers from persecution,
but is probably nearly as abundant at the present
time as half a century ago.

60 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

In 1784, Clarke wrote, ‘‘ Ravens we have few,
owing, I suppose, to the reward given for killing
them. They build their nests in rocks, and lay four
egos.” (Survey of the Lakes, App., p. 190.)

Dr. Heysham remarks—“ In Cumberland, the
Raven, for the most part, breeds in rocks, and
begins to build its nest in February ; though it has
generally five young [in Skye, four is the usual
number], never more than a pair are seen in the
same neighbourhood. . . . Wherever there is at
present a Raven’s nest, there has always been one
in the same place, or in the neighbourhood, for time
immemorial.”

Dr. Parker remarks that, in 1879, he visited a
Raven’s nest near Keswick, which was not more
than twenty feet from the ground, and within five
hundred yards of a farmhouse.

Early in the present century the Raven not
unfrequently nested in tall trees in low-lying dis-
tricts, and even now it is not entirely restricted
to the lake district. We possess the skins of a
pair of Ravens poisoned at the nest some years
since near Alston, and a pair still nest on the
Crossfell range.

In 1884, a pair of Ravens nested at St. Bees
Head, and a second pair on a cliff near Tyndal
Tarn; but in each case one of the old birds and a
young one were shot, and the localities were not
occupied during the present spring.

Edmund Sandford (1675) asserts that Ravenglass
was ‘so called of a broode (airye) of Rauns there,
and I have seen a white Raun ther much made on

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 61

and very tame for a mervaile and (made (?) ) like a
hawke to kill partrige and other fowles.”

Possibly this white Raven was sent to London,
for John Evelyn records in his diary for October,
1658, “4. I din’d with the Holland Ambassador at
Derby House : returning I diverted to see a very
white Raven, bred in Cumberland.” In 1665, Evelyn
again records his having seen a white Raven living
in the collection at St. James's Park, and as the
Raven is longlived, it seems likely that it was the
bird which he had previously recorded in 1658.

Dr. Stanley (1829) states that a Raven, “ with
a white ring round its neck, was seen and fired at
some time since in the woods about Calder Bridge.”

An immigration occurs in winter to the eastern
fells ; small parties of four or five are frequently
seen.

Family ALAUDID.
Genus ALAUDA.

A. Arvensis. SKYLARK.

The Skylark is a generally distributed resident.
The Larks of our fells frequently descend to the
coast after a heavy fall of snow, and specimens
which we have shot on the sea-shore on such
occasions appeared to be lighter in colour than the
Larks which breed on our salt marshes. An im-
portant note, as bearing on the connection between
Cumberland and Ireland, was recently communicated
to us by the late Mr. Robinson of St. Bees, a
singularly accurate outdoor observer. One forenoon,
in the first week of October, 1876, Mr. Robinson

62 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

watched an immense stream of Larks, as they
poured in from the Irish Sea to the highest cliffs
at St. Bees. The birds did not, however, alight on
landing, but the entire body proceeded to move
inland in the same direction, flying from west to
east. The day was dull and gloomy, with a slight
breeze, and the birds flew low. This flight of Sky-
larks occupied upwards of half an hour in passing
over Sandwith.

A. Arborea. Wooptark.

The Woodlark is an extremely local resident, a
few pairs nesting sporadically near Workington and
Camerton (where we heard three individual males
warbling delightfully in June, 1885), and also at
St. Bees. Mr. Hodgson detected the presence of
the Woodlark in the Ulleswater district some years
since, and Mr. Reynolds has obtained snared birds
in winter at Ravenglass. Our only note of the
occurrence of the Woodlark in east Cumberland
refers to a female shot near Alston, in March, 1866,
which we presented to the Carlisle Museum.

Gents OTOCORYS.

O. Alpestris. SHORELARK.

The Shorelark is an accidental visitant from
northern Europe, and should be looked for on our
salt marshes in winter. A single straggler was shot
near St. Bees in 1862, from which locality the
species had been previously recorded, but without
particulars. (J. Robson, Zool., 1854, p. 4167.)

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 63
Family CYPSELID.
Genus CYPSELUS.
C. Apus. Swirt.

The Swift is a common summer visitant, generally
observed from May Ist until the middle or end of
August. Stragelers linger into September. In 1884,
the first Swift appeared at Burgh on April 28th, and
in 1885 a party of five arrived on April 26th ; but
these are earlier dates than the average. From the
Swift’s power of flight, and the elevation at which
it probably migrates, it is possible that it is less
affected by adverse winds than the majority of
species.

C. Melba. WHuttk-BELLIED SwIFT.

The Alpine Swift is an accidental wanderer from
central Europe. Between 1832 and 1838, a single
bird was shot near St Bees in the presence of the
late Mr. T. Reeves, from whom it passed into the
possession of the late Sir R. Brisco of Crofton.

(J. B. Hodgkinson, MS., cf. Carlisle Museum Cat.)

Family CAPRIMULGID.
Gents CAPRIMULGUS.

C. Europea. Nicutsar.

The Goatsucker is a local summer visitant,
usually arriving in Cumberland at the beginning
of May, though Mr. T. C. Heysham observed it at
Carlisle on the 17th of April. It breeds sparingly
on the skirts of many of our commons and mosses.

64 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Family PICIDZ.
Sub-Family PICIN &.
Gents DENDROCOPUS.

D. Major. Greater Sporrep WoopPeckeEr.

The Greater Spotted Woodpecker is an ex-
ceedingly scarce resident, more frequently noticed
in winter than during the summer months, but
breeding, nevertheless in a few favourite localities.

In 1884, a pair nested near Corby, and two pairs
bred in the vicinity in 1885. We have notes also
of about six specimens shot in Cumberland in the
nesting season.

Dr. Heysham remarks that all the four specimens
he had examined had entire crimson crowns ; pre-
sumably, these were birds in nest dress. (But ef.
Mitchell, B. of Lancashire, p. 91; Harting, B. of
Middlesex, pp. 107, 108.)

A detailed description of the habits of this
Woodpecker in confinement will be found in the
Zoologist, 1883, p. 473, et seq.

D. Minor. Lesser Speottrep WoopPeckKEr.

The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is an extremely
rare casual visitant, but has nested in Cumberland
in a single recent instance. An example was shot
off a tall elm at Bellevue, Carlisle, between 1832
and 1838 ; another was shot at Paw Park. A pair of
Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were seen in Dalemain
woods in 1847. A pair nested at Edenhall in 1882,
and were constantly observed by Mr. Raine, the

‘head keeper.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 65

Genus GECINUS.

G. Viridis. GREEN WoopDPECKER.

The Green Woodpecker is an exceedingly rare
casual visitant, but paired birds have been seen in
some few instances during the summer months. For
some years a pair haunted Kirklinton, where they
probably nested. In 1840, three fresh egos were
taken, after a stiff climb, from a hole in an ash tree,
by Mr. W. Mc.Comish (Me.Comish in lit.) Mr.
A. G. More included it as having bred in Cumber-
land (Jbis. 1865, reprint, 43), on the strength of the
information supplied by Mr. C. 8. Gregson that
this species nested at Barron Wood, a fine stretch
of old timber extending along the left bank of the
Eden from Lazonby almost to Armathwaite, and at
that time the favourite ground of the egg collectors
of Penrith and Carlisle. The area of Barron Wood
has been much curtailed of late years.

Sub-Family IYNGINA.

Genus IYN X.
I. Torquilla. Wrynecr.

The Wryneck is a casual visitant of uncommon
occurrence on vernal migration. In the experience
of both the Heyshams, the Wryneck bred regularly
in north Cumberland. <A clutch of eggs, which are
probably the most recent Cumbrian specimens, were
taken at Rickerby about 1863, by James Fell, both
old birds being shot at the same time. One or
two stragglers occur in most years, on the vernal

migration.
F

66 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Family ALCEDINID Zi.
Genus ALCEDO.

A. Ispida. KincrisHEr.
The Kingfisher is a well-established resident,

and fairly numerous, but an unceasing war is un-
fortunately waged against it by amateur gunners.
In autumn it is more widely distributed than when
nesting, and stragglers may be observed on the
“runners” of our salt marshes.

Family CORACIIDA.
Genus CORACIAS.

C. Garrula. Ro.uer.

The Roller is an accidental visitant from southern
Europe. An example in Mr. Hodgkinson’s collection
was shot at Carleton in the spring of 1868 ; another,
which is in Dr. Lumb’s collection, was shot near
Thornholm in the same year.

Family UPUPID.
Gevus UP UPA:

U. Epops. Hoopor.

The Hoopoe is a rare casual visitant on migra-
tion, but from its rapid flight and shy habits may be
overlooked. A Hoopoe was shot at Middlesceugh,
Sept. 8th, 1831; a second at Dalston, Sept. 5th,
1832 (when its companion escaped) ; another at
Calder Abbey in 1851; a fourth at Loweswater in
1852; anda fifth near St. Bees in 1877. A sixth

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 67

was shot near Allonby many years since. (2. Mann,
in lit.)
Family CUCULIDZ.
Genus CUCULUS.

C. Canorus. Cuckoo.

The Cuckoo is a generally distributed and
numerous .summer visitant. A Twite’s nest at
Newlands contained a Cuckoo’s ege, May 24, 1858.
(W. Greenip, MS.) We found another in the nest
of a Reed Bunting. In July, 1885, as Mr. Cairns
informs us, a young Cuckoo was found in the nest

of a Chaffinch at Corby.

Family STRIGID.
Genus STRIX.

S. Flammea. Barn Own.

The Barn Owl is a fairly common resident
throughout the county, but its numbers have de-
creased of late years by reason of persecution. In
Cumberland, the Barn Owl often nests in the cre-
vices of rocks overhanging our northern streams.

The pellets which we have examined from time
to time have constantly proved to consist of the
remains of shrews and field mice. We have failed
to detect any avian bones.

Family ASIONIDZ.
Genus ASIO.

A. Otus. Lona-narep OWL.
The Long-eared Owl is a resident, breeding

sparsely in fir plantations. It is rather scarce in

68 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

the lakes and west Cumberland, but becomes more
numerous towards the Scottish border,

A. Brachyotus. SHoRT-EARED OWL.

The Short-eared Owl is a widely-distributed win-
ter visitant, arriving from Scandinavia in October,
and scattering over our mosses for the winter.
Large flights occasionally linger for a few weeks
in autumn among the sandhills of the coast. A
few pairs often linger in spring to breed, instead
of departing northward ; but, unhappily, adults and
young are generally killed off. Thus, in 1884, a
pair of adults were shot on Solway Flow at the
end of May; a brood of young were taken near
Bowness ; and two nests of young birds, together
with the parents, were killed by a keeper in the
Beweastle district. Mr. Hancock mentions the
occurrence of a young bird at Brampton, and others
have occurred near Alston. A nestling taken on
Lowmoor, Aspatria, lived for some years in the
possession of J. Smith of Bassenthwaite, and was
a tame and interesting pet.

Genus SYRNIUM.

S. Aluco. Tawny Owt.

The Tawny Owl is an abundant resident, nest-
ing freely in wooded districts. From its habit of
mousing on railway lines, this Owl is often felled
by locomotives. Grey and ferruginous birds inter-
breed, but the latter form predominates.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 69

Genus NYCTALA.

N. TYengmalmi. 'Tenamauu’s Ow1.

Tengmalm’s Owl is an accidental visitant from
northern Europe. An example was shot out of a
fir tree in the Newton Manor coverts, Dec., 1876,
and is in the possession of the Rev. C. F. Smith.

(C. A. Parker; MS. ; Zool., 1879, p. 117.)

Genus SCOPS.

S. Giu. Scops-EARED OWL.

The Scops-eared Owl is an accidental visitant
from southern Europe. An example in the col-
lection of Mr. J. Whitaker was shot near Renwick,
May 15th, 1875. (Field, May 22, 1875; Zool.,
1884, p. 51.)

Genus ATHENE.

A. Noctua. Latrte Owt..

The Little Owl is an accidental visitant from
central Europe. An example was shot some years
since at Westward, and was shewn in the flesh to
Mr. R. Senhouse by General Sir H. Wyndham.
(H. P. Senhouse, MS.)t

+ If Graves can be credited, a pair of Little Owls ‘took up their abode
in a barn”’ at Middleshaw, Westmorland, in the spring of 1811. (Brit. Orn.
Vol. II., 1818.)

70 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Family FALCONID.
Genus CIRCUS.

C. druginosus. Marsu Harrier.

The Marsh Harrier is a casual visitant of rare
occurrence, chiefly in autumn, in the north of the
county. Dr. Heysham considered it a numerous
resident. An example of a rich chocolate-black
was obtained by Mr. T. C. Heysham’s chief collector,
the late James Cooper, in the Bewcastle district.

C. Cyaneus. Hen Harrier,

The Hen Harrier is a rare casual visitant, chiefly
noticed in spring and autumn in the north of the
county. It has certainly ceased to breed with any
regularity on our moors ; but ege’s in the possession
of Mr. F. Taylor were taken only a few years since
on the Solway Flow.

In 1783 and 1784, Dr. Heysham, who seems to
have anticipated Montagu in proving that the
‘“rinetail” was the female Hen Harrier, found
three nests of this species on Newtown common,
Carlisle, within five hundred yards of one another.
Prior to 1797, Dr. Heysham examined twenty
broods of young ones, and dissected many adults.t

C. Cineraceus. Montaau’s Harrier.

Montagu’s Harrier is a rare casual visitant. An
example, recorded by Mr. T. C. Heysham as

+ A fine adult male Hen Harrier was shot near Drumburgh, in company
with a female, Dec. 31st, 1885. All credit is due to Montagu for his careful
study of his hand-reared Harriers (cf. Tr. L. S8., IX, p. 182), but Dr. Heysham
had set the matter at rest some years earlier.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. (a

having fed on the eggs of small birds, was shot
near Harraby, Carlisle, by Mr. W. Hodgkinson.
(J. B. Hodgkinson, MS.) Another was obtained
some years since at Edenhall, and this is an adult
male. Mr. John Hancock informs us that the two
young birds referred to in Mr. More’s Essay on the
Distribution of Birds in Great Britain during the
breeding season, as “bred in Cumberland,’ were

killed at Wolsingham Park, Durham.

Genus BUTEO.
B. Vulgaris. Buzzarp.

The Buzzard is a local resident, about twelve pairs
(1885) attempting to breed among the mountains of
the Cumbrian lakes, where the circling flight of this
Species, as it soars round and round at a great
height, may be observed. When foraging, the
Buzzard sweeps slowly up and down its favourite
valleys. Two pairs also nest, if permitted, on the
Pennine range. At the present time the Buzzard
chiefly nests with us upon ledges of rock, but the
late James Cooper harried a nest which was placed
in a tall oak tree.in Barron Wood. More recently
Dr. Parker has recorded a nest built into a thorn
bush: “ Two Buzzards have for the last three or four
years constantly haunted Blengdale, a small valley
close to the village of Gosforth. There are no crags
on the sides of the valley, and only some half-dozen
trees in it; so the birds, rather than quit their
accustomed haunts, built their nest in a common
thorn bush about eight feet from the ground.
Hearing of this unusual nesting place, I went to

72 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

examine it, but arrived too late. The nest was
there in the bush, apparently based on the remains
of an old one; but the three eggs, which were re-
markably well-coloured specimens, had been taken
that morning by a neighbouring gamekeeper.
Exactly a month after, I revisited the valley, and
found that the obstinate birds still held possession.
About three hundred yards higher up than the
bush was a small scaur, about twenty-five feet high,
out of which grew a stunted tree holding a fresh
nest, containing three eggs, on which the hen bird
was sitting. Scrambling down to examine the eggs,
I found the second lot almost as deeply coloured as
the first three, which had meanwhile been placed
under a tame hen Buzzard. She sat upon them for
thirty-one days, and hatched all three ; but in spite
of the united care of both bird and keeper, they all
died when about ten days old. The old bird always
sucked and chewed a piece of meat for three or
four minutes before she gave it to the young ones.
Afterwards a half-grown Buzzard was procured
from a third nest, and given to the tame one to
rear ; but this also she failed to do.” (Trans. Cumb.
Assocen., Part VI, 1880-1, pp. 108, 109.)

We examined a fine nestling taken this year
(1885) in Patterdale ; and a few Buzzards find
their way in most years to our bird stuffers.

A tame Buzzard, now living in Carlisle, exhibits
great adroitness in catching the sparrows which
enter his aviary.

During the first half of the present century the
Buzzard was a common bird in Cumberland, and

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. ha

Mr. H. P. Senhouse, who has worked out the
Bassenthwaite district with much enthusiasm, re-
marks upon the surprising number of stuffed
Buzzards which he has observed in farmhouses.

The Buzzard is a rare visitant to the Cumbrian
plain, but Mr. F. W. Bailey lately observed a fine
fellow on the Caldew, near Carlisle, and another was
shot some years since near Bowness-on-Solway.

An almost black local specimen of the Buzzard
is in the possession of Mr. Sawer of Threlkeld.

Genus ARCHIBUTEO.

A. Lagopus. Roveu-Leaeep Buzzarp.

The Rough-legged Buzzard is a scarce winter
visitant, but examples are observed, if not obtained,
in most years. It occurs most frequently in the
north of the county, but Dr. Lumb possesses a fine
recent specimen taken at Lamplugh.

Genus AQUILA.

A. Chrysactus. Gotpren Hacus.*
The Golden Eagle is possibly a rare casual

visitant. Mr. Goodchild opines that one or two
of the Eagles which he has heard yelping among
our mountain fastnesses may have been Golden
Eagles, but agrees with us that there is no con-
clusive evidence of the occurrence of the Golden
Eagle in Cumberland in the present century.

In the spring of 1775, an Eagle (believed to be
a Golden Eagle), was shot in King Meadow, Carlisle,

74 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

by Mr. Foster, landlord of the Wheat Sheaf Inn,
whose kitchen ceiling the stuffed bird adorned, with
expanded wings, for many years. This Eagle had
lifted many lambs from the neighbourhood.

The former residence of this species among the
mountains of Cumberland is rendered slightly
dubious, by reason of its not having been con-
stantly distinguished from the White-tailed Eagle.
But, since Richardson, at the close of the last
century, expressed a strong opinion that most of
the Eagles then seen in the Ulleswater district
were Golden Eagles, adding that a Golden Eagle
was certainly caught near Keswick in 1793 ; we
conclude with Sir W. Jardine and Mr. Harris, that
the Golden Eagle resided in Cumberland in the last
century. In Westmorland, Mr. Richardson states
that a pair of Golden Eagles tried to breed in
Martindale in 1788 and 1789, the female being
trapped in 1788; the male returned, after three
weeks’ absence, with a fresh partner. The male
was killed in 1789, when the “ relict” departed.

Genus HALIAETUS.

H. Albicilla. Woutre-raAitep EAGLE.

The White-tailed Eagle is a rare casual visitant.
An immature specimen, wounded in the autumn of
1834 by Mr. Gill, near Alston, survived its injuries
for many years. A second was captured by a shep-
herd on Black Coomb, in 1838. (7. N. Postlethwaite,
MS., cited by Mr. Mitchell as taken “near
Broughton-in-Furness,” B. of Lancashire, p. 110.)
Dr. Heysham stated, in 1796-7, that this species

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. (es

bred annually near Keswick. A bird caught in
Borrowdale in 1774 died in Bishop Law’s possession
in 1793. In Westmorland, Willoughby records this
species as breeding at Whinfell Park ; while in 1692,
Aubrey was told that Eagles bred at Bampton,
the eyrie being identical with that of Wallow Crag,
Hawes Water. In the “ Field,” January 24th, 1885,
Mr. John Watson remarks that records exist of a
pair breeding “in Whitbarrow Scaur so lately as
1849.” Formerly, a rope for descending to Eagle
eyries was kept in Borrowdale. In a list of monies
paid by the Crosthwaite Churchwardens, the follow-
ing items appear :—‘ 1750. To Jas. Bowe’s man for
one old eagle 1°; to Jas. Bowe for two young
eagles 1°; 1752. to W™ Ware for one old eagle 2°;
to Jas. Gateskel for two young eagles 2°; 1762. for
two eagles and one fox 4° 4"; 1762. for foxes and
eagles £1:6-6” (Zool., 1882, p. 108.)

Genus ASTUR.

A. Palumbarius. GosHawK.

The Goshawk is an accidental visitant from
continental Kurope. An immature specimen was
shot some years since near Penrith (7. Hope, MS.),
and is preserved at Hdenhall.

Genus ACCIPITER.

A. Nisus. SpPpARROWHAWK.

The Sparrowhawk is a common resident, espe-
cially numerous in wooded districts. In 1885,
Mr. J. Cairns, when walking over Solway Flow,

76 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

March 15th, saw a Sparrowhawk strike a healthy
Grouse, which he picked up; but the biter is some-
times bitten, for Mr. Lalor found a fine adult
Sparrowhawk in a Polecat’s larder near Wigton.

Twenty-one eggs were taken from a female
Sparrowhawk in succession, our correspondent at
last finding the poor bird dead on her nest.

Genus MILVUS.
M. Jetinus. Krirte.

The Kite is a casual visitant of extremely rare
occurrence. A Kite was shot near Carlisle, Nov. 18,
1856 (7. Armstrong, Naturalist, Vol. 7, p. 251) ;
another was seen near Lorton in 1873 (J. W. Harris,
MS.); a third was seen near Renwick by Mr.
G. Lawrence, and in Geltsdale, in the autumn of
1881. Formerly a local but well-known resident,
the first years of our century witnessed its exter-
mination, the last authenticated Cumbrian nest being
built in some ivy on the west side ot Castle Head,
and harried in 1809 by Mr. Gaskett and John
Graves in the presence of John Pearson, who shot
the last native Kite about 1840. (WW. K. Dover, MS.)
This bird is preserved by Mr. Sawer of Threlkeld.

Genus PERNIS.

P. Apivorus. Honey Buzzarp,

The Honey Buzzard is a casual visitant of rare
occurrence in autumn. A Honey Buzzard, im-
mature, was shot at Raughton Head, Oct., 1832 ;

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 77

another near Penrith in the autumn of 1851; in
1855, a third at Scratchmere Scaur; a fourth near
St. Bees in 1863; a fifth at Catlands, Wigton ;
while a sixth spent several days at Cotehill in the
autumn of 1883, extracting a wasp’s nest from the
shelter of a gooseberry bush.

In 1783, a female Honey Buzzard was ob-
tained on the 13th of June, by Dr. Heysham, near
Carlisle ; again, in 1857, a female was obtained from
Schoolbank Wood, Alston, on June 10th, by Mr.
B. Greenwell.

Genus HIEROFALCO.

H. Candicans. GREENLAND Fatcon.*

In Westmorland, a beautiful adult was shot in
1864 at Crosby Ravensworth. (J. G. Goodchild,
rang Coa% We. Assod, Vol) VI.) p.. 161!) “Thig
specimen may be seen at Edenhall. In Cumberland
a white Gyrfalcon was seen near Carlisle in the hard
winter 1835-6 by Mr. Hodgkinson, and another
white Falcon was seen on Burgh marsh some years

later by Mr. J. Fell.

H. Islandus. Ice~tanp Fatcon.

The Iceland Falcon is an accidental visitant.
An immature bird, of which Mr. Macpherson re-
tains the sternum and some feathers, was shot
near Crossfell, Oct. 13, 1860. (B. Greenwell, M.S.)

An Iceland Falcon had been taken at Deanscale,
Workington, in 1835, but this was possibly an
escaped bird. (J. W. Harris, MS.)

78 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Genus FALCO.

EF. Peregrinus. Prrecrine Fatcon.

