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ttiOlOCY  LIBRARY 


THE 


AQUATIC    BIRDS 


OF 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND 


BY 

CHARLES   J.    PATTEN,    M.A.,    M.D.,    Sc.D. 

v\ 
PROFESSOR   OF    ANATOMY,    SHEFFIELD    UNIVERSITY 

First  Senior  Moderator  and  Gold  Medallist,  and  Triple  First  of  the  First  Honourman 
and  Prizeman  in  Natural  Science,  Dublin  University 


WITH     MANY    ILLUSTRATIONS 


ilontjon 

K.     H.     PORTEE 
7,    PRINCES    STREET,    CAVENDISH    SQUARE,    W. 

1906 


BIOLOGY 

LIBRARY 

6 


LONDON 

JOHN  BALE,   SONS  AND   DANIBLSSON,    LTD.,   G&EAT  TITCHFIELD   STREET 
OXFORD    STREET,    W. 


LIBRARY 


TO 
THE    LOVING   MEMORY 

OF 

MY   DEAR  FATHER 
THIS   VOLUME 

IS 
AFFECTIONATELY   DEDICATED. 


927234 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

TITLE-PAGE         i. 

DEDICATION         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  iii. 

CONTENTS            .', v. 

PREFACE  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...          ...         ...         ...  vii. 

INTRODUCTION ix. 

LIST  OF  PLATES xvi. 

LIST  OF  TEXT-FIGURES            xix. 

SYSTEMATIC  INDEX        xxii. 

CORRIGENDA        xxix. 

AQUATIC  BIRDS  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND 1 

APPENDIX            571 

ADDENDUM          574 

GENERAL  INDEX...         ...         ...  583 


PREFACE. 

THE  present  volume  deals  with  that  large  class  of  birds 
which,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  approach  occasioned  by 
their  aquatic  habits,  are  in  many  ways  not  familiar. 

Field-work  on  the  Irish  coast,  carried  out  during  more 
than  twenty  years,  has  been  supplemented  more  recently 
by  investigations  into  the  avifauna  of  many  other  districts 
of  the  British  sea-board,  thus  enabling  descriptions  from 
personal  observation  to  be  given  of  many  aspects  of 
bird-life  upon  which  much  information  is  still  wanting. 
To  make  the  accounts  given  as  complete  as  possible, 
those  sources  have  been  gleaned  from  which  are  believed 
to  be  trustworthy,  and  the  valuable  works  and  papers  of 
Barrington,  Buckley,  Evans,  Eagle  Clarke,  Gray,  Gurney, 
Harting,  Harvie-Brown,  Newton,  Salvin,  Saunders,  Seebohm, 
Stevenson,  Ussher,  and  Warren,  and  of  many  other  writers 
whose  names  appear  in  the  text,  have  been  laid  under 
contribution. 

In  the  case  of  nearly  every  bird  reference  has  been 
made  to  coloured  figures  in  standard  works.  Descriptive 
Characters  have  been  given  under  a  separate  paragraph  ; 
the  headings  Flight,  Voice,  Food,  Nest,  and  Geographical 
Distribution,  have  been  italicised  to  facilitate  reference ; 
while  at  the  end  of  each-  article  Allied  Species  and  Repre- 
sentative Forms  are  mentioned.  The  eggs  of  most  species 
are  described  with  the  nests  and  surroundings ;  in  articles 
dealing  with  very  rare  birds,  where  the  habits  are  not 
described  and  only  the  occurrences  recorded,  the  colour 
and  number  of  eggs  in  the  clutch  are  mentioned  under 
Descriptive  Characters.  In  all  cases  the  size  is  given  under 
Average  Measurements. 

The  majority  of  the  Plates  are  original,  and  include 
photographic  reproductions  of  birds,  nests,  and  eggs,  in  their 
natural  haunts ;  of  various  aspects  of  coast-scenery ;  of 
mounted  specimens,  chiefly  from  my  private  collection  ;  and 
of  a  few  drawings  in  black  and  white,  kindly  lent  by  my 
Publisher. 

For  contributions  of  original  photographs  I  am  indebted 
to  Dr.  N.  H.  Alcock,  Mr.  H.  Brooke,  Mr.  C.  B.  M.  Chambre, 
Mr.  A.  D.  Delap.  Mr.  C.  D.  Head,  Mr.  W.  D.  Latimer,  Mr. 
G.  W.  Nicholson,  Mr.  F.  H.  Walker,  Mr.  R.  Welch,  Dr.  E. 
P.  Wright,  and  Mr.  R.  J.  Ussher ;  also  to  Dr.  Wiglesworth 


viii.  PEEFACE 

for  the  loan  of  the  blocks  which  form  the  subjects  of  Plates 
LIV.  and  LVII.  ;  and  to  my  Publisher  for  the  large  num- 
ber of  text-figures  that  he  has  kindly  inserted,  most  of 
which  are  not  only  artistically  good,  but  being  drawn  to 
scale  have  considerable  scientific  value. 

Through  the  kindness  of  the  Editors  of  the  '  Irish 
Naturalist/  the  use  of  the  blocks  of  the  bones  of  the  Great 
Auk,  drawn  by  Mr.  M.  Knowles,  has  been  acquired. 

I  desire  to  thank  Professor  Newton,  Mr.  Howard 
Saunders,  and  Mr.  Eagle  Clarke,  for  many  valuable  sugges- 
tions and  criticisms ;  Mr.  E.  Leonard  Gill,  Mr.  Oxley 
Grabham,  Mr.  Howarth,  Mr.  F.  K.  Eowley,  and  Dr.  Scharff, 
for  the  generous  and  ready  assistance  which  they  have 
afforded  me  in  the  examination  of  museum-specimens ; 
Professor  Mackintosh  for  kindly  permitting  me  to  examine 
and  photograph  that  valuable  and  interesting  specimen — 
the  Great  Auk  in  the  Museum  of  Zoology,  Trinity  College, 
Dublin ;  Mr.  Fleming,  of  Toronto,  for  allowing  me  the 
privilege  of  examining,  from  his  fine  American  collection, 
many  interesting  examples  of  allied  species  and  representa- 
tive forms  inhabiting  the  New  World. 

To  many  correspondents,  especially  to  Mr.  E.  M.  Bar- 
rington,  Mr.  J.  L.  Bonhote,  Mr.  F.  Coburn,  Mr.  J.  H. 
Gurney,  Mr.  E.  E.  Leeper,  Mr.  W.  Milne,  Eev.  Julian  Tuck, 
Mr.  F.  H.  Walker,  Mr.  E.  Warren,  Mr.  A.  Williams,  and 
Mr.  W.  J.  Williams,  my  best  thanks  are  due. 

To  Mr.  E.  J.  Ussher,  of  co.  Waterford,  who  devoted 
much  time  and  exceptional  care  to  the  revision  of  the 
manuscript,  and  to  my  wife,  who  has  read  every  proof- 
sheet  with  the  utmost  care,  I  feel  unable  to  express  my 
gratitude  adequately. 

*  *  •*  * 

I  close  these  Prefatory  remarks  with  a  tribute  to  the 
memory  of  Edward  Williams,  by  whose  kindly  help,  this 
volume  has  largely  benefited. 

Many  of  its  pages  bear  testimony  of  how  valuable  and 
extended  were  his  contributions,  while  the  cordial  welcome 
always  received,  even  during  his  busiest  hours  at  his  work- 
rooms in  Dame  Street,  Dublin,  and  the  information  and 
assistance  so  willingly  given,  will  ever  be  remembered  by 
those  who  had  the  privilege  of  his  friendship. 

UNIVERSITY,  SHEFFIELD.  C'  J'  PATTEN- 

September,  1906. 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE    system   of    classification   followed   in   the   present  Ciassifi- 
volume  is  that  which  was  set  forth  by  Mr.  P.  L.  Sclater  catlon- 
in  the  '  Ibis ''  for  1880,  and  which  has  since  been  adopted 
by  many  ornithologists. 

This  scheme  commences  with  the  PA8SERES,  the  most 
highly  specialised  of  birds,  and  ends  with  the  TURBINARES, 
which  exhibit  the  nearest  affinities  to  reptiles. 

In  the  selection  for  treatment  of  those  Orders  which 
include  chiefly  birds  of  aquatic  habits,  it  seems  inadvisable, 
from  a  systematic  standpoint,  to  omit  the  few  species  which 
happen  to  resort  to  dry  situations.  Thus  from  the  Order 
GRALL^E  the  Bustards  are  not  excluded ;  furthermore, 
considering  the  affinities  of  these  birds  with  the  LIMICOLJE, 
— an  Order  consisting  almost  entirely  of  birds  structurally 
adapted  for  a  more  or  less  aquatic  life — their  admission 
to  the  text  would  appear  all  the  more  desirable.  But  on 
the  other  hand  the  Order  PASSERES,  mainly  composed  of 
land-birds,  is  excluded,  although  it  contains  species  such 
as  the  Dipper,  Sedge- Warbler,  and  others,  which  live  by 
streams  and  marshes. 

The  Cormorants  and  the  Gannet  (STEGANOPODES) 
occupy  the  opening  pages  ;  next  follow  the  Herons  and  their 
allies  (HERODIONES),  the  Flamingoes  (ODONTOGLOSS^E), 
and  the  Geese,  Swans,  and  Ducks  (ANSERES). 

Passing:  over  three  Orders  of  land-birds  (COLUMBjE, 
PTEROCLETES,  and  GALLING),  next  come  the  Bails, 
Cranes,  and  Bustards  (GRALUE),  the  Plovers,  Snipes, 
Sandpipers,  Curlews,  and  their  allies  (L1MICOLJS),  the 
Terns,  Gulls,  and  Skuas  (GAYLffi),  the  Auks  (ALOffi),  the 
Divers  and  Grebes  (PYGOPODES),  and  lastly  the  Petrels, 
Shearwaters,  Fulmars,  and  Albatrosses  (TURBINARES). 

It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  the  present  work  deals 
not  only  with  the  widely-separated  Orders  of  web-footed 
birds,  but  also  with  wading-birds,  many  of  which  latter 
take  freely  to  the  water,  and  often  wade  so  deeply  as  to 
be  carried  off  their  feet,  when  they  will  frequently  swim  for 
a  certain  distance,  while  some  such  as  the  Water-hen,  the 


x.  INTEODUCTION 

Coot,   and  the  Phalarope,  habitually  swim  with  the  same 
ease  as  a  Duck  or  a  Gull. 


Geograpk-        Most  aquatic  birds   are   migratory,  and  some  take  im- 
ical  dis-  ..   .^,     •  /'  T    ,. 

tribution.  niense  aerial   journeys  in  spring  and  autumn  to  and  from 

their  breeding-haunts.  Being  widely  distributed  over  the 
face  of  the  Globe,  their  geographical  distribution  is  an 
important  and  interesting  study.  For  information  on  this 
part  of  the  subject,  and  regarding  allied  species  and  repre- 
sentative forms,  frequent  references  have  been  made  to 
Mr.  Howard  Saunders's  Manual,  and  to  several  volumes  of 
the  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  in  the  British  Museum. 


Plumage.  The  seasonal  plumage-changes,  so  marked  in  many 
aquatic  birds,  may  well  attract  the  attention  of  the  student 
of  ornithology.  Some  birds,  such  as  Gulls,  several  of  the 
Ducks,  the  Gannet  and  others,  do  not  attain  their  mature 
dress  until  the  third,  fourth,  fifth,  or  even  sixth  year,  and  the 
transition  stages  are  often  somewhat  difficult  to  determine. 
It  is  hoped  that  the  descriptions  given  in  the  text,  though 
of  a  general  character,  will  enable  the  reader  to  assign  to 
its  species  a  bird  whether  immature  or  adult,  male  or 
female,  in  winter  or  in  nuptial  garb. 

It  is  well  to  understand  that  the  term  winter-plumage 
is  used  only  in  a  general  sense  to  signify  other  than  the 
nuptial  plumage,  and  in  all  cases  does  not  indicate  the  dress 
assumed  in  our  winter  months.  Many  Petrels,  for  instance, 
which  breed  in  the  Southern  Hemisphere  are  in  winter- 
plumage  in  our  summer  months,  though,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
in  this  particular  group,  it  would  appear  that  the  plumage 
in  the  two  seasons  is,  as  a  rule,  identical.  It  may  also  be 
added  that,  while  the  winter  and  nuptial  plumages  are 
always  described  under  separate  headings  in  the  text,  there 
are  some  birds  which  undergo  only  one  moult  in  the  year, 
and  so  the  expression  •  similar  to  the  nuptial  plumage,' 
does  not  necessarily  imply  a  comparison,  but  rather  that 
the  winter  and  nuptial  plumages  are  one  and  the  same 
dress. 

The  feathers  of  the  different  regions  of  the  body  have 
been  for  the  most  part  described  in  ordinary  rather  than  in 
technical  terms,  though  such  words  as  scapulars,  secondaries, 
primaries,  and  axillaries,  could  not  well  be  dispensed  with. 
The  positions  of  these  groups  of  feathers  are  seen  in  Plate  II. 


PLATE   II. 


SNOW-BUNTING    (Male). 
The  chief  feathers  of  the  wing  are  lettered. 

S—  Scapulars.         Sr — Inner  secondaries.         S" — Outer  secondaries.     P — Primaries. 
From  a  specimen  collected  and  mounted  by  the  author. 


INTRODUCTION  xi. 

In  most  species  it  seems  hardly  necessary  to  refer  to 
the  axillaries,  seeing  that  they  are  usually  whitish  in  colour, 
but  where  these  feathers  form  a  distinguishing  feature  (e.g., 
the  black  axillaries  of  the  Grey  Plover,  or  the  black  and 
white  '  barring '  on  the  same  feathers  of  the  Green  Sand- 
piper, Plate  XXXV.),  they  are  described.  In  like  manner 
the  down  of  the  nestling,  which  is  usually  variegated 
with  different  shades  of  yellow,  brown,  and  black,  is  not 
described  ;  the  reader's  attention  is  directed  only  to  curious 
forms,  such  as  the  stripes  of  the  nestling  Grebe  and  the 
sooty-black  shade  of  the  young  Corn-Crake. 


Generally  speaking,  the  irides  of  birds  undergo  a  gradual  %c> 
colour-change    until    maturity    is    reached  ;      it    therefore  f^    ai 
seems  unnecessary  to  describe  other  than  the  colour  of  the 
irides  of   the  perfectly  mature  bird.     While   the  foregoing 
remarks  also  apply  to  the  beak  and  feet,  the  tints  of  these 
sometimes  vary  in  adults  at  different  seasons  of  the  year ; 
thus  it  is  to  be  understood  that  such   colours  refer  only  to 
the  conditions  found  when  the  nuptial  plumage  is  assumed. 


The  voice-syllables  are  most  difficult  to  describe  on  Voice. 
paper,  and  no  doubt  are  best  expressed  in  terms  of  musical 
notation ;  even  then  it  is  necessary  to  refer  the  notes  to 
special  forms  of  instruments,  on  which  the  characteristic 
pitch,  tone,  and  volume,  can  be  reproduced.  Still,  in  a 
given  call-note  or  in  an  alarm-cry,  the  number  of  syllables, 
their  rapid  or  slow  succession,  their  repetition,  and  the  way 
in  which  they  are  accentuated,  are  points  which  generally 
can  be  appreciated  on  paper  without  musical  aid.  It  is 
to  be  hoped  that  attempts  to  describe  the  voices  of  birds 
on  these  lines  may  prove  of  some  use  to  the  reader  when 
he  goes  afield. 


In  describing  some  species  it  has  been  found  advan- 
tageous to  compare  them  with  certain  others  with  which 
they  might  easily  be  confounded.  This  is  well  seen  in  the 
case  of  the  darker-plumed  ducks,  which  usually  can  be 
observed  only  at  a  distance  with  a  binocular. 


xii.  INTRODUCTION 

Practical  A  few  practical  hints,  from  personal  experience,  may  here 
hints.  ke  given  as  to  the  manner  in  which  birds  may  be  most 
readily  observed  in  their  natural  haunts,  and,  if  necessary, 
collected.  A  powerful  binocular  with  a  wide  field  of  vision 
is  essential,  as  by  far  the  greater  number  of  sea-birds  will 
not  admit  of  near  approach  and  inspection,  at  all  events  in 
the  absence  of  cover.  In  their  breeding-haunts  most  species 
can  be  watched  at  a  few  yards'  distance ;  otherwise,  only 
under  exceptional  circumstances,  as  when  immature  birds 
first  reach  our  shores  in  early  autumn  and  are  unsuspicious 
of  the  prowling  gunner,  can  one  get  close  enough  on  the 
open  strand  to  make  accurate  observations  with  the  naked 
eye.  When  watching  birds  on  the  slob-lands,  it  is  most 
important  that  one's  dress  should  harmonise  as  nearly 
as  possible  with  the  natural  surroundings,  and  when  walking 
over  the  beach  an  apparently  unconcerned  gait  should  be 
assumed.  Many  birds  become  accustomed  to  the  presence 
of  cockle-pickers  and  cinder-gatherers,  and  can  well  dis- 
tinguish between  those  persons  who  have  no  idea  of 
harming  them,  and  the  gunner  who  lurks  about  intent  on 
destruction. 


The  keen  sight  possessed  by  birds  for  distant  objects  is 
remarkable.  When  the  observer  descries  a  large  flock  in  the 
distance,  resembling  at  first  a  puff  of  smoke  moving  rapidly 
along  the  horizon,  he  should  crouch  low  and  remain  perfectly 
still  until  a  rush  of  wings  tells  him  that  the  flock  is  passing 
overhead.  Should  the  tide  be  ebbing  and  should  he  have 
selected  a  favourable  position,  the  flock  may  swoop  down 
and  alight  quite  near  him.  I  have  often  baffled  birds  by 
doubling  myself  into  such  curious  attitudes  that  they 
probably  mistook  me  for  some  inanimate  object,  such  as 
an  old  hamper  or  a  piece  of  sacking  washed  ashore,  and 
by  this  means  I  have  found  myself  surrounded  by  great 
numbers  busily  pattering  about  in  search  of  food  (Plate  I., 
Frontispiece). 


Some  of  the  carrion-feeding  species  which  haunt  our 
shores,  and  are  seen  hovering  suspiciously  over  a  stranded 
carcase  before  alighting  to  feed,  may  be  brought  within 
sufficiently  close  range  for  their  habits  to  be  studied,  by 
the  observer  feigning  death.  By  lying  flat  on  my  back 


INTRODUCTION  xiii. 

with  my  eyelids  apparently  closed,  yet  sufficiently  open  to 
allow  of  vision,  I  have  allured  Great  Black-backed  Gulls 
to  approach  on  the  wing  within  a  ridiculously  close  range, 
and  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  informed  me  that  by  adopting 
this  form  of  strategy  he  frequently  brought  Kavens  and 
Hooded  Crows  within  thirty  yards  of  his  head. 


Many  species  of  Ducks  and  Geese  are  harassed  to  such 
an  extent  by  the  '  stanchion  shooter,'  that  they  learn  to 
regard  the  presence  of  man  with  marked  suspicion.  In 
districts  where  they  are  persistently  hunted  it  is  most 
difficult  to  scull  a  boat  within  good  observing-range.  Here 
a  powerful  field-glass  is  particularly  useful.  But  even  the 
much  hunted  Brent  Goose  and  Wigeon,  which,  throughout 
the  shooting-season,  are  extremely  vigilant  and  gun-shy, 
lose  a  remarkable  amount  of  their  suspiciousness  when  they 
are  left  in  peace  during  the  commencement  of  the  close 
season  in  March  and  April,  the  last  months  of  their  stay  in 
our  latitudes.  Nor  can  one  fail  to  notice  how  tame  these 
and  other  species  of  wildfowl  become  when  pinioned  on 
ornamental  waters ;  how  they  will  even  approach  the  brink 
to  take  the  proffered  cake  from  the  hand  of  a  passing 
stranger. 


Gulls,  as  a  rule,  are  easily  observed ;  being  naturally 
greedy  they  can  be  attracted  to  close  quarters  by  casting 
food  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  I  have  made  several 
interesting  observations  from  city-quays,  and  from  boats, 
especially  from  the  decks  of  channel-steamers,  in  the  wake 
of  which  these  birds  will  often  wander  for  miles. 


The  ambush  afforded  by  sand-dunes,  especially  when 
overgrown  with  thick  and  tall  rushes,  gives  one  an  excellent 
opportunity  of  closely  inspecting  wading-birds  as  they  run 
hither  and  thither  on  the  beach  (Plate  III.). 

Kegarding  the  question  of  collecting  specimens,  unneces-  Collecting 
sary  destruction  of  bird-life  must  be  protested  against.     Far  sPeci- 
more  is  to  be  learned  by  patient  and  persevering  observation,  mens' 


xiv.  INTKODUCTION 

carried  on  in  adverse  no  less  than  in  genial  weather,  in 
remote  and  difficult  places  no  less  than  on  the  silvery  beach 
over  which  one  can  travel  for  miles  without  growing  tired, 
than  by  yielding  to  an  impetuous  desire  to  shoot  every 
specimen  which  happens  to  come  within  range  of  the  fowling- 
piece. 