The Peregrine is a resident species, about six
pairs nesting in the wildest districts of Cumberland,
despite the efforts of game preservers ; for though
the breeding birds are frequently destroyed, yet
the traditional breeding places, which for obvious
reasons we abstain from enumerating, are re-occupied
from time to time by successive pairs. Some females
are undemonstrative in the breeding season, but
others exhibit the greatest distress. When visiting
a Falcon’s nest during the spring of 1885, we en-
joyed, on two successive days, a close study of the
birds, which happened to be a noisy pair. Long
before we had reached the nest, the cry of the male,
poised aloft, rang along the precipices, and the fe-
male, slipping off her nest in an overhanging cliff,
hastened to join her mate, and to unite her cries
with his. ‘ Now she flies in magnificent circles over-
head, passing to and fro within gunshot, or stooping,
with a piercing wail, to caress the sea beneath ;
while he—the little partner of her choice—elects
to remain aloft, exhibiting beautiful evolutions. At
one moment he appears to hang in mid-air with
scarcely an effort, at the next he cleaves his way
for two hundred yards with a swift rush, and nearly
closed pinions.” (JMJacpherson’s Note-book, May 30,
1885.)

The Peregrine Falcon is more widely distributed
during the winter months than at other times. In

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 79

October and November, the Peregrine frequently
visits the Solway salt marshes.

A wonderfully diminutive male Peregrine, shot
in Cumberland, is preserved at Edenhall.

FE, Subbuteo. Hospy.

The Hobby is a casual visitant, of extremely
- infrequent occurrence.

A. Hobby was shot in Borrowdale in 1854; a
fine old male was shot at Castle Rigg in 1864, and
is preserved by Mr. Sawer; another was shot near
Edenhall, where it is preserved. Messrs. Mann
have obtained examples near Allonby on two
occasions.

In the autumn of 1884, a pair of Hobbies,
evidently on passage, were seen near Cotehill by
Mr. Little, on November 25th, thus confirming
Dr. Heysham’s remark that he had seen the Hobby
in Cumberland in November.

FE. Asalon. Mertin.

The Merlin is a somewhat scarce resident, only
nesting irregularly in the lake district, and on one
or two of the Solway mosses, but breeding generally
upon the Bewcastle and Pennine hills, though always
a local bird. Fortunately, the nest is often so well
concealed in tall heather as to escape detection. It
is situated in most instances in the neighbourhood
of a “beck.” Fresh eggs may be found from the
beginning of May until the end of the month. The
young, which are covered with grey down, show

80 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

fight on being molested. They are fed chiefly on
Wheatears and Meadow Pipits, and are sedulously
cared for by the parents, the male rearing the brood
if his mate should happen to be trapped. When
fledged, they love to perch like statues upon cornices
of rock; but on a recent occasion we were led by
their cries to discover a brood of young Merlins,
which were perching ina clump of trees, at about
forty feet from the ground. As we stood beneath,
they rose, and, crossing the valley, settled in the
heather on the other side.

In autumn, both adults and immature birds
descend from the fells to lower grounds, and may
often be seen on our salt marshes, where they feed
chiefly on Skylarks and on Dunlins. At such times
they haunt also the hedgerows, and often venture
near the outskirts of towns. During the winter
1883-4, we constantly observed a Merlin frequenting
the suburbs of Carlisle, apparently in quest of House
Sparrows.

Gexus TINNUNCULUS.

T. Alaudarius. KeEstReEt.

The Kestrel is a resident, breeding so numerously
that Mr. Hodgkinson once ‘“ counted twenty-seven
Kestrels flying in the air at once,” near Barron
Wood ; but comparatively few winter with us. A
female Kestrel, assuming male plumage, is preserved
in the Taylor collection.

On July 27, 1873, Mr. F. D. Power observed a
white Kestrel hunting on Dent Hill.

ee Le

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 81

Genus PANDION.

P. Halietus. Osprey.

The Osprey is a casual visitant of uncommon
occurrence. An Osprey was shot at Netherby in
the spring of 1837 ; another was trapped at Barron
Wood, 1869; a third was shot on Derwent in 1870 ;
a fourth, storm-beaten and emaciated, was shot in
1881, at Gosforth, on September 23rd; in 1883,
a fifth, also tempest-driven, was closely seen at
Rockliffe, Sept. 27th and 28th, narrowly escaping
the indignity of being captured by a servant girl.
In Ulleswater, Dr. Heysham states that the Osprey
was resident and bred at the close of the last
century.

Family PELECANID.

Genus PHALACROCORAX.

P. Carbo. CoRMORANT.

The Cormorant is resident, but local as a
breeding species, a single colony nesting at St. Bees
Head. Adults may be constantly observed on the
Ravenglass estuary during the summer ; but it 1s
not until the beginning of September that many
Cormorants haunt our inland lakes or the estuaries
of the Solway. In winter, single birds and small
parties constantly fly up with the tide to fish for eels
in favourite pools and inland waters, often resting
in rows upon the mud flats at low water. Immature
white-breasted birds are rather more numerous than
adults on the Solway. A fine old bird was meshed
in a flight-net on the Duddon in the winter 1884-5.

G

82 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

P. Graculus. Swaa.

The Shag is a winter visitant to our coast and
estuaries, of decidedly infrequent occurrence. It is
rarely obtained inland, though an example was
secured on the Caldew in 1855, and an immature
bird near Alston in 1866. Dr. Parker has hazarded
an opinion that the Shag breeds at St. Bees Head
(Zool., 1879, p. 118), but we are quite unable to
confirm his conjecture. (Cited, Birds of Lancashire,
pe 22.)

Genus SULA.

S. Bassana. GANNET.

The Gannet is an irregular visitant to our coast.
Of late years but few herrings have frequented our
coast, and Gannets have consequently been scarce ;
but when fish are abundant the Gannet arrives to
display its powers of diving from a height. We
lately saw a fine Gannet shot as he rose from the
water, and found a splendid herring, quite fresh,
in his gullet.

An example in the Carlisle Museum, in adult
plumage, was captured alive at Whitehaven. We
have two notes of Gannets captured a few miles
inland during the prevalence of stormy weather.

Family ARDEID/A.
Genus ARDEA.

A. Cinerea. Heron.

The Heron is a well-established resident, six
large colonies existing in different parts of the

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 83

county, viz, at Muncaster, Hamont River, The
Riddings, Greystoke, Wythop Woods (overhanging
Bassenthwaite Lake), and Edenhall. A few pairs
nest sporadically, also, on the Gelt, Caldew, and
other rivers. At Edenhall there are two colonies,
for the original heronry was deserted for some years
in consequence of the advent of a squad of Rooks.
The Herons in disgust left en masse; but, being
crowded in their new quarters, the original colony
sent out a draught of breeding birds to the old
locality, which they proceeded to re-occupy.

A. Purpurea. Purrtz Heron.

The Purple Heron is an accidental wanderer
from continental Europe. <A single bird was shot
_ near Alston about 1850, and is preserved at Eden-
hall, as recorded by Mr. Gould.

A. Alba. Great Wuite Heron.

The Great White Heron is an accidental wanderer
from south-east HKurope. An example was shot in
Cumberland prior to 1821+ (Latham, Gen. H. B.,
Vol. IX, p. 84); but whether this was the bird re-
ferred to Buttermere by Mr. J. Robson (Zool., 1854,
p. 4169) on the faith of the late Mr. John Rook, the
artist, is unknown. The relatives of Mr. Rook have
not been able to discover that he left any notes on

birds.

A. Falloides. ‘Squacco Heron.
The Squacco Heron is an accidental visitant
from south-east Europe. A specimen was shot in

+ “One of them was shot not many years ago in Cumberland. Dr. Heysham,”
Latham, Gen. Syn., Vol. III, p. 91 (1785).

84 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

a meadow near the Eden at Kirkoswald, in the
second week of July, 1845. (Yarrell, B. B., Vol. II,
p. 563, 3rd ed.)

Genus ARDETTA.

A. Minuta. Larrir Birrern.

An example of this rare visitant, in female
plumage, in Mr. Hancock’s collection, was caught
by a dog on the river Petteril, near Carlisle, in
1850. (J. Hancock in lit.) The late Mr. J. Robson
asserted that two others had been killed near
Whitehaven, about 1854. (Zool., 1854, p. 4169.)

Genus NYCTICORAX.

N. Griseus. Nigur Heron.

The Night Heron has twice occurred in Cumber-
land. An adult was shot at Beckfoot, Brampton,
about 1850 (W. Proud in lit.), and entered the
Proud collection. An immature bird was shot in
Abbey Holme about 1866, and is in the possession
of Messrs. Mann of Aigle Gill.

Genus BOTAURUS.

B. Stellaris. Brirrern.

The Bittern is an irregular winter visitant, of
decidedly uncommon occurrence. Hight examples
were killed in the Carlisle district m the winter
1831-2, a flock having probably scattered over our
mosses ; and since then the species has been met

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 85

with on several occasions in the Carlisle district,
three at least being obtained in the vicinity of
the city.

The Bittern appears to visit the western border
of the county rather more frequently than the north
or east, and Dr. Lumb has a fine specimen which he
shot a few winters since on his own shootings near
Whitehaven.

Dr. Heysham says (1797)—‘‘ The Bittern is not
so numerous as the Heron, and is always solitary.
It breeds in bogs and makes its nest upon the
eround. In the spring it makes a loud bellowing
kind of noise, from which it is called in Cumber-
land Miredrum.” Similar evidence is adduced by
Richardson : ‘Sometimes, though rarely, breeds by
the side of EKamont, on the low grounds.”

Family PLATALEID/.
Grus PLATALHA.

P. Leucorodia. SPoonsILt.

The Spoonbill is a rare visitant, probably from
Holland, and has only been obtained in Cumberland
in two instances, though it is possible that certain
““white Herons” seen on the Solway at different
times may have been really Spoonbills. An immature
male was shot on Scaleby Meadows, Nov. 7th, 1859
(Carlisle Journal, Nov. 11th, 1859), and was mounted
by Mr. S. Watson. Another was shot near Bootle
in 1876, and is in the museum of Mr. Wallace of

Distington. (H. P. Senhouse, MS.)

86 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

~Mr. Hancock kindly writes that a Spoonbill
recorded at p. 130 of his Catalogue of the B. of
N. and D., as “killed in Cumberland several years
ago,” was obtained in 1833, on Dalton Sands, ze. in
Lancashire, making a second occurrence for that
county.

Family ANATID.
Genus CHENALOPEX.

C. Aigyptiacus. Wayprian Goose.*

The Egyptian Goose is a casual visitant, in all
probability as an “escape” from ornamental waters.
An example was shot on Derwentwater in 1850 ;
another on the Solway at Sandsfield ; another on
the Eden at Carlisle on March 14th, 1885; and
others have occurred, some very wary, but none the
less In our opinion “escapes.”

Genus ANSER.

A. Cinereus. GRry-LAG Goose.

The Grey-lag Goose is a winter visitant, occurring
on passage in November and April, but a few birds
occasionally winter on the Solway, and when shot
are considered extra big Geese by the fowlers. A
Goose and Gander shot near Allonby by Messrs.
Mann, weighed 9} lbs. and 10 lbs. respectively, and
others have been shot by Mr. G. Holmes and Mr.
A. Smith. A couple were shot near Bowness, in
January, 1885; but the Grey-lag Goose is a scarce
bird on the Solway.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 87

A. Segetum. Buran Goost.

The Bean Goose is the common grey Goose of
the Solway, but it has become much scarcer in
winter of late years, though large flocks occur
in spring and autumn. The Geese which Mr.
B. Greenwell obtained on the fells near Alston
proved to be Bean Geese, and we believe that the
wedges of Geese which we occasionally observe,
flying from the east fells to the Solway, are composed
of Bean Geese.

Mr. A. Smith states that the Bean Goose is
certainly the common grey Goose of Rockliffe marsh,
and Messrs. Mann assure us that the Bean Goose
is the grey Goose of the lower portion of the
Solway.

In spring, the grey Geese usually migrate from
the Solway in a north-east or easterly direction, and
the movement is reversed in autumn. bean Geese
occasionally linger on the Solway until spring is far
advanced. In the summer of 1885 a party of nine
grey Geese, believed to be Bean, haunted the Solway
until the end of the first week in June.

A. Brachyrhyncus. Pixxroorep Goose.

The Pinkfooted Goose is a casual visitant, of in-
frequent occurrence, on the Solway. Unfortunately
no precise information is forthcoming as to grey
Geese on the Duddon or Ravenglass estuaries ; but
Mr. Hodgkinson informs us that many years ago
a good many Pinkfooted Geese visited the Solway.
Of late years its visits have certainly been very
irregular ; and Mr. G. Holmes, who has shot a good

88 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

many examples on the Scotch side of the Solway,
informs us that he has only shot a few stray “ Pink-
legs” on the English side.

A. Albifrons, Wuuirs-rronrep Goose.

The White-fronted Goose is a casual visitant of
irregular occurrence. Some years since Mr. Watson
received several from the Carlisle district ; two fine
adults were shot out of a party of five near Allonby,
in November, 1882, by Messrs. Mann ; and a single
bird was killed in the same locality in November,
1884.

Genus CHEN.

C. Albatus. Snow Goose.

The Snow Goose is an accidental visitant. Prior
to 1884 it had only been detected in Ireland, of the
British Isles; but on August 22nd, we observed a
fine adult on the Cumbrian coast, near Allonby. Its
appearance was unmistakeable, as it flew leisurely
past us, while our glasses bore upon it, as it passed
from west to east. We observed it coming up to
us, and watched it depart, and at once remarked its
identity. Had the bird been immature, some un-
certainty might have arisen; but it was an adult,
and the black primaries strongly contrasted with
the white body plumage. The morning was fine
and calm (time 9 a.m.), with a haze at sea, and the
Goose had possibly lost its bearings. It was seen
on two subsequent occasions, but unfortunately was
too wary to be obtained. (Yarrell, B. B., 4th ed.,
Vol. IV, p. 277; Migration Report, 1885, p. 119.)
An immature bird, winged near Chatham, Ontario,

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 89

Canada, moulted into adult plumage in 1884, and
paired with a female of the domesticated Goose
in the present spring, being in the possession of
Mr. J. M. Macpherson. Unluckily, it strayed when
the ice broke up, and was wounded, though not
mortally, by a sportsman, who mistook it for a

wild bird.
Genus BERNICLA.

B. Brenta. Brent Goose.

The Brent Goose is a casual winter visitant, of
irregular or even rare occurrence on our estuaries.
Two were shot at Ravenglass, out of a party of
seven, in January, 1881, and Dr. Parker inclines to
think that a few Brents occur in most years in that
locality. To the Cumbrian side of the Solway, its
visits are certainly few and far between. A bird in
the Mann collection was shot at Skinburness. Two
others, single birds, were shot at long intervals on
Rockliffe marsh, by the late Capt. Mounsey and by
John Allen respectively. The only occurrence of
a large flock on the Solway happened in January,
1861, when W. Mackenzie, with a shoulder gun,
killed four Brent Geese, out of a big party flying
down the Eden, near Carlisle, the unusual event
being chronicled in a Carlisle newspaper.t

B. Leucopsis. Barnacte Goost.

The Barnacle Goose is a winter visitant to the
Solway, and the Ravenglass and Duddon estuaries.

+ About fifteen dark-breasted birds have been shot on the Solway during
the present winter, 1885-6.

90 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Upon the English side of the Solway, the marshes
of Rockliffe and Newton are its chief feeding
grounds, especially Rockliffe, where the western
extremity of the marsh affords fine feeding ground
to the Barnacle, on the sand between high tide
mark and sound grazing land.

A small party of Barnacles generally arrives on
the Solway during the last week of September, or
even earlier.

In the present autumn (1885), Mr. R. Mann,
when shooting on October Ist, near Allonby, saw
a flock of ten Barnacles flying, high up, before
the wind, south-west. On the 16th, at 4-45 p.m.,
we saw a flock of about three hundred birds, flying
direct east towards Rockliffe marsh. After watch-
ing them some time, they turned in a northerly
direction, but arrived on Rockliffe marsh the same
evening. The afternoon was bright, with a strong
east wind. In most seasons the bulk of the Bar-
nacles which winter on Rockliffe marsh arrive
in that locality between October 23rd and the end
of the month. Barnacle Geese are extremely
wary fowl, and feed chiefly by night; but upon
the point of Rockliffe marsh, where the birds
are a good deal harassed at night, Mr. A. Smith
has observed that latterly they have adhered less
strictly to their rule of feeding at night, finding it
safer to feed by day in a locality where they can at
once detect the approach of any sportsman on the
marsh, than to feed at night, when they are pretty
certain to be in danger. The food of the Barnacle
consists of the young tender blades of grass which

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. ol

grow upon the surface of the newly-formed portions
of the marsh, for the tide is constantly increasing
the superficial area of Rockliffe, while at the same
time it is wearing away Burgh marsh on the other
side of the Eden.

The Barnacle is not wholly restricted to a
herbaceous diet, but feeds in a small degree upon
animal food obtained in the mud flats; Mr. A.
Smith has observed, that, when the Barnacles are
feeding on the mud, their soil is darker than at
other times.

In severe weather, the Barnacle suffers severely,
because the young tender blades, upon which it
subsists, are early nipped by the frost. At such
times, it is forced to feed upon coarse and stronger
grass, and its flesh becomes bitter and less palatable
in consequence.

It is interesting to wait upon the point of Burgh
marsh, before daybreak, and listen to the cries of
the Barnacles, feeding on the point of Rockliffe
marsh immediately opposite. About an hour after
daybreak, they rise en masse from their feeding
ground, and after wheeling up and down the Solway
for a few moments, displaying their pretty barred
grey, black, and white plumage against the mud
flats, they fly seawards to the estuary of the
Wampool, or, circling round, pitch in a long line
upon the exposed mud half a mile to windward.
Barnacle Geese are constantly vociferous, especially
when feeding, and Mr. A. Smith compares the
volume of sound produced by a flock of several
hundred Barnacles feeding at night together, as

92 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

heard at a distance, to a pack of harriers in full
cry.

When lying in wait for Barnacle Geese on
Rockliffe marsh, Mr. A. Smith has repeatedly
witnessed the Geese sparring and plucking one
another’s feathers. Sentinels are constantly posted
to give the alarm.

Except when migrating, Barnacles do not occur
far inland in Cumberland ; but the late Mr. G.
Mawson records (Zool., 1865, p. 9733), that in
January, 1865, when frost prevailed, a flock of
Barnacles appeared in the neighbourhood of Cocker-
mouth. At the same time, a flock, estimated at
sixty birds, frequented a field near the Eden,
about two miles above Carlisle, several of the
party being shot by James Fell and others, by
moonlight.

If frost be continued, Barnacles become tamed
by hunger, and admit of an approach in_ broad
daylight. Thus, in the winter 1860-1, a large
flock of Barnacles flew over the top ot a car-
penter’s shed at Bowness, within shot of the men
who were at work inside. They settled in a
neighbouring field, and several were shot in a few
minutes. Again, in 1881, when a long-continued
frost broke up on February 23rd, Barnacles were
very tame on Rockliffe marsh, so that Mr. A. Smith
walked within one hundred and fifty yards of them
on the open marsh, a circumstance which had never
before occurred in his long experience. Some of
them were so weak that they could hardly rise from
the ground.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 93

The Barnacle has of late years become less
plentiful than formerly on the basin of the Waver
and Wampool ; but while—from 1868 to 1877 (ex-
cepting the winter 1869-70, in which no Barnacles
visited Rockliffe marsh)—the Barnacles only fre-
quented Rockliffe marsh for a few days out of every
month, since 1877, and especially during the severe
winters of 1879-80, 1880-1, these birds have spent
the entire season at Rockliffe, and though naturally
night feeders, may, as already remarked, be occa-
sionally observed on the marsh during the day.
Comparatively few Barnacles are obtained upon the
English Solway, owing to the extreme caution of
the large flocks in open weather ; but in November,
1883, seventeen fine Barnacles were shot on Rockliffe
marsh in a single evening by a party of four guns.

The Barnacle leaves the Solway at the beginning
of April, but has been observed in one or two in-
stances at the end of the month. It has not occurred
voluntarily in summer. A female was caught on the
Solway early in July, 1884, but it could not fly,
and had probably been pinioned, accidentally or
otherwise. Winged birds run with great rapidity,
and are difficult to capture. The female just alluded
to has thriven in confinement, but is very shy of
strangers. During the present spring (1885) she
became extremely vociferous, no doubt desiring to
attract a mate, as did a Gander which has also been
under our observation. Mr. J. W. Harris remarks
that a pinioned Barnacle lived for thirty years in
confinement, and sat in three successive seasons

upon her unfertilized eggs. Upon the whole, the

94 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

numbers of the Barnacles which visit the English
side of the Solway have largely increased of late
years. Mr. A. Smith informs us, that, whereas
twenty years ago their largest flocks at Rockliffe
numbered from two hundred to four hundred birds,
they now consist of from six hundred to a thousand
birds. Barnacle Geese appear to arrive upon the
Solway by two routes. The first passes down the
west coast of Scotland or the outer Hebrides. The
second route, followed by birds which have passed
down the west coast of Norway from the Arctic
Circle, and then crossed the North Sea, appears to
coincide with the valleys of the Tweed, the Lyne,
and Liddell. In 1885, a flock of a hundred mi-
grating Barnacles passed over Stanwix, Carlisle, on
April 2nd, flying north-west, wind westerly. Pro-
bably the greater number of our Barnacles perform
their journey vid the west coast of Scotland, but a
certain number also fly across the sixty miles of
land between the Solway and our east coast. Mr.
Smith has seen flocks of Barnacles, evidently tired
birds, arrive on Rockliffe marsh, flying from east, or
a point or two north of east, to the Solway.

It is always difficult to enlist the services of
inland observers in the study of wild fowl, be-
cause they are generally ignorant of their identity ;
but at our request, Mr. A. Smith kindly cross-
examined G. Cartner, who had often told him that,
when working near Bewcastle, he had observed
Barnacle Geese, as well as Grey Geese, flying from
east to west. Cartner, being a native of Rockliffe,
and a man of intelligence, was well qualified to

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 95

identify this species. ‘“ I have seen George Cartner,”
writes Mr. A. Smith, under date of September 28th,
1885, “who is well acquainted with the call of the
Barnacle, and he tells me that while living in the
Bewcastle district he often heard them passing over
about this time, or rather later in October. They
were always coming from the north-east or east.
He also tells me that there was a large moss or
moor, with very little water on it, near where he
lived, and that his master had sheep on it, and that
he had to go early in the morning to look after
them. About this time in the year he often rose
both Grey Geese and Barnacles, and one year he
rose a party of Barnacles two mornings running.
The third morning his master took a gun to get a
shot at them, but the Geese had left.”

Barnacle ganders killed in open weather average
about 43 Ibs., and 6 lbs. is the limit. Females weigh
from 32 to 44 lbs. in condition.

B. Canadensis. Canapa Goosx.*

The Canada Goose is a casual visitant. An ex-
ample was shot and a second seen at Bassenthwaite
a few years since, and others have occurred, no doubt
“escapes,” since the Canada Goose was kept as an
ornamental fowl on English waters in the days of

Francis Willughby.

Genus CYGNUS.
C. Olor. Murr Swan.*

The Mute Swan is probably a rare casual visitant
in severe weather from eastern Europe. A bird

96 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

killed on the coast at Drigg, in February, 1883,
when its companion escaped, was very possibly a
genuine wild bird; but it appears to us to be im-
possible to distinguish between wild birds and
stragglers from private waters.

The following passage apparently refers to the
Mute Swan at Bassenthwaite :—

“There come every year a number of Swans to
winter upon this water, and in the spring, they
breed on the little islands in the water, or in the
sedge, growing by the sides of it; and as soon as
the young brood gets wing, the old ones carry them
into the southern rivers.” (Robinson, Essay toward
the Natural History of Westmorland and Cumber-
land (1709), p. 60.)

C. Musicus. WuHoorer Swan.

The Whooper is a scarce winter visitant, but indi-
viduals are killed from time to time, chiefly near the
Solway and in the Eden valley. Mr. Dobson in-
forms us, that, on one occasion, in early spring, he
observed an interesting flight of Swans on Tyndal
Tarn. <A dense fog prevailed until midday, when it
dispersed, and revealed a party of thirty wild Swans
resting on the water. When the atmosphere cleared,
the birds rose and flew off in a northerly direction.
A similar party was noticed the same day at Talkin
Tarn, and Mr. Dobson considered that the original
flock had divided in the fog, and had sought shelter
on the two tarns until the weather permitted the
continuance of their journey.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 97

C. Bewicki. Brwicr’s Swan.

Bewick’s Swan is a rare winter visitant, but
Dr. Parker considers, that some of the wild Swans,
which pass along our west coast every winter, should
be referred to this species.

An example was killed near Edenhall some years
since, and a second was obtained in that neighbour-
hood in the winter of 1879-80. On November 28rd,
1884, Messrs. Shepherd and W. Duckworth had an
excellent opportunity of examining a single Bewick’s
Swan as it settled upon the ice on Monkhill lough.
Capt. Johnson believes, that two Swans, shot many
years since near Brampton, belonged to this species.

Genus TADORNA.

T. Cornuta. Common SHELDRAKE.

The Sheldrake is a numerous resident; but
owing to the growth of seaports and the develop-
ment of mining industries upon our coast, it is
chiefly restricted to the Duddon and Ravenglass
estuaries and to the upper portion of the Solway
during the breeding season.

During the present summer (1885) we observed
many pairs near Cardurnock, and the strength of
the colony breeding under Lord Muncaster’s pro-
tection at Ravenglass, was estimated by the resident
keeper as exceeding forty pairs. |

In Cumberland, the eggs of the Sheldrake are
constantly laid in rabbit-holes. A single deviation
from this rule came under our notice near Silloth,
where we found a Sheldrake’s clutch placed above

H

98 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

ground, but amply protected by a very dense covert
of furze.

In ordinary seasons, the majority of our female
Sheldrakes lay from seven to twelve eges in May.
But, though May is the chief month for nesting,
yet odd clutches are found from April to June in-
clusive, and old birds probably nest earlier than
younger ones.

The Sheldrake generally flies from the entrance
of her nesting-hole on to the nearest mud flats, but
if rain is falling, the print of her feet may some-
times be detected on the wet sand. In the early
hours of morning, the Sheldrake is less cautious than
at other times, and may then be watched off her
nest. Another method of ascertaining the where-
abouts of a nest is to insert a long briar, to which
a few flakes of the delicate greyish down are sure
to adhere if the nest be occupied.

The distance at which the eggs are deposited
from the entrance varies with the character of the
soil and with the whim of the individual. Occa-
sionally they are placed within a few feet of the
entrance, but in a light sandy soil the distance is
generally much greater.

The nests of such birds as lay a few feet from
the entrance are often robbed, the eggs being placed
for hatching beneath domestic fowls. The Shel-
drake occasionally drops single eggs on the bare
sand. The young ones in down are often captured,
when making their way after their parents along
the creeks of the salt marshes. They run with
great rapidity, uttering a clear piping whistle, and

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 99

show considerable craft in concealing themselves
by skulking under the foliage of a rank ditch or
beneath the margin of a creek. Upon the Duddon,
a practice is in vogue of shooting the later broods
at the beginning of August, chiefly during the early
morning, for during the day they frequent the mud
flats with the old birds. A few Sheldrakes are shot
by the punt gunners, or meshed in the flight nets
upon the Duddon, but on the whole the adults are
little persecuted, and the caution which they display,
in feeding on the open mud flats, and resting on
tidal waters during daylight, is quite superfluous.
Only a comparatively small number of Sheldrakes
pass the entire winter on our coast, but the breeding
birds return in early spring, at which time the pro-
minence at the base of the upper mandible is rising
in the adult drake. Considerable parties of non-
breeding birds may be observed on our estuaries
during the summer months.

Inland, the Sheldrake has once occurred on
Tyndal Tarn, where a single bird, now preserved
in the neighbourhood, was shot a few years since.

The nestling, in down, is lavender-white in
ground-colour ; the dark chocolate of the crown is
produced in a narrow band along the neck, passing
into a broad band on the back, and extending a
dark band over the shoulders, a similar band ex-
tending upwards from the thigh to the dorsal
region.

In a feathered nestling shot on the Solway, in
August, 1884, the forehead, chin, lower neck and
under-parts are white ; the crown, hind neck, and

100 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

wings brown ; wing coverts, back, and rump white ;
tail quills white at the base, the rest brownish-
black, fringed with pale buff.

Genus MARECA.

M. Penelope. Wiaeon.

The Wigeon is a common winter visitant, arriving
numerously during the latter part of October and
the first fortnight of November, and departing in
March and April. During the present spring, a
small party of Wigeon lingered into May on the
Ravenglass estuary, and Mr. A. Smith once shot
a bird, in the middle of July, which he thought had
not bred at all, but had passed the summer on the
Solway. September is the earliest month for the
regular arrival of a flight of Wigeon on our coast.
In 1873, Mr. F. D. Power heard a flight of Wigeon
passing over Cleator Moor, on the 14th of Sept. ;
in 1883, a brace were shot on Burgh marsh, on
Sept. 22nd, and others were obtained about the
same date; in 1884, a big flock arrived on the
Solway in the middle of September. In 1885, in
company with Mr. Tremble, we observed six Wigeon
on Rockliffe marsh, on September 5th, the earliest
date in Mr. Tremble’s experience, though he has
often shot Wigeon in September ; on Sept. 13th,
Mr. F. Ritson counted forty odd birds, as they rose
out of the sedge on Monkhill; we observed them
in the same locality on the 18th, and obtained two
old drakes shot on Rockliffe marsh the same evening.
Others were shot by the punt gunners during the

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. LOL

latter portion of the month, and those we examined
were drakes, doffing the duck plumage of the breed-
ing season.

Wigeon are night feeders, and rest during the
day on the gravel beds of estuaries, or in the rank
vegetation of inland waters, which they occasionally
leave to fly round at a considerable height, the
drakes uttermg their well-known whistle, and the
ducks their harsher call, if the season be advanced.

Genus DAFILA.

D. Acuta. Prntatt.

The Pintail is a winter visitant in sparing
numbers, chiefly met with on our estuary rivers,
though odd birds are shot on inland mosses in
severe weather. During continued frost, the Pin-
tail is more numerous than at other times; but
though local specimens exist in most collections,
and far more have been eaten, it is rarely present
in large numbers. On a single occasion, two birds
were shot out of a flock at Rockliffe, estimated to
consist of about a hundred birds, by Mr. A. Smith,
who considered that they were tired birds, anxious
to rest upon the margin of the Eden. The entire
flock departed on being fired into, and none were
subsequently met with, so that the birds were
evidently on passage, probably to Ireland. In a
single instance also, two Pintails were shot by
Messrs. Mann, out of a large flock, in the spring
of the year, and these no doubt were on the vernal
passage. Pintails obtained on other occasions by

102 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Messrs. Mann, G. Holmes, J. Fell, and A. Smith,
have been always stragglers, though Mr. Grayson
considers the species of tolerably frequent occurrence
on the south-west coast of the county. Personally,
we have only met with the Pintail in Cumberland
on two occasions, and on each we observed a single
bird.

Mr. J. Backhouse, junr., kindly informs us that
the Pintails recorded by him (Zool., 1882, p. 353),
as nesting annually, and up to 1881, at Low Wood,
near Ambleside, Westmorland, were pinioned and
introduced stock. We have examined Pintails shot
in that county in winter. .

Genus ANAS.

A. Boschas. Witp Dvcx.

The Wild Duck is an abundant resident, breeding
plentifully near inland pools, as well as among the
mosses of the coast. Elevated situations are
occasionally preferred to contain the nest. An
isolated pillar of red sandstone, on the Lyne, 1s,
or was, a favourite nesting-place, and on the same
river we found a nest on a sheer rock, about sixteen
1eet above the water. It contained eleven eggs,
buried in grey down.

In some localities, where many pairs of Wild
Duck breed, as at Moorthwaite, the Wild Mallards

+ Miss Meyer, the owner of these Pintails, informs us that her birds bred
in 1879, 1880, and 1881, after which she parted with them. They were in no
sense wild birds.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 1038

pay frequent visits to the farmyard Ducks, thereby
improving the flavour of the home breed, and re-
storing, in part, the degenerated powers of flight.
Upon one occasion, a black and white domesticated
Duck was induced by a wild drake to take to a free
life, on Solway moss, and the offspring thus produced
were shot ; several of them being black and white,
like the old female. A pinioned but breeding Mal-
lard, which we studied during the present summer
(1885), began to doff his nuptial garb, and to go
into eclipse, at the beginning of June. Drakes shot
in September are assuming full plumage.

Genus CHAULELASMUS.

C. Streperus. GADWALL.

The Gadwall is a winter visitant of rare occur-
rence, but has probably been overlooked. It has
only been detected in the neighbourhood of the
Solway. A drake, which had been consorting with
some tame ducks, was shot as it flew away, at
Grinsdale, on the Eden, October 21st, 1884. An
immature drake was shot on the Lyne, on Jan. 3rd,
1885. The first weighed 1 lb. 6o0zs.; the second,
1lb. 1120zs., though a fortnight’s frost had pre-
vailed.t Culmen, dusky black; edges of mandibles,
horn colour ; tarsi and toes, dull yellow ; webs,
blackish, fringed in the immature bird with yellow ;
claws, dark grey ; irides, dark hazel.

+ We have weighed Gadwall which turned the scale at 24 lbs.

104 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Genus QUERQUEDULA.

Q. Circia. GARGANEY.

The Garganey is a rare casual visitant, of occa-
sional occurrence in spring and autumn. It has
once occurred in winter. Two drakes were shot
on Tarn Wadling, before it was drained (7. Hope,
in lit.); one was killed near Carlisle in 1857; a
handsome drake was shot near Gilsland in the
spring of 1882; and an adult drake was shot at
Bowness-on-Solway in the autumn of that year.
Two females were shot out of a small flock on
Rockceliffe, March 11th, 1884, and a drake was
shot out of a party of twelve on Millom marsh,
December, 1884.

Q. Crecca. Common THAt.

The Teal is a resident species, a few pairs nesting
on the Solway mosses, and also in suitable localities
in the lake district, and on the east fells, as on
Crossfell. The young are hatched in May, but the
drake remains with the female until the young are
well feathered. In August, the home-bred birds
repair to our salt marshes; but it is not until the
arrival of birds from more northern districts, at
the end of October, that Teal become numerous.

Genus SPATULA.

S. Clypeata. SHOVELLER.

The Shoveller is a periodical visitant, but local
in its choice of quarters, chiefly restricted to the
Eden valley and the vicinity of the Solway, and not

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 105

reported from the Ravenglass or Duddon estuaries.
In the north of Cumberland, the Shoveller is most
numerous in September and April, but stray adults
occur in August, and we observe a few pairs during
winter near the Solway, whence they stray into the
lake district, where Capt. K. Dover occasionally de-
tects their presence. They are shy birds, and rarely
observed in winter until they take wing, which they
do in a peculiar undecided fashion.

From the irregular presence of single drakes in
May, and from the fact that Mr. Tremble shot a
young one on the edge of Burgh marsh, in the first
week of August, further research may show that
one or two pairs of Shovellers occasionally remain

to breed on the Cumbrian side of the Solway.

Genus FULIGULA.

FE, Cristata. Turrep Duck.

The Tufted Duck is a winter visitant, constantly
present with us from November to April, and toler-
ably plentiful near the Solway, being less frequently
met with far inland. The drakes are usually in poor
plumage in early winter ; it is in spring that they
are most attractive, raising the snow-white feathers
of the flanks above their wings, until you begin to
imagine that they are far whiter than is really the
case, At this season they wander less than in
winter. Old birds have long since paired, and the
demure little female threads the track of her mate
in and out of the mazy sedges, until the hope
revives, that they may nest in Cumbrian waters.

106 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

A male Tufted Duck was shot a few years since on
a small pond near Allonby, in the middle of July.
(R. Mann in lit.) It is at the end of March and
the beginning of April, that fowl is most abundant
on the Solway, the birds collecting there before
journeying en masse to their breeding grounds.

The following extract from Macpherson’s note-
book refers to Monkhill :—

“April 9th, 1885. Stealing silently along the
hedgerow, at length I reached the lough edge, and
squatting behind an old tree root, proceeded to take
a survey of the lough with my binoculars. Yonder,
in the shallows, a fleet of Black-headed Gulls in
nuptial garb are resting lazily ; nearer to me again,
are several pairs of wild Duck on the feed, the
drakes showing conspicuously their white under-tail
coverts, as they turn stern uppermost. In the
centre of the lough the noisy Coots are preening
themselves ; on the further side, but close in to
shore, are seven Tufted Ducks, and four Goldeneyes
are diving actively a little nearer to the mill. But
the Goldeneyes are up, and, sure enough, round
they swing, beating the air with their hard wing
quills. Are they going off to Thurstanfield? No;
they pitch just in a line with my old trunk, showing
their white wing patches, as they settle on the
water. A Peewit shrieks: the Tufted Ducks are
off now, and round the lough they hurry, showing
well, as they pass with necks outstretched, their
dark heads and silvered bellies. They are down ;
but not apparently to feed. Round and round
they paddle. From time to time a drake flaps his

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 107

wings, or cranes his neck to re-arrange his wing
coverts.

Quietly, I slip back, and, making a long détour
over the fields, reach the north side of the lough
unnoticed. And now we get a better view of the
Tufted ones—five drakes, and two are ducks. How
lightly they ride upon the tiny waves which the east
wind creates ; their breasts glisten like silver on the
water. A drake begins to dive, darting forward
with more grace than the clumsy Goldeneye. Now
they are all diving, though they are never all down
together, nor do they stay as long below as do the
Goldeneyes. The Gulls scream: four Goldeneyes
arrive to join their brethren, and now four more.
A. Dabchick is playing among the weeds; a pair of
Shovellers rise out of yon quiet corner, and I re-
trace my steps, to find that six pairs of Shovellers
are on the feed near the ‘runner.’ The rich chesnut
body-colour of the drakes contrasts beautifully with
their white necks as they swim through the thin
weeds, slobbering, as they go, with their clumsy but
serviceable ‘spoonbills.’ ”

FE. Marila. Scavp.

The Scaup is a winter visitor to our estuaries,
arriving at the beginning of November, and depart-
ing at the end of March. It may often be observed
in small parties among the sandbanks of the Solway,
though it rarely ascends the Eden as high as
Carlisle.

About six miles west of Carlisle, there are two
small loughs, Thurstanfield and Monkhill, each fed

108 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

?

by a “runner,” or small stream, both sheltered on
two sides by wood or thickets, and both preserved.
The distance from either lough to the Solway does
not exceed three miles. Accordingly, when the
weather is boisterous or the punt gunners are astir,
many ducks leave the estuary to seek shelter on
one or other lough. We have personally observed
ten species of ducks on Monkhill lough (our
favourite inland observatory), and two other species
have occurred there. A small party of Scaups
frequently favour both loughs in rough weather,
and we have also observed single drakes and listened
to their discordant cry. We have no notes of
Scaups occurring far inland in Cumberland ; but
in January, 1881, two Scaups were shot on Hawes
Water, Westmorland, some thirty miles from the
sea. One of the two thus obtained is intermediate
in plumage between the adult male and female,
associating the white forehead of the female with
the bottle-green head of the drake. It was not
until examining this bird, that we realized the fact,
which, indeed, is not generally remembered, that
young male Scaups wear the white forehead of the
female during the first autumn. Sir R. Payne-
Gallwey states—‘ The females alone show the dirty
white mark round the base of the bill, something
like the White-fronted Goose” (The Fowler in
Treland, p. 103). Yarrell correctly states—“ Young
birds resemble the females, generally, but the heht
colour on the back is varied with brown spots. By
the month of January, the young male has nearly
assumed the glossy black head, but the mottled

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 109

whitish patch at the base of the bill is still present,
and the breast is still brownish, and not black.”
(B. B., Vol. IV, p. 429, 4th ed.)

F. Ferina. PocuHarp.

The Pochard is a winter visitant to our estuaries
and lakes, but varies greatly in numbers in different
seasons. It is for the most part a night feeder.
Small parties, composed of five or six birds, may
be observed during the forenoon on quiet waters,
with their ruddy heads under their wings. The
Pochard has never bred with us, though on one
occasion several Pochards were observed by Mr.
Watson on a small tarn, near Brampton, in the
middle of May. Mr. Watson suspected that they
might intend to breed in the locality, but there is
no corroborative evidence,

Genus NYROCA.

N. Ferruginea. Wuuirs-Eyep Duck.

The White-eyed or Ferruginous Duck is an
accidental visitant from south-east Europe. <A
female was purchased with two Goldeneyes, shot
in the vicinity, in Carlisle market about 1850
(WV. Proud in lit.); two others, “ killed on Bray-
stones Tarn,” and subsequently cooked, have been
recorded on the authority of Canon Hoskins (Zool.
1879; pe 118;.6. Parker, MS:)

110 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Genus CLANGULA.

C. Glaucton. GOLDENEYE.

The Goldeneye is a common winter visitant,
arriving on the Solway early in October, but
not generally distributed until the beginning of
November ; even then old drakes are scarce,
pointing to the conclusion, that they pass the
winter further north than females or birds of
the year. Goldeneyes are partial to the deeper
pools of our rivers, but it is chiefly odd birds which
are shot far inland. The Goldeneye feeds largely
in the early morning; and the young, on their
arrival in October, are to be seen singly and in
couples, diving sedulously, and affording many a
chance to the fowler who is crafty enough to run in
whilst the birds are under water, and shoot them as
they come up and take wing. In severe weather,
Goldeneyes are loth to leave a favourite pool, and
may be seen diving as regularly as usual when the
greater part of the surface is crusted with ice. If
a shot be fired at a party of Goldeneyes, they rise
immediately, headed by one or two old drakes, the
white facial disks of which can easily be dis-
tinguished with a good glass, as they circle round
the waters. One of the best places in North
Cumberland to study the Goldeneye is Monkhill
lough, where a score or so of Goldeneyes may
generally be observed from November to April.
In 1884 and 1885, a few Goldeneyes lingered until
quite the end of April on Monkhill lough, constantly
frequenting the deeper portions of the water, but
seldom associating with Coots or other fowl. Old

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. ie

drakes often feed at a distance from the younger
birds, and dive more frequently, generally staying
about twenty seconds under water; whilst the
others dive for from ten to sixteen seconds.

Daniel soberly relates (Rural Sports, Suppl.,
p- 627), that one hundred and seventy Goldeneyes
were caught together in a flounder net near Drum-
burgh ; but the story is no doubt apocryphal.

Mr. Borrodale of Glasson, one of the oldest
of the Solway fishermen, informs us that on one
occasion he found that seventeen Goldeneyes had
meshed themselves in his net. This number he
considered extraordinary.

An immature Goldeneye, shot on October 16th,
1884, on the Eden, shows the commencement of
the dull white ring of the mature female on the
lower neck. A young male, shot on December 10th,
exhibits traces of the white facial disks at the base
of the bill.

In 1884, we observed a party of Goldeneyes,
including two drakes in full plumage, at Monkhill
lough, on April 28th. Their return commenced
early in the following October, an immature bird
being shot on October 10th, on the Eden. In
1885, we observed six Goldeneyes at Monkhill, on
April 29th. These are our earliest and latest dates
of arrival and departure.

Genus HARELDA.

H. Glacialis. Wona-tatmep Duck.

The Long-tailed Duck is a rare casual visitant
to our coast during the winter months. An imma-

112 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

ture male was shot on the Derwent some years since
(J. W. Harris, MS.) Another male bird was shot
upon the river Ellen about 1855, by W. Ritson
(W. Hodgson, MS.) Another immature bird was
shot, out of a party of four, at Ravenglass, Novem-
ber 22nd, 1879 (Zool., 1880, p. 109.) A female, in
the Taylor collection, is believed to have been shot
on the Solway. When visiting Monkhill lough, on
January 24th, 1884, we recognised the presence of
a Long-tailed Drake in the plumage of the second
year, at the narrow and deepest end of the lough.
We examined it with our glasses until a blinding
shower of sleet dimmed the lenses. When the
squall ceased, we again caught sight of the bird, and
were scrutinising him with interest when he rose,
and flying very low, proceeded to pitch in a direct
line with the bush behind which we were crouching,
at a distance of thirty-five or forty yards from shore.
Presently he caught sight of us, and rose, but only
to pitch again a few yards to our left, displaying his
dark webs as he dropped his feet in settling. It
was delightful to see a Long-tailed Duck at such
close quarters, and to note the neatly rounded out-
line, the short blackish bill, and the pretty white
and chocolate plumage. He did not utter any call-
note, but after a time flew off to jom the Coots in
the centre of the lough. He looked very white and
fairy-like beside the clumsy Coots, as the sun shone
out upon the waters. When fired at on several
subsequent occasions, he invariably dived before the
shot could reach him, and then swam, or took a long
low flight, into the centre of the lough. When

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 1

feeding, he dived more quickly than the Goldeneyes,
and swam also with great rapidity, as though cutting
through the water. At other times he bowed or
curtsied from side to side.

Though the Goldeneyes constantly rose when a
shot was fired, and flew round high above the lough,
the Long-tailed Duck generally contented itself with
long low flights across the water, but on the few
occasions when it fairly rose, and joined the Golden-
eyes, 1t flew higher than any of its companions, and
exhibited a peculiar wavy motion of the wings.
With the exception of a few days at the end of
February, we constantly observed this bird on
Monkhill lough until March 19th, when it was shot
by a local fowler, whilst diving at the deep end of
the lough (where we had seen it first, on January
24th), and presented to the County Museum. It
weighed 1lb. 100zs. The bill was violet grey, tarsi
grey (darkest on the outside), toes light grey, webs
blackish, irides dark hazel.

Genus SOMATERIA.

S. Mollissima. Exper Duck.

The Hider Duck is a rare winter visitant. Dr.
Stanley examined an immature bird, obtained near
Whitehaven prior to 1829 ; two adults were caught
in the fishgarth at Ravenglass in June, 1880 (Zool.,
1881, p. 467), and others have been seen on the
Solway (R. Mann in lit.), and shot on Wastwater.
(C. Parker MS.) :

I

a THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Genus GDEMIA.
Ch. Nigra. Common Scorer.

The Common Scoter is a winter visitant, occur-
ring chiefly singly, and in small parties, upon the
Cumbrian side of the Solway, though more plentiful
on the Scotch side. To the Duddon estuary it is a
regular visitant, but not generally very abundant.
In some seasons, however, large flocks visit the
Duddon, probably detachments from Morecambe
Bay, which appears to constitute the headquarters
of the Common Scoter on the north-west coast of
England. Stragglers occur on our inland waters
and mosses, chiefly after heavy weather on the coast.
It is probable that a few Scoters, obviously non-
breeders, remain upon the west coast of England, as
upon the east coast, during the entire summer. A
fine old drake was caught alive in Silloth new docks
on August 10th, 1885, after a severe gale. Mr.
Clowes informed the late Dr. Gough that a few
Common Scoters annually visited Windermere in
the month of July, their stay being restricted to
“a day or two.” (Zool., 1848, p. 2280.)

CE. Fusca. VeEtvet Scoter.

The Velvet Scoter is a rare casual visitant to
the English side of the Solway, but has not been
obtained on any other part of the coast.

In the spring of 1883, we had the pleasure of
handling in the flesh a fine adult female, which had
been shot on the Solway, on May 2nd. It is now
preserved in Mr. Mackenzie’s possession.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 115

Mr. G. Holmes informs us that, when punt
shooting on the Solway, in winter, he has more than
once observed the Velvet Scoter; and we have
notes of supposed Velvet Scoters shot elsewhere,
but Mr. Mackenzie’s bird is the only authenticated
specimen known to us.

Mr. J. J. Armistead informed Mr. Harvie Brown
that he had observed several Velvet Scoters on the
Solway during June, July, and August, 1882 ; but
Mr. Armistead’s observations refer to the Scotch
side of the Solway, where Scaups and Scoters are
reputed to be much more plentiful than on the
English side. (Migration Report, 1883, p. 62.)

In the lake district, the late Dr. Gough recorded
a male Velvet Scoter shot on Windermere lake, on
May 23rd, 1848, by Mr. L. Watson of Ecclerigg, a
female being seen at the same time (Zool., 1848,
p. 2230). The specimen was retained by Mr. Clowes
of Bowness.