The  destruction  of  sea-birds,  especially  of  Terns  and 
Gulls  for  millinery  and  other  useless  purposes,  is  in  a 
marked  degree  brutal,  and  in  those  pages  dealing  with  the 
species  generally  victimised,  I  have  not  refrained  from 
expressing  an  opinion  on  the  subject.  Happily  in  many 
districts  sea-birds  and  their  eggs  are  now  protected  by 
law,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  this  protection  will  be 
extended  to  other  districts.  The  Societies  for  the  Protec- 
tion of  Wild  Birds  in  both  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  are 
doing  such  excellent  and  energetic  work  in  this  direction 
that  it  is  needless  to  say  more. 

Fortunately  the  large  majority  of  shore-frequenting 
birds  breed  in  latitudes  far  north  of  the  British  Isles,  where 
their  eggs  and  young  are  little  molested,  and  so  despite  the 
raids  of  the  gunner  the  numbers  are  well  kept  up.  But 
some,  such  as  the  Chough  and  Kite,  in  seeming  danger  of 
becoming  extinct  as  British  breeding-species,  deserve  to  be 
put  under  the  rigid  protection  of  the  Law. 


The  Systematic  Ornithologist  who  would  study  plumages 
and  structural  characters  must  of  course  collect  a  certain 
number  of  specimens,  and  any  one  who  possesses  a  real  love 
for  field-work  will,  no  doubt,  prefer  to  collect  his  own.  It  is 
true  that  the  pursuit  of  birds  often  demands  endurance, 
patience,  and  tactful  manoauvring,  in  the  course  of  which, 
however,  much  practical  knowledge  can  be  gained  ;  indeed 
field-work  properly  carried  out  is  the  keystone  to  Systematic 
Ornithology.  But  it  frequently  happens  that  time  and 
opportunity  are  not  afforded  to  secure  certain  specimens 
which  may  be  particularly  needed,  and  so  one  is  driven  to 
seek  the  aid  of  others.  Here  the  sportsman  can  often 
materially  help.  Indeed  the  numbers  of  strange  birds, 
which  from  time  to  time  fall  to  his  gun,  are  remarkable, 
especially  those  skulking,  marsh-frequenting  species,  which 
only  a  well-trained  dog  can  flush,  and  a  keen-sighted  and 
clever  marksman  can  bag.  It  were  indeed  to  be  wished 


INTKODUCTION  xv. 

that  any  one  who  shoots  a  rare  bird  in  a  remote  part  of  the 
country  should  despatch  it  to  a  competent  authority  for 
identification,  if  possible  on  the  day  on  which  it  has  been 
secured,  so  that  its  occurrence  may  be  properly  substan- 
tiated. 

And,  lastly,  a  word  on  collecting  in  general.  A  naturalist 
who  kills  for  the  mere  sake  of  collecting  deserves  to  rank 
lower  than  one  who  does  not  collect  at  all.  And  yet  one  might 
venture  to  say  that  there  are  private  museums  throughout 
the  country,  well  stocked  with  carefully-mounted  specimens, 
which  have  been  formed  for  no  special  purpose  whatso- 
ever. This  aimless  method  of  collecting  is  far  too  common 
a  practice. 

The  sentiments  expressed  by  the  late  Professor  Elliott 
Coues  bear  out  these  remarks  :  "  Collecting  stands  much  in 
the  same  relation  to  ornithology  that  the  useful  and  indis- 
pensable office  of  an  apothecary  bears  to  the  duties  of  a 
physician.  A  field-naturalist  is  always  more  or  less  of  a 
collector;  the  latter  is  sometimes  found  to  know  almost 
nothing  of  natural  history  worth  knowing.  The  true 
ornithologist  goes  out  to  study  birds  alive  and  destroys 
some  of  them  simply  because  that  is  the  only  way  of 
learning  their  structure  and  technical  characters.  There 
is  much  more  about  a  bird  that  can  be  discovered  in  its 
dead  body — how  much  more,  then,  than  can  be  found  out 
from  its  stuffed  skin  !  In  my  humble  opinion  the  man 
who  only  gathers  birds,  as  a  miser  money,  to  swell  his 
cabinet,  and  that  other  man  who  gloats,  as  miser-like,  over 
the  same  hoard,  both  work  on  a  plane  far  beneath  where 
the  enlightened  naturalist  stands.  One  looks  at  Nature, 
and  never  knows  that  she  is  beautiful ;  the  other  knows 
she  is  beautiful,  as  even  a  corpse  may  be  ;  the  naturalist 
catches  her  sentient  expression,  and  knows  how  beautiful 
she  is  !  I  would  have  you  to  know  and  love  her ;  for  fairer 
mistress  never  swayed  the  heart  of  man.  Aim  high!— 
press  on,  and  leave  the  half-way  house  of  mere  collector- 
ship  far  behind  in  your  pursuit  of  a  delightful  study,  nor 
fancy  the  closet  its  goal." 


LIST   OF    PLATES. 


I.     THE  BARE  SLOB-LANDS  AT  FIRST  EBB  Frontispiece. 
II.     SNOW-BUNTING To  face  p.  x. 

III.  AMBUSHED  AMID  THE  BUSHES  OF  THE 

SAND-DUNES  ...         ...         ...         ...         ,,        xiii. 

IV.  CORMORANTS  NESTING  IN  TREES,  WEST 

OF  IRELAND ...         ,,  2 

V.     GANNETS    NESTING    ON    THE    LITTLE 

SKELLIG  ISLAND,  co.  KERRY         ...         ,,  8 

VI.     WHITE-FRONTED  GOOSE          ,,          58 

VII.     BERNACLE  GEESE         ,,  70 

VIII.     BRENT  GEESE ,,  72 

IX.     COMMON  SHELD-DUCK ,,          86 

(SHOVELER(Fig.  1)  | 

'  {PINTAIL  (Fig.  2)  j 

(LONG-TAILED  DUCK  (Fig.  1) ) 

XL  {EIDER  DUCK  (Fig.  2) ...  j      " 

XI.     COMMON  SCOTER  ,,         144 

XIII.     EINGED  PLOVER  „        214 

/NEST  AND  EGGS  OF   EINGED  PLOVER  \ 

XIV         (Fig'1}  216 

NEST  AND  EGGS  OF   EINGED   PLOVER  F 

(Fig.  2) 

(GREY  PLOVER  (Fig.  1) | 

'  {SOCIABLE  PLOVER  (Fig.  2)       j 

(NEST  AND  EGGS  OF  LAPWING   (Fig.  1)  ) 
XVT    i  r  240 

(NEST  AND  EGGS  OF  LAPWING    (Fig.  2)  I 

XVII.  TURNSTONES       „  246 

XVIII.  BED-NECKED  PHALAROPES      „  266 

XIX.  WOODCOCK         „  268 

XX.  NEST  AND  EGGS  OF  WOODCOCK        ...  ,,  270 

XXI.  COMMON  SNIPE  AND  JACK  SNIPE       ...  278 


LIST  OF  PLATES 


xvn. 


XXII. 

AN  ESTUARINE  MUD-FLAT 

To  face  p.  284 

XXIII. 

DUNLINS... 

990 

XXIV. 

("HEAD  OF  DUNLIN  (Fig.  1)      
[HEAD  OF  LITTLE  STINT  (Fig.  2) 

J  >                   *-  v  vy 

294 

XXV. 

LITTLE  STINTS  '  ... 

296 

XXVI. 

DUNLINS,     CURLEW-  SANDPIPER,     AND 

LITTLE  STINT 

302 

XXVII.  - 

'HEAD  OF  CURLEW-SANDPIPER  (Fig.  1) 
HEAD   OF  DUNLIN  (Fig.  2) 

306 

XXVIII. 

A  FLAT  COAST  STUDDED  WITH  EOCKS 

AND    LOOSE    BOULDERS 

308 

XXIX. 

KNOT 

310 

XXX. 

A  SAND-FLAT  AT  EBB  TIDE  

316 

XXXI. 

SANDERLINGS 

318 

XXXII. 

RUFFS 

324 

XXXIII. 

HEADS  OF  RUFFS         

322 

XXXIV. 

COMMON  SANDPIPERS    

330 

XXXV. 

GREEN  SANDPIPER        

338 

XXXVI. 

REDSHANKS  AND  GREENSHANKS 

348 

XXXVII. 

HEAD  OF  BAR-TAILED  GODWIT 

354 

XXXVIII. 

CURLEW  ... 

360 

XXXIX. 

COMMON   TERNS,    ARCTIC    TERN,   AND 

LITTLE  TERNS          

392 

1 

NEST    AND    EGGS    OF    LITTLE    TERN 

*J 

(Fig.  1) 

XL   4 

qqo 

I 

NEST    AND     EGGS    OF    LITTLE    TERN 

j  »          oyo 

1 

(Fig.  2) 

BLACK-HEADED  GULLS  (Fig.  1) 

1 

XLI.  i 

THE    LAKE,    ST.    STEPHEN'S    GREEN, 

412 

DUBLIN  (Fig.  2)         

1 

XLII. 

NEST   AND    EGGS   OF   BLACK-HEADED 

GULL  ... 

•  f_-.  

414 

1 

NEST       OF      BLACK-HEADED      GULL 

XLIII.   { 

(^g.  1) 

415 

• 

NEST       OF      BLACK-HEADED       GULL 

>-             j  j                   ^±-L  *J 

1 

(Fig.  2) 

xviii.  LIST  OF  PLATES 


XLTV.     NEST  OF  BLACK-HEADED  GULL         ...To  face  p.  416 
(KITTIWA 
(GREAT 

IcBLAND 


(KITTIWAKE  GULLS  AND  YOUNG  (Fig.  1) 
(GREAT  BLACK-BACKED  GULL  (Fig.  2)     f 


XLVI. 

(LEFT  WING  OF  ICELAND  GULL  (Fig.  2) 

XLVIL     A  BEETLING  ROCK  PINNACLE  ......         ,,        446 

XLVIII.     KITTIWAKE  GULLS        .........         ,,        448 

(ARCTIC  OR  EICHARDSON'S  SKUA  (Fig.  1)     ] 
XLIX'   (ARCTIC  OR  RICHARDSON'S  SKUA  (Fig.  2)     }     " 

L.     RAZORBILL         ............         ,,        468 

(GREAT  AUK  (Fig.  1) 
LT<  (GREAT  AUK  (Fig.  2) 

(HEAD  OF   GREAT  AUK  (Fig.  1) 
T  TT 

'  {HEAD  OF  GREAT  AUK  (Fig.  2) 

LIII.     EGGS  OF  GREAT  AUK  ........  ,         ,,        482 

LIV.     FORKED-TAILED  PETREL.      NEST   AND 

EGG    ...............  540 

(MANX  SHEARWATER  (Fig.  1)   ......  ) 

lV'  WMAB  (Fig.  2)  .........  I      " 

LVI.     FULMAR  ON  ITS  NEST  ..  566 


LIST   OF   TEXT -FIGURES. 


t  Denotes  full-page  illustrations. 

FIG.  PAGE 

1.  SHAG          6 

2.  COMMON  HERONS 13 

3.  LITTLE  EGRET      ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  21 

4.  HEAD  OF  LITTLE  EGRET            22 

5.  tNiGHT  HERON       27 

6.  HEAD  OF  NIGHT  HERON 29 

7.  COMMON  BITTERN 34 

8.  WHITE  STORK       40 

9.  HEAD  OF  WHITE  STORK 41 

10.  SPOONBILL 48 

11.  FLAMINGO 53 

12.  HEAD  OF  FLAMINGO         53 

13.  {BEWICK'S  SWAN 81 

14.  MALLARD 92 

15.  JTEAL  'PUT  IN'  BY  PEREGRINE  FALCON          ...         ...  103 

16.  fWlGEON    ON    THE    SNOW 112 

17.  GOLDEN-EYE         129 

18.  GOOSANDER            152 

19.  CORN-CRAKE          164 

20.  HEAD  OF  CORN-CRAKE 166 

21.  HEAD  OF  BAILLON'S  CRAKE       ..          176 

22.  WATER-BAIL          178 

23.  HEAD  OF  WATER-HEN 182 

24.  LEFT  FOOT  OF  WATER-HEN      183 

25.  COOT           ...      '•;>.;..       186 

26.  GREAT  BUSTARD 195 

27.  GREAT  PLOVER  203 


xx.  LIST  OF  TEXT-FIGURES 

FIG.  PAGE 

28.  PRATINCOLE            207 

29.  CREAM-COLOURED  COURSER         ...         ...         ...         ...  209 

30.  HEAD  OF  EINGED  PLOVER          ...         ...         ...         ...  218 

31.  GOLDEN  PLOVERS...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  225 

32.  LAPWINGS  AND  NEST.     PARTRIDGE  INTRUDING          ...  240 

33.  HEAD  OF  TURNSTONE      243 

34.  HEAD  OF  TURNSTONE       ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  244 

35.  LEFT  FOOT  OF  TURNSTONE         245 

36.  OYSTER-CATCHER 248 

37.  AVOCET       252 

38.  HEAD  OF  AVOCET 253 

39.  LEFT  FOOT  OF  AVOCET  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  254 

40.  BLACK-WINGED  STILT      ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  256 

41.  HEAD  OF  BLACK- WINGED  STILT...         ...         ...         ...  258 

42.  HEAD  OF  GREAT  SNIPE 273 

43.  TAIL  OF  GREAT  SNIPE 275 

44.  LEFT  FOOT  OF  SANDERLING       317 

45.  WOOD-SANDPIPER 333 

46.  GREEN  SANDPIPER  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  337 

47.  HEAD  OF  GREENSHANK 350 

48.  HEAD  OF  CURLEW  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  362 

49.  LEFT  FOOT  OF  CURLEW...         ...         ...         ...         ...  364 

50.  WHIMBREL ...  368 

51.  TAIL  OF  WHISKERED  TERN        378 

52.  LEFT  FOOT  OF  WHISKERED  TERN        379 

53.  ARCTIC  TERN         394 

54.  COMMON  GULL      421 

55.  GREAT  AUK           474 

56.  IBONES  OF  THE  GREAT  AUK  FROM  KlTCHEN-MlDDENS, 

ON  THE  COAST  OF  co.  WATERFORD  ...         ...         ...  475 

57.  fBoNES   OF   GREAT   AUK   FROM   WHITEPARK   BAY,    co. 

ANTRIM  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  476 

58.  COMMON  GUILLEMOT        ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  484 

59.  PUFFIN        498 

60.  GREAT  NORTHERN  DIVER  503 


LIST  OF  TEXT-FIGUEES  xxi. 

FIG.  PAGE 

61.  HEAD  OF  GREAT  CRESTED  GREBE        515 

62.  LEFT  FOOT  OF  GREAT  CRESTED  GREBE         516 

63.  LITTLE  GREBE      529 

64.  fLiTTLE  GREBES  AT  THEIR  NESTING-HAUNTS  ...         ...  531 

65.  STORM-PETREL      ...         ,.\r_        ...         ...         ...         .,.  535 

66.  LEFT  FOOT  OF  STORM-PETREL  ...         ...         ...         ...  536 

67.  HEAD  OF  WILSON'S  PETREL      ...         ...         ...         ...  544 

68.  LEFT  FOOT  OF  WILSON'S  PETREL  544 


SYSTEMATIC    INDEX. 


CORMORANT 
SHAG 
GANNET . . . 


OBDER   STEGANOPODES. 
FAMILY  PELECANID^]. 

Phalacrocorax  carbo 

Phalacrocorax  gracuhu 

Sula  b  assart  a 


PAGE 
1 

5 

8 


OKDEB  HEKODIONES. 


FAMILY   ABDEIDJE. 


COMMON  HERON 
PURPLE  HERON 
GREAT  WHITE  HERON 
LITTLE  EGRET... 
BUFF-BACKED  HERON  . , 
SQUACCO  HERON 

NIGHT  HERON 

LITTLE  BITTERN 
COMMON  BITTERN 
AMERICAN  BITTERN 


WHITE  STORK  . . . 
BLACK  STORK  . 


Ardea  cinerea     ... 
Ardea  purpurea... 
Ardea  alba 
Ardea  garzetta  ... 
Ardea  bubulcus  ... 
Ardea  ralloides  ... 
Nycticorax  griseus 
Ardetta  minuta  ... 
Botaurus  stellaris 
Botaurus  lentiyinosus 


FAMILY   CICONIID^E. 

Ciconia  alba 
Ciconia  nigra 


GLOSSY  IBIS 


SPOONBILL 


FAMILY 
......         Plegadis  falcinellus 

FAMILY   PLATALEID^E. 

Plat  a  lea  leucorodia 


12 
17 

19 
20 
23 
24 
26 
30 
33 
37 


39 
43 


44 


47 


FLAMINGO 


OBDER   ODONTOGLOSS^. 

FAMILY   PHCENICOPTERID^E. 
Plicenicopterus  roseus 


SYSTEMATIC  INDEX 


XXlll. 


ORDER  ANSEBES. 

FAMILY   ANATID^. 


GREY  LAG-GOOSE        

WHITE-FRONTED  GOOSE 

BEAN-GOOSE     

PINK-FOOTED  GOOSE    ...         ... 

SNOW-GOOSE 
RED-BREASTED  GOOSE 
HEUNACLE-  GOOSE         ..,/ 
BRENT  GOOSE  ... 

CANADA  GOOSE 

EGYPTIAN  GOOSE         

SPUR-WINGED  GOOSE  ... 

WHOOPER  SWAN          

BEWICK'S  SWAN  

MUTE  SWAN 
COMMON  SHELD-DUCK 

RUDDY  SHELD-DUCK 

MALLARD 

GAD  WALL          

SHOVELER         

PINTAIL 

TEAL      

AMERICAN  GREEN-WINGED  TEAL 

BLUE-WINGED  TEAL     

GARGANEY 

WIGEON  

AMERICAN  WIGEON     

RED-CRESTED  POCHARD 

POCHARD  

BAER'S  POCHARD         

FERRUGINOUS  DUCK 

TUFTED  DUCK 

SCAUP-DUCK     

GOLDEN-EYE     ... 

BUFFEL-HEADED  DUCK 

LONG- TAILED  DUCK     

HARLEQUIN  DUCK       

EIDER  DUCK    ... 

PACIFIC  EIDER 

KlNG-ElDER        ... 

STELLER'S  EIDER 

COMMON  SCOTER          

VELVET-SCOTER 

SURF- SCOTER 

GOOSANDER       

RED-BREASTED  MERGANSER  ... 

SMEW 

HOODED  MERGANSER  . . 


PAGE 

Anser  cinereus    ...         ...         ...  55 

Anser  albifrons  ...         ...         ...  58 

Anser  segetwin    ...         ...         ...  60 

Anser  bracliyrliynclms...         ...  62 

Chen  liyperboreus          ...         ...  64 

Bernicla  ruficollis         67 

Bernicla  leucopsis          ...          ...  69 

Bernicla  brenta  ...          ...          ...  71 

Bernicla  canadensis      75 

Chenalopex  cegyptiaca  ...         ...  76 

Plectropterus  gambensis           ...  76 

Cygnus  musicus...         ...         ...  77 

Cygnus  bewicki  ...         ...         ...  80 

Cygnus  olor         ...         ...         ...  83 

Tadorna  cornuta           ...         ...  86 

Tadorna  casarca            ...         ...  89 

Anas  boscas         91 

Anas  strepera     ...         ...         ...  95 

Spatula  clypeata            ...         ...  97 

Dafila  acuta        ...         ...         ...  99 

Nettion  crecca     102 

Nettion  carolinense       ...         ...  106 

Querquedula  discors     ...         ...  107 

Querquedula  circia       108 

Mareca  penelope...         ...         ...  Ill 

Mareca  americana        ...         ...  116 

Netta  rufina       117 

Fuligula  ferina 118 

Nyroca  baeri        ...         ...         ...  571 

Fuligula  nyroca...         ...         ...  121 

Fuligula  cristata           123 

Fuligula  marila            ...         ...  126 

Clangula  glaucion         ...         ...  129 

Clangula  albeola            ...         ...  132 

Harelda  glacialis           133 

Cosmonetta  histrionica             ...  136 

Somateria  mollissima  ...         ...  137 

Somateria-v-nigrum      ...         ...  571 

Somateria  spectabilis     ...         ...  140 

Somateria  stelleri          ...         ...  142 

(Edemia  nigra    ...         ...         ...  143 

(Edemia  fusca 146 

(Edemia  perspicillata  ...         ...  148 

Merc) us  merganser         ...         ...  151 

Mergus  serrator 154 

Mergus  albellus  ...         ...         ...  157 

Mergus  cucullatus         ...         ...  159 


XXIV. 


SYSTEMATIC  INDEX 


RING-DOVE 

STOCK-DOVE 

ROCK-DOVE 

TURTLE-DOVE 


ORDER   COLUMB^E. 
FAMILY  COLUMBID^]. 

Columba  pahimbus 
Cohimba  cenas  ... 
Columba  lima  ... 
Turtur  communis 


RUFOUS  TURTLE-DOVE 


Turtur  orientaUs 


PAGE 

162 
162 
162 
162 
162 


ORDER   PTEEOCLETES. 


FAMILY   PTEBOGLHXU. 

PALLAS'S  SAND-GROUSE  ...         Syrrliaptes  paradoxim  ... 


162 


ORDER   GALLING. 


CAPERCAILLIE  . 
BLACK  GROUSE 
RED  GROUSE  . 
PTARMIGAN 


FAMILY   TETRAONID^E. 

Tetrao  urogallus 
Tetrao  tetrix 
Lagopus  scoticus 
mutus  .. 


162 
162 
162 
162 


FAMILY  PHASIANID^E. 