Ci. Perspicillata. Surv Scorer.

The Surf Scoter is an accidental visitant from
north America. An adult male was shot, by a
farm servant, on November 2nd, 1856, whilst diving
in a pond at Crofton. (7. Armstrong, Naturalist,
1857, p. 250.) This rare specimen was secured
for the collection of Mr. T. C. Heysham. At the
Heysham sale, in May, 1859, it was purchased
by Mr. J. H. Gurney, who had it re-stuffed by
Leadbeater. It has remained ever since in Mr.
Gurney’s collection. (J. H. Gurney, junr., in lit.)
This is the Surf Scoter inadvertently included by

116 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Mr. Harting (Hand-book, B. B., p. 163), as obtained
in the month of August, and figured in Hyton’s
Rarer British Birds (1836).

Obs.—The Surf Scoter has recently been obtained
on the Lancashire coast, making a second occurrence
for the north-west coast of England. Mr. R. H.
Thompson writes—“ When sailing in the estuary of
the river Ribble, about 2 p.m., on the 9th December,
1882, I shot a fine female Surf Scoter. It was
swimming about five hundred yards from the shore
opposite Lytham. The bird was quite alone, and
allowed my boat to approach within about fifty
yards, when I fired and killed it.” (Zool., 1884,
p. 29.) It was identified by Mr. A. G. More.

Genus MERGUS.

M. Merganser. (OosaNDER.

The Goosander is a winter visitant of tolerably
frequent occurrence on our estuaries in immature or
female plumage. The Solway is more favoured by
its visits than any other part of Cumberland, and
fifteen Goosanders, including three adult drakes,
were shot on the Solway and its Cumbrian estuaries
during the comparatively open winter of 1884-5.
The Goosander is a wary bird, and is more fre-
quently shot by punt gunners than by shore shooters,
though single birds may be surprised by a sportsman
who runs in while the bird is diving near a river
bank.

One of the adult males just alluded to, however,
was surprised in January last, while resting on the

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. ER]

mud under the shelter of Burgh marsh, a little
below Sandsfield, and was shot as he rose. The
crimson irides of the gasping bird, as the poor
fellow breathed his last, were very beautiful, and
so was the rich salmon-colour of his breast, which
fades in skins. This bird only weighed 2 lbs. 4% ozs.,
and, though in magnificent plumage, was rather a
small specimen.

Goosanders occasionally visit the lakes of Cum-
berland. Mr. Raine, the head keeper at Edenhall,
informs us that a party of Goosanders in the dress
of the “ Dun Diver” have frequented the large pond
at Edenhall for the last twenty winters, though .
drakes in the black and white or cream plumage
have only occurred in three instances in his ex-
perience. It was from the scarcity of adult drakes
that Dr. Heysham failed to satisfy himself that
the Dun Diver was identical with the Goosander ;
for though he dissected several immature males, he
only obtained a single adult male. Dr. Heysham
adds that the largest of the Goosanders he examined
weighed little more than 8 lbs., and that some birds
weighed under 2 lbs.

The following passage is a brief extract from
Macpherson’s note-book :—‘‘ February 4th, 1885.
Walked out to Thurstanfield lough, which I reached
just as day was breaking. Observed a pair of
Shovellers, and a large congregation of Wigeon.
A big squad of Wild Duck were resting under the
shelter of the north bank. A pair of Goosanders
monopolised my attention. The female was generally
to be seen in the centre of the lough, but the male

118 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

was very restless, constantly flying up the lough
from the south-west corner, alighting near my cover
at the north-east point, and then proceeding to dive
with energy, remaining under water from thirteen
to sixteen seconds. He then swam rapidly along
the left side of the lough, diving at intervals, until
he reached the further extremity of the lough.
Thence he returned, flying low over the water, until
he reached his former feeding place, when he re-
commenced diving. I watched the birds constantly
for a couple of hours, but never saw either of the
Goosanders take any but low flights over the lough.”

The Goosander arrives on the Solway in October
and November, departing at the end of March or
the beginning of April. In 1883, an immature
Goosander was shot on the Eden, at Rockliffe, on
the 29th of September ; but the bird had been
driven up the river by stress of weather, and the
date was decidedly an early one.

M. Serrator. Rep-BREAstTED MERGANSER.

The Red-breasted Merganser is a scarce winter
visitant to our estuaries, arriving in October in
scanty numbers. A fine adult male was shot on
the Solway during the present spring (1885), but
old males are very seldom met with on our tidal
waters.

The Red-breasted Merganser is essentially a
marine species, and rarely occurs inland. An im-
mature bird was shot on the Caldew, above Carlisle,
in the hard winter 1880-1, by Mr. F. W. Bailey ;
but its presence even at that short distance from
the Solway is altogether exceptional.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 119

M. Albellus. Sew.

The Smew is a very rare winter visitant. We
have only notes of eight Smews obtained in Cum-
berland during the last thirty years, and most of
these were females or immature males. Three of
the number were shot on the Eden, near Carlisle.
The most recent specimen is a fine Smew, shot on
the Lyne in December, 1883. Another, an im-
mature bird, was shot on the Scotch side of the
Solway, about five years since.

Family COLUMBID/Z..

Genus COLUMBA.

C. Palumbus. Rinapove.

The Wood Pigeon is a common resident, nesting
upon our eastern fells up to an elevation of eleven
hundred feet. The number of residents is swelled
by the arrival of large flights of Wood Pigeons,
considered small in size, at the beginning of winter.

C. Enas. StTockpDove.

The Stockdove is a numerous resident; and
though Dr. Heysham was uncertain of its presence
in 1797, we have reason to believe that a few birds
have long bred in Cumberland, though the evidence
on this point is decidedly conflicting. Between
1870 and 1875, the Stockdove certainly expanded
its breeding quarters (if it bred in Cumberland prior
to 1870) in a most remarkable degree, alike in the
north, north-east, east, centre and west of the

120 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

county. Since 1875, it has nested commonly in
many localities, sometimes nesting in old trees, as
at Edenhall; at others, breeding in clefts of rock,
as on the Eden, Lyne, Caldew, and in the lake
district ; or, again, frequenting the burrows of
rabbits, as among the sandhills of the Ravenglass
estuary. Its presence in winter, also, is noticed in
many localities in which it formerly occurred only
accidentally.

C. Livia. Rockpove.

The Rockdove is an extremely local resident,
a few pairs breeding in a single locality, on the
precipices at Sandwith. The blue Pigeons nesting
sparingly on the Eden, Lyne, and in other inland
situations, are probably the feral descendants of
dovecote Pigeons.

Genus TURTUR.

T. Communis. 'TurTLEDOVE.

The Turtledove is a summer visitant of irregular
occurrence. During the present summer (1885),
a pair nested near Scotby, their nest containing a
single egg on June 2nd.

Dr. Parker believes, that he found a nest, some”_
years since, in the Ravenglass district ; and we ob-
served a single bird on the edge of Drigg common,
on May 29th, 1885, which possibly had a mate in
the neighbourhood.

Adults and young birds have been shot, as well
as seen, on several occasions, in the north of the

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 121

county, and it is probable that a very few pairs
breed with us annually.

Family PTEROCLIDA.
Genus SYRRHAPTES.

S. Paradoxus. Patuas’ Sanp GRovse.

The Pallas’ Sand Grouse is an accidental visitant
from the Steppes of central Asia. In 1863, an
extraordinary wave of this species swept across
Europe (Newton, Ibis, 1864, pp. 185-222), and
two examples were shot in Cumberland. The
first was shot in May or June, 1863, near Penrith
(Zool., 1863, p. 8724), and this was a fine male,
though spoilt in stuffing (Z. Hope, in lit.) The
second was a female, shot about the same time,
near Silloth, by Mr. Lightfoot, who informs us that
he was taking an early stroll among the sandhills,
when he saw a strange bird resembling a partridge
resting in an adjacent meadow. He fired a long
shot and secured this specimen, which, as he subse-
quently learnt, had been pursued unsuccessfully for
three days by other gunners. The bird was skinned
by James Fell, and is preserved in the Belle Vue
Museum.

Family PHASIANID.
Give EMAS TAN US.

P. Colchicus. PHEasanrt.

”

The Pheasant is at present an abundant resident,
but does not appear to have been introduced into
Cumberland, as to other parts of England, by the

122 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Romans, whose occupation of our county was purely
military.

Edmund Sandford (1675) alludes to the Pheasant
as an article of luxury, but does not hint at its
naturalisation in Cumberland.

Clarke writes (1784)—‘“‘ The other birds are
such as the rest of the kingdom in general produces,
except the Pheasant, which we have not” (Survey
of Lakes, App., p. 190). It must, however, have
been introduced about that time into both the
north and south of Cumberland. “The Editors”
of Hutchinson’s History of Cumberland, in a note
attached to their account of the Parish of Mun-
caster, as to which their information was derived
from the Rev. Mr. Nicholson, remark that the
game of the district then consisted of ‘“ Hares,
Partridges, Grouse, and some Pheasants, introduced
by Lord Muncaster.” Dr. Heysham, writing about
the same time (1794-7), states—“ The Pheasant is
a rare bird in Cumberland, but Sir James Graham
and some other gentlemen are attempting to intro-
duce them into the county.”

The downy nestling of the Pheasant is buff in
ground-colour, mottled and streaked with dark
brown on the upper parts. During the present
summer (1885), a Pheasant chick was hatched out
at Corby Castle, covered with pure white down.

Genus CACCABIS.

C. Rufa. Rep-teacep Parrripes.

The Red-legged Partridge is an extremely

rare visitant, having only occurred in a very few

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. bee

instances in the south-east of the county, whither
it had probably strayed from Yorkshire. In 1862,
an attempt was made by the late Mr. Jackson
Gillbanks, of Whitefield House, to establish this
species, but the stock raised was soon shot off. A
similar experiment was made about five years since
in the Keswick district, but this also met with

failure.
Genus PERDIX.

P. Cinerea. PaArtripGe.

The Partridge is a numerous resident, nesting
up to the base of our highest fells. Sportsmen
consider the fell birds to be generally smaller and
more grey than those of lower districts. The
Partridge rarely perches, but one of our cor-
respondents shot an example off a barn roof; and
Mr. Tom Duckworth observed a covey, which he
had previously sprung, alight on a spruce fir, near
Cannobie, October 13th, 1881. Birds, exhibiting
white “horse shoes,” occur almost every season in
the Carlisle district.

Genus COTURNIX.

C. Communis. QUAIL.

The Quail is a summer visitant, of local and
irregular appearance. The trisyllabic call of the
male is known to many, but the bevies annually
reared are very few in number, and chiefly occur
in the north of the county. The occasional pre-
sence of the Quail in early winter is attested to by

Dickinson and T. C. Heysham.

124 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Genus ORTYX.

O. Virgintanus. Virearntan Cottin.*

The Virginian Colin is an acclimatised species.
It has not been introduced into Cumberland, but
stragglers from other counties have occurred in two
separate mstances. One, shot near Allonby, some
years since, is in the Mann collection. A second,
obtained in the Carlisle district, is preserved by
Mr. Little.

Family TETRAONID.
Genus LAGOPUS.

L. Scoticus. Rep Grouse.

The Red Grouse is an abundant resident,
breeding on all the higher grounds, where suitable
stretches of heather prevail, from the Bewcastle hills
to the Lancashire border. Large packs descend to
the lower mosses in early winter. A single straggler
recently appeared on the cliffs at St. Bees Head
(H. Nott, MS.) A male hybrid between this species
and the Black Grouse, believed to have been shot
in Cumberland, is preserved in the possession of
T. H. Horrocks, Esq., of Edenbrows, Carlisle.

Pied birds are shot occasionally, and a pretty,
spangled, yellow variety sometimes makes its ap-
pearance in the Alston district, and on the borders of
Cumberland and Westmorland.t Messrs. J. Walton
and Sawer have good specimens of this variety.

+ A greyish buff variety was shot near Alston in 1878. Two Grouse of a
“nearly white” variety ‘mottled with brown, was shot on the Appleby
moors in 1883. (P. Z.8S., 1884, p. 45.)

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 125

Obs.—Lagopus Mutus. Ptarmigan. Mr. A. G.
More has shewn conclusively (Zool., 1881, p. 44-47),
that the Ptarmigan, which Pennant and Dr. Heysham
believed to exist in the Keswick district, were of
mythical origin, the birds in question being probably
pied Grouse. But Mr. Jerry Smith of Bassenthwaite
assures us that some Ptarmigan, imported from
Scotland, were turned down on Skiddaw within his
personal recollection, It is therefore possible that
the white birds seen on Shap by Scotch keepers,
who called them Ptarmigan, were in reality birds
which had strayed from Skiddaw, where the experi-
ment of introduction seems to have failed.

Genus TETRAO.

T. Tetriz. Buack Grouse.

The Black Grouse is an abundant resident, but
somewhat local, being more strongly established in
the east and north of the county, particularly in the
Beweastle district, than in the south or west.
Edmund Sandford, writing about 1675, alludes to
the presence of “black heath cocke and more
cockes : and ther pootes, a delicate dianty feeding
as phesants,” on the Naworth estate; but Dr.
Heysham states about 1797, that ‘The black-cock
is at present but a rare bird in Cumberland: it is
most plentiful upon Sir James Graham’s estate at
Netherby. In general there is an annual brood
upon Newtown common, within a mile of Carlisle.”
A few grey hens still breed on the lower grounds
of the Solway district, and sit closely on their

126 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND,

egos, allowing of a very near approach, when the
mottled back and wings contrast prettily with the
surroundings. But, the broods, thus bred on low
grounds, repair to more elevated haunts in early
autumn.

Obs.—Tetrao Urogallus. Capercaillie. A spirited
effort has been made of late years by Sir F. Graham
to introduce this species to the Netherby estate.
Eggs imported from Scotland have repeatedly
hatched out, but great difficulty has been ex-
perienced in rearing the chicks, and only one or two
individuals have been brought to maturity. Thus,
the species has not been established so far.

Family RALLIDAL.
Genus RALLUS.
R. Aquaticus. Water Ratt.

The Water Rail is an extremely scarce resident,
but its unobtrusive habits induce its presence to be
overlooked. It breeds in a few localities in the
north of the county, and eggs have been taken near
Penrith. The number of resident birds receives a
marked increase in the month of November, when
the species is more widely distributed than at other
times.

Genus PORZANA.

P. Maruetta. Sprotrep CRAKE.

The Spotted Crake is an extremely scarce resi-
dent species, but has certainly bred near Wedholme

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. oF

flow, where several young birds were shot in 1881.
The Spotted Crake was constantly observed for
some years in Biglands bog, a somewhat remote
stretch of swampy meadow land, very difficult to
wade, and about a mile in length, during the entire
summer months. An example, in our possession,
shot near Penrith, was constantly observed from
November until it was shot in the following April ;
and a second, possibly its mate, was killed in May
of the same year. Mr. T. Armstrong shot another
near Monkhill lough, in June. The Spotted Crake
is most frequently shot on the spring and autumn
migration, and Mr. Watson once received five
Spotted Crakes together, which had all been shot
the same morning by a turnkey, who possessed a
dog peculiarly sagacious in putting up aquatic
birds. Mr. Dixon informs us, that, when Snipe
shooting, in November, he has shot several Spotted
Crakes on Cumwhitton moss.

P. Parva. Lirrte Crakz.

The Little Crake is an accidental visitant.
An example was captured alive in a ditch near
Cockermouth Castle in 1850 (J. W. Harris, MS.)
Another diminutive Crake, which must have be-
longed to this species or Baillon’s Crake, was
captured near Cotehill, about 1864, by W. Little.

Genus CREX.

C. Pratensis. Corn CRAKE.

The Corn Crake is an abundant summer visitant,
arriving in the middle of April, but seldom calling

128 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

until the end of the month. Stragglers occasion-
ally linger into early winter. A Landrail in poor
condition was shot near Carlisle on December 22nd,
1883, having been observed daily for three weeks
previously. A pure white Corn Crake was shot in
Hetherington’s Holme, Carleton, in June, 1863,
and a pied bird, obtained near Carlisle, is in
Mr. Barnes’ collection.

Genus GALLINULA.

G. Chloropus. Mooruen.

The Moorhen is a common resident, nesting on
our becks and tarns, inland and near the sea. In
June, 1877, a Waterhen was caught near Gosforth
and taken to Dr. Parker, “of a light fawn colour
all over, except the usual white markings” (Zool.,
1889, p. 117). Dr. Parker refers this specimen to
the Hairy variety, of which sixteen other examples
have been recorded by Mr. J. H. Gurney, junr.
(ar Nor; N.iS., PEL p. 28; TV p. 143.)

Genus FULICA.

F. Atra. Coot.

The Coot is an abundant resident, breeding at
Moorthwaite, Monkhill, Bassenthwaite, and in many
other localities, though more widely distributed in
winter than during the breeding season.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 129

Family GRUIDA.
Genus GRUS.

G. Communis. CRANE.

The Crane is an accidental visitant on migration.
A single straggler, which had wandered west on the
vernal passage, appeared in the neighbourhood of
Allonby on the Solway, in the spring of 1869, and
was identified by several persons. The exact date
is supplied by the following entry in Miss Mann’s
diary for that year.— Thursday, April 29, 1869,
very cold morning . . . . . Matthew and Tom
fired two shots at a Crane, but did not get it.”
Mr. Matthew Mann and Mr. Thomas Mann did,
however, stalk their rare visitant to some purpose ;
for, though they did not bag the bird, they knocked
out some grey feathers, which they sent to Mr. J.J.
Armistead, who kindly tells us that they were
certainly Crane feathers. |

Family OTID.
Genus OTIS.

O. Tarda. Great Bustarp.

The Great Bustard is an extremely rare casual
visitant. A single female was shot in a turnip field
near Brampton, on the 8th of March, 1854, and
weighed 11lbs. (Zool., 1854, p. 4407 ; Hancock,
Cat, 8. of N.jand D,, p. .95:)

K

130 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Family GLAREOLID&.
Genus GLAREOLA.

G. Pratincola. CoLuARED PRATINCOLE.

The Pratincole is an accidental visitant from
southern Europe. An example was shot near
Bowness on the Solway, in 1807 (Graves, Brit.
Orn., Vol. II, near the end). Another appears to
have been shot in Lancashire in the same year
(Birds of Lancashire, p. 174), and it is possible
that these two specimens, the first recorded as
obtained in Great Britain, had wandered to our
shores in company.

Family CHARADRITD.
Genus CURSORIUS.

C. Gallicus. CREAM-COLOURED CoURSER.

The Cream-coloured Courser is an accidental
visitant from north Africa or western Asia. An
example was killed at Allonby, on the Solway, in
October, 1864. (Zool., 1865, p. 9418.)

Genus CHARADRIUS.

C. Pluvialis. Gotpen PLover.

The Golden Plover is a numerous resident, and
generally distributed during the winter months.
During the nesting season, it is chiefly restricted to
elevated moors, but a few pairs breed on the mosses
of low grounds. The nest is a mere depression in
the ground, the eggs being laid from the middle of

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. ro

April onwards. Early in August, immense flocks of
Golden Plover desert the fells for the salt marshes
of the coast, upon which they live gregariously,
frequently associating with Peewits.

The axillaries of some of the specimens, which
we have examined from the Solway, were slightly
flecked with grey, but bore no resemblance whatever
to the smoke-coloured axillaries of the rather
smaller Eastern Golden Plover.

Genus SQUATAROLA.

S. Helvetica, Grey Puover.

The Grey Plover is a winter visitant, arriving in
and after September, and occuring irregularly on the
coast. Large flights occasionally visit the Alston
district, but their appearance is very irregular. We
have observed a flock of Grey Plover near Carlisle
on two occasions. ‘To the upper salt marshes of the
Solway the Grey Plover is a rare visitant, its
favourite quarters on the Solway being on the
estuary of the Waver and Wampool. Its numbers
vary much in different years. During the present
autumn, a large flight of Grey Plover arrived in
this locality about September 24th, and we found
the species numerous on the Waver in October. In
company with Mr. Senhouse, we observed one flock
of fully fifty Grey Plover, but those we obtained
were shot out of very small parties. The Grey
Plover shares the gravel beds and mud flats with
the Bar-tailed Godwit ; but, unlike the latter, it
seldom ventures up the creeks, preferring to feed

bo THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

on the open portions of the estuary. It is less
partial to the salt marshes than the Golden
Plover.

Mr. C. M. Adamson states that he has known
Grey Plovers to occur on the Solway in May, “ but
their breasts were not quite black.” (More Scraps
about Birds, p. 145.) <>

Of late years, a few old birds, wearing the black
breast, have appeared upon the Waver and Wam-
pool, in August, but only as stragglers. As already
remarked, the lower portion of the estuary of the
Waver and Wampool constitutes the most favourite
ground of the Grey Plover on the English side of
the Solway, though the species occurs sparingly
along our coast, in suitable situations, throughout
the winter.

Genus AXGIALITIS.
AX. Hiaticula. Rincep PLover.

The Ringed Plover is a common resident, breeding
generally on the Cumbrian coastline, but nowhere
more numerously than at Ravenglass. The nest is
a slight depression in the sand, lined with bits of
broken shells, and four eggs are laid in May. A
few pairs formerly nested upon Burgh and Rockliffe
marshes, and nests occurred on the latter marsh
until about 1880, but the clutches being destroyed
by high tides, the birds deserted the locality as a
nesting-place. A few pairs nestle on gravel beds in
our estuary rivers. Mr. C. M. Adamson caught an
unfledged Ringed Plover “on the shores of the
Solway, in the middle of September, 1844.” A
large immigration occurs in autumn.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. foe

Genus EUDROMIAS.

KE. Morinellus. Dorrere..

The Dotterel is a summer visitant, a very few
pairs arriving at the beginning of May, to nest
sporadically on the mountains of the lake district
and the Crossfell range. At the close of the last
century, Dr. Heysham expressed an opinion that
the Dotterel bred on Skiddaw :—“ The Dotterel
comes in May, is a scarce bird in this county, but
is more plentiful in Westmorland. In June, 1784,
ten or twelve were shot upon Skiddaw, where they
breed ; on the 18th of May, 1786, I had two females
sent from the neighbourhood of Appleby. On dis-
section, I found the eggs very small, so that it is
possible they do not lay till June.”

In 1834, Mr. R. Senhouse observed a number
of Dotterel on Great Gable; and, about the same
time, Mr. J. W. Harris received a young bird, only
partially fledged, which had been discovered by a
dog on Red Pike. A wing of this specimen was
submitted some years later to Mr. T. C. Heysham,
who pronounced that it had evidently been bred
on Red Pike.

It was in 1835, that Mr. Heysham obtained
the eggs of the Dotterel and the young in down,
and his success was due to the acumen of his
collector, the late James Cooper, to whose memory
Mr. F. Nicholson has passed a fitting tribute in the
following narrative, most kindly supplied at our
request, and embodying the results of an unequalled

isy THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

acquaintance with the Dotterel in England during
the nesting season :—

“Tt is doubtful if the Dotterel ever bred freely
on the mountains of Cumberland and Westmorland,
at least during the last hundred years. From the
evidence of shepherds and men whose memory
extends back to early in the century, it would seem
that the Dotterel was never very numerous as a
breeding species, but that it appeared very regularly
each season, about the middle of May, in small
flocks or trips of twelve or fourteen birds in each,
on the tops of the highest mountains, where it
spent a few days before pairing off and dispersing
over the neighbouring hills for nesting purposes.
During the last thirty years, judging from my
own observations, the species seems to have been
gradually disappearing from the district, until in
this year (1885), I only saw three pairs during
several days spent in visiting all the most likely
ground. It is not quite clear why the Dotterel
should be leaving the district, for it has apparently
few enemies now, whilst formerly, when it was more
numerous, it had many. Years ago it was quite the
custom amongst the miners to have a day’s Dotterel
shooting, and through the shepherds or the miners
seeing them when going to their work, it soon got
abroad when the Dotterel had arrived in spring, and
every fellow who could procure the loan of a gun
would have a day ‘mangt Dotterel,’ whilst they
were as tame as barn-door fowls, and before they
had distributed themselves over the fells. But now,
through the mines being mostly closed, the gun tax,
the extermination of vermin, and anglers using

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. F35

feathers for artificial flies that are but little inferior
to those of the Dotterel and more easily procured,
one can hardly understand their scarcity.