PHEASANT          

COMMON  PARTRIDGE  ... 
RED-LEGGED  PARTRIDGE 
QUAIL 


Phasianus  colcliicus 
Perdix  cinerea    ... 
Caccabis  rufa 
Coturnix  communis 


162 
162 
162 
162 


ORDER 


CORN-CRAKE 
SPOTTED  CRAKE 
LITTLE  CRAKE  . . . 
BAILLON'S  CRAKK 
WATER-RAIL 
WATER-HEN- 
COOT       

INDIAN  PORPHYRIO 
ALLEN'S  GALLINULE 


SUB-OEDER  FULICAEI^. 
FAMILY   EALLID^E. 

Crex  pratensis 163 

Porzana  maruetta          ...         ...  169 

Porzana  parva    ...         ...         ...  172 

Porzana  bailloni            ...         ...  174 

liallus  aquaiiciis            ...          ...  177 

...         Gallinu la  cli loropus      ...         ...  181 

Fulica  atra         ...         ...         ...  185 

Porpliyrio  polioceplialus  ...  572 

Porpliyriola.  a lleni          572 


SYSTEMATIC  INDEX 

SUB-ORDER   GEUES. 
FAMILY   GEUID^. 


CRANE 


Grus  communis 


XXV. 


PAGE 

189 


GREAT  BUSTARD 
LITTLE  BUSTARD 
MACQUEEN'S  BUSTARD 


SUB-ORDER   OTIDES. 

FAMILY   OTIDID^E. 

/ 

/      ...         Otis  tar  da 

•   ...         Otis  tetrax 

Otis  macqueeni 


193 
197 
200 


ORDER   LIMICOL^. 


GREAT  PLOVER 


FAMILY   (EDICNEMID^. 

(Edicnemus  scolopax     ., 


202 


FAMILY   GLAEEOLID^. 


PRATINCOLE 

BLACK-WINGED  PRATINCOLE  ... 

CREAM-COLOURED  COURSER    . 


Glareola  pratincola 
Glareola  melanoptera 
Cursorius  gallicus 


206 
572 
208 


FAMILY   CHARADRIID^E. 


DOTTEREL 
CASPIAN  PLOVER 
KINGED  PLOVER 
LITTLE  RINGED  PLOVER 
KENTISH  PLOVER 
KILLDEER  PLOVER 
GOLDEN  PLOVER 
LESSER  GOLDEN  PLOVER 
GREY  PLOVER  ... 
SOCIABLE  PLOVER 

LAPWING  

TURNSTONE 
OYSTER-CATCHER 

AVOCET 

BLACK -WINGED  STILT... 
GREY  PHALAROPE 
RED-NECKED  PHALAROPE 
WOODCOCK 
GREAT  SNIPE    . 


Eudromias  morinellus...         ...  211 

^Egialitis  asiatica         ...         ...  213 

j&gialitis  liiaticola       ...         ...  214 

JEgialitis  curonica        220 

JEgialitis  cantiana        ...          ...  221 

^gialitis  vocifera         ...          ...  224 

Cliaradrius  pluvialis     ...          ...  225 

Charadrius  dominicus  ...         ...  229 

Squatarola  helvetica     ...         ...  231 

Vanellus  gregarius        ...          ...  235 

Vanellus  vulgaris          ...         ...  237 

Strepsilas  interpres        ...         ...  242 

Hcematopus  ostralegus ...         ...  247 

Eecurvirostra  avocetta 252 

Himantopus  candidus  ...         ...  256 

Phalaropus  fulicarius  ...         ...  259 

Plialaropus  hyperboreus           ...  263 

Scolopax  rusticula         ...         ...  268 

Gallinago  major             272 


XXVI 


SYSTEMATIC  INDEX 


COMMON  SNIPE  

JACK  SNIPE       

BROAD-BILLED  SANDPIPER 
AMERICAN      PECTORAL     SAND- 
PIPER          

SIBERIAN  PECTORAL  SANDPIPER 
BONAPARTE'S  SANDPIPER 

DUNLIN 

LITTLE  STINT 

AMERICAN  STINT          

TEMMINCK'S  STINT 

BAIRD'S  SANDPIPER      

CURLEW-SANDPIPER      

PURPLE  SANDPIPER      

KNOT 

SANDERLING      

RUFF      

BUFF-BREASTED  SANDPIPER   ... 
BARTRAM'S  SANDPIPER 

COMMON  SANDPIPER 

SPOTTED  SANDPIPER 

WOOD-SANDPIPER         

GREEN  SANDPIPER       

SOLITARY  SANDPIPER  ... 

YELLOWSHANK 

COMMON  REDSHANK     

SPOTTED  REDSHANK    

GREENSHANK     

RED-BREASTED  SNIPE 

BAR-TAILED  GODWIT 

BLACK- TAILED  GODWIT 

CURLEW 

WHIMBREL        

ESKIMO  CURLEW 


RA<!E 

Gallinago  coelestis  ...  ...  276 

Gallinago  gallinula  ...  ...  280 

Limicola  platyrhyncha  ...  282 

Tringa  maculata  ...  ...  284 

Tringa  acuminata  ...  ...  286 

Tringa  fuscicollis  ...  ...  287 

Tringa  alpina     ...  ...  ...  288 

Tringa  minuta  ...  ...  ...  295 

Tringa  minutilla  298 

Tringa  temmincJci  ...  ...  300 

Tringa  bairdi     ...  ...  ...  573 

Tringa  subarquata  302 

Tringa  striata    ...  ...  ...  306 

Tringa  canutus ...  ...  ...  309 

Calidris  arenaria  ...  ...  314 

Machetes  pugnax  321 

Tringites  rufescens  ...  ...  325 

Bartramia  longicauda  . . .  ...  326 

Totanus  hypoleucus  ...  ...  328 

Totanus  macularius  ...  ...  331 

Totanus  glareola  ...  ...  332 

Totanus  ochropus  ...  ...  335 

Totanus  solitarius  ...  ...  339 

Totanus  flavipes  340 

Totanus  calidris  ...  ...  341 

Totanus  fuscus  ...  ...  ...  345 

Totanus  canescens  ...  ...  348 

Macrorliamplius  griseus  ...  352 

Limosa  lapponica  ...  ...  353 

Limosa  belgica   ...  ...  ...  356 

Numenius  arquata  ...  ...  359 

Numenius  phoeopus  ...  ...  366 

Numenius  borealis  ...  370 


ORDER  GAVLE. 


FAMILY 


SUB-FAMILY   STERNIN^. 


BLACK  TERN    ... 
WHITE-WINGED  BLACK  TERN. 

WHISKERED  TERN       

GULL-BILLED  TERN     ... 

CASPIAN  TERN 

SANDWICH  TERN          

ROSEATE  TERN 

COMMON  TERN 

ARCTIC  TERN 

LITTLE  TERN    

SOOTY  TERN 

NODDY  TERN 


Hydrochelidon  nigra    ...         ...  373 

Hydrochelidon  leucoptera        ...  375 

Hydrochelidon  hybrida            ...  377 

Sterna  anglica   ...         ...         ...  379 

Sterna  caspia     ...          ...          ...  381 

Sterna  cantiaca 383 

Sterna  dougalli ...         ...         ...  386 

Sterna  fluviatilis           ...         ...  390 

Sterna  macrura...         ...         ...  393 

Sterna  minuta 397 

Sterna  fuliginosa          ...         ...  401 

Anous  stolidus    ...  403 


SYSTEMATIC  INDEX 


XXVll. 


FAMILY   LAEID^. 
SUB-FAMILY 


SABINE'S  GULL 

WEDGE-TAILED  GULL... 

BONAPARTE'S  GULL     

LITTLE  GULL    ..        

BLACK-HEADED  GULL  ... 

MEDITERRANEAN  BLACK- 
HEADED  GULL      ...    /    .., 

GREAT  BLACK-HEADED  GULL... 

COMMON  GULL 

HERRING-GULL 

YELLOW-LEGGED  HERRING- 
GULL  

LESSER  BLACK-BACKED  GULL... 

GREAT  BLACK-BACKED  GULL... 

GLAUCOUS  GULL          

ICELAND  GULL... 

KITTIWAKE  GULL        

IVORY  GULL 


Xema  sabinii 
Ithodostethia  rosea 
Larus  Philadelphia 
Larus  minutus  ... 
Larus  ridibundus 

Larus  melanocephalus 
Larus  iclithyaetus 
Larus  canus 
Larus  argentatus 

Larus  cachinnans 
Larus  fuscus 
Larus  marinus  ... 
Larus  alaucus  ... 
Larus  leucopterus 
Rissa  tridactyla... 
Pagophila  eburnea 


PAGE 

405 
407 
408 
409 
411 

418 
419 
421 
425 

429 
430 
434 
438 
442 
446 
451 


GREAT  SKUA     ... 
POMATORHINE  SKUA 
ARCTIC  SKUA    ... 
LONG-TAILED  SKUA 


FAMILY   STERCOBARIID^E. 

Megalestris  catarrhactes  ...  454 

Stercorarius  pomatorhinus  ...  457 

Stercorarius  crepidatus  ...  460 

Stercorarius  parasiticus  ...  463 


ORDEE  ALCLE. 


FAMILY  ALCID^E. 
SUB-FAMILY 


RAZORBILL        

GREAT  AUK 

COMMON  GUILLEMOT   ... 
BRUNNICH'S  GUILLEMOT 
BLACK  GUILLEMOT 
LITTLE  AUK 


Alca  tor  da 
Alca  impennis    . 
Uria  troile 
Uria  bruennichi. 
Uria  grylle     .    . 
Merffidus  alle 


468 
472 

482 
488 
489 
493 


PUFFIN  .. 


SUB-FAMILY   FRATERCULIN^E. 
Fratercula  arctica 


497 


XXV111. 


SYSTEMATIC  INDEX 


ORDER  PYGOPODES. 

FAMILY   COLYMBID^. 


GREAT  NORTHERN  DIVER 
WHITE-BILLED     NORTHERN 

DIVER        

BLACK-THROATED  DIVER 
RED-THROATED  DIVER 


Colyinbus  glacial-is 

Colymbus  adamsi 
Colymbus  arcticus 
Colymbus  septentrional  is 


PACK. 

502 

506 
508 
510 


FAMILY   PODICIPEDID^. 


GREAT  CRESTED  GREBE 
RED-NECKED  GREBE  ... 
HORNED  GREBE  .  . 

EARED  GREBE 

LITTLE  GREBE... 


Podicipes  cristatus 
Podicipes  griseigena 
Podicipes  auritus 
Podicipes  nigricollis 
Podicipes  fluviatilix 


514 
519 
52'2 
525 

528 


ORDER   TUKBINAKES. 

FAMILY   PROCELLARIID^E. 


STORM-PETREL 

FORK- TAILED  PETREL 
MADEIRAN     FORK-TAILED 
PETREL 


Procellaria  pelagica      ...          ...     534 

Oceanodroma  leucorrlwa  ...     538 

Oceandroma  castro  542 


WILSON'S  PETREL 
FRIGATE-PETREL 


SUB-FAMILY   OCEANITIN^. 

Oceanites  occanicus 
Pelagodroma  marina 


544 

547 


FAMILY   PUFFINID^. 


GREAT  SHEARWATER 

SOOTY  SHEARWATER 

MANX  SHEARWATER 

MEDITERRANEAN    SHEARWATER 
LEVANTINE  SHEARWATER 
LITTLE     DUSKY    SHEARWATER 

CAPPED  PETREL  

COLLARED  PETREL 

BULWER'S  PETREL       

FULMAR  .. 


Puffinus  gravis    . . . 
Puffinus  griscus  ... 
Puffinus  anglorum 
Puffinus  kuldi     ... 
Puffinus  yelkouanus 
Puffinus  assimilis 
CEstrelata  licesitata 
(Estrelata  brcvipes 
Bulweria  buliueri 
Fulmarus  glacialis 


FAMILY  DIOMEDEIDJE. 
BLACK-BROWED  ALBATROSS    ...        Diomedia  melanophrys. 


548 
551 
554 
573 
557 
558 
560 
561 
562 
563 


XXIX. 

COEEIGENDA. 

Page    8,  at  the  beginning  of  line  14  insert  Note. — 

,,     11,  line  14,  for  Allied  Species  and  Representative,  Forms. — read  Note. — 
Pages  12,  line  18,  14,  line  22,  45,  line  20,  for  esturine  read  estuarine. 
Page    38,  line  25,  for  Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — read  Note. — 
,,       48,  line  9,  for  September  read  October. 
,,       51,  at  the  beginning  of  line  16  insert  Note. — 
,,       62,  line  8,  for  Bean  Goose  read  Bean-Goose. 
65,  line  19,  for  p.  59  read  p.  519. 
74,  for  2-7  x  1-3  read  2-7  x  1-8. 
,,       75,  line  16,  after  state  insert  in. 
,,       99,  line  17,  before  Mallard  insert  nestling. 
,,     134,  line  13,  for  Rathfarnam  read  Rathfarnham. 
,,     141,  line  27,  for  Bayles  read  Baylis. 
,,     143,  lines  13,  14,  for  miniature  read  immature. 
,,     185,  line  20,  for  cmrulens  read  cceruleus. 
,,     191,  third  line  from  bottom,  for  Geryish  read  Greyish. 
,,     264,  third  line  from  bottom,  for  minature  read  miniature. 
, ,     296,  line  17,  for  Walter  read  Watters. 

,,     343,  second  line  from  bottom,  for  Secondaries  read  secondaries. 
,,     353,  eighth  line  from  bottom,  for  most  read  more. 
,,     385,  line  15,  for  Sand-eels  read  sand-eels. 
,,     392,  line  19,  after  breeding  species  insert  a  full-stop. 
,,     399,  at  the  end  of  foot-note  3  add  in  1901.     (Vide  also  W.  L.  Mac- 

gillivray,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.  1901,  p.  237.) 

,,     401,  seventh  line  from  bottom,  after  November  20th,  add  1901. 
,,     405,  omit  Family  LARID^E. 
,,     408,  line  11,  add  see  p.  581. 
,,     414,  line  7,  before  'pool-dancing'  insert  of. 
Pages  417,  line  6,  451,  line  17,  493,  line  13,  for  Kamtschatka  read  Kamt- 

chatka. 

Page  427,  line  29,  for  engulphed  read  engulfed. 
,,     431,  line  18,  for  wharves  read  wharfs. 
,,     441,  for  2-9  +  2  in.  read  2*9  x  2  in. 
,,     445,  line  17,  for  South  read  south. 
,,     455,  line  14,  for  catarrachtes  read  catarrhactes. 
.,     458,  line  12,  for  Barrington,  read  (Barrington, 
,,     465,  line  28,  for  recalls  read  cites  a  case  of. 
.,     488,  third  line  of  foot-note,  for  Bellisle  read  Belle  Isle. 
,,     489,  line  12,  for  (tomia  maxillary)  read  (maxillary  tomium.) 
, ,     519,  in  foot-note  3,  for  Scarboroug  read  Scarborough. 
,,     530,  line  20,  for  egg  read  eggs. 
,,     537,  line  33,  for  coasts  read  coast. 
,,     539,  fourth  line  from  bottom,  for  Reid  read  Read. 
,,     540,  line  23,  for  Forked-tail  read  Fork-tailed. 
,,     542,  for  FORKED-  read  FORK-. 
,,     552,  second  line  of  foot-note,  for  n  read  in. 
,,     557,  sixth  line  from  bottom,  for  ame  read  dme. 

Plate  XLL,  Fig.  2,  for  E.  Williams,  Photo.']  read  C.  D.  Head,  Photo.]. 
,,      LIV.,  for  EGGS  read  EGG. 


XXX. 


REFERENCE  TO  PLATE  XXXIX. 

TERNS. 
(Accidentally  omitted  from  p.  393  of  the  text.) 

A.  Little  Tern,  immature  male,  transitional  first  autumn  to  winter-plumage. 

B.  Common  Tern,  adult  female,  nuptial  plumage. 

C.  Common  Tern,  adult  male,  nuptial  plumage. 

D.  Little  Tern,  adult  female,  nuptial  plumage. 

E.  Arctic  Tern,  adult  female,  transitional  nuptial  to  winter-plumage. 


NOTANDUM. 

Information  regarding  recent  occurrences  of  the  rarer  British  aquatic 
birds,  which  during  the  preparation  of  this  volume  has  been  inadvertently 
omitted  from  the  text,  will  be  found  in  the  Addendum. 


THE  AQUATIC  BIRDS 


OF 


GREAT  BRITAIN 


Order  STEGANOPODES. 

Family  PELECANHLE. 

CORMORANT.     Phalacrocorax  carbo  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  52 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol  vi,  pi.  388 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  1. 

THIS  voracious  bird  inhabits  both  fresh  and  salt  water, 
and  is  of  frequent  occurrence  on  those  larger  lakes  and 
rivers  which  yield  an  abundant  supply  of  fish.  It  is 
plentiful  and  widely  distributed  along  the  coasts  of  the 
British  Islands,  though  on  the  wild  western  sea-board  of 
Scotland  and  Ireland,  its  congener  the  Shag — with  which 
it  is  often  confounded — is  much  more  numerous. 

Most  of  us  are  familiar  with  the  dark  figure  of  the  sturdy 
Cormorant,  whether  seen  resting  on  a  post  or  buoy,  gorged 
with  food,  motionless  and  unattractive,  or  standing  on  a 
rock  with  outstretched  and  dripping  wings,  or  speeding 
across  the  tideway  towards  its  favourite  fishing-haunts. 

When  swimming,  the  greater  part  of  the  body  of  this 
bird  is  submerged,  indeed  its  long  neck  and  head  are 
practically  all  that  can  be  seen  of  it ;  hence  it  often 
escapes  observation,  even  at  close  quarters.  As  a  general 
rule  this  species  is  shy  and  watchful  on  the  water,  and 
can  only  be  observed  satisfactorily  through  a  binocular. 

Food. — The  Cormorant  feeds  almost  entirely  on  fish, 
which  are  captured  at  varying  depths  beneath  the  surface, 
1 


2  PELECANID^E 

though  I  have  seen  a  very  young  duckling  snatched  off  the 
surface  of  an  ornamental  pond  and  demolished  entire.1 

Unlike  the  Auks  and  other  diving  species,  the  Cormorant 
does  not  use  its  wings  to  propel  itself  under  water,  but 
depends  entirely  on  its  huge  feet.  Owing  to  the  length  and 
flexibility  of  its  neck,  which  it  can  retract  and  shoot  out 
witfe  ike  speed  pi  &  Serpent's  strike,  and  the  high  speed  with 
which  it  c'arT  trartfei  binder  water,  it  can  overtake  its  finny 
pT^y.withcfchfe^reatest'ease.  Eels  are  frequently  seized,  and 
the  'Corm6r'an%  foaS  fo'tfen seen  rising  to  the  surface  with  one 
of  those  fish  held  transversely  in  its  beak.  Under  such  cir- 
cumstances the  bird  generally  manages  to  jerk  its  prey  into 
the  air  and  swallow  it  head-foremost.2  I  have  seen  a  Cor- 
morant coine  up  to  the  surface  to  swallow  a  large  flat-fish, 
but  under  ordinary  circumstances  it  will  consume  several 
small  fish  under  water,  before  rising  to  take  breath.  This 
can  be  demonstrated  in  the  fresh-water  tanks  of  our 
Zoological  Gardens,  where  the  Cormorant  thrives  well. 
This  species  can  be  readily  trained  to  catch  fish,  and  in 
China  and  Japan  it  is  extensively  used  for  the  purpose. 

Cormorants  often  fare  badly  in  rough  weather,  the  great 
billows  buffeting  them  about  until  they  are  dashed  against 
the  headlands.  During  a  tempest,  some  of  the  younger  and 
weaker  members,  being  unable  to  venture  out  in  search  of 
food,  perish  from  hunger. 

Flight. — In  the  air  the  Cormorant  somewhat  resembles 
a  great  black  goose,  travelling  along  with  outstretched  neck 
and  rapidly  beating  pinions.  Solitary  individuals  are  usually 
seen  skimming  over  the  waves,  but,  when  taking  long  flights 
in  company,  the  birds  will  proceed  in  a  V-shaped  flock  at 
a  considerable  height  in  the  air. 

On  fresh-water  lakes  and  rivers,  where  timber  is  plentiful, 
Cormorants  may  be  noticed  alighting  on  trees,  more  par- 
ticularly on  the  stout  leafless  stumps. 


1  This  was  a  tragic  scene  which  I  witnessed  at  a  Cormorant  enclosure. 
The  duckling,  in  pursuit  of  flies,  had  only  just  ventured  to  pass  through 
one  of  the  meshes  of  the  wire  netting,  when  the  savage  inmate'  dashed 
across  the  surface  of   the  water  with  a  great  fluttering  of   wings,  and 
seizing  the  helpless  fledgling,  engulfed  it  in  an  instant. 

2  I  have  known  a  Cormorant  to  swallow  an  eel  in  this  manner  and 
reappear  almost  immediately,  with  apparently  another  eel  in  its  mouth, 
but  as  this  performance  was  repeated  several  times  in  very  rapid  suc- 
cession, it  is  more  than  likely  that  the  one  tish  had  been  disgorged  and 
reswallowed. 


'*  •      • 


COKMOKANT  3 

Voice. — The  voice  of  the  Cormorant  is  loud  and  croaking, 
and  the  pitch  is  so  low  that  the  note  may  be  compared  to 
that  produced  on  a  bassoon. 

Nest. — The  Cormorant  is  gregarious  in  the  breeding- 
season,  and  large  numbers  of  birds  nest  in  colonies  on  the 
exposed  ledges  of  sea-cliffs,  lake-islands  (where  the  nests 
are  in  some  localities  built  on  the  ground),  and  in  a  few 
places  on  trees  and  bushes.  (Plate  IV.)  The  nest  is  a  large 
compact  structure,  composed,  for  the  most  part,  of  stems  or 
sticks,1  and  in  maritime  situations  of  masses  of  seaweed,2 
and  it  is  plentifully  lined  with  grasses  and  fragments  of 
moss  ;  wreaths  of  fresh  ivy  covered  with  leaves  are  some- 
times added.  The  eggs,  three  to  five  in  number,  have  a 
rough  chalky  white  incrustation,  under  which  is  a  pale  blue 
shell.  In  sheltered  localities  incubation  begins  early  in 
April,  but  on  exposed  sea-cliffs,  not  until  a  few  weeks  later. 
The  young  are  at  first  naked  and  blind,  the  eyelids  remaining 
closed  for  about  a  fortnight.  The  nestling,  from  the  time 
it  is  hatched  until  it  is  well-grown  and  covered  with  down, 
thrusts  its  head  into  its  parent's  throat  to  partake  of  the 
macerated  food  reserved  for  its  support. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Cormorant  is 
found  breeding  in  Europe,  including  Iceland  and  the 
Faroes,  in  Asia,  North  Africa,  and  along  the  Atlantic  side 
of  North  America. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and 
neck,  black,  interspersed  with  thin  white  feathers ;  those 
springing  from  the  back  of  the  head  grow  longer  and  more 
hair-like  in  the  nuptial  season,  forming  a  crest  of  sparsely 


1  I   have   frequently   watched   Cormorants   in   a   state   of  captivity 
building  their  nests,  and  have  seen  the  male  dive  to  the  bottom  of  the 
pond  and  come  up  with  sticks  or  coarse  grass  in  his  beak.     With  crest 
erected  and  apparently  looking  very  excited,  he  carries  the  material  to 
the  rock  selected  for  breeding-purposes.    The  female  looks  ridiculous  when 
receiving  the  attentions  of  her  mate  ;  she  retracts  her  neck  between  her 
shoulders,   and   with  beak    pointing   vertically   upwards,   she   utters   a 
hoarse  laughing  cry,  and  then  either  snatches  the  stick  from  her  mate 
or  allows  him  to  deposit  it  beside  the  nest. 

2  In  a  large  colony  a  Cormorant  arrives  trailing  a  mass  of  seaweed, 
but  on  the  way  to  the  nest  much  of  this  is  snatched  from  him  by  the 
birds  on  other  nests. 


4  PELECANID^E 

scattered  straight  plumes ;  throat  and  front  of  cheeks, 
white  ;  back  and  wings,  greenish-brown  and  black  ; 
primaries,  black ;  breast  and  abdomen,  dark  bluish-black ; 
large  pure  white  patch  on  the  flanks ;  tail  (of  fourteen 
feathers)  black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Kesembles  the  male  plumage, 
but  is  duller,  with  a  shorter  crest. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  crest  is  very  short; 
throat  and  front  of  cheeks,  impure  white;  white  on  the 
flanks  replaced  by  bluish-black. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Plumage  chiefly  dark 
brown,  the  breast  and  abdomen  being  a  paler  shade,  mottled 
with  white. 

BEAK.  Brown  (except  the  basal  part  of  the  lower 
segment  and  the  throat-pouch,  which  are  yellow) ;  hooked 
at  the  extremity. 

FEET.1     Black. 

IEIDES.    Bright  green. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 36      in.  Female  smaller. 

WING         14       „ 

BEAK         2*7    ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...  2'25  ,, 

EGG  ...       2-75  X  1'6  in. 


Allied    Species    and    Eepresentative    Forms — P.    novcz- 
liollandice  is  the  Australian  and  New  Zealand  form. 


1  The  term  FEET  is  here  used  in  its  strict  morphological  sense,  and 
includes  not  simply  the  toes,  and,  in  the  case  of  water-birds,  the  webs, 
but  also  the  tarso-metatarsi  (the  so-called  "  legs  "  or  "  tarsi").  In  most 
birds  the  feet  are  covered  with  scales,  and  the  legs  with  feathers, 
excepting  a  very  limited  portion  immediately  above  the  ankle-joints. 
In  this  region  the  legs  are  clothed  with  scales  which  are  usually  the 
same  colour  as  those  of  the  tarso-metatarsi,  and  do  not  call  for  a  sepa- 
rate description.  Most  birds  support  themselves  on  their  toes,  but 
some  species,  such  as  the  Auks,  Divers  and  Grebes,  frequently  bring 
the  whole  foot  in  contact  with  the  ground  when  standing. 


SHAG  5 

SHAG.     Phalacrocorax  graculus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.  — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
53  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  389  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  2. 

The  Shag  is  essentially  a  sea-bird  and  is  more  abundant 
than  the  Cormorant  along  those  portions  of  the  wild  rocky 
coasts  of  Ireland  and  Scotland  which  are  washed  by  the 
Atlantic  ;  its  numbers  exceed  those  of  the  last  species  also 
along  the  south-western  sea-board  of  England  and  Wales. 

The  Shag,  unlike  the  Cormorant,  seldom  alights  on 
sand-flats  at  ebb-tide  in  company  with  hosts  of  wading- 
birds  and  gulls,  or  on  gunwalls,  piers,  poles,  lighthouses,  or 
buoys.  Its  favourite  perch  is  a  massive  rugged  rock,  jutting 
out  of  the  sea,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  land.  Here, 
one  or  several  of  its  own  kind,  accompanied  by  a  Great 
Black-backed  Gull,  a  small  detachment  of  Oyster-catchers, 
and  a  Hooded  Crow  or  twro,  form  a  familiar  and  interesting 
feature  of  bird-life  on  the  wild  desolate  coast. 

The  Shag  is  one  of  the  hardiest  of  sea-birds ;  it  will 
keep  to  the  water  during  a  raging  gale,  until  driven  by  tide 
and  tempest  almost  on  to  the  rocks.  Then  it  will  rise  clear 
of  the  great  rolling  billows,  and,  through  blinding  showers 
of  spray  and  foam,  will  wing  its  way  to  a  wave-swept 
cavern  in  the  beetling  cliff.  Numbers  of  immature  Shags 
congregate  in  autumn,  on  the  flat-topped  grass-covered 
rocky  islands,  where  they  can  usually  be  approached  quite 
closely  in  a  boat.  They  may  be  seen  standing  upright 
in  a  line,  like  so  many  soldiers,  until  the  alarm  is  given, 
when  they  all  take  to  the  water ;  there  they  alternately  dive 
and  swim  until  they  have  reached  a  safe  distance  from  the 
spectator.  As  in  the  case  of  the  Cormorant,  the  greater  part 
of  the  body  of  the  Shag  is  under  water  when  it  is  swimming. 
Thus  when  several  are  met  with  on  the  water,  it  is  their 
long  and  slender  necks,  resembling  a  number  of  upright 
sticks,  which  first  attract  attention. 

Food. — The  Shag  feeds  on  sea-fish,  in  search  of  which 
it  is  capable  of  descending  to  a  great  depth,  at  times 
even  to  the  sea-bottom.  Its  mode  of  progression  under 
water  is  identical  with  that  of  the  Cormorant,  and  both 
species  when  about  to  descend,  at  first  rise  slightly  in  the 
water,  and  then  plunge,  head-foremost,  with  tightly  closed 
wings.  The  path  pursued  by  both  Shag  and  Cormorant 
under  water,  appears  to  be  one  of  almost  vertical  descent ; 


6  PELECANID^E 

this,  correlated  with  the  fact  that  they  only  use  their  legs  as 
propelling  organs,  necessitates  their  making  a  strong  initial 
plunge  under  water.  Indeed,  these  two  birds  are  divers  in 
the  strict  sense  of  the  word,  differing  from  the  Auks,  which 
may  be  said  to  fly  with  open  wings  through  the  water,  in 
pursuit  of  fry,  and  sometimes  at  no  great  depth  below  the 
surface. 


FIG.  l.— SHAG. 

Flight. — On  the  wing  the  Shag  strongly  resembles  the 
Cormorant,  and  the  two  species  might  easily  be  confounded 
by  persons  unacquainted  with  the  difference  in  the  size 
of  the  birds.  The  Shag,  which  is  only  three-fourths  of  the 
size  of  the  Cormorant,  is  generally  to  be  seen  flying  low 
over  the  waves  from  one  fishing-ground  to  another.  Except 
when  migrating,  there  is  seldom  any  occasion  for  the  bird 
to  rise  high  in  the  air,  for  the  nest  is  generally  situated  near 
the  base  of  a  cliff. 

Voice. — The  note  is  croaking  in  character,  but  softer  and 
more  highly-pitched  than  that  of  the  Cormorant. 

Nest. — The  Shag  is  gregarious  in  the  breeding-season, 
but  the  colonies  are  usually  smaller  than  those  of  the 
last  species.  The  nest  is  generally  built  in  nooks  and 
caverns  on  sea-cliffs,  rather  than  in  exposed  situations. 


SHAG  7 

The  ledges  of  a  sea-cave  are  often  tenanted  by  several 
pairs  breeding  in  close  proximity,  while  dens  in  a  sea-face 
of  boulder  clay  are  also  used.  A  strong  pungent  odour 
pervades  these  dwelling-places,  more  especially  when  the 
young  are  hatched  or  when  incubation  is  far  advanced.  In 
some  cases  solitary  nests  are  built  in  recesses  between  loose 
rocks  and  boulders.  The  Shag  sits  very  closely  on  her  nest, 
sometimes  allowing  herself  to  be  touched  and  even  stroked 
with  the  hand  ;  in  many  instances,  however,  she  will  bite 
savagely.  Once,  on  Lambay  Island,  I  endeavoured  to  lift 
a  bird  off  her  nest,  but  she  held  so  firmly  to  the  ledge  of 
the  cave  with  the  hooked  extremity  of  her  beak,  that  I 
was  obliged  to  set  her  free.  With  a  low  hoarse  croak  she 
instantly  retreated  into  the  cave.  The  nest  is  composed 
of  damp  decaying  seaweeds  and  other  vegetation,  firmly 
pressed  into  a  compact  mass.  The  eggs,  three  to  four  in 
number,  resemble  those  of  the  Cormorant,  but  are  smaller  ; 
their  shells  are  roughly  coated  with  lime. 

Incubation  begins  early  in  April. 

The  young,  when  first  hatched,  are  naked  and  blind,  and 
are  fed  in  the  same  way  as  young  Cormorants. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Abroad,  the  geographical 
distribution  of  this  species  is  more  restricted  than  that  of  the 
Cormorant.  The  Shag  is  common  in  the  Faroes,  on  the 
coast  of  Norway,  and  on  some  of  the  islands  off  the  coast  of 
Russian  Lapland.  It  breeds  in  the  Channel  Islands,  also 
on  the  west  coasts  of  France,  Spain,  Portugal,  and  Morocco. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  (which  from 
January  to  May  is  surmounted  by  a  handsome  rosette-like 
crest  of  soft  wavy  recurving  feathers),  neck,  breast  and 
abdomen,  rich  metallic-green,  reflecting  tints  of  purple  and 
bronze  ;  feathers  of  the  back  and  wings,  dark  green  with 
blackish  margins  ;  primaries,  and  tail  (of  twelve  feathers) 
black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  colour  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  The  head-crest  is 
absent. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Head,  back  of  neck,  back 
and  wings,  dark  brown  with  a  greenish  shade  ;  throat,  breast 
and  abdomen,  lighter  brown,  mottled  with  grey. 


8  PELECANIDJE 

BEAK.  Black,  (except  the  base  of  the  under  segment, 
which  is  yellow) ;  hooked  at  the  extremity ;  throat-pouch 
black,  speckled  with  small  round  yellow  spots. 

FEET.     Black. 

IRIDES.  Bright  emerald-green. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 27        in.    Female  smaller. 

WING        10-5       „ 

BEAK         ...,         2'5      „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...     2'25    ,, 
EGG  2-25  X  T2  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — P.  desmaresti, 
is  the  form  which  is  found  along  the  Mediterranean. 

A  male  American  Darter,  Plotus  anhinga,  supposed  to 
have  been  shot  near  Poole,  Dorset,  in  June,  1851,  has 
been  recorded  by  Bev.  A.  C.  Smith.  ( '  Zoologist,'  1852.) 


GANNET.     Sula  bassana  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.— Gould,  «  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  54  ; 
Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  392 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  3  ;  Booth,  '  Eough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  plates  26  to  31. 

Although  belonging  to  the  same  family  as  the  Cormo- 
rant and  Shag,  with  which  it  has  close  structural  affinities, 
notably  in  the  foot,  the  four  toes  of  which  are  connected  by 
a  web,  still  the  Gannet  differs  markedly  in  its  habits  of  life. 
Unlike  the  preceding  species  it  seldom  lands  except  to 
breed,  preferring  to  lead  a  wandering  pelagic  life.  It  is  of 
frequent  occurrence  around  the  British  coasts,  especially  in 
spring,  when  the  birds  are  passing  northward  in  consider- 
able numbers  to  breed,  and  again  in  autumn  on  their 
return  journey  southward.  Away  from  its  breeding-haunts 
the  Gannet  is  not  gregarious,  and  single  birds,  or  gather- 
ings of  two  or  three,  are  most  frequently  met  with,  though 
I  have  seen  large  numbers  fishing  together. 

Flight. — With  its  powerful  lengthy  pinions,  and  the 
possession  of  large  air-chambers  under  the  skin  (which 
when  inflated  render  the  bird  wonderfully  buoyant),  the 


GANNET  9 

Gannet  is  endowed  with  the  power  of  sailing  in  the  midst 
of  the  tempest,  nor  do  the  billows  as  they  dash  with 
unabated  fury  against  the  headlands,  stay  this  bird's 
powers  as  it  plunges  fearlessly  through  the  angry  surf. 
Not  only  in  its  great  wTing-power  but  also  in  the  manner  in 
which  it  dives,  the  Gannet  differs  considerably  from  the 
preceding  two  species.  The  Cormorant  and  Shag  dive  only 
from  the  surface  of  the  water,  the  Gannet,  on  the  other 
hand,  descends  suddenly  from  a  considerable  height  in  the 
air  with  closed  wings  and  almost  incredible  speed,  piercing 
the  ocean  head-foremost  in  pursuit  of  fish. 

Food. — When  fishing,  Gannets  are  generally  met  with 
singly,  but  where  food  is  plentiful  the  birds  collect  into 
companies  varying  from  five  to  fifty  or  more  in  number. 
They  prey  exclusively  on  surface-swimming  fish,  such  as 
herrings  and  mackerel,  and  the  impetus  of  the  birds' 
descent  into  the  water  sends  the  spray  high  into  the  air. 
I  have  a  vivid  recollection  of  the  first  large  flock  of  Gannets 
I  saw  fishing.1  1  watched  the  movements  of  the  birds  from 
a  steamer.  The  plunge  was  so  sudden  and  the  splash 
so  great,  that  I  almost  failed  to  recognise  the  form  of  each 
descending  bird,  and  could  well  have  believed  that  some 
mighty  power  was  hurling  huge  boulders  into  the  water 
from  overhead. 

Young  Gannets  are  eaten,  or  sold  as  food,  by  the  peasants 
in  some  of  the  remote  districts  of  Scotland. 

Voice. — When  wandering  over  the  sea,  the  Gannet  is 
a  silent  bird,  but  at  its  nesting-haunts  it  is  often  noisy, 
and  several  members  of  the  colony  may  be  heard  uttering 
a  note  which  may  be  syllabled  carra-crac,  carra-crac. 

Nest. — Gannets  are  highly  gregarious  in  the  breeding- 
season,  selecting  for  their  nesting-sites  majestic  rocks,  dis- 
tant from  land,  and  several  hundreds  of  feet  in  height.  They 
usually  assemble  about  March  at  their  breeding-stations, 
which  they  tenant  until  October.  In  such  places  they 
crowd  together  in  countless  numbers,  and  their  white  forms 
against  the  dark  rocky  islands  afford  a  most  impressive 
spectacle.  When  a  colony  is  approached,  hundreds  of  birds 
appear  on  the  wing,  some  wheeling  gracefully  about,  others 
taking  sharp  swooping  turns  towards  the  cliffs,  as  though 
anxious  to  see  that  their  homes  and  families  were  not  being 
intruded  upon.  Large  numbers  of  nests  are  placed  on  the 
ledges  of  cliff-faces,  others  on  elevated  platforms  and  on  the 
tops  of  stacks. 

1  In  Dundalk  Bay  on  the  east  coast  of  Ireland. 


10  PELECANIOZE 

The  nest  is  made  chiefly  of  seaweed  with  grasses  and 
other  herbage,  while  "  rags  and  paper,  the  straw  of  wine- 
bottles  and  pieces  of  cork  are  used"  (Ussher).  The  single 
egg  has  a  white  crust  of  limy  material,  under  which  is 
a  pale  blue  shell.  The  outer  coat  soon  becomes  dis- 
coloured. Incubation  begins  early  in  May,  and  the  birds 
are  remarkably  fearless  when  hatching,  allowing  themselves 
in  some  cases  to  be  touched  by  the  hand,  provided  their 
haunts  are  approached  quietly.  The  young  are  hatched 
naked  and  with  their  eyelids  closed,  and  are  fed  after  the 
manner  of  young  Cormorants. 

As  a  British  bird  the  Gannet  breeds  on  Grassholm,  off 
Pembrokeshire,  the  one  colony  in  Wales :  Lundy  Island,  its 
only  breeding  station  in  England,  may  possibly  still  accom- 
modate a  few  pairs. 

In  Scotland  arid  the  neighbouring  islands,  this  bird 
nests  on  the  Bass  Rock,  off  Haddingtonshire  ;  Ailsa  Craig 
in  the  Firth  of  Clyde;  on  Boreray  in  St.  Kilda ;  on  Sulis- 
geir,  thirty-five  miles  north  of  the  Butt  of  Lewis ;  and  at 
Suliskerry,  forty  miles  west  of  Stromness  (Saunders). 

In  Ireland  it  breeds  on  the  Bull  Rock,  off  co.  Cork ; 
and  more  numerously  on  the  Little  Skellig,  off  the  coast 
of  Kerry.  (Plate  V.) 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Gannet  breeds 
in  the  Faroes  and  in  Iceland,  also  on  some  of  the  islands 
in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  During  its  peregrinations 
in  autumn  and  winter,  it  wanders  over  the  North  Atlantic 
Ocean  as  far  south  as  lat.  25°  N.,  extending  westward  from 
North  Africa  to  Central  America. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back 
of  neck,  light  buff;  rest  of  the  plumage  pure  white,  except 
the  primaries  which  are  black  ;  tail,  wedge-shaped,  the  central 
feathers  being  the  longest. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Head,  hind-neck,  back  and 
wings,  dark  brown  speckled  with  white ;  throat  and  rest  of 
neck,  breast  and  abdomen,  mottled  greyish-brown  and 


GANNET  11 

impure  white.  The  adult  plumage  is  very  gradually 
assumed,  and  is  not  completed  until  the  sixth  year. 

BEAK.  Pale  bluish-grey,  tinged  with  green  at  the  base ; 
strong  and  cone-shaped ;  point  slightly  hooked. 

FEET.      Greyish-black. 

IRIDES.  Vary  from  pale  straw-yellow  to  silvery-white ; 
surrounding  bare  skin,  greenish. 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 34        in. 

WING         19 

BEAK         .>/ 4 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...  2'25    ,, 

EGG  3-25X1-9  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — "A  Tropic 
bird,  Phcethon  cethereus,  is  said  to  have  been  found  dead 
in  Herefordshire  more  than  forty  years  ago.  (J.  H. 
Gurney,  Tr.  Norfolk  Soc.  v.  p.  659)."  (Saunders.) 


12 


Order  HERODIONES. 


Family 
COMMON  HERON.     Ardea  cinerea  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  «  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
20  ;  Dresser,  «  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  395  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  4  ;  Booth,  «  Eough  Notes,' 
vol.  ii,  pi.  15. 

In  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  the  Heron  is  the  only 
common  representative  of  the  Order  to  which  it  belongs. 
Unlike  the  succeeding  species  of  Herons,  the  Bitterns, 
and  the  Storks,  which  are  but  wanderers  to  our  Isles, 
the  Common  Heron  is  resident,  and,  being  very  adaptable 
to  its  surroundings,  is  widely  distributed.  It  is,  in  fact, 
a  fairly  ubiquitous  species,  occurring  in  considerable  num- 
bers on  the  remote  treeless  islands  of  the  western  maritime 
counties  as  well  as  in  sheltered  and  thickly-timbered  dis- 
tricts. Away  from  its  breeding-haunts,  the  Heron  is 
wont  to  lead  a  solitary  and  secluded  life,  though  in  some 
places,  notably  along  the  sea-coast,  I  have  frequently  seen 
parties  of  a  dozen  or  more  together.  In  a  day's  walk  the 
Heron  may  be  met  with  in  varied  localities  ;  along  the  side 
of  a  mountain-rivulet,  by  the  banks  of  the  clear  swift- 
flowing  trout  stream,  along  the  margin  of  the  reed-fringed 
lake  or  river,  on  snipe-marshes,  in  the  drains  of  turf-bogs, 
on  esturine  mud-slobs  and  sand-flats,  and  on  the  rocky 
portions  of  the  coast.  Whatever  be  the  locality,  the 
solitary  and  stately  figure  of  the  Heron  is  familiar  to 
ornithologist,  gunner,  angler,  artist  and  country-folk.1 


The  majority  of  people  in  Ireland  call  this  bird  the  "  Crane." 