“Mr. Heysham’s paper in the Magazine of
Natural History for 1838 has become a classic,
and been quoted 2 extenso by nearly every writer
on British birds since; but it is rather mislead-
ing, as the late James Cooper, curator of the
Warrington Museum, wrote in the Zoologist, 1861,
and cannot be taken as a guide to those who
intend to look for the eggs, for nest there is none:
‘The birds do not select the summits of the
highest mountains, nor do they lay their eggs
where the fringe moss grows, but in a depression
upon short dense grass, a little below the sum-
mit.’ This, I may say, is correct, and quite tallies
with my own observations, for I have generally
found Dotterel frequenting the upper slopes of the
highest mountains, and the summits of the spurs of
the highest mountains, but not the summits of the
highest mountains. The Dotterel only lays three
egos. When disturbed, the Dotterel usually runs
off its eggs to a little distance, and is mute; but
occasionally, if the eggs are hard sat, it will flutter
off its nest as if wounded, and remain calling within
about twenty yards, uttering a note which is some-
what like that of the Golden Plover, but much lower.
After the young are hatched, the parent birds behave
quite differently, and exhibit great anxiety for their
safety. All the eggs I have taken I took in June,
but that they sometimes lay at the end of May, and
even in July, is evident, as I have found eggs hard
sat the first week in June, and seen young ones then.

136 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

On several occasions I have come across young in
July. James Cooper, who is alluded to above, was
employed as a collector by Mr. Heysham, and
was the ‘able assistant’ spoken of by him in his
account of the Dotterel. Cooper was a remarkable
man and deserves a passing notice. He it was who
really discovered the first egos of the Dotterel on
Whiteside. He was a man who seemed capable of
enduring any amount of fatigue. On the 28th of
June, 1835, he walked from Carlisle to Whiteside, a
distance of between thirty and forty miles, where
he arrived late in the afternoon. He had not been
long on the mountain, before he observed a pair of
Dotterel. He searched for the eges without success
till darkness came on, when he determined to stay
out on the mountain all night and renew his search
at daybreak, which he did, and was rewarded by
finding the egos. He then walked back to Carlisle,
never having been in bed since leaving there the
previous day. Cooper was born near Cockermouth
in 1792, of humble parentage, and, though he had
few advantages, was a most intelligent man. Asa
collector he had few equals, and his knowledge of
British Birds was so great, that when Mr. Yarrell
compiled his History of British Birds, much of his
information was the result of Cooper’s experience.
He was also an entomologist and added several new
insects to the British lists. His death took place
at Warrington, on the Ist of August, 1879, in
the eighty-seventh year of his age. A few of
the foregoing facts are taken from ‘A _ short
biography of James Cooper,’ sent to me by the late
Dr. Kendrick of Warrington.”

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 137

The decrease in the number of Dotterel visiting
the lake district is correlated with a great scarcity
of the species upon the salt marshes of the Solway.
Until recent years, a few Dotterel were constantly
seen by herds and fishermen on Burgh, Skinburness,
and Rockliffe marshes during the first fortnight of
May ; when, if undisturbed, they lingered for about
ten days, constantly frequenting the same portions
of the marshes. In the present year (1885), a
few Dotterel appeared on Burgh and Skinburness
marshes early in May, and five were unfortunately
shot for fishing feathers.

From the lake district, a few Dotterel are still
sent to the dressers of flies, and many Dotterel flies
are still made up, though they in reality contain
very few Dotterel feathers. The axillaries of the
Starling are used to supply the upper wing coverts
of the Dotterel, and we lately observed a number
of flies in preparation, the feathers of the Starling
being of course the chief material.

It is probable that the small trips of Dotterel,
which visit our salt marshes so irregularly, are
resting on their way to more northern breeding
grounds. Dotterel have been shot on two recent
occasions on Crossfell in the month of March, and
in 1884 an example was sent to Carlisle to dress
flies, in the middle of April, but the former dates
are exceptional.

We have no notes of the occurrence of the
Dotterel in autumn; but Dr. Heysham examined
a bird “ which was shot on the top of Skiddaw on
the 16th of September.”

It was in 1836, that the late Mr. Yarrell

138 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

exhibited before the Zoological Society the eggs
and young of the Dotterel, obtained by Mr.
i, ©; Hleysham-in 1835, (PR; Z.8., Vi, W836

pp: La 2:)
Genus VANELLUS.

V. Vulgaris. Lapwina.

The Lapwing is a generally distributed and
abundant resident, gathering into immense flocks
in early autumn. Many pairs breed upon our salt
marshes, where the eggs, which are laid from
March onwards, are more easily found than in in-
land situations. Four eggs are the proper comple-
ment, but this number is exceeded in some rare
instances, and three different clutches of five eggs
have recently come under our notice. <A nestling,
about two days old, caught on May 17, is light
brown in ground-colour above, mottled with black ;
the nape lavender, forming a broad crescent ; the
chin is white ; a black gorget bands the breast, and
the underparts are white. Examples exhibiting
variation in white wing quills have been obtained
by Messrs. Heysham and J. B. Hodgkinson. An

adult, in good condition, weighed 2 ozs. 24 drhms.

Genus STREPSILAS.

S. Interpres. 'TURNSTONE.

The Turnstone is a winter visitant, constantly to
be met with from August until April, on shingled
portions of our coast. We observed a Turnstone

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 139

at Ravenglass, on May 29th, in nearly full plum-
age; and birds in nuptial dress have been shot at
Skinburness. On the Solway, we usually meet with
Turnstones in small parties of five or six birds ;
but, on the west coast, Dr. Parker says that the
flocks of immature Turnstones are large, and he
has killed seven at a shot. Stray Turnstones occur
on our estuary rivers in August. They seldom
frequent our salt marshes, but odd birds are occa-
sionally shot on their margins.

Genus HAUIMATOPUS.

H. Ostralegus. OysTERCATCHER.

The Oystercatcher is an abundant resident,
wonderfully numerous on the Solway during the
winter months. Contrary to the habits of the
species in the north of Scotland, the Oystercatcher,
in Cumberland, is chiefly a littoral bird, constantly
nesting on extensive beds of shingle, though a few
pairs nestle among sandhills and in meadows near
the sea, as well as on the margin of the Solway salt
_ marshes.

The nest is a slight depression in the sand or
shingle, frequently at a short distance above the
mark of a high tide. It is generally lined with
broken shells or inlaid with fine pebbles ; but some
nests have no linings, or are surrounded by a few
coarse straws. Others, again, are lined with both
pebbles and comminuted shells, fragments of rotten
wood being carefully disposed around ; and we have
seen a nest on the edge of Rockliffe marsh lined

140 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

with the flowers of the sea-pink (Statice Armeria).
The first clutches are complete at the beginning of
May, and the eggs are much incubated by the end
of the month, unless the nests are robbed. The
nests are often placed far apart, but a favourite spit
of shingle may contain half a dozen nests, within
a stone’s throw of each other. The Oystercatcher
does not sit very closely ; but when the eggs are
incubated, the females may occasionally be seen
running off the nests, prior to taking wing. The
young are active, and squat readily under the cover
of long grass, or bolt into any convenient hole to
avoid capture. If caught and released, the nestlings
run off with great speed, halting from time to time
to consider which way to turn. When the young
are fledged, the adults continue their charge, and
exhibit vociferous distress, if their progeny be en-
dangered. When fully fledged, the young may be
seen following the parents in twos and threes, for
three eggs constitute a clutch, though we have
found a clutch containing four eggs on two different
occasions. In autumn and early winter, Oyster-
catchers gather into dense packs on the Solway,
and feed on the mussel beds. From their wariness,
they are difficult to shoot, as, if driven, they fly
over the edge of the sea, carefully calculating their
distance. After severe gales, many Oystercatchers
wander inland, frequenting grass lands. In early
spring, a few pairs frequently haunt the banks of
larger streams, proceeding to breed on the coast
and the gravel beds of our estuaries.

A nestling, in down, captured on June 16, and
apparently about two days old, is a dark brown

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 141

ground on the upper parts, each tuft of down being
fringed with light buff, and also streaked with black,
which latter is most pronounced on the flanks; the
throat is black, tipped with grey, and the lower
parts are white. A nestling Oystercatcher, caught
on July 5th, still retains a good deal of greyish-
black down, especially about the tail, head, and
throat. The upper parts are black, the coverts
overhanging the white wing-bar being fringed with
buff, though the actual tips are dark grey. The
margin of the black gorget is buffish, the feathers
being slightly tipped with grey. In this bird the
base of the mandibles is orange-red, the extremity
being black ; but, in the downy nestling of June 16,
the mandibles are dark green, yellow at the base.
The tarsi of the downy bird are greyish above,
brownish-yellow beneath ; but in the older nestling
(in life) the tarsi and toes are grey. In both
nestlings, the irides are dark hazel, which appears
to change to crimson during the first winter.

Family SCOLOPACID.
Genus PHALAROPUS.

P. Hyperboreus. Rep-NeckED PHALEROPE.

The Red-necked Phalerope is a rare casual
visitant, hitherto only detected in Cumberland upon
the Solway.

An immature bird was shot on Rockliffe Marsh,
September 23rd, 1879 ; an adult, in summer plumage,
was shot in the spring of the year by Mr. T. Mann,

142 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

whilst swimming in a small pond near Allonby; a
third was shot on the Solway by G. Dawson; we
observed a fourth at the point of Skinburness,
September 8th, 1884, the under surface of the wings
exhibiting in flight a silvery appearance.t

P. Fulicarius. Grey PHALEROPE.

The Grey Phalerope is a rare casual visitant
on autumnal migration, and has been detected at
different points of the Cumbrian coast in between
twenty and thirty instances. Of these, a single
bird was shot near Workington in the autumn of
1884; and we observed another near Beckfoot on
October 8th, 1885, though we failed, accidentally, to
secure the bird. At the same time, we received a
fine example in the flesh, shot on the Sussex coast
on October 6th.

Mr. R. Mann, from his long residence in imme-
diate proximity to the Solway, has been singularly
fortunate in meeting with the Grey Phalerope.
“Three Grey Phaleropes,” he writes, ‘ were once
sent to my brother together to be stuffed, and the
man who sent them, says that he shot the three at
one shot from a flock of six. Another was sent
which was killed in a stream near Dubmill, and I
have also seen one or two more which had been
killed in the neighbourhood. I have myself seen
several Grey Phaleropes at different times. Once I
saw two together in Mealsbeck, a little west of
Allonby, and I have also seen an odd one or two

+ Another Red-necked Phalerope was shot on a pool at Kirkbride,
October 20th, 1885.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 143

when at Crookhurst. The Grey Phalerope is an
active bird and can swim well. Its flight is not
unlike that of the Common Sandpiper. The call-
note is a peculiar twittering whistle. Any that I
have seen were very tame, and if disturbed from
the water, generally took a short flight and again
alighted near the same place.”

The only bird we have ourselves examined in
full winter plumage, is a bird in Mr. Batey’s collec-
tion, shot at Millom in December, 1876. The Grey
Phalerope has only twice occurred in spring. An
example was found dead at Cargo, in March, 1853,
and this bird is preserved in Carlisle. In 1881,
a pair of Grey Phaleropes were observed by
Mr. H. P. Senhouse at Cockermouth, on April 13th.
Far inland, a Grey Phalerope was shot on Park
Fell, near Alston, on October 28th, 1848, and
another was killed on Derwentwater lake during the
last week of September, 1885 (Capt. Dover, in lit.)f

Genus SCOLOPAX.

S. Rusticula. Woopcock.

The Woodcock is a local resident, nesting in a
good many localities throughout the county ; but
more strongly established in the north than in the
south or west. The nesting of the Woodcock in
Cumberland is a modern feature ; for though the
occasional presence of the Woodcock in Cumber-
land during the summer was ascertained by Mr.

+ During the visitation of 1866, a Grey Phalerope was killed in Cumber-
land on the early date of August 24th, three others being shot at Allonby in
September (J. H. Gurney, jun., ‘Grey Phalerope,” p. 20).

144 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

T. C. Heysham, some fifty years since, he does not
appear to have obtained either eggs or young,
although he employed a number of amateur col-
lectors. Since that time, the occasional nesting of
the Woodcock has been recorded in the local papers ;
yet old residents, who have birdnested since their
boyhood, consider the nesting of the Woodcock a
purely modern development, and assure us that in
their fathers’ time the Woodcock was solely a
periodical visitant. Now, two broods are often
reared in a season, the birds of the first brood
flying in May. It is interesting to watch the
flighting of the old birds as they fly, in the twilight,
from one plantation to another, uttering a hoarse
croak at intervals. We have searched all day
through the largest plantations in Cumberland,
without flushing more than a single bird, and yet
when dusk arrived, “cock” after ‘“ cock” passed and
repassed to the feeding grounds.

The nest of the Woodcock is a slight but careful
structure, composed of fine stems and a few dead
leaves, generally placed near the foot of a tree in a
fir plantation. The eggs are four in number, but it
often happens that one of the clutch is addled. A
keen eye is needed to detect the presence of the
Woodcock, with her young, “as she crouches upon
the bare ground under the shadows of the young firs,
her back turned to the light, her head reposing in
the shade. Three well-crown nestlings are crouch-
ing on one side of her, and beyond her is a fourth ;
upon our nearer approach, the old bird unwillingly
rises, but the brood continue to squat, without
attempting to escape.”

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 145

In those favoured localities, in which the Wood-
cock is resident, birds may be found in every month ;
but the sportsman’s supply depends chiefly on the
large flights of Woodcock which arrive in October
and November, resting a few weeks and then passing
south, until at Christmas but few are to be found.
The return passage occurs in March.

The assiduity with which Woodcock haunt
certain favourite “runners” is noteworthy; if the
owner be shot, a successor is almost certain to claim
his possession.

Woodcock are rarely pied. A bird with white
wing quills was shot some years ago near Edenhall,
where it is preserved.

A. nestling Woodcock in down, obtained on June
13th, is buff in ground-colour, richly mottled with
bright reddish brown, which is darkest upon the
crown, where it forms a triangular patch. A dark
line extends from the base of the lower mandible to
the eye. Another dark band extends from the
small of the back to the fringe of the tail. _ Irides,
dark hazel. Bill and feet, grey.

The following is an extract from Hutchinson’s
History of Cumberland, relating to Muncaster :—

“We were informed that formerly so great
abundance of Woodcock frequented the woods in
this manor, that, by a special custom, the tenants
were obliged to sell them to the lord for one penny
each ; they were taken by springs and traps; but
since the country was stripped of wood, they make
a short stay here in their passage, and are of late

years become very scarce.” P. 567.
L

146 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

This scarcity of course refers to the later years
of the eighteenth century.

Genus GALLINAGO.

G. Major. Great SNIPE.

The Great or Solitary Snipe is a rare casual
visitant in September, but has been obtained only
in a few instances in the north and west of the
county, the ‘Great Snipe” of sportsmen being
generally large specimens of the Common Snipe.

The late Mr. W. Dickinson records an example,
shot near Sylecroft, in the autumn of 1861, which
weighed 10 ozs.; a second, shot on Troutbeck
moss ; and three others shot in different years
near Workington.

Mr. T. C. Heysham records a Great Snipe killed
near Bewcastle, in September, 1831, and a second
shot at Dalston in the same month and year.

Another was obtained near Carlisle in 1881, and
is preserved in Mr. G. Coulthard’s possession. No
doubt others have occurred, but the species is a rare
visitant, and misconceptions are frequent.

G. Celestis. Common SNIPE.

The Common Snipe is a numerous resident, and
its bleating in the breeding season may often be
heard on our mosses.

Mr. Heysham secured a specimen, with white
primaries, in October, 1832, and a much-pied Snipe
haunted the drains of Cardew Mire in the autumn
of 1884,

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. ‘147

Genus LIMNOCRYPTES.
L. Gallinula. Jack Snipe.

The Jack Snipe is a common winter visitant,
arriving most numerously in October, and generally
distributed. In the opinion of sportsmen, it has
become less numerous of late years, whilst the
Common Snipe is on the increase.

Genus TRINGA.
T. Alpina. Duyui.

The Dunlin is a numerous resident, extremely
local in its choice of breeding grounds. <A. few
pairs nest upon the east fells, especially in the
Bewecastle and Alston districts, but the stronghold
of the species is Rockliffe marsh, the property of
G. W. Mounsey-Heysham, Esq., by whom it is
preserved. A few pairs nest upon Burgh marsh,
upon Glasson moss, upon Bowness and Wedholme
flow, and at Skinburness ; Dr. Parker has obtained
egos in the Ravenglass district. From the lakes it
appears to be wholly absent during the breeding
season, at least so far as Cumberland is concerned ;
we have never observed it on any of the lake
mountains, and the evidence of Mr. F. Nicholson,
of Mr. Greenip, and other correspondents, is equally
conclusive, It has, however, occurred near Keswick
in a single instance, 2.¢., in mid-winter.

The Dunlin isa later breeder than the Redshank,
and though Mr. C. Murray Adamson once found
four young Dunlins on Burgh marsh, on May 20th,
it is not until the beginning of May that the

148 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

breeding birds repair in any numbers to Rockliffe
marsh for nesting purposes.

Upon the salt marshes, the nest is chiefly em-
bedded in a tussock of lone coarse grass, the blades
of which are often drawn carefully over the nest;
but, on Rockliffe marsh, many nests are placed
among the blushing sea-pinks which cover the
northern portion of the ground. At first, the nest
is a mere depression in the soil, with little if any
lining; but a lining of fine stems is carefully added
as laying proceeds.

Upon the coastline, the egos are chiefly laid
early in May; but on the east fells incubation is
rather later, and we have found fresh eggs as late
as the middle of June.

Dunlins exhibit considerable anxiety about their
nest, if incubation be advanced ; and it is interesting
to watch the little birds flying round an intruder,
uttering a gentle trill, or alighting on the ground
to run nimbly for a few paces. Some birds sit very
close indeed, and may be captured on the nest.
The last Dunlin’s nest which we found during the
summer of 1885, was on Wedholme flow, June 6th.
We were searching for the eggs of a pair of Great
Black-backed Gulls, which were sailing magnificently
overhead, uttering measured imprecations, when the
sharp cry of the startled Dunlin arose, and we saw
the bird going away. There, sure enough, on a
little dry knoll of heather, surrounded on all sides
by bogey ground, was a Dunlin’s nest, lined with
a few straws, and containing four rich-coloured eggs,
all much incubated.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 149

It often happens that some days elapse between
the laying of the first egg of a clutch and the
second ; indeed Mr. A. Smith informs us, that he
has known thirteen days elapse between the laying
of the first two eggs.

But while the majority of Dunlin lay on our
marshes at the beginning of May, laying again and
again if their first clutches be robbed or destroyed
by.a high tide, large flocks may be observed on the
coast at the same time. Thus on May 8th we
observed a flock composed of about a hundred
Dunlin and nearly as many Ringed Plovers, on the
coast at Bowness. As soon after daylight as the
tide had retired sufficiently to allow of their feeding,
they scattered over the mud exposed, and the
twitter of the Dunlins, repeated at intervals by the
whole flock, created a sort of running murmur, very
grateful to an ornithologist.

Large flocks congregate on our coast-line from
autumn until the following breeding season, haunting
the sandbanks, and retiring to rest upon the shingled
beach or the salt marshes. When seen at a distance,
a flock of some thousands of these birds may easily
be mistaken for a dark cloud. The effect of their
evolutions, as each individual bird moves with exact
precision in the same direction as its fellows, alter-
nately exhibiting the silvered belly (of winter) and
the dark upper parts, can never fail to refresh the
observer. The numbers of resident birds are largely
increased in autumn by Dunlins from more northern
breeding grounds, and these appear to be rather
larger than our home-bred Dunlins.

150 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

T. Minuta. Larrte Stinrv.

The Little Stint is a rare casual visitant to the
Solway, but has not been detected elsewhere upon
our west coast. Mr. Adamson has shewn that 1839
was an Annus Mirabilis for the Little Stint upon the
Solway, James Cooper sending him no less than ten
specimens, with the information that he had seen
ten times more Little Stints that autumn than in
all his previous experience. Of late years, the
Little Stints’ visits to the Solway have been few
and far between. Mr. S. Watson has received
several during his long practice as a bird-stuffer, the
last, now in Mr. Hodgkinson’s possession, having
been killed at Bowness-on-Solway in the autumn of
1879. James Fell also shot a single Little Stint
out of a party of Dunlins at Skinburness ; but Mr.
A. Smith has never obtained a specimen, and
Mr. Tremble has only once shot a Little Stint on
Burgh marsh during twenty years’ experience. This
was a solitary bird, which frequented a creek near
the monument. Cooper twice shot Little Stints in
winter, ¢.g., a bird shot on Burgh marsh, November
19th, 1831; once he shot a Little Stint in summer
dress, June Ist, 1839.

T. Lemmincki. Tanner STINT.

Temminck’s Stint is an accidental visitant to
the Solway. Two immature birds were shot on
Rockliffe marsh, September Ist, 1832; a third was
obtained on the 5th of the same month. In 1839,
a fourth was shot in the same locality on Sept. 2nd,
by James Cooper.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. Sr

T. Subarquata. CurRLEW SANDPIPER.

The Curlew Sandpiper is a periodical visitant, a
few immature birds occurring on the Solway in
September, when migrating to their winter quarters.
In 1884, a young male was shot on the 3rd of
September. The Curlew Sandpiper has also been
obtained on the vernal migration. Cooper shot two
on Rockliffe marsh, on May 24th and 27th, 1838,
and observed a small flock in May, 1838. Again,
in 1885, we had a near view of a Curlew Sandpiper
on Rockliffe marsh, on the 9th of May. Inland,
the Curlew Sandpiper has once occurred on the
border of the county, near Alston.

T. Striata. Purpte SANDPIPER.

The Purple Sandpiper is a winter visitant in
very sparing numbers, the sandy shores of Cumber-
land being eminently unsuited to this rock-loving
species. It occurs in autumn at one or two points
of the Cumbrian Solway, but is more frequently
met with on the open coast near St. Bees.

The Purple Sandpiper has occurred inland, a
single specimen being felled by the telegraph wires,
near Barrock Park, October 24th, 1884.

=

T. Canutus. Kwort.

The Knot is a winter visitant, arriving on the
Solway and coast in September and October, de-
parting in March and April. Odd pairs have been
shot on the river Waver in May, which had partly
assumed the red breast of summer; and stragglers
have been obtained in that plumage in August.

52, THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

The Knot is an extremely gregarious bird, and
large parties feed together on the mud flats, or
fly to and fro uneasily, as the rising tide covers
their favourite sandbanks. It is more abundant
upon our coastline in winter than any other wader,
except the Oystercatcher and Dunlin.

Genus MACH ETES.
M. Pugnax. Rvrr.

The Ruff is a scarce visitant on autumnal
migration. In recording two Reeves, shot on
Rockliffe marsh, on August 23rd and 25th, 1832,
Mr. T. C. Heysham wrote—“ From various sources
of information, we are strongly inclined to think
that a few young Ruffs annually resort for a short
time to the salt marshes in the vicinity of the
Solway Frith, during their autumnal migration.”
During the last twenty years, Mr. Tremble has
never failed to shoot one or two Rufts, chiefly young
birds, at the end of August or during September.
In the present autumn (1885), Mr. Tremble shot
a young Ruff out of a party of six, as they skimmed
swiftly along the edge of Burgh marsh; and, for
the first time in Mr. Tremble’s experience, we saw
the survivors flying out to the mud banks of the
channel, in advance of a party of Peewits. In
1884, a Reeve was shot on Rockliffe marsh, on
August 30th. Six specimens were shot on Burgh
marsh, on September 8th, and another Reeve was
shot at Skinburness, on September 10th. There
are no authenticated specimens of the Ruff obtained

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. ae

in Cumberland in spring, but a Reeve accidentally
nested near Burgh in a single instance. The eggs
were sent to Mr. C. Murray Adamson, and are now
in Mr. Hancock’s collection. Inland, the Ruff has
occurred in three instances in the Alston district,
when migrating across country to the western coast.
A male was killed on Ale fell, in August, 1838; a
second was killed in the same locality, in September,
1864; a third bird, now in our possession, was shot
on the fells near Garrigill, in September, 1880.