COMMON  HEEON  13 

Like  its  congeners,  this  bird  will  stand  as  motionless  as  a 
statue  for  a  considerable  time,  observing  the  movements  of 
creatures  which  may  venture  within  striking-range  of  its 
formidable  beak.  I  have  watched  a  Heron  visit  a  winding 
mountain-rivulet  regularly  for  a  few  successive  evenings, 
and  have  timed  it  to  stand  motionless  for  fifteen  min- 
utes before  striking  at  a  small  trout.  I  have  seen  it 
strike  several  times  in  very  rapid  succession,  before  raising 
its  head  to  swallow  its  prey.  From  this  it  seems  evident 
that  the  Heron  may  strike  with  the  point  of  its  closed  beak, 
as  a  man  would  use  a  pick-axe,  thereby  first  disabling  its 
quarry  by  breaking  its  back.  Its  long,  powerful,  and  wedge- 
shaped  beak,  is  admirably  constructed  for  this  purpose. 


FIG.  2.-  COMMON  HERONS. 

The  movements  of  a  Heron  may  often  be  successfully 
watched  from  the  ambush  afforded  by  the  tall  reeds 
which  fringe  the  banks  of  a  winding  river.  Probably 
the  bird  will  alight  at  a  bend  of  the  river  out  of  sight  of 
the  observer,  who  is  then  afforded  an  opportunity  of  advanc- 
ing stealthily  among  the  reeds.  The  unsuspecting  bird  may 
walk  by  the  water's  edge  in  a  direction  towards  the  observer, 
perhaps  appearing  suddenly  within  a  few  yards  of  him. 
In  this  way  I  have  managed  to  approach  Herons  and 
study  their  habits,  for  many  hours  at  a  stretch,  along  the 


14  AKDEID^ 

banks  of  the  river  Maine,  co.  Kerry.1  When  satiated  with 
food  the  bird  usually  stands  with  its  neck  coiled  or  folded 
back,  so  that  the  head  is  well  sunk  between  the  shoulders, 
an  attitude  too  seldom  reproduced  by  the  taxidermist.  I 
have  noted  the  remarkable  tameness  of  immature  birds  in 
localities  where  they  are  not  molested.  For  instance,  on  one 
of  the  lakes  near  Waterville,  co.  Kerry,  I  have  sculled  a 
boat,  containing  several  occupants,  to  within  ten  yards  of 
a  Heron.  We  watched  it  wading,  knee-deep,  at  a  slow 
deliberate  pace,  along  the  brink  of  the  lake,  rapidly 
demolishing  small  fish.  It  did  not  appear  in  the  least 
alarmed  until  we  arrived  right  beside  it  among  the  rushes, 
when  it  quickly  raised  its  head,  and  stretching  its  long 
neck  to  its  fullest,  took  flight,  alighting  again  a  short 
distance  on. 

Though  Herons  generally  move  slowly  on  foot  or  remain 
motionless  when  searching  for  food,  I  have  seen  parties  of 
immature  birds  pacing  at  a  brisk  rate  through  shallow 
channels  on  the  coast,  snapping  up,  in  quick  succession, 
shrimps  and  tiny  fishes,  which  were  swarming  beneath 
them.  I  have  noticed  this  habit  in  early  autumn  when 
the  old  and  young  birds  visit  the  esturine  slob-lands  and 
sand-flats  of  the  coast. 

Food. — The  Heron  lives  largely  on  coarse  fresh-water 
fish,  though  in  some  places  it  is  destructive  to  young 
trout  and  salmon.  It  is  also  fond  of  frogs  and  newts, 
and  it  preys,  to  a  less  extent,  upon  rats  and  young  birds  : 
in  hard  frost  it  has  been  known  to  carry  off  a  screaming 
water-hen  (Ussher).  I  have  seen  a  Heron  strike  a  Black- 
bird, which  occupied  the  same  aviary,  and  swallow  it, 
feathers  and  all. 

Flight. — A  Heron  flying  is  a  characteristic  figure.  It 
leisurely  flaps  its  ample  wings,  carrying  its  long  legs  straight 
out  behind,  which  appear  to  the  observer  like  a  pair  of 
elongated  tail-feathers,  while  the  neck  is  drawn  back 
between  the  shoulders.  The  Heron,  therefore,  when  flying 
assumes  quite  a  different  pose  from  that  of  many  other  long- 
necked  birds,  e.g.,  Cormorants,  Swans,  Geese,  Ducks,  Grebes, 
Divers,  which  fly  with  their  necks  at  full  stretch.  The 
Heron  is,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  a  slow-flying  bird, 

1  Herons  are  numerous  along  this  river,  which  skirts  the  Heronry  of 
Kilcoleman  Abbey. 


COMMON  HEEON  15 

but  when  evading  a  Falcon  or  an  Eagle  it  can  twist  and 
swoop  with  great  velocity,  and  its  powers  of  soaring  are 
no  less  remarkable  than  those  exhibited  by  the  Stork  or 
Crane.  (See  p.  40.) 

Voice. — The  loud  alarm-cry  is  generally  sounded  when 
the  bird  is  about  to  rise,  or  when  it  is  winging  its  way 
homeward  to  roost.  It  can  be  heard  a  long  way  off,  even 
when  the  bird  is  a  great  height  in  the  air.  It  may  be 
syllabled  ank-ank,  or  ack-ack,  and  the  tone  of  the  voice  is 
very  harsh  and  scolding.  The  note  heard  at  the  breeding- 
haunts  is  softer  and  sounds  like  crau-crau-craak.  The  half- 
fledged  young  keep  up  a  constant  chattering,  ic-ic-ic. 

Nest. — Many  species  of  birds  which  assemble  in  large 
companies  to  breed  are  more  or  less  gregarious  throughout 
the  year,  for  instance,  Kooks,  Lapwings,  Terns  and  Gulls. 
The  Heron,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  bird  which  enjoys  solitude 
except  during  the  breeding-season,  when  it  becomes  dis- 
tinctly sociable. 

Herons  are  very  early  breeding-birds,  congregating  at 
their  heronries  towards  the  end  of  January.  They  usually 
build  on  lofty  trees,  such  as  the  fir  or  beech,  often  in  com- 
pany with  Rooks  and  less  frequently  with  Cormorants.  In 
districts  where  trees  are  not  available,  low,  stunted  bushes 
are  utilised.  Heronries,  however,  are  occasionally  to  be 
found  in  a  variety  of  other  sites,  such  as  on  the  walls  of  ruins, 
covered  or  not  with  ivy,  among  reeds  and  bulrushes,  on  the 
bare  side  of  a  hill,  and  on  the  ground.  I  have  found  a 
few  Herons'  nests  on  the  wild  rugged  cliffs  of  the  Dingle 
peninsula.  The  nests  in  a  heronry  vary  in  size  and  shape  ; 
some  are  considerably  larger  and  deeper  than  others,  and 
only  the  smaller  ones  are  built  out  at  the  ends  of  slender 
branches.1  Those  placed  on  thick,  stunted  bushes,  on  cliffs, 
or  on  the  ground,  often  exceed  in  size  those  placed  in  trees. 
The  more  usual  shape  of  the  nests  is  that  of  a  broad  and 
rather  flattened  cup :  the  foundation  is  made  of  sticks, 
the  lining  is  of  finer  twigs,  sometimes  of  dried  grass  and 
other  herbage.  The  eggs,  three  to  five  in  number,  are 
bluish-green;  they  are  laid  early  in  February  in  sheltered 

1  Herons  on  approaching  their  breeding- haunts  may  often  be  seen 
precipitating  themselves  through  the  air  from  a  considerable  height 
and  perching  without  hesitation  on  the  nearest  branches,  which  are  not 
always  capable  of  sustaining  their  weight.  It  is  amusing  to  see  the 
antics  of  the  great  birds  as  they  tumble  through  the  tops  of  the  trees 
before  gaining  a  sure  footing ;  their  mates  all  the  while  uttering  a  low 
and  anxious  growl. 


16  AKDEID^E 

heronries,  but  later  in  exposed  localities,  and  the  young  are 
able  to  leave  the  nest  in  May,  after  which  a  second  clutch 
is  often  hatched.  It  would  appear  that  the  majority  of 
birds  in  a  heronry  commence  to  incubate  much  about  the 
same  time,  so  that  nearly  all  the  young  of  the  first  broods 
are  hatched  out  together.  This  is  borne  out  by  the  fact 
that  the  ground  beneath  the  nesting-trees  may  be  seen 
thickly  strewn  with  empty  egg-shells  early  in  the  month 
of  March.  The  young  are  helpless  creatures  for  several 
days  after  they  are  hatched.  In  August,  adults  and  young 
leave  the  heronries  for  the  season,  returning  year  after  year 
to  the  same  breeding-haunts. 

In  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  the  Heron  is  still  a  plenti- 
ful breeding- species,  so  much  so  that  it  would  be  beyond 
the  limits  of  this  work  to  specify  the  names  of  the  counties 
in  which  heronries  are  to  be  found.  It  may,  however, 
be  mentioned  that  in  addition  to  the  mainland,  islands  off 
the  western  sea-board  of  Scotland  and  Ireland  accommodate 
heronries. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Heron  breeds 
over  the  greater  part  of  Southern  and  Central  Europe,  its 
northern  range  hardly  extending  beyond  the  latitudes  of 
our  own  Isles.  Eastward,  it  breeds  in  Temperate  and 
Tropical  Asia,  but  to  the  African  Continent  as  well  as  to 
Australia  it  is  only  a  winter  visitor.  Exceptionally  it  has 
wandered  to  Iceland  and  Greenland. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Forehead,  white  ;  top 
of  head  and  long  crest-plumes,  bluish-black ;  cheeks,  throat 
and  neck,  white,  the  last  being  streaked  in  front  by  two 
dark  bluish-grey  lines ;  at  the  root  of  the  neck  is  a  tuft  of 
long  white  feathers  ;  back,  wings,  tail,  slate-colour  ;  primaries, 
blackish  ;  breast1  and  abdomen,  greyish-white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  markings  are  similar  to 
those  of  the  male,  but  the  shades  are  duller,  and  the  head 
and  neck-plumes  are  shorter. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Entire  plumage  chiefly 
light  slate-colour,  the  neck  being  of  a  paler  shade ;  head- 
plumes  much  shorter  than  in  the  adult ;  neck-plumes  absent. 

1  All  members  of  the  Heron  family  possess  powdery  tufts  of  decom- 
posed feathers  along  the  breast  and  sides. 


PUKPLE  HEBON  17 

BEAK.  Yellow ;  strong,  wedge-shaped,  and  well  pointed 
at  the  extremity. 

FEET.'    Greenish-brown. 

IRIDES.  Light  orange-colour ;  bare  patch  in  front  of 
the  eye,  green. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...  37       in.    Female  smaller. 

WING        17*25    „ 

BEAK         5 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...     6'75   ,, 
EGG  2-5  xl'7in. 


PURPLE   HERON.     Ardea  purpurea  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pi.  21 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  396 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  5. 

The  Purple  Heron  is  a  rare  and  an  irregular  visitor,  occur- 
ring chiefly  on  the  east  coast  of  England.  According  to  Mr. 
Saunders,  about  fifty  examples  have  been  taken  in  our  Isles, 
and  these  mostly  immature.  In  the  '  Zoologist '  for  1903, 
p.  107,  mention  is  made  by  Mr.  Steele-Elliott  of  the  capture 
of  a  specimen  in  Hertfordshire  in  November,  1902.  There  is 
only  one  record  of  the  Purple  Heron  having  been  obtained 
in  Ireland,  namely,  a  bird  shot  at  Carrickmacross,  co.  Mona- 
ghan,  in  1834.  This  specimen  is  preserved  in  the  Science 
and  Art  Museum,  Dublin  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc.  1834,  p.  30). 
From  its  plumage  it  is  evidently  an  adult  bird. 

In  Scotland,  this  species  has  been  recorded  from  Caith- 
ness and  Aberdeenshire  more  than  forty  years  ago,  while  an 
immature  bird  was  shot  near  Prestonpans,  East  Lothian, 
in  October,1872  (Saunders). 

In  its  habits  the  Purple  Heron  is  shy  and  wary  ;  by  day 
it  skulks  amid  the  long  reeds  of  marsh  and  riverside, 
where  it  harmonises  so  exactly  with  the  surroundings  that 
its  presence  may  be  altogether  overlooked,  or  its  long 
thin  neck  may  be  mistaken  for  a  reed. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  buoyant  and  well  sustained. 

Voice. — The  note  is  hoarse  like  that  of  the  Common 
Heron. 


18  ARDEIDJE 

Food. — The  Purple  Heron  preys  upon  fish,  small  reptiles, 
mammals,  frogs,  insects  and  worms.  It  seeks  its  food 
mainly  after  sunset  and  during  the  night. 

Nest. — This  species  breeds  on  bog-land,  amid  thick 
reeds  and  sedges.  The  surrounding  vegetation  is  generally 
utilised  to  make  a  platform,  the  bird  trampling  down  the 
coarser  rushes  until  a  structure  is  raised  two  or  three  feet 
above  the  water,  and  on  this,  smaller  fragments  of  grasses 
and  other  herbage  are  arranged  to  form  a  rude  lining,  on 
which  the  eggs  are  placed.  In  the  '  Zoologist '  for  1901, 
pp.  290-293,  an  interesting  account  is  given  by  Mr.  R.  B. 
Lodge,  of  his  photo-trapping,  with  a  plate  of  .the  Purple 
Heron  "  automatically  photographed  by  itself." 

The  eggs,  three  in  number,  are  bluish-green. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Purple  Heron  breeds  in 
France,  Holland,  Spain,  Central  Germany  and  Southern 
Russia.  Considering  the  proximity  of  Holland,  where  the 
bird  is  common  in  summer,  it  is  somewhat  surprising  that 
more  records  are  not  forthcoming  of  the  occurrence  of  the 
Purple  Heron  on  the  east  side  of  Great  Britain.  As  a  wan- 
derer, it  has  visited  North  Germany,  Poland,  and  Scandinavia, 
while  it  migrates  in  winter  across  the  Mediterranean,  reaching 
North  Africa,  the  islands  off  the  west  coast,  and  extending 
down  to  the  Cape. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  long 
plumes,  glossy  purplish-black  ;  sides  of  head  and  neck,  fawn- 
coloured,  striped  with  bluish-black  ;  front  of  neck  and  throat, 
yellowish-red,  with  a  black  streak  extending  on  either  side 
of  the  middle  line,  and  ending  at  the  root  of  the  neck  in 
a  handsome  tuft  of  brown,  grey  and  black  feathers ;  back 
and  wings,  dark  slate-grey,  the  long  filamentous  plumes 
being  chestnut ;  tail,  grey ;  under  wing-coverts,  light-brown  ; 
breast,  rich  purple-red  ;  thighs,  rufous. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  long  plumes  are 
absent. 

Immature,  male  and  female. —  Until  the  second  moult,  the 
head,  neck  and  dorsal  plumes  are  absent,  and  the  general 
colour  of  the  back  and  wings  is  rusty-red,  while  the  breast 
and  abdomen  are  brownish- white. 


GEEAT  WHITE  HEKON  19 

BEAK.     Yellow. 

FEET.     Greenish-yellow  ;  toes,  very  long. 

IRIDES.  Yellow. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...         ...  33       in.    Female  smaller. 

WING       14*25  „ 

BEAK        6 

TARSO-METATARSUS       ...  5'4     „ 

EGG  ...  2-2  X  1'15  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — A.  manillensis, 
with  no  stripes  on  the  fore-neck,  is  the  Eastern  representative. 


GREAT  WHITE  HERON.     Ardea  alba  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
22  ;  Dresser,  <  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  398 ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  6. 

Many  of  the  notices  regarding  the  occurrences  of  the 
Great  White  Heron  in  our  Isles  are  unsubstantiated,  more- 
over this  species  seems  to  have  been  confounded  on  several 
occasions  with  the  Spoonbill. 

In  the  '  Transactions  '  of  the  Norfolk  Natural  History 
Society,  v,  p.  186,  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney  has  shown  that  there 
are  but  five  well-authenticated  British  specimens  on  record. 
These  are : — Two  taken  in  Yorkshire;  viz.,  one  from  Horn- 
sea  Mere  in  the  winter  of  1821,  the  other  from  Beverley,  in 
1835  (Strickland).  The  former  is  preserved  in  the  York 
Museum. 

The  third  specimen  was  procured  at  Tyninghame,  Firth 
of  Forth,  in  June,  1840  (Turnbull,  '  Birds  of  East  Lothian,' 
p.  42).  This  specimen  is  preserved  in  the  collection  of  the 
Earl  of  Haddington. 

The  fourth  was  obtained  on  Thorney  Fen,  Cambridge- 
shire, in  June,  1849  ;  it  is  preserved  in  the  collection  of 
Colonel  Strong,  Thorpe  Hall,  Peterborough. 

The  fifth,  a  comparatively  recent  example,  came  from 
Loch  Katrine,  Perthshire,  in  May,  1881.  (Journ.  Koy. 
Phys.  Soc.  Edin.  ix.  p.  568.)  It  is  preserved  in  the  Edin- 
burgh Museum. 


20  AKDEID^E 

Several  other  occurrences  of  more  doubtful  origin  are 
cited  in  Mr.  Harting's  '  Handbook  of  British  Birds,'  1901, 
pp.  439-441. 

The  Great  White  Heron  is  common  in  many  countries 
of  Southern  Europe  as  well  as  in  Asia  and  Africa. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial — Entire  plumage  white  ; 
the  filamentous  feathers  on  the  back  are  long,  and  form 
a  considerable  tuft ;  at  the  root  of  the  neck  there  is  another 
tuft  of  smaller  proportions. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  colour  to  the  male, 
but  with  shorter  plumes. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  long  feathers  of 
the  back  are  absent. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  dorsal  plumes  are  not 
assumed  until  the  second  spring. 

BEAK.  Black  during  the  nesting-season,  yellow  in  the 
winter  (Saunders). 

FEET.     Brownish-black. 

IRIDES.  Yellow. 

EGGS.     Light  greenish-blue ;  clutch,  three  to  four. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 35      in.  Female  smaller. 

WING        ...  ...  17       „ 

BEAK         ...         ...         ...       6       ,, 

TARSO-METATABSUS        ...      7*75  ,, 

EGG  ...  2'5  X  1*5  in. 


LITTLE  EGRET.     Ardea  garzetta  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
23  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  399 ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  7. 

In  the  south  of  Europe,  especially  in  those  countries 
which  fringe  the  Mediterranean,  as  well  as  over  a  wide  area 
of  the  Asiatic  and  African  Continents,  the  Little  Egret  is 
tolerably  common,  but  it  very  seldom  wanders  as  far  north 
as  the  British  Isles.  The  majority  of  British  records  are 
unreliable,  indeed,  Mr.  Saunders,  in  his  '  Manual  of  British 
Birds,'  p.  373,  states  "as  far  as  I  can  learn,  the  only 
example  about  which  there  can  be  no  doubt,  is  an  adult 


LITTLE    EGKET 


21 


examined  and  recorded  by  the  late  Mr.  J.  Gatcombe,  killed 
at  Countess  Weir,  on  the  Exe,  on  June  3rd,  1870,  and  belong- 
ing to  Mr.  E.  H.  Harbottle,  of  Topsham,  near  Exeter." 
"It  is  not  improbable,  however,"  he  continues,  "  that  one 


FIG.  3.- LITTLE   EGRET. 

has  been  obtained  in  Sussex ;  while  the  late  Lord  Lilford 
(B.  Northamptonsh.  ii,  p.  118)  adduced  some  evidence  that 
two  were  shot  near  Whittlesea  about  1849. 1  There  is 


1  In  the  '  Zoologist '  for  1901,  pp.  70-71,  Mr.  R.  Newstead,  of  the 
Grosvenor  Museum,  Chester,  states  that  when  overhauling  the  collection 
of  birds  belonging  to  the  Chester  Society  of  Natural  Science,  he  found  a 
Little  Egret,  labelled  on  the  back  of  the  case  "  Egret.  Male.  Shot 
March,  1826.  near  Paul  Humberside,  Yorkshire."  In  the  same  number 
of  the  '  Zoologist,'  p.  107,  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney  publishes  the  following 
criticism  with  regard  to  British-killed  Egrets  :  "  In  Loudon's  '  Magazine 
of  Natural  History'  for  1836,  p.  599,  Mr.  J.  C.  Dale,  of  Glanvilles 
Wootton,  in  Dorsetshire,  mentions  that  "  at  a  sale  of  birds,  &c.,  I  attended 
in  March,  1826,  at  Southampton,  was  an  Egret  (a  fine  specimen),  lot  38, 


22  AKDEIM] 

no  specimen  in  existence   to   prove   Thompson's   assertion 
that   the   Little   Egret  has  visited  Ireland  on  three  occa- 


sions. 


FIG.  4.— HEAD  OF  LITTLE   EGRET.        Nat.  size. 


DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Entire  plumage  beau- 
tiful milky-white.  From  the  back  of  the  head  proceed  two 
long  slender  plumes,  while  at  the  root  of  the  neck  and 
especially  along  the  back,  the  plumes  are  much  lengthened, 
soft  and  wavy.2  (Figs.  3  and  4.) 


sold  for  ^£5  5s.,  probably  shot  near  that  place."  Possibly  this  is  the 
same  specimen  alluded  to  by  Mr.  Newstead  (ante,  p.  70),  as  the  date  is 
exactly  the  same,  and  the  locality  in  Yorkshire  may  have  been  subse- 
quently added  to  the  label  under  the  impression  that  it  had  been  killed 
in  that  county." 

1  Mr.  Ussher,  in  his  'Birds  of  Ireland'  (p.  162),  refers  to  the  occur- 
rences cited  by  Thompson  of  the  Little  Egret  in  Ireland,  with  all  caution. 
He  gives  the  dates  of  the  three  records  from  Kerry,  Cork  and  Wexford, 
but  adds  that  there  is  only  one  bird  preserved.     This  is  in  the  Trinity 
College  Museum,  but  the  data  of  the  label  are  not  sufficient  to  prove 
it  is  really  an  Irish  specimen. 

2  The   beautiful  silky  filiform   plumes  of   the  Egret,    better  known 
among  milliners  as  '  ospreys,'  have  been,  and  still  are  much  sought  after, 
for   ornamental  purposes.     In  the  Eastern  countries  the  Egret  feathers 
are  worn  to  adorn  the  head-dress  of  persons  of  the  highest  rank,  and  this 
charming  little   Heron  has    been    further  victimised  to   supply   "the 


BUFF-BACKED   HEKON  23 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  dorsal  and  head- 
plumes  are  absent. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Feathers  greyish-white  in 
colour  and  long  plumes  absent. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Black,  with  yellow  spots  on  the  toes. 

IEIDES.  Light  pinkish-yellow. 

EGGS.  Pale  blue-green ;  rather  pointed  at  both  ends  : 
clutch  three  to  six. 

AVERAGE    MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH      ...         ...         ...  21        in. 

WING          11-25     „ 

BEAK  ...         ...         ...         ...  4          ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS  3'75     ,, 

EGG  ...         1-75   X  1'25  in. 


BUFF-BACKED   HERON.     Ardea  bubulcus  (Audouin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
24 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  400,  fig.  1 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  xii,  pi.  8. 

There  is  only  one  well-authenticated  example  of  this 
southern  species  on  record,  an  immature  female  shot 
towards  the  end  of  October,  1805,  near  Kingsbridge,  in 
Devonshire.  (Montagu,  Trans.  Linn.  Soc.,  vol.  ix,  p.  197.) 
This  bird  is  preserved  in  the  Natural  History  Museum, 
South  Kensington. 

Mr.  Harting,  in  his  *  Handbook  of  British  Birds,'  1901, 

"plume"  that  surmounts  or  until  lately  surmounted  the  "busby"  or 
"bearskin,"  of  our  artillery,  hussars,  and  certain  select  regiments  of 
foot."  Here  as  an  ornament  "it  verges  on  the  ridiculous,  all  the  grace 
of  the  original  being  lost  in  the  horsehair  that  counterfeits  its  form " 
(Newton).  Many  thousands  of  Egrets  have  also  been  slaughtered  to 
supply  the  millinery  market,  and  as  the  massacre  takes  place  just  prior 
to  the  breeding- season,  when  the  plumes  are  at  their  best,  it  is  obvious 
that  if  this  wholesale  trading  continues  the  birds  will  speedily  become 
exterminated.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  a  law  for  the  protection  of  these 
birds  will  be  enacted  and  rigidly  enforced,  so  that  '  ospreys '  will  not  be 
allowed  into  our  markets  for  ornamental  purposes,  before  the  Little 
Egret,  like  many  other  beautiful  and  interesting  birds,  becomes  by  the 
cruel  hand  of  man,  but  a  thing  of  the  past. 


24  AKDEID.E 

mentions  another  occurrence,  a  bird  taken  near  Yarmouth 
in  1827.  But  this  specimen  is  not  now  in  existence,  having 
been  destroyed  by  moths. 


DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.' — Top  of  head,  crest, 
fore-nape,  plumes  of  the  back  and  neck,  bright  buff-colour, 
rest  of  the  plumage  white,  shading  to  light  cream-colour  on 
the  wing-coverts. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  colour  to  the  male, 
but  with  less  developed  plumes. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  long  buff  feathers 
are  absent,  so  that  the  bird  is  almost  pure  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Somewhat  resembles  the 
adult  in  winter,  but  the  white  is  less  pure. 

BEAK.     Keddish  at  the  base,  tipped  with  yellow. 

FEET.     Yellowish-red." 

IRIDES.  Pinkish-yellow. 

EGGS.     Pale  blue  ;  ends  rounded  :  clutch  three. 


AVERAGE    MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH          ...  19      in.     Female  smaller. 

WING 9-5     „ 

BEAK 2'25  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS  ...       3-25  ,, 
EGG  1-8  X  1-3  in. 


SQUACCO  HERON.     Ardea  ralloides  (Scopoli). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
25;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  400,  fig.  2  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  9. 

The  Squacco  Heron,  resident  and  plentiful  in  North 
Africa,  and  fairly  common  as  a  summer-migrant  in  parts  of 
Southern  and  Central  Europe,  occurs  only  as  a  scarce  and 
irregular  visitor  to  the  British  Isles.  Immature  birds  have, 
for  the  most  part,  been  obtained  in  the  spring  or  summer 
months. 

A  specimen  taken  at  Boyton,  Wiltshire,  in  1775,  appears 


SQUACCO  HEEON  25 

to  be  the  earliest  on  record  (Latham,  Gen.  Hist.  Birds, 
vol.  ix,  p.  110). 

Among  recent  captures  may  be  mentioned: — One  from 
the  south  of  Ireland,  a  bird  taken  near  Dungarvan  Bay 
co.  Waterford,  September  12th,  1896  (Ussher,  'Birds 
of  Ireland,'  p.  163) ;  another  from  the  North  of  Scotland,  a 
bird  taken  on  North  Konaldshay,  on  September  7th,  1896. 
(Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  July,  1897) ;  and  a  third  taken  near 
Eye,  Sussex,  on  June  3rd,  1905.  (J.  B.  Nichols,  '  Zoologist,' 
1905,  p.  349.) 

The    Squacco   Heron   has   also   been  recorded   from : — 

England — Hampshire,  Isle  of  Wight,  Dorset,  Somerset, 
Devon,  Cornwall,  Shropshire,  Nottinghamshire,  Suffolk, 
Norfolk,  Lincolnshire,  Yorkshire  and  Cumberland. 

Wales — Montgomeryshire,  Denbighshire  and  Brecon - 
shire. 

Scotland — Two  instances,  in  addition  to  the  one  already 
cited,  one  from  the  Glasgow  Canal,  near  Stockton,  on 
October  9th,  1852  (Harting),  another  taken  near  Edinburgh 
(Saunders). 

Ireland — Kerry,  one  obtained  on  June  10th,  1875, 
another  on  September  17th,  1895.  Cork,  one  obtained  May 
26th,  1849,  another  in  1850,  a  third,  October  26th,  I860, 
a  fourth,  July  15th,  1877.  Waterford  (vide  supra),  London- 
derry, one  procured  on  November  24th,  1881.  (Ussher, 
'Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  163.) 

In  its  general  habits  the  Squacco  resembles,  more  or 
less,  the  other  Herons.  During  the  day-time  it  is  wont  to 
remain  in  the  same  position  for  a  number  of  hours,  secluding 
itself  among  tall  tussocks  and  sedges. 

Voice. — Its  voice,  not  often  sounded,  is  harsh  and  mono- 
syllabic. 

Food. — Frogs,  small  crabs,  shrimps,  slugs,  snails,  fish, 
insects,  shrews  and  mice,  are  eaten  by  this  practically 
omnivorous  species  ;  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  informed  me 
that  he  found  the  stomach  of  a  specimen,  which  he  pre- 
served, filled  with  the  remains  of  small  crustaceans. 

Nest. — The  Squacco  Heron  is  gregarious  in  the  breed- 
ing -  season.  The  heronries  are  built  on  low  trees  and 
bushes  adjoining  bog-lands.  The  nest,  composed  almost 
entirely  of  sticks,  is  roughly  put  together;  the  eggs,  four 
to  six  in  number,  and  of  a  greenish-blue  colour,  are 
laid  early  in  May.  The  members  of  a  heronry  often^fight 
fiercely. 


26 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 


PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Head  and  back  of 
neck,  pale  buff,  striped  with  brownish-black  lines  ;  the  head- 
plumes,  long  and  pointed,  are  pure  white  edged  with 
black  ;  sides  and  front  of  neck,  rich  buff  ;  back,  yellowish- 
brown  with  a  tinge  of  purple  ;  dorsal-plumes,  long  and 
filamentous  ;  wing-coverts,  light  buff;  rest  of  plumage,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial.  —  Similar  in  colour  to  the  male, 
but  with  less  developed  plumes. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  The  long  plumes  are 
absent. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  The  general  colour  is  not 
so  pure  as  that  of  the  adult  plumage,  and  shows  much 
greyish-brown  ;  the  streaking  on  the  neck  is  more  pro- 
nounced, and  there  is  a  considerable  amount  of  brown 
on  the  back  and  on  the  inner  secondaries. 

BEAK.     Base,  rich  blue  ;  point,  blackish. 

FEET.     Yellowish-pink  ;  soles,  yellow. 

IBIDES.  Yellow. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH       .........  20    in. 

WING  ............  9      ,, 

BEAK  ............  2*6  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS          ......  2  '8  ,, 

EGG  ..  1*5  X  1*1  in. 


NIGHT  HERON.     Nycticorax  griseus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,  vol.  iv,  pi. 
26 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  402 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  11. 

The  Night  Heron,  though  far  from  common,  may  be 
regarded  as  an  annual  spring  and  autumn  migrant  to  the 
British  Isles.  It  has  been  more  often  recorded,  in  both 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  than  the  Squacco  Heron.  In 
England  it  appears  to  have  visited  the  west  and  north  less 
frequently  than  the  other  districts.  It  has  occurred  four 
times  in  the  south  of  Scotland,  several  times  in  Argyllshire, 
and  once  in  Aberdeenshire.  Moreover,  on  October  12th, 
1896,  a  specimen  was  shot  on  Benbecula,  after  aheavy  gale 
from  the  south.  The  bird,  an  immature  male,  is  heretofore 


FIG.  5.— NIGHT  HERON. 


28 

the  only  one  recorded  from  the  Outer  Hebrides.  (Eagle 
Clarke,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.) 

In  Ireland,  Mr.  Ussher  states  that  over  twenty  occur- 
rences have  taken  place  since  1834.  Of  these,  seven  came 
from  Cork,  a  noted  county  for  rare  Herons,  three  from 
Dublin,  two  from  Down,  and  one  each  from  the  following 
counties: — Kilkenny,  Queen's  County,  King's  County,  Louth, 
Monaghan,  Mayo,  Armagh,  and  Donegal.  ('  Birds  of 
Ireland,'  p.  164.)  The  first  British  specimen  on  record 
was  procured  near  London  in  May,  1782  (Saunders,  Man. 
Brit.  Birds,  1899,  p.  379)  ;  among  recent  captures  may 
be  mentioned,  specimens  taken  in  co.  Cork,  May  31st, 
1899;  in  co.  Wexford,  April  21st,  1899;  in  co.  Meath,  May 
10th,  1900  (Ussher)  ;  in  Norfolk,  November  8th,  1899, 
(J.  H.  Gurney),  and  a  specimen  taken  in  Sussex,  Sep- 
tember 24th,  1904  (J.  B.  Nicholls). 

Voice. — During  the  greater  part  of  the  day  the  Night- 
Heron  skulks  silently  through  dense  and  tall  vegetation, 
such  as  flags,  reeds  and  bulrushes  ;  after  dusk  it  becomes 
more  lively,  when  its  plaintive  note  qua-d,  qua-d,  may  be 
heard. 

Food. — The  diet  is  of  a  very  mixed  character ;  fish, 
frogs,  snails,  worms,  shrimps  and  water-beetles,  are  eaten. 

Nest. — The  Night-Heron  breeds  in  colonies,  selecting 
trees  and  bushes  growing  in  marshy  situations.  It  also 
builds  on  the  ground,  erecting  a  platform  of  bent  reeds 
above  the  level  of  the  water.  The  nest,  for  the  most  part, 
is  made  of  broken  sticks.  The  eggs,  three  to  five  in  number, 
are  pale  greenish-blue,  with  both  ends  somewhat  pointed. 
Incubation  begins  about  May. 

From  the  numbers  of  adult  birds  of  both  sexes  which 
visit  the  British  Isles  in  full  nuptial  plumage  annually  dur- 
ing the  breeding-season,  we  may  infer  that  this  Heron 
might  breed  in  suitable  localities,  were  it  not  shot  down 
ruthlessly.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  several  speci- 
mens have  been  procured,  that  the  bird  is  quite  common 
in  many  other  countries,  so  that  if  there  is  a  likelihood  of 
its  breeding  with  us,  why  not  give  it  every  encouragement 
to  do  so? 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Night  Heron  is  very 
widely  distributed.  It  nests  plentifully  in  Southern  and 
South-Eastern  Europe,  in  Asia,  in  Africa,  and  in  North 
and  South  America.  On  migration  it  has  wandered  beyond 
our  Isles  to  the  Faroes,  Denmark  and  Sweden. 


NIGHT  HERON 


29 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  nape 
of  neck,  and  back,  glossy  greenish-black  ;  rest  of  neck1, 
wings  and  tail,  grey ;  forehead  and  fine  stripe  over  the  eye, 
breast  and  abdomen,  white  ;  the  crest  is  best  developed 
in  old  males,  and  consists  of  three  or  more  long,  thin, 
white  plumes  ;  these  are  erectile,  and  when  the  bird 
becomes  excited,  they  are  raised,  together  with  the  shorter 
feathers  of  the  crown,  like  those  of  an  angry  cockatoo. 
(Payne-Gallwey,  '  Letters  to  Young  Shooters,'  Third  Series, 
pp.  223,  224.) 


FIG.  6.—  HEAD  OF  NIGHT  HERON.        Nat  size. 


Adult  female  nuptial.  —  Duller  in  colour  than  the  male, 
with  a  shorter  head-crest. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  The  long  plumes  of  the 
crest  are  absent. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Back  and  wings,  nut-brown 
with  lighter  streaks  and  white  spots  ;  breast  and  abdomen 
striped  with  white,  yellow  and  brown  ;  crest  absent. 

BEAK.     Black,  the  lower  segment  having  a  grey  shade. 

FEET.     Yellow. 

IRIDES.  Bright  red. 


1  The  neck  and  dorsal-plumes  of  the  Night  Heron  are  not  long  and 
filamentous. 


30  ABDEID^ 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...         ...  23  in. 

WING         12    „ 

BEAK         3    ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS         ...         ...  3    ,, 

EGG  2  X  1'4  in. 


Allied  Species  and  'Representative  Forms. — N.  caledonicus, 
with  the  upper  parts  of  a  bright  cinnamon  colour,  is  the 
representative  in  Australia  and  some  of  the  neighbouring 
islands  (Saunders). 


LITTLE   BITTERN.     Ardetta  minu ta  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
29;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,' vol.  vi,  pi.  401;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  12. 

This  singular  bird  occurs  as  an  irregular  but  not  infre- 
quent visitor  in  spring  and  summer  to  our  Isles.  It  has 
been  obtained  in  nearly  every  English  county1  (Saunders), 
chiefly  in  the  southern  and  eastern  districts,  more  rarely 
in  the  north  and  west.  To  Scotland  it  is  a  very  uncertain 
visitor.  It  should,  however,  be  borne  in  mind  that  owing 
to  the  protective  coloration  of  its  plumage,  the  extra- 
ordinary unbird-like  attitudes  which  it  assumes2  and  its 
skulking  habits,  no  bird  is  more  easily  overlooked,  even  by 
the  most  expert  and  careful  observer.3 

Ireland  has  afforded  us  about  thirty  recorded  occurrences 
of  the  Little  Bittern.  Most  specimens  proved  to  be  im- 
mature, but  seven  adult  males  have  been  obtained.  The 
following  are  the  counties  from  which  this  species  has  been 
taken: — Kerry,  Cork,  Tipperary,  Wexford,  Carlow,  Dublin, 

1  On  June  30th,  1901,  a  Little  Bittern  was  taken  in  a  public  park  in 
Cornwall,  with  a  broken  leg.      It  probably  struck  the  telegraph  wire 
(H.  W.  Evans,  '  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  354-5). 

2  "  It  often  endeavours  to  escape  notice  by  remaining  motionless, 
with  crossed  legs,  outstretched  neck  and  bill  pointing  upwards  ;  thus 
resembling  a  dry  reed  or  a  dead  bulrush  "  (Saunders). 

3  These  remarks  also  apply  to  the  Common  Bittern. 


LITTLE  BITTEKN  31 

Louth,  Westmeath,  Longford,  Galway,  Armagh,  and 
Antrim. 

Illustrative  of  the  ease  with  which  this  bird  might  be 
overlooked,  even  on  an  open  swamp  devoid  of  cover,  I  quote 
the  following  interesting  passage  from  Mr.  Ussher's  '  Birds 
of  Ireland,'  p.  165.  It  relates  to  a  bird  which  was  kept  in 
captivity,  and,  owing  to  the  extraordinary  attitudes  which 
it  was  wont  to  assume,  some  visitors  failed  to  recognise  its 
presence  in  the  cage!  The  writer  says:  "When  uncon- 
scious of  observation  it  would  walk  about  the  cage  with 
neck  retracted,  the  head  resting  on  its  shoulders,  or,  if 
minnows  were  -placed  under  its  perch,  it  would  shoot  out 
its  long  neck,  reaching  down  and  capturing  them  with 
dexterity ;  but  when  approached  it  used  to  stand  still  and 
begin  to  elongate  itself  slowly,  and  while  it  stood  previously 
about  ten  inches  high,  it  now  assumed  a  height  of  sixteen 
or  more ;  its  bill  was  then  pointed  upwards,  its  eyes  being 
directed  straight  towards  the  intruder,  and  its  neck  and 
body  stretched  and  compressed.  In  this  position  it  looked 
so  unlike  a  bird,  that  visitors,  standing  a  few  feet  from  it, 
have  asked  where  it  was." 

Food. — During  the  day  the  Little  Bittern  hides  in  reed- 
beds  or  other  available  cover  which  is  to  be  found  on  marshy 
ground,  by  the  margin  of  river,  or  lake.  At  night  it  looks 
for  its  food,  which  consists  of  frogs,  fish,  snails,  worms, 
and  insects. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  a  grunting  croak,  and  the  note  may 
be  syllabled,  gruck-gruck-groff. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  built  among  sedges,  of  which  it  is 
mainly  composed,  but  bushes  and  low  trees  growing  near 
a  bog  are  also  utilised.  The  eggs,  four,  five,  or  more 
to  the  clutch,  are  dull  white  with  a  muddy  grey-green 
tinge.  Incubation  begins  about  the  middle  of  May. 

Not  so  long  ago  the  Little  Bittern  probably  nested 
on  the  Broads  of  Norfolk,  and  elsewhere  in  England  at 
an  earlier  period.  A  pair  were  observed  at  Eollesby  Broad, 
Norfolk,  during  the.  months  of  May,  June,  and  July,  which 
fact  affords  strong  evidence  that  they  were  breeding,  pro- 
vided they  were  not  immature  birds  (Gurney,  '  Zoologist/ 
1894,  p.  88,  and  1895,  p.  98). 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Little  Bittern  nests  in 
Southern  Europe,  Western  Asia,  Northern  Africa,  and  the 
adjoining  Islands.  It  has  occurred  as  a  wanderer  to  the 
Faroes,  Iceland,  and  other  Northern  countries  in  Europe. 


32  ARDEID^E 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back  of 
neck  and  back,  greenish-black ;  primaries  and  tail,1  black, 
with  a  brownish  tinge ;  rest  of  head,  throat,  neck,  breast 
and  abdomen,  buff-colour,  richer  in  shade  about  the  neck 
and  head  ;  breast  and  flanks  marked  with  a  few  dark 
stripes  ;  wing-coverts,  chiefly  pale  buff. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Brown  shade  on  the  head  ;  rest 
of  head  and  back  of  neck,  yellowish-red  ;  back,  brown  ; 
wing-coverts,  dark  buff ;  breast  and  abdomen,  buff,  streaked 
with  varying  shades  of  brown. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female,  but 
the  upper  parts  are  duller  in  colour. 

BEAK.     Yellow. 

FEET.     Greenish-yellow. 

IRIDES.  Bright  yellow. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH      ...         ...         ...  13       in. 

WING          5 

BEAK  I'lO   ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS          1*75    ,, 

EGG..          ...         1*4  x  1  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — Ardetta 
podicipes,  smaller,  with  more  rufous,  is  the  South  African 
representative;  A.  sinensis  and  A.  cinnamonea  are  Eastern 
and  Southern  representatives.  The  former  has  a  brown 
back.  Allied  species  are  also  found  in  Australia  and 
America. 


1  The  genus  Ardetta  resembles  the  true  Bitterns  (Botaurus)  in  having 
only  ten  soft  tail-feathers  and  two  pair  of  powder-down  tracts.  Herons 
have  twelve  tail-feathers  and  three  pairs  of  powder- down  tracts 
(Saunders). 


COMMON    BITTEKN  33 

COMMON  BITTERN.     Botaurus  stellaris  (Linngeus). 