Genus CALIDRIS.

C. Arenaria. SANDERLING.

The Sanderling is a periodical visitant, large
flocks appearing on the coast in spring and autumn,
but not remaining to winter. The Sanderling lingers
in spring until the middle of May, when the breed-
ing plumage is nearly complete in some individuals ;
though in others it is but little developed. Inland,
a Sanderling was shot, in 1864, at Barrock Park,
where it is preserved.

Geos. TRYNGITES.

T. Rufescens. Burr-BREASTED SANDPIPER.

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is an accidental
visitant from north America. <A single bird, which
was unaccompanied by any other Tringew, was shot
near the monument on Burgh marsh, in September,
1876, by John Dawson, and was skinned by his
brother, George Dawson, in the presence of Mr.
Hill of Carlisle. This bird was only pinioned by a

154 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

shot, and is a very perfect specimen. It is now in
the collection of Mr. G. Dawson of Belle Vue,
Carlisle, where it may be seen.

Genus TRINGOIDES.

T. Hypoleucus. Common SANDPIPER.

The Common Sandpiper is a summer visitant,
arriving in small parties in the middle of April, and
proceeding to elevated breeding grounds during the
latter portion of the month.

Many pairs of Common Sandpipers breed on the
banks of our lakes and rivers, but the nest is difficult
to find, being frequently placed on the bare shingle
(which closely assimilates to the colour of the eggs)
or sand, under the shelter of the broad leaves of the
butter bur. When the young are hatched, the old
birds exhibit the greatest solicitude for their welfare,
and on the banks of our wooded rivers may be
observed to perch on trees, in order to secure a
fuller view of the intruder. Thus, in 1883, “On
June 25th, Mr. Duckworth and I[ found young
Sandpipers on the Eden. One of the old birds
crossed the river and perched on a dead branch of
an ash, from fifteen to twenty feet above the bank ;
there it contentedly remained for twenty minutes,
when we left it perching as calmly as any Finch
could do.” (Zool., 1883, p. 128). The fact came
under our notice again in 1884, witness the
following extract from one of Macpherson’s note-
books :—“ June 13th. To Cotehill, with J. R. Earle,
Having failed to find any Crossbills, we sought
the Eden, and crossing a gravel bed disturbed a

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 155

Common Sandpiper, which began to wheel about us,
erying loudly to his mate, which responded at
intervals from the further bank, Having lost sight
of the male for a few moments, we were surprised
to see him dart off a dead bough. Naturally, we
lay down, and he alighted on a bough of willow,
whence he listed his love song for exactly eight
continuous minutes; then, gently expanding his
pinions, he flew to a higher branch, on which he
perched for two minutes. He next took a turn up
and down the river, once more alighting on a large
tree, about thirty feet from the ground, and nearer
to us than had been the case at first. He alighted
on this tree near to the trunk, but finding his perch
not entirely to his liking, he proceeded to trip down
the curved branch with some care, securing his
footing with his long toes, which we could dis-
tinguish through the glasses ; arrived in the centre,
he perched crossways on the bough, and recom-
menced calling to his mate. Some twenty minutes
later, I heard her reply softly, and glancing round,
spied her on a rock in the bed of the river.
Scarcely had I pointed her out to Earle, than she
flew to the further bank, alighting on a branch of a
half-submerged tree ; there she preened herself for
twenty minutes. Just as the male Sandpiper had
completed one hour and five minutes, by my watch,
on his perch, a beautiful Pied Flycatcher flew into
the next willow, with a green caterpillar in his bill.
An instant later his mate appeared. Forgetting
the phenomenon of the perching Sandpiper, Earle
and I started to our feet together, thereby disturbing

156 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

the little wader ; away he ‘glode,’ chanting his love
song up the waters until it died away in the distance.
A moment after, the Pied Flycatchers darted across
Eden, and disappeared in the dense foliage of the
further bank.”

In autumn, the Common Sandpiper haunts the
creeks of our salt marshes in trios and quartettes,
departing in September, though an example was
shot in October, 1884, on the Eden.

The young of the Common Sandpiper are clever
in hiding under tussocks, and if captured, answer
the adults with a low piping ery, almost identical
with that of the adult.

A. downy bird, captured on Bassenthwaite lake
on June 13th, and about one day old, is grey in
ground-colour, mixed with black; from the base of
the mandibles, a dark stripe extends backwards,
converging behind the eye to meet a dark medial
band, which runs from a point just above the upper
mandible to the nape. The chin, breast, and lower
parts are white. The down of the tail is very long
and fine. Our friend, Mr. E. Bidwell, first drew our
attention to the fact that the legs of the chick of the
Common Sandpiper are not simply “pale green,” as
stated by Yarrell, in life, but are mottled with black,
which fades after death. In the living chick above
described, the legs were a pale greenish-grey, the
frontal portion of the tarsi being adorned with
a single black streak, and the toes also mottled
with black. Yarrell figured the Common Sand-
piper in down from a specimen sent to him by

T. C. Heysham.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 157

Genus HELODROMAS.

H. Ochropus. GREEN SANDPIPER.

The Green Sandpiper is a periodical visitant to
the Solway salt marshes, haunting the smaller
creeks in small parties, but more often singly, from
the end of July until the middle of September. It
occurs in suitable localities all along the coast line
in autumn, but must be considered constantly a
scarce bird. The Green Sandpiper has been obtained
in Cumberland during the breeding season, an adult
having been shot near Alston in June, 1839. It
has once occurred in mid-winter, an adult being shot
at Cardewlees on January 3rd, 1885.

Genus TOTANUS.

T. Glareola. Woop SAnovPIPER.

The Wood Sandpiper is a very rare visitant. In
August, 1867, a party of five Wood Sandpipers
visited a small rushy pond, since drained, at Eden-
hall. Two examples were shot in the presence of
Mr. Raine, and are preserved at Edenhall.

T. Calidris. REDSHANK.

The Common Redshank is a numerous resident,
many pairs breeding on Rockliffe marsh, and a few
others on Skinburness and Burgh marshes. It does
not appear to breed on the Duddon, but Mr. Turner
believes that a few pairs breed near Ravenglass,
and Mr. Baillie informs us that during the present

158 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

spring (1885) he observed some Redshanks evi-
dently nesting on a moss on the Caldbeck fells.

Upon Rockliffe, where the Redshank has nested
in increasing abundance of late years, the nest is
usually a saucer-like depression in a thick tussock of
coarse grass, slightly lined, and carefully concealed.
The nests are generally placed a considerable dis-
tance apart. The eggs, four of which constitute a
clutch, are laid in April, generally from the middle
to the end of the month. If a Peewit’s egg be
substituted for that of the Redshank, the old female
will complete the clutch, but if the first ege be
taken and no Peewit egg exchanged, she deserts
the nest, and forms a new one. The young readily
conceal themselves, but their whereabouts may be
guessed by the anxiety of the parent birds, which
wheel to and fro in loud dismay, uttering their
prolonged call-note, which is peculiar to the breeding
season.

In autumn, adults and birds of the year leave
the higher marshes of the Solway, haunting the
creeks at Skinburness with a provoking knack of
alarming other birds. To “cut like a Redshank ”
is a Cumbrian proverb, and the wildness of this
species gives a point to the saying. At Skinburness,
the Redshank flies up and down the creeks in
parties composed of five or six birds, but we have
counted twenty in a flight in September. Sir W.
Jardine once killed thirteen Redshanks at a shot in
this favourite locality.

A nestling in down, caught on May 17th, on
Burgh marsh, the upper parts are buff, mottled with

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 159

dark brown, and tinted with ferruginous on the
crown and pinions ; the chin, white ; breast, buffish ;
lower parts white. In three nestlings of another
clutch, the ferruginous tint just alluded to is absent,
the ground-colour being so pale as to approach grey
rather than fawn-colour. The legs of the downy
young are incipient yellow, sometimes mottled with
flesh-colour.

T. Fuscus. Spotrep ReEpsHank.

The Spotted Redshank is an accidental visitant.
Mr. C. M. Adamson, in his invaluable work, ‘‘ More
Scraps about Birds,” supplies, at p. 79, the fullest
particulars known to us regarding the specimens of
this rare wader obtained by Mr. T. C. Heysham.
Mr. Adamson quotes a letter written by the late
James Cooper, Mr. Heysham’s most successful
collector, dated August 19th, 1840, in which he
says—“‘I forgot to tell you of my Friday’s journey.

I went up Eden-side, and about three
quarters of a mile above Rockliffe, I saw a Spotted
Redshank, which rose and flew towards Sandsfield.”
Mr. Adamson adds that Cooper informed him that
he stuffed a Spotted Redshank which had been shot
at Cardurnock, in 1829, for Mr. Heysham, and that
he saw another in 1833. Yarrell appears to have
accepted Stanley’s authority for the occurrence of
a Spotted Redshank at Whitehaven, but the meagre
entry in Stanley’s list (Loud., Nat. H., 1830, p. 171),
“ Scolopar Totanus, Spotted Redshank, rare,” is
clearly insufficient for that conclusion. A specimen
preserved in the Proud collection was shot by Mr.
Proud, sen., “in the marshy backwaters of the

160 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Irthing,” near Brampton, in the autumn of 1849
or 1850. (W. Proud, in lit.)

T. Canescens. (GREENSHANK.

The Greenshank is a periodical visitant, of con-
stant though scarce occurrence on the Solway and
west coast in August and September. Mr. Fleming
has two good specimens which he shot inland on
the Eden at Little Salkeld, in 1864 ; but specimens
are seldom met with far from our coastline. The
Greenshank haunts the gravel beds of the Solway,
and the outlets of the larger creeks, often in parties
of two or three, but as frequently solitary, restlessly
flying along the margin of the marsh, the long dark
wings skimming swiftly over the mud, while its
plaintive note, “tu, tu, tu,” floats across the water.

In autumn, when immature birds chiefly occur,
the Greenshank is an uneasy, suspicious bird, and
difficult to obtain. Mr. Tremble on one occasion
killed two Greenshanks and a Turnstone on the edge
of Burgh marsh at a shot, on a bright moonlight
night.

A Greenshank, shot on the Eden near Carlisle,
August 15th, 1832, and opened by T. C. Heysham,
contained a bearded loach ; while two immature
birds, shot on August 25th, had been feeding on
sparlings (Osmerus Eperlanus) and shrimps.

Genus MACRORAMPHUS.

M. Griseus. RrbD-BREASTED SNIPE.

The Red-breasted Snipe is an accidental visitant
from North America. A single immature female

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 161

was shot on Rockliffe marsh on September 25th,
1835, by J. Cooper. A high tide had covered the
whole of the marsh, with the exception of a few
elevated patches, on one of which the bird was
observed, feeding busily. The stomach contained
the elytra of some small coleoptera. (Loud., Mag.
INS, Vol 1X, 1836, p. 1862)

Mr. C. M. Adamson states that in June, 1858,
he found this specimen in a ruined condition. (More

Scraps about Birds, p. 67.)

Genus LIMOS A.

L. Lapponica. Bar-raitep Gopwir.

The Bar-tailed Godwit is a periodical visitant,
of regular occurrence on our estuaries on migration.
A. few small parties winter on the Solway. Jardine
observes that he never failed to meet with specimens
at the end of August and in September (and our
own experience is similar), at Skinburness and on
the Wampool; but the open coast and the higher
portions of the Solway are not so favoured, though
odd birds are shot on the salt marshes of Burgh
and Rockliffe, and even at Carlisle. Mr. Adamson
shrewdly remarks that he did not see this wader
on the Solway “in such flocks as come to the
Northumberland coast at this season” (September).

L. Aigocephala. Buacx-raitep Gopwit.

The Black-tailed Godwit is a rare casual visitant
to the Solway, but has not been detected in any
other part of the county. In 1832, an immature

M

162 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

male was shot on Rockliffe marsh in August, and
a few occurrences followed at long intervals until
1884, when two immature birds were shot at
Bowness and Skinburness respectively, in September
and October. Their long tarsi and toes were of a
delicate slate-grey, many shades hehter than the
tarsi of the Bar-tailed Godwit. An adult in
breeding plumage, shot on Burgh marsh in May,
1876, is in the possession of Mr. W. H. Doeg.

Genus NUMENIUS.

N. Pheopus. WHtMpREL.

The Whimbrel is a numerous periodical visitant,
in May and August, frequenting the margins of the
higher salt marshes at the former season, but almost
entirely restricted during autumn, like the Bar-tailed
Godwit, to the lower portion of the Solway. Mr.
Tremble has only shot a single Whimbrel at Burgh
in autumn, in his twenty odd years’ experience.
Stragelers accidentally linger into November on the
Solway, as happened in 1888, when we handled a
fresh killed bird in the middle of the month. In
1884, we saw a good many on the Solway in
September, but they generally hurry south in
autumn.

N. Arquata. Cur Ew.

The Curlew is an abundant resident, nesting
plentifully on our fells and inland mosses, and in
lesser numbers in fields and mosses near the coast.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 163

A pair generally nestle in a rough strip of waste
land within three miles of Carlisle. The nest of
the Curlew is a slight depression with a scanty
lining, and four eggs constitute a clutch. On the
lower grounds, the eggs are generally laid during
the latter half of April; but during the present
spring (1885), we examined fresh eggs on Glasson
moss in the first half of May, and on the eastern
fells we once found a clutch of fresh Curlew eggs
at the beginning of June. The nests are more
frequently situated on the edge of a moss, or in
some rough meadow adjoining, than in the centre
of the waste. The young run at the end of May
and the beginning of June. From their acuteness
in hiding, they are more difficult to find than the
nests, but neither can be found, except accidentally,
unless the movements of the old Curlews be care-
fully studied. Throughout the summer, a few
Curlews, apparently non-breeders, may be observed
feeding on the mud flats of our estuaries. In
August, large parties of Curlews repair to the salt
marshes, performing regular flights to and from
their favourite feeding grounds. Mr. Tremble be-
lieves that the Curlews which frequent Burgh marsh
feed largely on spiders in early autumn. Many
Curlews haunt the more open parts of the Solway,
and their movements, as they fly to and fro in
small parties, probing the mud in all directions,
and feeding along the margin of the retiring tide,
may be conveniently studied, with a good pair of
glasses, from the shelter of a breakwater or a heap
of wrecked timber,

164 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

In March of the present year (1885), Mr.
Hodgson observed an interesting movement of
Curlews from his station at Flimby, on the Solway.
For ten or fourteen days, single pairs of Curlews
continued to cross the Solway from the direction
of Kirkcudbright, ‘‘apparently on their way to the
uplands of Cumberland for breeding purposes.”

A nestling captured on June 6th, and apparently
three days old, is greyish-fawn in ground-colour,
mottled with black on the upper parts, the buff
erowing warmer on the pinions; the lower parts
are buffish-white, with something of the golden
lustre of the downy Wigeon ; bill dark grey, irides
dark brown, tarsi and toes slate-colour.

Family LARIDZ.
Sub-Family STERNIN A.
Genus STERNA.

S. Macrura. Arotic TERN.

The Arctic Tern is a periodical visitant on
spring and autumn migration. Several of the
specimens which we have examined were shot on
the coast near Workington. As a straggler, the
Arctic Tern has been obtained in autumn near
Alston. It is possible that a few pairs breed at
Ravenglass, probably on the south side of the
estuary ; but on this point our evidence is not
conclusive.

S. Fluviatilis. Common Tern.

The Common Tern is a summer visitant, arriving
at the beginning of May, to nestle in considerable

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 165

numbers in two localities, viz., among the sandhills
at Ravenglass, and on the margin of Rockliffe salt
marsh. In Sir W. Jardine’s time (circa, 1840), a
third colony, composed of a few pairs, nested on the
shingle at Skinburness, but this breeding station
has not been occupied of late years. Inland, the
Common Tern has occurred more than once near
Alston, an individual preserved at Garrigill having
been shot very late in autumn, when the fells were
sprinkled with snow.

S. Dougall. Rosrare Turn.

The Roseate Tern is an accidental visitant. An
example was shot, many years since, on Burgh marsh
(Z. C. Heysham), and another was shot, in the same
locality, in 1872, by Mr. Tremble. In the spring
of 1880, a Tern, believed to be a Roseate Tern,
was repeatedly fired at on the Esk, but was not
obtained. The Roseate Tern should be recognised
by its slender shape, darting movements, and long
tail feathers. Yarrell stated in the first three
editions of his British Birds (ef. Vol. III, p. 394,
Ist ed.), that this Tern probably bred “on some of
the low flat islands in the Solway Frith.” There
are no islands in the Solway. Cardurnock is locally
called “ the island”; but no Terns breed there.

S. Minuta. Lesser Terry.

The Lesser Tern is a summer visitant, many
pairs nesting on the Ravenglass estuary. In Sir
W. Jardine’s time, a second colony existed at
Skinburness, and would possibly have been there

166 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

yet, had they not been so much persecuted. A few
birds as late as 1882 frequented the locality, but,
being repeatedly fired at, at Jength deserted the
place. In 1885, the first Lesser Terns arrived at
Ravenglass on May Ist, wind southerly. In 1885,
also, we found a good many nests, containing fresh
egos, generally two in a clutch, on May 29th. The
nest is a depression in the sand or on the shingle,
at no distance from the water. It is frequently
lined with fragments of small shells, but some nests
have no lining. In 1884, we found a nest containing
a newly-hatched bird and a chipped egg, and a
second nest, with two newly-hatched nestlings, on
June 16th; the other nests containing clutches of
two eges and of three eggs, all apparently incubated.

S. Cantiaca. Sanpwicu TERN.

The Sandwich Tern is a summer visitant, a few
pairs nesting in a single locality on the Ravenglass
estuary. The exact date of the foundation of this
colony is uncertain, but its founders probably came
from Walney. Mr. Farren well recollects the arrival
of the first pairs. Now about seventeen pairs breed
there, the number increasing every year, the birds
being carefully protected by Lord Muncaster. In
1884, the Sandwich Terns arrived on the estuary
on April 28rd, and we examined seven downy
nestlings and several clutches of incubated eggs on
June 16th. In 1885, we examined a single nestling
in down (its fellow was just hatching out), on
May 29th, and fourteen clutches of eggs, some of
them fresh and others evidently much incubated.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 167

In this locality, where the Sandwich Terns breed
among the sandhills, the nest is a slight hollow in
the sand, frequently in the centre of a tussock of
dry grass, a few large straws being carefully dis-
posed around the eggs. The eggs are generally
two, but sometimes three and sometimes only one,
in number; some olive, some cream, and others
bluish-green in ground-colour, with rich blotches
of blackish-brown, especially at the larger end.
The young can run with some speed, if alarmed,
but prefer to squat perfectly motionless, save for
respiration and the blinking of their eyelids. On
being handled, a nestling threw up a small fish,
which was dubbed a “ herring-fry.”

The time of the arrival of the Sandwich Tern
varies considerably. In 1885, the first pair appeared
at Ravenglass, on the 6th of April, wind south-east,
rain. During autumn, the Sandwich Tern is of
course more widely distributed than in the nesting
season, and immature birds had been occasionally
shot on the Solway, prior to the establishment of
the nesting station at Ravenglass.

The nestling is covered with fine lanceolate
down, buff, grey, and black filaments being inter-
mixed ; the lower parts are white. In the nestling,
the bill is dull ochre, tip horn colour, tarsi and toes
livid, webs and soles orange, the latter colour being
most developed in newly-hatched birds, and be-
coming less and less marked in older specimens.
The irides are dark hazel.

Mr. Mitchell remarks (B. of Lancashire, p. 209),
that in 1878 Mr. Durnford found a young Sandwich

168 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Tern on Walney island, “almost ready to fly,” on
May 21st; but a reference to the Zoologist, 1878,
p. 120, shows that Mr. Durnford refered to the
21st of June, and not to the month of May; the
latter would have been an extraordinary date.

Gitts HYDROCHELIDON.
H. Nigra. Brack Tern.

The Black Tern is a rare casual visitant, on
spring and autumn migration, following the western
coastline and trending eastward of the Solway.
Our latest notes refer to two adults, observed on
the Solway on October 20th, 1884, and to another
which haunted a “runner” near Aiglegill, on and
after April 27th, 1885. Mr. T. Armstrong recorded
in the Naturalist (Vol. VII, 1857, p. 251), that he
took a clutch of the eggs of this species on Solway
flow in 1855, but he appears to have parted with
them. The locality being a heather-covered moss,
with sedgy pools interspersed, is as likely as any
in the county, but there are no other records of
the presence of the Black Tern in full summer.
Far inland, a Black Tern was shot some years since
at Talkin Tarn, probably on its way to or from the
east coast.

Sub-Family LARIN AL.
Genus RISSA.
R. Tridactyla. Karrrwaxn.

The Kittiwake is a fairly numerous winter
visitant, immature birds occurring constantly in the

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 169

neighbourhood of the seaboard. We have recently
examined several freshly-killed Kittiwakes, obtained
on the eastern borders of the county, but it is of
very irregular occurrence far inland.

Genus LARUS,

L. Glaucus. Guaucous GULL.

The Glaucous Gull is a rare casual visitant in
winter. An immature bird was shot near Raven-
glass, on November 28rd, 1877, (Zool., 1879, p. 119),
another was shot near Bowness in the winter 1883-4.
Mr. R. Mann refers to this species, a large white
Gull shot some years ago at Allonby, and mounted

by Mr. T. Mann.

L. Leucopterus. Ice~anp GULL.

The Iceland Gull is a casual visitant of rare
occurrence on the Cumbrian coast in mid-winter.
An immature bird was shot at Calder’s mouth,
February 20th, 1880 (Zool., 1880, p. 221); a
second, also immature, and not in company with
any other Gulls, was shot by Mr. R. Moore, on
the edge of Millom salt marsh, January 28th,
1882, and is now in our possession.

Mr. T. C. Heysham recorded, as new to Cumber-
land, an immature Iceland Gull killed on the Solway
at Browhouses ; but Mr. Heysham evidently mis-
took the exact locality of Browhouses, which is on
the Scotch, not on the English, side. This early
specimen was killed on February 8th, 1835.

170 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

L. Argentatus. Herring GULL.

The Herring Gull is an abundant resident, but
only nests in a single district, upon the high cliffs
at St. Bees. Between three and four hundred
yards of cliff are occupied by the birds of this
colony, which, if disturbed when sitting, fill the
air in a white cloud, in which we have detected
birds in a transitional state, not having fully as-
sumed the lavender mantle of the adult, although
presumably paired birds. The nest varies in size,
and is placed upon a grassy ledge, the eggs,
generally three in number, being laid during May,
chiefly at the beginning of the month. The young,
which are adepts at eluding observation by squatting,
are clothed with grey down, mottled with black.
During autumn and winter, with us, the immature
birds are chiefly solitary, but their gregariousness
or the contrary depends chiefly upon the relative
abundance of food.

The Herring Gull frequents our rivers and
feeds in inland meadows in stormy weather. Large
‘“mobs” of immature birds may be observed in the
immediate vicinity of the breeding colony at St.
Bees throughout the summer.

In Westmorland, a colony of Herring Gulls
exists at Foulshaw moss, near Arnside, abandoning
their love for a precipitous cliff or an isolated
stack, and nesting in great numbers on low marshy
grounds. When Mr. W. A. Durnford visited this
colony in May, 1879, he remarked (Zool., 1879,
p. 389), that the Lesser Black-backed Gulls, which

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. ee

shared the shelter of the moss, seemed ‘“ to exceed
the Herring Gulls in the proportion of nearly ten
to one.” Mr, F. S. Mitchell, who visited Foulshaw
moss during the summer of 1885, found, to his
surprise, that the Lesser Black-backed Gulls have
nearly disappeared from their nursery. Mr. Mitchell
informs us that he found the Herring Gull very
strongly established, but that he only observed five
or six pairs of Larus Fuscus on the moss.

L. Fuscus. Lesser BiLack-BACKED GULL.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull is a numerous
species, breeding gregariously in four localities, and
generally distributed along the coast in winter.
many pairs nest upon Bowness, Wedholme, and
Solway flows, where the eggs are laid in May.
Owing to the destructive propensities of this Gull,
many egos are taken or destroyed at these stations,
notwithstanding which, the species does not exhibit
any signs of decreasing.t A fourth colony exists on
Butterburn flow.

Two nestling birds in the possession of Mr. R.
Mann became great pets. They exhibited great
expertness in catching mice, which became a
favourite item in their bill of fare.

The nestling in down is grey, mottled with
black, but its texture may be a trifle finer than that
of the Herring Gull, which it closely resembles.

+ The eggs are taken by the keepers, all localities named in this work, as
holding breeding birds, being strictly preserved. The authors’ thanks are due
to various proprietors for permission to visit their properties, which are closed
to collectors.

2. THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

L. Canus. Common GULL.

The Common Gull is a winter visitant, con-
stantly present on the coast, and frequently to
be seen feeding inland, during the colder months
of the year.

We cannot substantiate the statement of the
late Dr. Gough, that the Common Gull bred in
Cumberland (Ibis, 1865, p. 81), but a few adults as
well as immature birds pass the summer with us.

L. Marinus. Great BLack-BACKED GULL.
The Great Black-backed Gull is a resident

species, about fifteen pairs nesting (1885) upon
Bowness and Wedholme flows, in the neighbourhood
of the Solway.

Dr. Stanley states, “A colony of these birds
breed on a margin of a lake in this neighbourhood,
called Devoke water, and are known here by the
name of the Devoke Water Maws” (Loud., Mag.
Nat. Hist., 1829, p. 276). This colony continued
to exist for many years, and has only recently
become extinct.

Adult and immature birds are generally dis-
tributed on our coastline in winter.

L. Ridibundus. Busack-HEADED GULL.
The Black-headed Gull is an abundant resident,

no less than nine extensive colonies nesting in
Cumberland, exclusive of a few localities frequented
by single pairs. Upon Salta moss, Wedholme,
Bowness, and Solway flows, the birds nest gre-
gariously upon the heather, these localities being

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 73

in fact extensive mosses in the neighbourhood of
the Solway. Inland, there are two large breeding
stations at Denton fell and Bolton fell, and here
also the birds build their nests in the heather.
Another colony exists at Greystoke Park, and was
visited in 1884 by Mr. Hodgson, who thus describes
it :—‘ The locality is a long shallow pool, with islets
of rushes on which the nests are constructed, when
I saw it last, the later broods were hatched and the
place swarmed with young birds, from a few hours
to probably a few weeks old. They scuttled about
the pool with great animation, swimming and diving
with agility, and quickly hiding among the rushes
and equiseta, when any danger threatened. The
old birds are quite valorous in defence of their
young, and when one of my boys, who is a promising
ornithologist, managed to capture one of a callow
brood, he was attacked with such impetuosity by
the bulk of the old birds present, that he was glad
to release the captive. About two hundred and
fifty pairs bred there this season.”

At Moorthwaite, near Crofton, these Gulls nest
upon an island in the centre of the tarn, which,
including the island, embraces an area of about nine
acres. This station was explored during the present
summer (1885), by Mr. B. Johnson, who calculated
that there were between two and three hundred
pairs of breeding birds. A few years prior to
1829, as narrated by Dr. Stanley, a pair of Great
Black-backed Gulls left Devoke water for Ennerdale
Jake, and there “forcibly dispossessed a colony of
Blackcaps, who for years had bred on a rocky island

174 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

in the centre of the lake, and compelled them to
resort to the rocks on the margin, in consequence of
which, the whole of the succeeding young brood,
from a sudden torrent of rain sweeping down the
mountains, were washed into the sea and destroyed.”
(Loud., Nat. Hist. Mag., 1829, p. 276). A parallel
to these birds nesting on the margin of the lake is
afforded by a similar occurrence at Monkhill lough,
where a number of Black-headed Gulls nested
during a recent summer, in consequence of the
water being remarkably low, and a large superficies
of dried sedge thereby exposed.

A single pair nest at Devoke Water, and another
pair nest upon an island in Seathwaite tarn, where
Mr. T. N. Postlethwaite has found the nest com-
posed of stag’s-horn moss. The species has so
generally increased of late years, that it is probable
that one or two other small colonies remain to be
recorded. Upon Solway and Bowness flows, many
egos are taken at the beginning of the breeding
season, after which the birds frequently scatter,
nesting more sporadically. In such localities, the
young are of course reared some weeks later than
at Ravenglass, where the extensive colony is strictly
protected, few, if any, eggs being taken. It is in-
advisable, however, to dogmatise as to the exact
date of these Gulls laying in any one locality, for
individuals vary greatly in their forwardness. In the
present spring (1885), we examined two nestlings
which could almost fly on the 29th of May, but the
majority of young were still small, and a consider-
able number of nests still contained unhatched eggs.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. Nea)

In 1884, a few nests, also at Ravenglass, contained
eggs on June 16th, though the majority of the
young were well-grown, and some “fliers” had
quitted the nursery with their parents.

The nest varies in size, being occasionally almost
nominal, but in some instances a very cumbrous pile.
The eggs vary considerably, the prettiest variety
being of a bluish-green ground-colour, with few or
no markings.

At Ravenglass, the nests are built among the
sandhills on the north side of the estuary, the birds
being so numerous that the utmost care is needed
to avoid treading the young ones under foot.

It is amusing to capture a few of the larger
nestlings, and to place them on the edge of the
highest sandhills; their stolid appearance becomes
irresistibly comical, as they slip down a few feet
and then attempt to pull up, as though resenting
the indignity ; it is in vain, however, for the sand
will slip beneath them, and down they glide nolentes
to the bottom of the pit.

The downy young are fed upon beetles and
earthworms ; and it is surprising to notice the
quantity which will be disgorged in a compact
mass, if the stomach and crop of a healthy indi-
vidual be patted with sufficient persistence as to
induce the sensations of sea-sickness. When the
young are strong on the wing, the adults lead them
to inland rivers and salt marshes, where they find
a plentiful supply of food. They are not by any
means dainty feeders, but, on the contrary, gather
offal with avidity. During the spring, large troupes

176 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

of Black-headed Gulls may be seen following the
plough, feeding on the worms and larvee brought to
the surface. In summer, they diet largely upon
the perfect imago of the ghost moth, and their
eraceful pursuit becomes animated towards the
oloaming.

The dark nuptial hood is rapidly assumed,
generally with the first days of March, but there
is no strict rule; we have seen several adults in
full breeding plumage in January and February,
and, in 1884, observed upon the Eden a single
individual which had fully assumed the hood on
December 19th, though the black bar on the tail,
and the wing coverts mottled with brown, proved
that it was not adult.

The downy nestling varies from fawn to grey in
ground, mottled with black on the upper parts. A
nestling of the fawn type, taken on Bowness flow,
in June, exhibits a small bar of black upon the
chin ; the lower parts are buffy-white. The down
lingers longest on the head, breast, and lower parts.
A female in first feather, shot in August, 1884,
exhibits the pretty immature plumage to be ob-
served in so many of those which frequent our
rivers during early autumn. The head is capped
with cinnamon-brown; the neck, white; the back,
scapulars, tertiaries, and smaller wing coverts,
appear at first sight to be brown, but if the
feathers be raised, it will be seen that the feathers
are really lavender, broadly margined towards their
extremity with brown. The tail is terminated by
a black band. The upper breast is washed with

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. LT

warm cinnamon, and this colour is more strongly
developed in a younger fledgling obtained in June.
A male killed in November has lost the cinnamon,
and wears a slight cap of grey.

L. Minutus. Lirrtz Gut.

The Little Gull is a rare casual visitant from
Russia, in autumn and winter.

A. fine immature bird in Messrs. Mann’s col-
lection was shot at Silloth, in the month of
January ; a second was shot in September, 1857,
on Rockliffe marsh, by G. Dawson ; a third was
obtained at Westlinton, after the gale in which
the “London” s.s. perished ; ‘‘a splendid old bird”
in winter dress was obtained on the Solway by
J. B. Hodgkinson, some years since; and Sir W.
Jardine records a fifth, ‘‘ procured by Dr. Neill from
some part of the Solway.”

Sub-Family STERCORARIIN Zi.
Geysus STERCORARIUS.

S. Catarrhacies. Great SKUA.

The Great Skua is a rare casual visitant. An ex-
ample was shot by Cooper on Rockliffe marsh in the
act of killing a Herring Gull (J. B. Hodgkinson, MS.)
Another was shot on the coast near Whitehaven,
and mounted by Mr. Grayson, in the autumn of
1865.

S. Pomatorhinus. PPoMATORHINE SKUA.

The Pomatorhine Skua is a rare casual visitant

on autumnal migration. In all probability there isa
N

178 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

passage of this species down the Irish Channel
annually, but it is generally after severe weather
that examples are obtained on the coast. An adult
male was killed near Whitehaven on October 16th,
1879, its companion escaping (Zool., 1880, p. 109).
Another was obtained at the same time on Rockliffe
marsh by Mr. A. Smith. In 1884, a female in
nearly adult plumage was shot at Bowness-on-
Solway by G. Holmes, on October 24th ; and several
others obtained on the Solway, are preserved in
Mr. G. Dawson’s collection at Bellevue.

S. Crepidatus. Ricuarpson’s SKua.

Richardson’s Skua is a periodical visitant, arriving
on the Solway in sparing numbers in August, de-
parting in October. From its darting flight and
habit of robbing the other Gulls, it is well known
to the Solway fishermen, though it appears to be of
infrequent occurrence on the open coast. Although
this Skua is an autumnal visitant, it has occurred in
a few instances both in mid-winter and in the height
of summer. Thus an adult was shot at Skinburness
on December 24th, 1880, by Mr. Johnston ; while,
in 1885, several birds spent the summer on the
Solway, one of their number frequently flying
some miles up the river Eden. A _ black Skua,
believed to be a Richardson’s Skua, and lately in
the possession of Mr. T. Mann, was shot near
Allonby, at midsummer. An immature bird was
shot inland near Alston, on October Ist, 1857
(B. Greenwell, MS.), and a fine adult in the pos-
session of T. H. Horrocks, Esq., of Edenbrows,

was also obtained near Alston.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 179

S. Parasiticus. Burron’s SxKva.

Buffon’s Skua is a rare casual visitant. An
example was obtained on Rockliffe marsh in the
autumn of 1879, by A. Smith. An adult male was
shot near Kirkandrews-on-Eden on June 38rd, 1885,
having, no doubt, strayed westward on its passage to
the breeding grounds. It was killed by a fisherman,
and was kindly presented to us in the flesh by
Dr. Macdougall. Its slender shape, and the long
central rectrices, combined with the black cap and
delicate grey mantle, render it a most interesting
specimen. Though in very perfect plumage, the
body was indifferently nourished, and only contained
the remains of three earthworms. The tarsi were
bluish-grey in the fresh specimen, a narrow stripe of
black extending for about one inch up the inside of
the tarsi, toes and webs black, irides dark brown,
interior of mouth pale flesh-colour. The central
tail feathers extend seven and a half inches beyond
the next. Tarsus one and a half inch, middle toe
one and two-fifths of an inch, wing twelve inches.t

Family PROCELLARIID.

Genus PROCELLARIA.

P. Pelagica. Storm PErREL.

The Storm Petrel is a winter visitant, occasion-
ally blown far inland by severe gales, and picked up
dead or in an exhausted state. A few years since,

+ Mr. Armistead states (Naturalist, March, 1886) that another was
obtained near Allonby some years since.

180 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

a storm-driven bird was caught in the centre of
Carlisle, and others have been shot in its suburbs.
It has occurred more than once in the Alston
district. On one occasion the remains of a Stormy
Petrel, which appeared to have been eaten by a
Hawk, was found near Brampton by the late
Mr. Proud. In June, 1884, we visited the lonely
Ascrib isles on the north-west coast of Skye, and
dug a Storm Petrel’s burrow out of the soft turf.
At its extremity, we found a solitary bird sitting
on its one white ege. A few yellow straws were
disposed around.

P. Leucorrhoa. eacnu’s PEerret.

Leach’s Petrel is a rare casual visitant, specimens
having been obtained inland and on the Cumbrian
coast in seven or more instances. An example in
the Mann collection was obtained on the Solway,
near Silloth, a second bird escaping. Another was
felled by telegraph wires at Carlisle, on Oct. 28th,
1884. Mr. J. J. Armistead records others from
the Scotch side of the Solway. On October 8rd,
1885, at ll am., when a westerly gale prevailed,
we observed a Petrel, apparently a Fork-tailed
Petrel, resting on the waves, near the viaduct at
Bowness which spans the Solway (scaring the wild-
fowl). Its white rump shewed up well to the glass.
From time to time it expanded its long dark wings,
and rose a foot or two above the water, but strove
in vain to fly seaward against the gale, being
evidently exhausted. After a rest, it flew nearer
to us (we were lying in wait at the edge of the

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 181

water, the tide being so far out that it was im-
possible to wade to it), and we scrutinised the light
wing coverts with care; but before it was quite
within range, a strong gust blew it away to the
Scotch side of the estuary, where we saw it darting
to and fro until it disappeared from view.

Genus OCEANITES.

O. Oceanicus. Wiutson’s Perrret.

Wilson’s Petrel is an accidental visitant, but
has occurred on two different occasions. The
first was obtained many years ago by the late
Mr, T C. deysham (Varrell, 3B. B., Vol. IT,
p- 516, 1st ed.), but the exact locality appears to be
at present unknown, though there is reason to think
that it may have occurred in the Alston district.
Mr. J. H. Gurney, junr., informs us that he
examined this specimen at Mr. H. Saunders’ sale,
when it entered Lord Lilford’s collection, and that
he is fully satisfied of its authenticity as a Cumbrian
specimen. The second occurrence (hitherto unre-
corded) took place in 1881, in the vicinity of
Brampton. Capt. Johnson, an ornithologist of
long standing, examined this bird in the flesh, and
remarks that its identity was rendered certain by
the conspicuous patches upon the webs of this rare
Petrel. It was found dead after some boisterous
weather by one of Capt. Johnson’s servants, but
was not in sufficiently good preservation to admit
of its being mounted.

32 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Genns PUFFINUS.

P. Anglorum. Manx SHEARWATER.

The Manx Shearwater is an irregular visitant to
the Cumbrian Solway, having only been obtained
on its shores in one or two isolated instances. But
Dr. Parker considers it not uncommon on the open
coast, and obtained a dead bird in February, 1880,
and a live specimen on August 24th, 1881. Formerly
it bred on the Calf of Man immediately opposite our
coast, and when Professor Macpherson, as a Com-
missioner of Northern Lights, enquired after the
Shearwater in that locality during the present sum-
smer (1885), he was told that though it had been
driven from its nesting haunts by rats, large numbers
were still observed in the neighbourhood. It is
therefore possible that the Manx Shearwater may
still breed on some part of the coast of Man.

Genus FULMARUS.

F. Glacialis. Futmar.

The Fulmar Petrel is a very rare casual visitant,
but has possibly occurred without detection. A
single example was found, some years since, on the
beach near Mowbray, washed up dead by the tide.
(J. W. Harris, MS.)

Family COLYMBIDZ:.
Genus COLYMBUS.

C. Glacialis. Great NortHern Diver.

The Great Northern Diver is a rare visitant to
our lakes and estuaries during the winter months.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 183

Unlike the Red-throated Diver, which is chiefly
observed in spring and autumn, the Great Northern
Diver passes the winter with us. Dr. Parker ob-
served a Great Northern Diver on Wastwater, in
October, 1878, and remarks that the bird still
haunted the lake in the following January. In
1791, a Great Northern Diver was captured, ex-
hausted, near Keswick (Dr. Heysham), in the un-
usual month of July. Others have since occurred,
at a considerable distance from the sea. Thus, “in
the winter of 1833 a large bird made its appearance
on Talkin tarn. People flocked to see this astonish-
ing bird, but no one could make out what it could
be. All the sporting men were allowed to carry
guns to shoot it if possible. However, it was a
shy, wary bird, and a very dexterous swimmer and
a more dexterous diver, so that all the efforts to get
it proved uneffectual, although it was chased with
boats and watched at every corner. Many pounds
of powder and shot were fired at it to no purpose,
for it still swam on with all the majesty of its
species. J cannot remember that it was ever com-
pelled to take wing, but the moment a shot was
fired it was under water, and dived an astonishing
distance before it re-appeared. It would not allow
any of the Duck tribe to stop on the tarn, but
chased them about until they were obliged to leave.
The following spring it disappeared, and was not
seen until the autumn, when it was watched with
as much anxiety as ever. A party from Brampton,
mustering several guhs, determined to have another
try to shoot it, and, getting the boat in full sail, they

‘184 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

sailed about for some time, until, coming tolerably
near, they fired a volley, and the poor bird was shot.
A. ball, fired by Dr. Gill, had passed through the
ratios sean A fine specimen of the same bird,
. was taken alive by a boy on the 16th ult.,

in the public street of Penrith. The cause of its ae
taking flight from its purser cannot be accounted
for, as its wings were perfectly sound. It is re-
eorded in the Carlisle Journal, December, 1837.”
(Proud, MS.)

An adult, in summer plumage, obtained in West-
morland near the source of the Eden, many years
since, is in the possession of the Rev. R. Bower of

Carlisle.

C. Arcticus. BuAcK-THROATED Diver.

The Black-throated Diver is an extremely rare
casual visitant in winter. A single bird was shot
on Monkhill lough some years since, and one or two
others have occurred on inland waters.t

C. Septentrionalis, Rep-rHroatepD Diver.

The Red-throated Diver is a periodical visitant
to our estuaries, a few adult and immature birds
arriving in November, but not generally remaining
to winter. In March and April, the Red-throated
Diver re-appears on the Solway, especially favouring
the basin of the Wampool and Waver, where as many
as seven or eight may be seen at once. Its stay
at this season is usually limited to two or three

+ A Black-throated Diver, in the possession of W. Mackenzie, was shot
near Silloth, November 19, 1885,

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 185

weeks, but single birds occasionally linger into
early summer, Thus, a bird in full breeding plum-
age was shot on the Solway, near Bowness, on the
30th of May, 1885. Dr. Heysham records a Red-
throated Diver captured in summer near Crossfell,
and “carried about as long as it lived as a shew.”
Our only modern note of this species occurring
inland refers to the same district as Heysham’s
bird, an adult having been shot near Alston in
1842, in the month of December. Two adults
shot on the Solway in 1884, at the beginning of
November, proved to be deep in the moult, their
wing quills being almost rudimentary.

Family PODICIPIDA.
Genus PODICEPS.

P. Cristatus. Great CrEesTED GREBE.

The Great Crested Grebe is a casual visitant, of
intermittent occurrence on our lakes and rivers,
chiefly in autumn and winter. Several examples
have been obtained in the lake district. In summer,
its presence with us is accidental; but an adult, in
breeding plumage, was shot on the Eden, near
Carlisle, on July 19th, 1869, and a male, in which
the assumption of breeding plumage is far advanced,
was shot on the Eden, at Cargo, on March 4th,
1884.

P. Griseigena. Rep-NEcKED GREBE.

The Red-necked Grebe is a rare casual visitant,
but has occurred in a very few instances in the

186 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

north of the county, and once in the lake district.
In the severe winter 1880-1, an example, in winter
plumage, was shot on the Eden, near Beaumont.

P. Auritus. ScLAVONIAN GREBE.

The Sclavonian Grebe is a rare casual visitant,
though more frequently met with on our estuaries
in severe weather than the Red-necked or Eared
Grebes. Mr. Tremble possesses a fine adult, which
he shot a few years since on Monkhill lough, in the
month of September. A bird, in full winter dress,
was shot on the Solway in the hard winter 1879-80,
and is in Mr. Coulthard’s collection. Single birds
occur from time to time in the lake district, as well
as on the eastern borders of Cumberland.

On the Scotch side of the Solway, ze. on the
river Annan, Jardine “ frequently” shot Sclavonian
Grebes in winter, and it was formerly more plentiful
on the estuaries of the Eden and Esk than has been
the case of late years.

P. Nigricollis. Harep GREE.

The Eared Grebe is an accidental visitant, but
has possibly been overlooked in one or two instances,
having been formerly united by local observers with
the Sclavonian Grebe under the title of ‘“ Dusky
Grebe.”

A single bird was shot some years since on the
Cumbrian side of Ulleswater. (7. Hope, MS.) A
second was shot at Ravenglass. (C. Parker, MS.)

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 187

Guus TACHYBAPTES.

T. Fluviatilis. Lairrtn Gress.

The Little Grebe is a local resident, breeding
sporadically on inland tarns, chiefly in the north
of the county, as at Moorthwaite and Cotehill.
Mr. Little, who had several pairs under his constant
observation during the present summer, remarks
that the popular belief that the Little Grebe rarely
rises upon the wing is fallacious. On the contrary,
at Cotehill, where these birds are quite undisturbed,
the nesting Dabchicks frequently fly from one pond
to another. The whistling call-note of the male to
the nesting female is very musical, and it is pleasant
to hear a pair calling to and answering one another
in the stillness of a fine summer evening. During
the winter months, the Little Grebe is more widely
distributed, and more partial to running water than
during the breeding season. A nestling in down,
obtained early in July, is black above, striped in
zebra fashion on the neck with longitudinal bands
of grey, and on the back with fawn; the lower
parts are white; a crimson line passes above each
eye, and the crown is tinged with crimson.

Family ALCIDZ.
Genus ALCA.

A. Torda. Razorsttu.

The Razorbill is a resident species, a single
colony being established on the cliffs at St. Bees.

188 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

About twenty years since, one of the Sandwith
lighthouse keepers used to descend with a rope,
and took many eggs. During winter, we find a few
Razorbills washed up on our west coast, and Mr.
Harris describes the destruction which occurred in
the early autumn of 1862 :—‘ In September, im-
mediately after the equinox, large numbers of
Common Guillemots, with a smaller proportion of
the Razorbill, were washed up on the shore. Most
of them were dead; but three or four, too much
exhausted to make any effort to regain the retiring
tide, but somewhat restored by their rest of three
or four hours, showed great delight in being taken
down to the water and set at liberty, seeming little
the worse for their terrible buffetting. In the space
of about half a mile between Flimby and Workington,
I counted over a hundred lying on the shingle at
high-water mark; and if the same thing occurred
along other portions of the coastline, the destruc-
tion amongst these two species must have been
enormous.”

Genus LOMVIA.

L. Troile. Common GvILLEMOT.

The Common Guillemot is an abundant resident,
bréeding at a single point on our coast at St. Bees
Head.

Edmund Sandford (1675) furnishes some inter-
esting information about this colony, which has
existed from time immemorial :—‘“ The aire of the
sea 1s strong as to bear up diuers sorts of fowles

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 189

that cannot flye but when they are over the sea.
ee Ther is fowles ther builds in the St.
Bees rocke: it is called: thes fowles as bigg and
swift of wing as duck and mallard: And build
in the Rocke, they hangs over the sea: and they
let downne a broad nett from the topp of the Rocke :
And frights the fowles of ther nests, and the netts
catch them: They cannot flye when they are half a
mile from the sea.” A subsequent passage evidently
refers in detail to the fowling at St. Bees, but the
greater part of the leaf of the MS. in the Dean
and Chapter library (of which other copies are
only transcripts) is unfortunately missing. The
portion relating to the sea fowl runs :—“‘ And I

have seen at this day . . . . on the shelves of
the Rocke as bigg . . . . a great broad nett cast
by two men... =. top of Rocke: catch them
flying of ther . . . . at Rotington fowles cold
not flye at all on land: and av... . like
Skeldrakes speckled winges . . . . the Rocke

hanging just over the sea.” Rotington is in the
neighbourhood of St. Bees, and it appears from
this passage that Sandford had witnessed the
capture of the breeding birds by this curious
method of fowling.t

The Common Guillemot seldom ascends our
estuary rivers, but we have notes of one or two
stragglers obtained some miles inland. Mr. Anson
shot a good specimen of the Ringed variety at
Skinburness.