Coloured  Figures, — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
27;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  403;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  13. 

This  remarkable-looking  bird,  easily  recognised  by  its 
beautiful  rich  buff  plumage,  profusely  barred  and  vermicu- 
lated  with  black,  and  also  by  the  development  of  its  neck- 
feathers,  which  form  an  erectile  frill  like  that  of  the  Kuff, 
once  bred  and  was  common  in  many  districts  of  the  British 
Isles.  Its  loud  bellowing  note  was  familiar  to  persons 
residing  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Norfolk  Broads,  the  Cam- 
bridge and  Lincolnshire  Fens  and  other  suitable  districts 
in  England  and  Wales,  also  over  the  low-lying  marshy 
districts  of  which  so  large  an  area  of  Ireland  is  composed. 
But  drainage  and  tillage  have  now  restricted  its  breeding- 
haunts  to  such  a  degree  that  its  nest  is  nowhere  to  be  found, 
and  it  is  a  matter  for  much  regret  that  many  of  the  adult 
birds  which  reach  us  during  the  winter  and  might 
possibly  remain  to  breed,  are,  in  a  large  measure,  shot 
even  in  the  close  season  in  spring.  At  present,  the 
majority  of  Bitterns  arrive  annually  in  England  and  prob- 
ably so  in  Ireland1  as  winter  visitors,  but  in  Scotland  their 
appearance  is  much  more  irregular.  Stragglers  have  reached 
the  Outer  Hebrides  (a  specimen  having  been  taken  on  the 
coast  of  Harris,  in  January,  1890) ;  while  the  Shetlands, 
and  probably  the  Orkneys  have  also  been  visited  (Saunders). 
The  Bittern  occurs  most  frequently  in  December  and 
January,  and  with  reference  to  this  fact  Mr.  Ussher  remarks 
that  "  it  is  singular  that  a  species  whose  breeding-range  is 
eastern  and  southern  rather  than  northern  should  not 
appear  usually  in  October,  but  chiefly  in  mid-winter,  when 
we  might  expect  the  autumn  migration  to  have  ceased." 
In  Ireland  it  has  been  recorded  most  frequently  from  the 
co.  Cork.  As  an  instance  of  a  bird  taken  recently  and 
early  in  the  autumn,  I  may  mention  one  which  was  shot  on 
August  9th,  1900,  on  the  sea-shore  of  the  co.  Down  (E. 
Patterson,  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1900). 

In  its  general  habits  and  in  the  localities  which  it  fre- 
quents the  Common  Bittern  resembles  its  smaller  relative ; 

1  Mr.  Ussher,  however,  states  that  the  only  place  he  can  name  where 
the  Bittern  seems  to  occur  on  an  average  once  a  year  in  Ireland,  is  in  the 
marshes  of 'Lord  Castletown's  property  in  Queen's  County. 

3 


34 


AEDEID^E 


it  is  often  startled  from  the  reeds  by  the  sportsman's  dog, 
sometimes  from  a  most  shaky  and  dangerous  quagmire  which 
a  man  dare  not  traverse.  It  frequently  alights  on  trees  :  in 
the  co.  Antrim  in  August,  1889,  I  witnessed  a  magnificent 
adult  bird  walking  down  the  branch  of  a  willow  tree  to  the 
river's  bank  where  it  ultimately  disappeared  amidst  the  tall 
iris  flags.  The  bird  carried  its  head  well  sunk  between  the 


FIG.  7.— COMMON  BITTEEN. 


shoulders  while  its  beak  pointed  in  an  upward  direction ; 
its  pace  along  the  branch  was  slow  and  measured. 

In  close  quarters,  a  wounded  Bittern  is  a  most  ferocious 
creature  ;  it  lies  on  its  back  watching  its  chance,  and  woe 
betide  the  man  or  dog  who  closes  on  it  incautiously,  for 
it  can  shoot  out  its  neck  and  inflict  an  ugly  stab  with  its 
dagger-like  beak  with  surprising  speed. 

Voice. — The  note,  uttered  by  the  male  in  the  breeding- 


COMMON   BITTERN  35 

season,  is  described  by  most  ornithologists  as  '  bellowing ' 
or  '  booming '  ;  it  is  deep  and  full,  and  carries  a  long 
distance.  Mr.  Harting,  in  confuting  the  fabulous  ideas 
that  the  beak  is  stuck  in  the  ground,  in  the  water,  or 
within  a  reed,  states  that  when  watching  a  Bittern 
'  bellowing  '  only  ten  yards  off,  he  proved  by  observation 
that  the  beak  "  is  pointed  vertically  upwards,  resembling  at 
a  little  distance  a  green  reed  stem  amidst  faded  leaves  " 
(Handbook  Brit.  Birds,  1901,  p.  219).  The  wailing  of  the 
Banshee,  one  of  the  many  apparitions  which  haunt  the 
credulous  minds  of  superstitious  country-folk  in  Ireland, 
may  have  had  its  origin  in  the  *  booming '  of  the  Bittern, 
weird  and  strange  when  heard  at  a  distance,  after  dusk  and 
in  the  dead  of  night. 

"  For  in  the  Bittern's  distant  shriek 
I  heard  unearthly  voices  speak." 

At  other  times  of  the  year  the  note  of  the  Bittern  is 
harsh  and  one-syllabled,  somewhat  like  that  of  the  Heron. 

Food. — The  Common  Bittern  is  almost  omnivorous ;  it 
devours  a  considerable  number  of  small  mammals  and  birds 
as  well  as  its  more  ordinary  diet  of  fish,  frogs,  reptiles,  snails 
and  insects.  It  seeks  its  food  principally  at  night. 

Nest. — This  species  builds  on  the  ground,  on  bog-lands 
and  swamps,  densely  overgrown  with  reed-beds.  The  nest 
is  generally  well  hidden  from  view ;  it  is  made  chiefly  of 
dry  reeds  and  rushes,  piled  together  into  a  considerable 
mass. 

The  eggs,  usually  four  in  number,  are  light  brownish, 
often  showing  an  olive-green  tinge.  Incubation  begins 
early  in  April,  sometimes  at  the  end  of  March. 

The  latest  date  of  the  breeding  of  the  Bittern  in  England, 
as  given  by  Stevenson,  'Birds  of  Norfolk'  and  other  writers, 
is  March  30th,  1868,  when  a  nest  containing  two  eggs  was 
discovered  on  Upton  Broad,  Norfolk.  On  May  25th  of  the 
same  year  a  nestling  was  taken  from  the  same  place.  But 
we  have  further  evidence,  though  not  absolute  proof,  of  the 
Bittern  breeding  in  the  same  district  several  years  later,  for, 
in  August,  1880,  "  a  young  bird  with  down  still  adhering  to 
it  was  obtained"  (Saunders). 

In  Ireland  the  Bittern  has  ceased  to  breed  since  about 
1840;  Thompson  mentions  in  his  'Natural  History  of 
Ireland,'  .vol.  ii,  that  a  female  was  shot  off  her  nest  with 
nestlings,  in  co.  Tipperary,  in  August  a  few  years  before 


36  AKDEID.E 

1842.  In  the  early  part  of  the  last  century  this  species 
was  resident  in  Ulster,  Munster  and  Connaught  (Ussher). 

In  the  olden  days  the  Bittern  was  very  common  in  the 
East  Anglian  Fens  ;  like  the  Heron  it  was  esteemed  a  great 
delicacy,  indeed  a  luxury  for  the  Royal  table,  consequently 
this  bird  and  its  eggs  were  protected  by  law. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  The  Bittern  breeds  in 
Southern  Europe,  Asia  as  far  east  as  Japan,  and  North 
Africa,  including  the  islands  off  the  west  coast.  In  spring 
it  migrates  as  far  north  as  lat.  60°  in  Europe  and  Western 
Asia. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  nape 
of  neck,  black  ;  primaries  and  wing-coverts,  barred  with 
black  and  reddish-brown  ;  ground-colour  of  the  rest  of  the 
plumage,  buff,  barred  and  vermiculated  with  black ;  neck- 
feathers  elongated,  forming  an  erectile  frill. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Primaries  and  wing- 
coverts,  brownish. 

BEAK.     Greenish-yellow. 

FEET.     Bright  green  ;  toes,  very  long. 

IEIDES.  Yellow. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 28      in. 

WING        13 

BEAK         2'75  „ 

TABSO-METATARSUS        3*8    ,, 

EGG  2'1  X  1'5  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — B.  capensis 
is  the  South  African  representative. 


AMERICAN    BITTEKN  37 

AMERICAN  BITTERN.     Botaurus  lentiginosus  (Montagu). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
28;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  404;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  14. 

It  seems  to  be  the  prevailing  opinion  among  ornitholo- 
gists that  most  of  the  American  Bitterns  recorded  from 
our  Isles,  have,  during  their  transit  across  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  procured  an  assisted  passage  by  resting  on  the 
riggings  of  vessels,  for  at  least  some  part  of  their  journey. 

The  first  British  bird  of  this  species  on  record  was 
killed  at  Piddletown  in  Dorset  in  1804,  and  it  is  interesting 
to  note  that  it  was  by  means  of  this  specimen  that  Montagu 
first  distinguished  the  American  Bittern  as  a  new  species. 

The  most  recent  specimen  was  procured  from  Maddens- 
town  Bog,  co.  Kildare,  shortly  before  February  20th,  1891 
(Williams,  '  Zoologist,'  1891,  p.  218),  and  curiously  enough, 
another  had  been  obtained  on  the  same  bog  on  October 
31st,  1889  (Scharff,  'Zoologist,'  1890,  p.  26).  The  latter 
bird  is  preserved  in  the  National  Museum,  Dublin. 

Specimens  have  also  been  recorded  from  the  following 
counties  :— 
England  : — Kent,     Sussex,     Hampshire,     Dorset,     Devon, 

Cornwall,  Lancashire,  Yorkshire. 
Wales  : — Pembrokeshire  and  the  island  of  Anglesea. 
Scotland  : — Dumfriesshire,  Elgin,  Aberdeenshire,  Caithness, 

and  the  island  of  Islay. 

Ireland  : — Londonderry,  Down,   Armagh,   Louth,   Kildare, 
Carlow,  Wexford,  Tipperary,  Cork. 

Two  interesting  points  may  be  mentioned  in  connection 
with  these  occurrences :  in  the  first  place  they  nearly  all 
(with  the  exception  of  the  bird  taken  at  Dumfriesshire  on 
March  25th,  1878),  took  place  between  October  and 
February,  a  period  of  the  year  when  the  bird  annually 
migrates  (Saunders),  and  secondly,  as  pointed  out  by 
Mr.  Ussher,  four  of  the  Irish  specimens  were  taken  in 
Leinster  "  and  five  in  inland  counties,  far  from  where  we 
might  expect  they  would  have  landed  from  America." 

Flight. — Like  that  of  its  congeners,  the  flight  of  this 
bird  is  slow  and  not  particularly  buoyant. 

Voice.  —  The  voice,  uttered  in  the  breeding-season 
by  the  male,  is  deep  and  croaky. 

Food. — The  food  consists  of  small  reptiles,  frogs,  mam- 
mals and  worms. 


38  AEDEID^E 

Nest. — The  nest  is  built  on  the  ground  and  is  composed 
of  reeds  and  other  vegetation ;  the  eggs  are  dun-brown 
in  colour,  and  four  to  seven  constitute  the  clutch. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — The  plumage  of  the 
American  Bittern  differs  from  that  of  the  Common  species 
in  the  finer  and  more  profuse  barring  and  streaking  of  the 
back  and  wings ;  the  primaries  are  uniform  greyish-brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  general  tinge  is  redder 
and  the  markings  are  coarser  than  in  the  adult  plumage. 

BEAK.  Upper  segment  greenish-black,  edged  below 
with  yellow,  lower  segment  lemon-yellow. 

FEET.      Dull  yellowish-green. 

IRIDES.  Sulphur-yellow  next  the  pupil,  shading  ex- 
teriorly to  deep  orange,  encircled  narrowly  with  black. 


AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...         ...  24    in. 

WING        11     „ 

BEAK 3     ,, 

TABSO-METATABSUS        3'5  ,, 

EGG  1-9  x  1-45  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Eepresentative  Forms. — "  A  specimen 
of  the  American  Butorides  virescens,  said  to  have  been 
shot  in  Cornwall  in  October,  1889,  was  exhibited  at  the 
Linnaean  Society  in  April,  1890,  by  Sir  C.  Sawle.  (Cf.  Zool. 
1890,  p.  105  and  p.  181.)"  (Saunders,  Man.  Brit.  Birds, 
2nd  edit.,  p.  386.) 


39 


Family  CICONIDXE. 

WHITE    STORK.      Ciconia  alba  (Bechstein). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
30 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  405 ;  Lilford, 
1  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  15. 

This  fine-looking  bird,  so  familiar  a  feature  in  our 
Zoological  Gardens,  is  but  a  rare  and  uncertain  visitor, 
chiefly  in  spring  and  autumn  to  the  British  Isles.  East 
Anglia  has  furnished  us  with  by  far  the  most  records — 
over  thirty  in  number — and  this  is  as  we  should  expect 
on  account  of  the  proximity  of  that  part  of  England  to 
Holland,  where  the  bird  is  common.  On  the  west  side 
of  Great  Britain  the  White  Stork  is  very  rare.  Among 
recent  occurrences  may  be  mentioned  a  flock  of  six  which 
were  seen  flying  over  the  town  of  Newbury  in  Berkshire, 
on  April  23rd,  1884  (Saunders),  also  a  tired-out  individual 
which  was  seen  resting  on  a  house-top  at  Great  Yarmouth, 
on  June  26th,  1892  (A.  Patterson,  '  Zoologist,'  1900,  p. 
414). 

In  Scotland  the  White  Stork  has  very  seldom  been 
procured  or  even  observed,  but  it  has  wandered  to  the 
north  of  that  country,  for  in  July,  1865,  two  were  taken 
in  the  Shetlands  (Harting). 

To  Ireland  its  visits  are  very  exceptional.  In  compara- 
tively recent  times  only  three  examples  have  been  obtained. 
One  was  taken  near  Fermoy,  co.  Cork,  about  the  end  of  May, 
1846  (Thompson,  Nat.  Hist.  Ireland,  vol.  ii,  p.  175).  It  is 
preserved  in  the  Queen's  College  Museum,  Cork.  In  the 
autumn  of  the  same  year  another  was  obtained  near  the 
sea-shore  of  Wexford  (Waiters,  'Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  138). 
A  third  was  taken  near  Hop  Island  on  the  Kiver  Lee, 
co.  Cork,  on  August  7th,  1866  (Hackett,  '  Field,'  September 
22nd,  1866). 

Mr.  J.  W.  Young  states  that  he  saw  a  White  Stork  on 
the  wing  between  Athy  and  Stradbally,  in  the  Barrow 
Valley,  on  April  20th,  1895  (Ussher,  'Birds  of  Ireland/ 
p.  170). 


40  cicoNims: 

For  an  account  of  the  allusions  made  by  early  writers  to 
Storks  in  Ireland,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Mr.  Ussher's 
'  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  170. 

The  Stork  in  a  state  of  nature  is  a  most  interesting 
bird  ;  if  unmolested  it  grows  very  tame.  I  have  noticed 
it  in  Germany  and  Switzerland  walking  about  the  corn- 
fields and  meadows  while  the  men  were  working  close 
by.  I  have  seen  it  perched  contentedly  on  the  farmers' 
cottages  and  haystacks,  and  this  bird  has  been  observed  even 
walking  about  the  streets,  especially  in  the  early  morning, 
before  traffic  becomes  general.  These  habits  may  be 
observed  within  easy  reach  of  the  British  Isles ;  a  trip 


FIG.  8.— WHITE  STORK. 


to  Holland  or  Germany  would  well  repay  the  bird-lover 
who  wishes  to  make  himself  acquainted  with  the  habits 
of  the  White  Stork. 

Flight. — Storks  together  on  the  wing  look  beautiful, 
especially  when  they  soar  upward  until  their  white  forms, 
gradually  growing  less  bird-like,  ultimately  seem  to  be- 
come transfigured  into  portions  of  the  surrounding  clouds. 
The  flight,  though  slow,  is  buoyant  and  sustained,  and 
the  great  size  of  the  bird  renders  it  a  most  imposing- 
looking  creature. 

Voice. — Neglecting   the   extraordinary  habit  which   the 


WHITE    STOKK 


41 


Stork  has  of  clattering  its  mandibles  in  the  breeding- 
season,  thereby  producing  a  considerable  sound,  the  bird 
may  be  said  to  be  quite  voiceless.  In  captivity  I  have 
never  heard  it  emit  a  note. 

Food. — The  Stork  feeds  on  almost  anything.  It  paces 
quietly  through  the  meadows  snatching  up  worms,  insects, 
etc.,  while  small  mammals  and  birds  which  perchance 
cross  its  path,  are  greedily  demolished.  It  also  retires  to 
marshy  districts  to  catch  fish  and  frogs,  while  at  other 
times  it  will  enter  the  streets  and  by-ways  and  pick  up 
garbage.  The  parent  bird  feeds  its  offspring  somewhat 
after  the  fashion  of  pigeons,  by  inserting  its  beak  into 
the  mouth  of  the  nestling  which  receives  the  disgorged 
food. 


FIG.  9.—  HEAD  OF  WHITE  STORK. 


Nat.  size. 


Nest.—  "Where  encouraged  to  breed,  the  White  Stork 
builds  on  public  edifices,  such  as  towers  and  church  belfries 
in  towns,  as  well  as  on  farm-stacks  and  in  trees  close 
to  human  habitation.  In  more  hostile  districts  this  species 
retires  to  cliffs,  lofty  rock-ledges,  and  high  trees.  The  nest 
is  built  of  sticks,  and  the  original  structure  is  added  to 
yearly.  The  eggs  are  milk-white,  the  yolk  is  deep  orange 
and  the  lining  membrane  yellow.  Three  to  five  con- 
stitute the  clutch. 

Incubation  begins  about  the  end  of  March  or  early  in 
April. 

In  the  nuptial  season  Storks  may  be  seen  dancing  about 
with  extended  wings  in  a  most  absurd  manner,  these  love- 
antics  may  be  witnessed  in  most  Zoological  Gardens. 

It  cannot  be  said  with  certainty  that  the  White  Stork 


42  ,      CICONIID^E 

has  ever  nested  in  England,  but  it  is  interesting  to  note 
that  a  bird  was  shot  about  May  17th,  1861,  at  Woodbast- 
wick  in  Norfolk,  containing  "  an  egg  ready  for  exclusion 
which  was  cracked  by  the  fall  of  the  bird  "  (Saunders,  Man. 
Brit.  Birds,  2nd  edit.,  p.  387). 

Geographical  distribution. — The  White  Stork  breeds 
in  many  countries  in  Central  and  Southern  Europe  as 
well  as  in  Western  and  Central  Asia,  including  India ; 
also  in  North  Africa.  Its  spring  migration  extends  to 
Norway,  and  when  journeying  south  in  autumn  this  bird 
visits  Asia  Minor  and  Palestine  in  immense  flocks.  West- 
ward it  wanders  to  the  Canaries,  occurring  as  a  summer 
migrant  in  North  Africa.  In  winter  it  migrates  in  great 
numbers  through  Egypt  southward  to  Cape  Colony. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial — Pure  white,  except  the 
primaries  which  are  black,  frosted  with  grey. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter  j  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
except  that  the  primaries  are  dull  black. 

BEAK.     Red. 

FEET.     Red. 

IRIDES.  Dark  greenish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 40       in. 

WING        23 

BEAK         8'25    „ 

TARSO-METATABSUS         8*8     ,, 

EGG  ...       2-8  X  21  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  Eastern 
representative,  with  a  black  beak,  found  in  China  and  Japan, 
is  C.  boyciana. 


BLACK  STOEK  43 

BLACK   STORK.     Ciconia  mgra  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
31;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  406;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  16. 

This  very  rare  British  visitor  has  been  obtained  between 
the  months  of  May  and  November  in  the  following  coun- 
ties : — Devon,  Somerset,  Dorset,  Kent,  Middlesex,  Oxford- 
shire, Essex,  Suffolk,  Norfolk,  Yorkshire,  Durham,  and  also 
in  the  Scilly  Isles. 

The  earliest  record  is  that  of  a  bird  captured  at  West 
Sedgemoor,  Somerset,  on  May  13th,  1814.  This  specimen 
is  preserved  in  the  British  Museum.  The  most  recent 
capture  appears  to  be  that  of  an  adult  male  from  Northolt, 
Harrow,  Middlesex,  obtained  on  July  25th,  1893  (Harting, 
Handbook  Brit.  Birds,  1901,  p.  439).  From  Scotland  or 
Ireland  there  are  no  authentic  records. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Black,  with  a  play  of 
colours  shading  from  purple  to  lustrous  metallic-green, 
except  the  lower  breast  and  abdomen,  which  are  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Dull  metallic-brown,  the 
feathers  being  margined  with  impure  white ;  breast  and 
abdomen,  white. 

BEAK.     Bright  red. 

FEET.     Eed. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

EGGS.  Shell  rough  in  texture  ;  greyish- white  in  colour, 
lining  membrane  green,  which  is  seen  when  the  egg  is  held 
up  to  the  light :  clutch,  four  to  five. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 38       in. 

WING        21 

BEAK         7'75   „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        8'25   ,, 

EGG  ...  2-6x2  in. 