+ Pennant (Tour to Scotland in 1772) refers to St. Bees Head as “ noted
for the great resort of birds,’ but makes no mention of fowling.

190 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

Genus URIA.

U. Grylle. Buack GuiILuemor.

The Black Guillemot is a rare casual visitant
to our open seaboard. Two adults, in breeding
plumage, were shot in the neighbourhood of St.
Bees, in 1862. We have no other notes of its
occurrence, which is surprising, as the Black
Guillemot ‘still breeds in small numbers in the
isle vot (Man=* (Vardi 15.951 Viola Wy ee.o 2.
4th ed.)

Genus MERGULUS.
M. Alle. Lairrtz Avx.

The Little Auk is a rare winter visitant, having
occurred in Cumberland in about twenty instances.
Specimens have been obtained in a variety of ways,
being shot on inland waters, caught in fishing nets,
or washed up dead upon the coast after a continued
gale.

A Little Auk, in Mr. Tremble’s collection, was
caught by a sheep dog in one of the numerous
creeks of Burgh marsh; and on another occasion,
Mr. Tremble observed a Little Auk swimming past
Burgh marsh point with the tide. The most recent
occurrences refer to November, 1883, when a Little
Auk was shot on the Eden, near Cargo, and to
November, 1884, when an adult was obtained
near Brampton, and an immature bird shot whilst
swimming in a small inland pond near Cockermouth.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 191

A Little Auk captured alive on our coast, by Mr.
J. W. Harris, “showed no concern when taken
into the house, but sat and dressed its feathers,
occasionally giving a low whistle.” A specimen of
the Little Auk, lately presented to the Carlisle
Museum by Mr. H. P. Senhouse, was felled by
telegraph wires near Bootle.

Genus FRATERCULA.

F. Arctica. Purrin.

The Puffin is a winter visitant, not unfrequently
washed ashore, exhausted or lifeless, after westerly
gales. We have no notes of its occurring far inland
in Cumberland ; but in August, 1885, a Puffin was
obtained at Kirkby Stephen, in Westmorland, at a
distance of from forty to fifty miles from the sea.

192 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND.

ADDENDA.

Turdus Merula.

Mr. J. H. Gurney, junr., has favoured us with
the following remarks on a specimen obtained near
Cotehill by W. Little, February 4th, 1886 :—

‘This buff-coloured specimen of the Blackbird
is not only deficient in colouring matter, but also
in some parts of its plumage, for the centre tail
feathers and some of the wing feathers have no
barbules. This is evident to the naked eye, but
is better seen under a powerful magnifying glass.
The same appearance, only extending to the bird’s
whole plumage, is presented by the hair-like variety
of the Moorhen. The tail in this Blackbird may be
compared with a cut of the corresponding feathers
in the Moorhen given in Norwich Nat. Trans.
(iii, p. 585). It is singular how the middle tail
feathers of a bird seem more lable to lose the
barbules than any other portion of the plumage.”

Lantus Ecubitor.

The caution of the Authors, in declining full
specific rank to Grey Shrikes with single wing bars,
appears to be confirmed by Professor Collett’s paper
(Ibis, 1886). At the present time (March, 1886), a
Grey Shrike has taken up his residence on the out-
skirts of Carlisle, and an impaled, and _ partially
eaten, Yellow Bunting was found upon his “beat”
a few days since.

THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 1938

Milvus Ictinus.

The following extract from a letter of the
Rev. H. H. Slater, F.Z.S., refers to the autumn
of 1880 :—“I was staying at Patterdale, and had
been up Deepdale, up the rocks at the end of it,
intending to return by Dovedale. It was a furiously
hot day, and I was tired with a long scramble after
plants, and lay down on the top. Before long, I
noticed a pair of Kites, above the tops of the
hills, working round and round in great circles. I
watched them for quite an hour, during which they
were several times within six hundred yards, once
nearer fifty. As far as I could tell, with the help
of a binocular, they were immature birds.”

Loxia Bifasciata.

Since the paragraph on this species was printed,
we have examined two females in Mr. Bond’s col-
lection, formerly in that of Mr. T. C. Heysham.
The score is thus raised to seven females, of which
we know the present whereabouts.

Chaulelasmus Streperus.

A female Gadwall, shot near Silloth during the
long frost of the spring of 1886, contained remains
of vegetable substances. Weight 1 lb. 64 ozs.

(demia Perspicillata.

Mr. Gurney’s Surf Scoter is included in Stevens’
Catalogue of the Heysham sale as, ‘“ Lot 176
shot near Crofton Hall, August, 1856 :
with the trachea and breastbone attached.” We
prefer to accept Mr. Armstrong’s date.

O

15

GLOSSARY OF NAMES USED IN CUMBERLAND.

Missal itrngh << os. <0 0% Storm Cock, Churr Cock, Mountain
Throstle.

BOmon bTUSI ye <6. ts. oo. «> Throstle.

CG WATE Seevep eae Ge si se Felty.

Bieldiaren << es. 5 3 se. Pigeon Felty, Bluewing, Felfaw.

ac Diry sr os oo es sl 5 Blackie.

Jase 0,101) Io ec orn Fell Throstle, Mountain Crow.

WINE BLOAT aio roofs Ste as bus Whiterump.

WV ihmnGhati. Sica + = ch ees Utick, Woodchat (Alston), (Gorse-
chat, W.)

Wihttethroat: 2. .:25. 6 0 «8 Peggy, Nettle Creeper, Nannie
(Streasmere, W.)

Willow Warbler ....... Bottlety, Miller’s Thumb.

wedge Warbler... ... : Water Nannie.

Grasshopper Warbler... . . Grasshopper Lark.

Hedge Sparrow. ....... Dykey, Creepie Dyke, Hemplin (Bew-
castle, old name).

LDA 0S) adits Ieee Care ee re Bessy Douker, Water Piet, Water
Crow.

Great: Titmouse <972...%. Blackcap.

ISIN Se Sasa Bluecap.

NEC TS ame Si SR aa Chitty.

Ried Wastail 2 282.6 ees: Waterty Wagtail, Grey Hemplin (an
old Bewcastle name), (Watty, W.)

Meadow Pipi ......:. Titlark, Titling, Moss Cheeper (Ling
Bird, W.)

Goldens Orioles x)... 64 ec - Golden Thrush.

Spotted Flycatcher. ..... Sea Robin, French Robin.

ied Mlycatcher "2... 5. - Lal Magpie (Little Magpie, Lowther).

Goldiineliyce-)< Ss es.sPanaeel) Goldie.

Greenfineh 29. fo. 6 sh 5. Greenie.

House Sparrow.) ..... . Sprug (Carlisle).

UTC CRNA Semen otes ene nae Scoppie, Scobbie, Shelapple, Spink,
Shiltie.

Bramnlinic ss vei e. «cts. je as Cock o’ the North.

MGCL Zhe soe 2 cise et ne Grey, Whingrey.

196 GLOSSARY OF NAMES.

Iuesser Redpoll. ....-.-. French Grey.

Typiken ses wit Sa sate ch oe tices os Heather Lintie.

Com. Buntingee cere eee Bunting Lark, (Grass Bunting, Alston)

Yellow Hammer ....... Yellow Yorling, Yellow Yitey, Yellow,
(Bessy Blakeling, W.)

Reed Bunting. = te ee Blackcap, Reed Sparrow.

Snow Bumtime =. o--.- Fell Sparrow, Snow Bird, Snow Flake,
Cock o’ the North.

DICK Ae Gus i ca Gach ocd Geer Jay Piet.

Miaepie age reneremen coke. Piet.

ackdawaeseee sy ics wee ene Jack.

Caron (Crows @ 22 <-% Corbie, Dope.

Hoodedi@rowie< 2.255. - Norwegian Crow.

OO Ks Perewe seis auc, eum Crow.

Siviliitews, cost ey eee oe erases Devilen.

Nuet ear eres pate eens Night Hawk.

Baens Owls. pmecusko uh ection. White Owl, Chimney Owl, Cliff Owl.

Mawnyg@Wls uae & eo = Jennie Owlet, Wood Owl, Brown
Owl, Howlet.

UZZAr ese ead os oot se eee Shreak (Wastwater, fide Dr. Parker,
from its harsh cry).

Sparrowhawk. .......-.- Blue Hawk.

Gite oie sce eee utact ts ied i Red Gled.

Werlinnes cco sivetsy spars ce Small Blue Hawk.

Kestril: ac cameee tater erin el Red Hawk.

JOTNOCAMt eae sho) seems Scart, Black Diver, Water Crow
(Upper Solway).

IE EEO} RECS. Ree eo Heronsue, Willy Fisher.

Beam Goose! a ego 2 oy ita Grey Lag.

Pink-footed Goose ...... Pink Legs.

Brent, Gooses0 2. =- 4-12 © Bean Goose.

Sheldrake; site cedars (es Shell Duck, Gravel Duck.

Wigéoin:. 2:08 ite (5 cee tan bec Lough Duck, Lough Teal.

Waldinck ee .y aus Grey Duck.

Shoveller 2p. eae eos eee Spoonbill.

Scaulp.: sia Ca sew eeee Bluebill, White Pochard.

Goldeneye". <5 27. 38-4 es Whiteside.

Scotens. + aamacemone ee se Black Duck.

Goosander .. : .-@ss-. 5 ) Sawbill, Dun Diver, Goosandrew,

Red-breasted Merganser . . ) Gravel Duck,

GLOSSARY OF NAMES. 197

RVINGOUOVGNW ces 2, Hen - gee) ss Cushat.

BEGGKCOVE tes RP cers aa os French Cushat, Scotch Cushat, Rock-
dove.

JEP TH (Xa ere Patrick.

Oya arr se mer cee ah Gs os Pe Wet-me-feet.

Wom Crake eyeka.. sa". ad 35% Daker Hen (W.)

Greve Bloyer’ fv os 20) ss Silver Plover.

ismeed Plover 2... sss. Sea Bellet.

MAM ay nse) sat cs Jot Tewfit, Peesweep.

Oystercaicher. «5... . Musselpecker, Sea Piet, French
Magpie.

LD (ara Wag ee Sea Mouse.

GSO ce alee a Or: ae Grey Knot.

Common Sandpiper. ..... Willie Liltie, Willie Wicket, Sand-
lark, Summer Snipe, Sandy Piper.

edsiatike 00)... «vera a oto Redlegs.

SULA he one eae rec ge Whaup.

Common! Term... «6 6. « Sea Swallow.

Great Black-backed Gull. . . Herring Gull.

Black-headed Gull...... Common Gull.

Richardson’s Skua...... Bo’sun’s Mate, Black Gull, Sea Hawk.

BLOnm Petraly sie sc) sn. eis Mother Carey’s Chicken.

Red-throated Diver ..... Speckle-backed Diver.

Common Guillemot ..... Old Wife.

Iti seca enss a ati Sea Parrot, Manx Puffin.

[ Total, 85.]

Nore.—Obvious synonyms, such as Waterhen for Moorhen, have
been generally excluded from the foregoing list. Some of them are
merely wrong identifications, e.g., the Brent with the Bean Goose,
but these are given as actually in use. Others are of old standing,
e.g-, Miller's Thumb was a synonym of the Willow Wren in the
elder Heysham’s time, and Richardson similarly alludes to Wet-me-
feet as an Ulleswater name of the Quail. The letter W., in
brackets, stands for Westmorland. Mr. R. Service records, that
the Cormorant is called an “ Elder,’’ on the Scotch side of the
Solway. (Zool., 1883, p. 77.)

: 2 na
‘
7 ‘
¢
} 7
!
1 ,
7 ¥ a
‘
*
‘
‘ -

7 =
7
,
.
a ,
’ -
5 a

ii. a sagilil
t

& ' . i ; : EB f é + aun
ee TNS | ; J ; bs ols We

P.
ue
Yr

Avifauna of
Westmorland.

Introduction
of the
Pheasant.

199

THE MACHELL MS.

The accompanying remarks on this Manuscript have been
kindly furnished by Mr. R. S. Ferguson, F.S.A.

The Rev. Thomas Machell, once Fellow of Queen’s
College, Oxford, and Rector of Kirkby Thore, Westmorland,
a member of the ancient family of Machell of Crackanthorpe
in that county, by his will, proved February 28, 1698, left to
Archdeacon (afterwards Bishop) Nicolson a mass of loose
papers relating to the history of the counties of Westmorland
and Cumberland. ‘These the Archdeacon bound up into six
volumes, and placed in the library of the Dean and Chapter
of Carlisle. The papers mostly relate to pedigrees and
antiquities ; but among them are a few notes on natural
history. Mr. Machell’s will and an account of these six
volumes are printed in the Transactions Cumberland and
Westmorland Antiquarian and Archeological Society, Vol. IV,
p- 1, and a pedigree of Machell of Crackanthorpe, with a
notice of this earliest of local antiquaries by E. Bellasis,
Lancaster Herald-at-Arms, will appear in Vol. VIII of the
same ‘Transactions.

The notes subjoined have been obligingly transcribed by
Mr. Bell of the Dean and Chapter Library.

Machell, speaking of Westmorland in general, says :—

“Hor Fowle—They haue wood cock partrige g’me, all
sortes of plovers (curlew) mawes & wilde ducks, wh doe not
only appear here at seasons, but breed in the countrey. And
so likewise do your Gor fowle more polates. But w are yet
for greater rarityes, Herins (or Cranes) Orspreys, & Eagles or
Vultures; & the mical Doterall ; But, they haue no Phesants.
The species of them being soe tame a fowle are long since
destroyd, and, since the great forrests have bin depopulated of
their wood & verdure, so that there is little or none on the
mountanes for want of copses & covert, to fly too at severall

200

Eagles.

THE MACHELL MS.

stages, they could never yet be restored agane. But it hath
bin lately attempted by Mr. Lowther to restore that game
who 2 or 3 years since brought young ones over out of
Yorkshire hither; but the countrey people destroy’d them,
before they increased to any considerable replenneshing
number.” (Vol. I, p. 187.)

““Grisedale. About the year 1679 one Christopher Daws
24 years of age spying an Hagle in the bottom of this Dale
wh was feeding on a sheep ; and either for want of air to
waft her, or by haueing fill’d her belly too full was not able
to rise: he struck freely at her w*» his fell staf? & broake her
wing; upon w! she betooke herselfe for shelter to a great
stone, and thence made her salleys as she saw occasion,
wounding him in the leges wth her Tallons, & beating him
briskely wth her wings. But at last when he had no other
shift, he fell down upon her w*® his whol body; and took her
alive.” (Vol. I, p. 778.)

“Tn 1669 one William Thomas of Deepdale Bridge End
being but a youth of 17 years old encounter (sic) an Eagle
on the like occasion, but she so seemeth was not able to flye
by reason her feathers were mouted and spent by hatching
her young ones, for it was about midsomer tide. He chased
her several times round a stone; and at last tooke her by
falling upon her, but not without som loss of blood. . . .
Mr. Mounsey to whom she was brought alive, & who kept her
a week and kild her afterwards by running a penknife into
her heart: and gave the Coat of her to Thomas Smyth a
Neweastle Merchant for 34 of Tobacco.” [In 1685 the
Taylor’s Guild at Carlisle bought 3 Ibs. of tobacco for
isi od.)

He then goes on to mention (p. 724) that it was “A sort
of Eagle called an Iron (or Harn or Erne) here. In Scotland
a Naron, being of a Blackish brown colour” [7.e. a Golden
Eagle], and gives the measurements, together with a sketch
of the bird—‘t From the point of one wing to the other
6 foot 4 inches. From the end of the Beeke to the point of
y® Tale 3f. 4in.” Jd. [The sketch is conventional, and the
tarsus consequently is not feathered. |

Kyries.

Mute Swan.

THE MACHELL MS. 201

“And two miles further s from hence (Deepdale) in an
huge Rock we is called Ling bone and stands west from
Hartsop about a mile are large eagles bred.’’ (Vol. I,
pe Cass)

“Gresmere. Eagles build in Blea Crag.” (Vol. II,
p. 128.)

‘“There were swanes formerly kept on the foot of
Deepthwaite [in Kendal Ward] wh sat and Bread there.”
(Vol. TE p. 173.)

; i
.

¢ '

7

:

°

we

eal

“>

“

x
t
i
‘

INDEX.

English names in italics refer to species excluded from the

census of Cumberland.

Auk, Little, 190.
Bittern, Common, 84.

— Little, 84.
Blackbird, 3.
Blackeap, 7.
Brambling, 45.
Bullfineh, 49.

Bunting, Corn, 53.

— Lapland, 54.

— Reed, 54.

— Snow, 54.

— Yellow, 53.
Bustard, Great, 129.
Buzzard, Common, 71.

— Honey, 76.

— Rough-legged, 73.
Capercaillie, 126.
Chaffinch, 44.

Chiff Chaff, 8.

Chough, 57.

Colin, Virginian, 124.

Coot, 128.

Cormorant, 81.

Corn Crake, 127.

Courser, Cream-coloured, 130.
Crake, Little, 127.

— Spotted, 126.
Crane, Common, 129.
Creeper, 39.

Crossbill, Common, 50.

— Parrot, 49.

— ‘Two-barred, 51.

Crow, Carrion, 58.

— Hooded, 58.

Cuckoo, 67.

Curlew, 162.

Dipper, 15.

Diver, Black-throated, 184.
— Great Northern, 182.
—— Red-throated, 184.

Dotterel, 133.

Dove, Ring, 119.

— Rock, 120.
— Stock, 119.
— Turtle, 120.

Duck, Eider, 113.

— Ferruginous, 109.
— Gadwall, 103.
— Garganey, 104.°
— Goldeneye, 110.
— Long-tailed, 111.
— Pintail, 101.

— Pochard, 109.
— Scaup, 107.

— Shoveller, 104.
— Teal, 104.

— Tufted, 105.

— Wigeon, 100.
— Wild, 102.

Dunlin, 147.

Eagle, Golden, 73.

— White-tailed, 74.

Falcon, Greenland, 77.
— Iceland, 77.

204 INDEX.

Falcon, Peregrine, 78.
Fieldfare, 2.
Firecrest, 8.
Flycatcher, Pied, 31.
— Spotted, 30.
Fulmar, 182.
Gannet, 82.
Godwit, Bar-tailed, 161.
— Black-tailed, 161.
Goldcrest, 7.
Goldfinch. 40.
Goosander, 116.
Goose, Bean, 87.
=— Barnacle, 89:
— Brent, 89.
— Canada, 95.
— Egyptian, 86.
— Grey Lag, 86.
— Pink-footed, 87.
— Snow, 88.
— White-fronted, 88.
Goshawk, 75.
Grebe, Eared, 186.
— Great Crested, 185.
= Little, ilfsize
— Red-necked, 185.
— Sclavonian, 186.
Greenfinch, 42.
Greenshank, 160.
Grouse, Red, 124.
— Black, 125.
Guillemot, Black, 190.
— Common, 188.
Gull, Black-headed, 172.
— Common, 172.
— Glaucous, 169.
— Great Black-backed, 172
— Herring, 170.
— Iceland, 167.
— Lesser Black-backed,
ural
a) iti lesley.
Harrier, Hen, 70.
— Marsh, 70.
— Montagu’s, 70.
Hawfinch, 43.
Heron, Common, 82.

Heron, Great White, 83.

— Night, 84.

— Purple, 83.

— Squacco, 83.
Hobby, 79.

Hoopoe, 66.
Jackdaw, 58.
Jay, 57.
Kestrel, 80.
Kingfisher, 66.
Kite, 76.
Kittiwake, 168.
Knot, 151.
Lapwing, 138.
Lark, Shore, 62.

-—— Sky, 61.

— Wood, 62.
Linnet, 46.

Magpie, 57.
Martin, House, 38.
Sand, 39.
Merganser, Red-breasted, 118.
Merlin, 79.
Missel-Thrush, 1.
Moorhen, 128.
Nightjar, 63.
Nuthatch, 19.
Oriole, Golden, 24.
Osprey, 81.

Ouzel, Ring, 3.
Owl, Barn, 67.

— Little, 69.

— Long-eared, 67.

— Scops, 69.

— Short-eared, 68.

— Tawny, 68.

— ‘'Tengmalm’s, 69.
Oystercatcher, 139.
Partridge, 123.

— Red-legged, 122.
Pastor, Rose-coloured, 56.
Petrel, Leach’s, 180.

— Storm, 179.

— Wilson’s, 181.
Phalarope, Grey, 142.

— Red-necked, 141.
Pheasant, 121.

Pipit, Meadow, 23.

— Richard’s, 23.

— Rock, 23.

— ‘Tree, 23.

Plover, Golden, 130.

—. Grey, 131.

— Ringed, 132.
Pratincole, Collared, 130.
Ptarmigan, 125.

Puffin, 191.

Quail, 123.

Rail, Water, 126.

Raven, 59.

Razorbill, 187.

Redbreast, 6.

Redpoll, Lesser, 47.

— Mealy, 46.
Redshank, Common, 157.

— Spotted, 159.
Redstart, 5.

— Black, 5.
Redwing, 2.

Roller, 66.

Rook, 59.

Ruff, 152.

Sanderling, 153.

Sandgrouse, Pallas’, 121.

Sandpiper, Buff-breasted, 153.
— Common, 154.
— Curlew, 151.

— Green, 157.

— Purple, 151.

— Wood, 157.
Scoter, Common, 114.

— Surf, 115.

— Velvet, 114.
Shag, 82.

Shearwater, Manx, 182.

Sheldrake, 97.

Shrike, Great Grey, 24.
— Red-backed, 27.
— Woodchat, 29.

Siskin, 42.

Skua, Buffon’s, 179.

— Common, 177.

— Pomatorhine, 177.

— Richardson’s, 178.

INDEX. 205

Smew, 119.
Snipe, Common, 146.

— Great, 146.

— Jack, 147.

— Red-breasted, 160.
Sparrow, Hedge, 14.

— House, 43.

— Tree, 44.
Sparrowhawk, 75.
Spoonbill, 85.

Starling, 55.
Stint, Little, 150.

— Temminck’s, 150.
Stonechat, 5.

Swallow, 37.
Swan, Bewick’s, 97.
Mute, 95.

— Whooper, 96.
Swift, 63.

— White-bellied, 53.
Tern, Arctic, 164.

— Black, 168.

— Common, 164.

— Lesser, 165.

— Roseate, 165.

— Sandwich, 166.
Thrush, Song, 1.
Titmouse, Blue, 18.

==. /@oals-18-

—— (Greats:

—’ Long-tailed, 17.

— Marsh, 18.
Turnstone, 138.
Twite, 48.

Wagtail, Grey, 21.

— Pied, 21.

— Yellow, 22.

— White, 20.
Warbler, Garden, 7.

— Grasshopper, 11.

— Reed, 10.

— Sedge, 11.

— Willow, 9.

== Wioods 10:
Waxwing, 29.
Wheatear, 4.
Whimbrel, 162.

206

Whinchat, 4.
Whitethroat, Common, 6.
— Lesser, 6.
Woodcock, 143.
Woodpecker, Green, 65.

— Great Spotted, 64.
— _ Lesser Spotted, 64.

Wren, Common, 19.
Wryneck, 65.

INDEX.

Addenda—
Turdus Merula, 192.
Lanius Excubitor, 192.
Milvus Ictinus, 193
Loxia Bifasciata, 193
Chaulelasmus Streperus, 193.
(Hdemia Perspicillata, 193.

Glossary, 195.

The Machell MS., 199.

Postscript.—The Authors regret, that, owing to the pressure
on their space, they are compelled to omit a list of more than

two hundred Subscribers.

CHAS. THURNAM AND SONS, STEAM PRINTERS, CARLISLE.

0
on ait ae ta sae Rha a

en

&
}

*

he

ns

7 ahd:

.

, aes INSTITUTION LIBRARIES
TTT
3 9084 00318351 4

eee