44 


Family  IBIDIDM. 

GLOSSY   IBIS.     Plegadisfalcinellus(Lmn&us). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
47 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  409  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  17. 

Over  a  hundred  years  ago  the  Glossy  Ibis  visited  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  in  sufficient  numbers  to  be  known  by 
gunners  and  fishermen  as  the  '  Black  Curlew.'  At  the 
present  day  it  is  a  rare  and  an  irregular  migrant  in  autumn, 
and  still  more  so  in  spring.  It  has  been  recorded  chiefly 
from  the  south-eastern  and  southern  sections  of  England 
and  from  corresponding  districts  of  Ireland. 

Perhaps  the  earliest  recorded  Glossy  Ibis  from  Great 
Britain  was  shot  on  September  28th,  1793.  It  was  flying  at 
the  time,  in  company  with  another,  over  the  Thames,  be- 
tween Henley  and  Beading.  Latham  (1790)  also  refers  to 
one  shot  in  Cornwall,  and  preserved  in  the  Leverian  Museum. 
Among  specimens  taken  quite  lately,  may  be  mentioned  one 
shot  at  Saltash,  Devon,  on  October  4th,  1900  (Harting), 
another  on  November  25th  of  the  same  year,  near  Stockton- 
on-Tees,  in  Durham  (T.  H.  Nelson,  '  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  185), 
a  fine  adult  male  obtained  between  Pevensey  and  Bexhill,  in 
Kent  or  Sussex,  on  October  25th,  1902  (N.  F.  Ticehurst, 
'  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  419),  and  an  immature  bird  taken  in 
Norfolk,  August,  1903  (J.  H.  Gurney,  'Zoologist,'  1904, 
p.  203). 

As  a  visitor  to  Scotland  the  Glossy  Ibis  is  very 
rare.  According  to  Mr.  Saunders  six  examples  have 
been  obtained :  of  these,  one  came  from  Kirkwall  in  the 
Orkneys,  and  one  from  Unst  in  the  Shetlands.  Mr.  Harting 
mentions  one  from  the  river  Ythan,  Aberdeenshire,  obtained 
in  October,  1880.  With  regard  to  Ireland,  Mr.  Ussher 
estimates  that  there  have  been  twenty-two  or  more  records, 
specimens  having  been  obtained  from  midland,  as  well  as 
from  maritime  counties.  The  early  records  date  back  to 


GLOSSY    IBIS  45 

1818,  when  Thompson  states  that  Ibises  were  killed  in 
Wexford,  while  as  recently  as  October,  1902,  others  were 
procured  from  cos.  Clare  and  Wexford  (E.  Williams,  '  Irish 
Naturalist,'  1903,  p.  112).  Prior  to  these  occurrences,  no 
Glossy  Ibis  was  recorded  from  Ireland  since  those  men- 
tioned by  Sir  K.  Payne- Gall wey  in  '  The  Fowler  in  Ireland,' 
published  in  1882. 

The  following  are  the  counties  where  specimens  have 
been  taken : — Clare,  Kerry,  Cork,  Waterford,  Wexford, 
Dublin,  King's  County,  Westmeath,  Longford,  Antrim. 

The  Ibis,  though  shaped  like  the  Curlew  and  possessing 
a  long,  slender,  decurved  beak,  has  no  affinities  with  that 
bird,  being  really  related  to  the  Storks  and  Spoonbills. 

Flight. — On  the  wing  the  Glossy  Ibis  is  strong,  and  as  it 
flies,  "the  pinions  are  first  moved  rapidly,  and  produce  a 
whizzing  sound,  after  which  the  bird  skims  for  some 
distance  "  (Saunders). 

Food. — When  sojourning  in  our  Isles,  this  species  feeds 
on  such  small  creatures  as  are  found  about  sandy  shores 
and  muddy  esturine  flats,  e.g.,  sand-eels,  crabs,  shrimps, 
worms,  etc. :  in  warmer  countries  locusts  and  other  insects, 
also  scorpions,  are  eaten. 

Nest. — In  the  breeding-season  the  Glossy  Ibis  is  gre- 
garious. The  nest,  made  of  twigs  and  reeds,  is  built  in 
trees  and  low  bushes,  and  generally  near  marshes  and  water. 
The  eggs,  three  to  four,  are  dark  greenish-blue,  and  the 
shell  is  slightly  pitted. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  breeding-range  of  the 
Glossy  Ibis  in  Europe  extends  from  Spain  to  the  Caspian 
Sea,  and  its  most  northern  colonies  are  in  Slavonia.  It 
is  found  over  a  large  area  of  Asia,  breeding  as  far  south 
as  Ceylon.  It  also  nests  in  North  Africa,  migrating  to 
Natal.  On  the  northern  migration  few  birds  proceed  north 
of  the  Alpine  ranges,  though  stragglers  have  been  obtained 
from  the  Faroes,  Iceland,  Scandinavia,  Denmark,  Norway 
and  Sweden.  In  winter  this  species  roams  to  Australia  and 
South  Africa. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  breast 
and  abdomen,  dark  reddish-brown ;  back,  wings,  and  tail, 
brownish-black  with  a  lustre  of  green  and  purple. 


46  IBIDID^E 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Head  and  neck  streaked 
and  blotched  with  greyish-white,  and  the  plumage  exhibits 
no  gloss. 

BEAK.    Brown  and  decurved. 

FEET.    Brown. 

IRIDES.  Hazel ;  bare  skin  round  the  eyes,  greenish-grey. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 22      in. 

WING        10-75   „ 

BEAK         5        ,, 

TARSO-METATAESUS        4        ,, 

EGG  2  x  1-5  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — P.  guarauna, 
with  the  feathers  which  surround  the  bare  space  on  the 
forehead  edged  white,  is  the  American  representative,  but 
the  Old  World  bird  has  been  found  in  the  Eastern  United 
States. 


47 


Family  PLATALEID^E. 

SPOONBILL.     Platalea  leucorodia  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.  — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,' vol.  iv,  pi. 
32  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  407 ;  Lilford, 
1  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  18  ;  Booth,  *  Bough  Notes,' 
vol.  ii,  pi.  16. 

This  curious  bird,  though  not  sufficiently  regular  and 
widespread  to  be  included  among  our  annual  British 
migrants,  is  nevertheless  observed  in  some  districts  practi- 
cally every  spring,  sometimes  appearing  even  in  small  flocks. 
East  Anglia  is  its  chief  resort,  especially  along  the  Norfolk 
coast.  From  statistics  furnished  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney,  we 
find  that  for  twelve  summers,  dating  back  from  1900,  ninety- 
three  Spoonbills  visited  Breydon  (Norf.  Nat.  Hist.  Soc., 
vol.  vi.).  In  the  '  Zoologist '  for  1900,  p.  415,  Mr.  A.  Patterson 
writes  that  sixteen  were  seen  on  May  13th,  1894;  twelve 
on  May  5th,  1895  ;  six  on  May  10th,  1899  ;  twelve  on  June 
4th,  1900,  and  subsequently  several  others ;  while  on  p.  323 
he  states  that  one  was  seen  on  June  7th,  and  two  on  June 
9th,  1900.  Then  again,  in  the  'Zoologist'  for  1901,  p.  269, 
the  same  writer  publishes  a  most  interesting  note,  in  which 
he  shows  that,  between  early  April  and  June  21st,  1901, 
Spoonbills  were  seen  almost  daily  at  Breydon.  The  details 
of  his  observations  are  as  follows : — 

During  April : — One  seen  on  the  10th,  twelve  on  the 
27th,  and  five  on  the  28th. 

During  May  : — Seven  seen  on  the  7th,  two  on  the  16th, 
two  on  the  17th. 

During  June  : — Two  seen  on  the  2nd,  four  on  the  7th,  five 
on  the  15th,  and  four  on  the  21st.  Many  of  these  birds  were 
very  tame,  allowing  of  near  approach.  It  is  obvious,  from 
these  valuable  data,  that  this  species  is  still  a  frequent  spring 
visitor  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Great  Yarmouth. 

North  of  Yorkshire  (a  county  which  has  yielded  some 
nine  specimens),  the  Spoonbill  'is  of  rare  occurrence,  and 


48 


PLATALEID^E 


except  on  the  flats  of  Cardigan  Bay  and  in  Pembrokeshire,  it 
is  seldom  recorded  from  the  west  side  of  Great  Britain.  Prof. 
Salter,  in  his  '  Birds  of  Aberystwith,'  mentions  that  fourteen 
Spoonbills  were  seen  on  the  river  Dovey  on  May  16th, 
1893.  In  the  southern  counties  the  Spoonbill  appears  at 
irregular  intervals.  One  was  shot  in  Surrey  on  November 
26th,  1901  (Gordon  Dalgliesh,  'Zoologist,'  1902),  none 
having  been  recorded  from  that  county  since  1862  (Bucknill, 
ibid.,  p.  306).  On  September  25th,  1902,  another  was  shot 
in  Sussex  (N.  F.  Ticehurst,  '  Zoologist,'  1903). 


FIG.  10.— SPOONBILL. 


Few  Spoonbills  wander  to  Scotland.  Mr.  Harting  men- 
tions a  flock  of  ten  which  visited  the  Bay  of  Kirkwall  in 
the  Orkneys  in  October,  1859  ;  six  were  shot.  Specimens 
have  also  been  procured  from  the  Shetlands  and  the  Inner 
Hebrides  (Saunders).  To  Ireland  this  species  is  a  rare  and 
uncertain  visitor,  appearing  chiefly  in  autumn  and  winter. 
It  has  been  recorded  about  thirty-three  times,  aud  most 
often  from  the  south.  The  first  specimen,  however,  was 
taken  near  Belfast,  about  the  beginning  of  the  last  century 
(Thompson).  On  December  16th,  1890,  one  was  obtained 
in  the  co.  Galway,  while  a  specimen  procured  in  the  co. 


SPOONBILL  49 

Waterford  on  November  5th,  1891,  appears  to  be  the  latest 
capture  (Ussher).  The  remaining  counties  from  which 
examples  have  been  obtained  are : — Clare,  Kerry,  Cork, 
Wexford,  Wicklow,  Dublin,  Mayo.  It  will  be  seen  that 
hitherto  the  Spoonbill  has  been  taken  only  in  maritime 
counties. 

In  its  general  habits  it  may  be  said  that  the  Spoonbill  is 
sociable  and  amicably  disposed  to  other  species.  Several 
may  be  seen  feeding  on  the  sea-shore  in  company  with  gulls 
and  small  waders,  and  I  can  state  from  personal  observation 
that  the  Spoonbill  will  live  peacefully  in  captivity,  with 
smaller  birds.  It  is  easily  tamed,  and  makes  a  curious  and 
quaint-looking  pet.  In  a  state  of  nature  it  is  not  usually  a 
wary  bird,  though  Watters  mentions  that  a  flock,  observed 
many  years  ago  on  the  marshes  of  the  co.  Wexford, 
"  exhibited  such  wariness  as  not  to  admit  of  sufficient 
approach  to  obtain  one  "  ('  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  140). 

Flight. — The  flight  of  the  Spoonbill  is  somewhat  heavy, 
and  the  beats  of  the  wing  regular.  Wben  flying,  the  legs  of 
this  species  are  fully  extended  and  the  neck  slightly  inclined 
upwards. 

Voice. — Like  the  Stork,  the  Spoonbill  is  generally  sup- 
posed to  be  voiceless,  but  Mr.  E.  B.  Lodge  has  heard  it 
utter  a  few  low  notes  when  flying  round  its  nest  (Saunders), 
and  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney  has  noted  that  in  confinement  a  pair 
began  a  feeble  duet  on  a  warm  day,  all  the  while  moving 
their  necks  up  and  down  ('  Zoologist,'  1900,  p.  104-5). 

Food. — Along  the  sea-shore  the  Spoonbill  feeds  on  shell- 
fish, crabs,  shrimps,  and  small  fish ;  while  inland  it  eats 
frogs,  worms,  and  insects. 

Nest. — This  species  breeds  in  colonies  both  in  trees  and 
on  the  ground.  In  the  latter  situation  the  nest  may  be  a 
heaped-up  mass  of  reeds  surrounded  by  water.  In  all  cases 
it  is  a  bulky  structure.  The  eggs,  four  to  six  in  number, 
have  a  rough  shell  which  is  dull  white  streaked  and  spotted 
with  dark  reddish-brown. 

In  days  gone  by,  when  the  Spoonbill  nested  in  England, 
it  was  known  as  the  Popeler,  also  the  Shovelard  or  Shovelar. 
Norfolk  appears  to  be  the  oldest  breeding-county  on  record, 
Spoonbills  having  nested  there  in  the  twelfth  century.  The 
eggs,  like  those  of  the  Heron  and  other  birds,  were  protected 
by  law,  and  a  heavy  penalty  was  imposed  on  any  one  who 
was  convicted  of  stealing  them. 

Professor  Newton  in  his  'Dictionary  of  Birds,'  p.  900, 

4 


50 

gives  a  most  interesting  resume  on  the  former  breeding  of 
the  Spoonbill  in  England.  He  writes  :  "  The  Calendar  of 
Patent  Rolls  of  Edw.  I.  shews  (p.  546)  the  issue  in  1300 
of  a  commission  to  enquire  who  carried  off  the  eyries  of 
these  birds  ("  poplorum")  at  several  places  in  Norfolk,  and 
Mr.  Harting  (Zool.  1886,  pp.  81  et  seqq.)  cites  a  case  from 
the  "Year-Book,"  of  14  Hen.  VIII.  (1523),  wherein  the 
Bishop  of  London  (Cuthbert  Tunstall)  maintained  an  action 
of  trespass  against  a  tenant  at  Fulhani  for  taking  Herons 
and  "  Shovelars  "  that  made  their  nests  on  the  trees  there, 
and  has  also  printed  (Zool.  1877,  p.  425)  a  document 
shewing  that  "  Shovelers  "  bred  in  certain  woods  in  west 
Sussex  in  1570.  In  George  Owen's  Description  of  Pem- 
brokeshire, written  in  1602  (ed.  1892,  p.  131),  the  "  Shovler  " 
was  stated  to  breed  "  on  highe  trees  "  in  that  county,  and 
nearly  sixty  years  later  (circa  1662)  Sir  Thomas  Browne, 
in  his  Account  of  Birds  found  in  Norfolk  (Works,  ed. 
Wilkin,  iv,  pp.  315,  316),  stated  of  the  "  Platea  or  Shoue- 
lard  "  that  it  formerly  "  built  in  the  Hernerie  at  Claxton 
and  Reedharn,  now  at  Trimley  in  Suffolk."  This  last 
seems  to  be  the  latest  known  proof  of  the  breeding  of  the 
species  in  England  ;  but  that  it  was  in  the  fullest  sense 
of  the  word  a  "  native "  of  England  and  Wales  is  thus 
incontestably  shown." 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Spoonbill  breeds  in 
many  countries  in  the  south  and  south-east  of  Europe, 
as  well  as  in  Holland.  In  India  it  is  a  familiar  nesting- 
species,  and  it  is  found  in  many  other  countries  of  Southern 
as  well  as  Central  Asia.  It  also  breeds  in  North  Africa  and 
the  adjoining  Islands.  On  its  vernal  migration  it  seldom 
reaches  north  of  the  latitude  of  the  British  Isles.  This 
species  was  first  obtained  in  Heligoland  on  July  14th,  1892 
(Saunders). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Pure  white,  except  a 
tinge  of  yellow  on  the  front  of  the  neck  and  head-plumes. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male, 
but  the  crest  is  shorter. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  head-plumes  are 
absent. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Shafts  and  tips  of  pri- 
maries, black ;  head-plumes,  absent. 


SPOONBILL  51 

BEAK.     Black,  barred  and  tipped  towards  the  end  with 
yellow  ;  expanded  and  much  flattened  at  the  extremity. 
FEET.      Black. 
IRIDES.   Ked. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...         ...  36     in. 

WING         14-5  „ 

BEAK         8*5  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        5'5  „ 

EGG  ...       2'5  X  1/8  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — P.  cristata, 
with  red  legs,  inhabits  South  Africa,  P.  mino,  a  smaller 
species,  is  the  Eastern  representative,  while  P.  regia,  with 
black  beak  and  feet,  and  P.  flavipes,  with  yellow  beak  and 
feet,  are  the  Australian  representatives  (Newton). 

"The  Koseate  Spoonbill  of  America  belongs  to  a  dif- 
ferent genus,  Ajaja  "  (Saunders). 


Order  ODONTOGLOSS^. 

Family  PHOBNICOPTEEID^E. 

FLAMINGO.     Phwnicopterus  roseus  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  410; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  19. 

This  remarkable-looking  bird,  breeding  in  Southern 
Europe,  North  Africa,  and  Asia,  often  migrates  even  in 
flocks  to  countries  in  Europe  of  the  latitude  of  the  British 
Isles,  so  that  its  .visits  are  not  primd  facie  improbable ;  in 
fact  it  should  not  be  surprising  to  hear  of  more  instances 
of  its  occurrence  in  the  British  Isles  than  have  heretofore 
been  recorded.  One  was  secured  in  the  Isle  of  Sheppey  on 
August  16th,  1873,  which  may  have  been  a  specimen  which 
escaped  from  the  London  Zoological  Gardens  on  July  19th 
(Saunders).  Another,  an  adult,  was  obtained  in  Stafford- 
shire early  in  September,  1881.  A  third  was  taken  in 
Hampshire  outside  the  Beaulieu  River,  on  November  26th, 
1883. 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Except  the  wing-coverts 
which  are  brilliant  scarlet,  and  the  primaries  which  are  black, 
the  general  tinge  of  the  plumage  is  a  delicate  pinky-white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Only  a  slight  trace  of 
pink  on  the  wings,  which  are  irregularly  barred  with  black. 
The  downy  nestling  is  greyish-white. 

BEAK.  Basal  portion  pink,  distal  portion  black,  and 
sharply  bent  downward. 

FEET.     Rich  pinkish-red. 


FLAMINGO 


53 


FIG.  11.— FLAMINGO. 


FIG.  12.  — HEAD   OF   FLAMINGO,     g  Nat.  size. 


54  PHCENICOPTEKIDJE 

IKIDES.  Yellow. 

EGGS.      Greenish-blue,  covered  with  a  chalky-white  coat- 
ing :  clutch  two. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 55      in. 

WING        16 

BEAK         ...       5'25    „ 

TAKSO-METATAESUS        ...         ...  .13        ,, 

EGG  3-6  X  2*25  in. 


55 


Order  ANSERES. 

Family  ANATID^E. 
GREY  LAG-GOOSE.     Anser  cinereus  (Meyer). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  1 ; 
Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  411 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  20  ;  Booth,  'Bough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pi.  1 ;  Alpheraky,  «  Geese  of  Europe  and  Asia,'  pL  3. 

The  Grey  Lag  is  the  largest  of  the  '  Grey '  Geese, 
which  visit  the  British  Isles.  The  numbers  which  arrive 
annually,  as  winter  migrants,  fluctuate  considerably ;  but, 
on  the  whole,  this  Goose  is  not  a  numerous  species.  It  is 
met  with  in  Ireland  and  Scotland  more  frequently  than  in 
England  and  Wales.  It  usually  appears  about  October, 
and  in  some  districts  does  not  take  its  departure  until  the 
end  of  April  or  the  beginning  of  May.  The  Grey  Lag- 
Goose  appears  to  be  the  ancestral  stock  from  which  our 
farm-yard  bird  has  sprung  ;  the  latter  not  only  approaches 
it  nearly  in  size  and  build,  but  also  in  certain  plumage 
markings  which  are  often  reproduced  ;  while  the  former  is 
readily  tamed  and  will  live  in  harmony  with  domestic 
geese. 

'  Gaggles  '  of  Grey  Lag- Geese  may  be  seen  marching 
along  pasture-land,  eagerly  plucking  the  grass  and  clover. 
This  habit,  also  strongly  developed  in  our  farm-yard  bird, 
is  not  confined  to  the  species  under  consideration  ;  in  fact, 
geese,  as  a  race,  are  very  fond  of  grass,  and  will  '  graze,' 
by  preference,  for  a  considerable  time  on  the  embankment 
of  an  ornamental  lake,  where,  in  a  state  of  captivity,  they 
are  supplied  amply  with  all  sorts  of  good  food. 

I  have  observed  flocks  of  this  species  rise  at  dusk  from 
the  sea,  where  they  were  resting  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  day,  and  fly  inland  to  feed  on  a  marsh. 


56  ANATID.E 

On  a  few  occasions  I  have  watched  them,  from  ambush, 
feeding  in  the  noon-day.  One,  two,  or  perhaps  three  birds 
will  act  as  sentinels,  taking  up  their  positions  at  the  edge 
of  the  flock.  The  sentinels  appear  to  eat  but  little  ;  they 
keep  their  heads  up  and  necks  stretched,  and  peer  sharply 
around  until  relieved  of  their  duties  by  other  members  of 
the  flock.  Some  authorities  are  of  the  opinion  that  the 
sentry-goose  keeps  up  a  low  muttering  cackle,  becoming 
silent  only  when  danger  threatens,  and  that  by  this  means 
he  attracts  the  attention  of  the  flock.  Other  observers 
state  that  an  alarm-note  is  not  given  by  the  sentry  until  he 
perceives  danger.  I  have  not  heard  a  distinct  cry  of  alarm 
from  the  sentry  when  I  have  suddenly  appeared  from  under 
ambush,  though  in  almost  every  case  the  birds  looked  up 
and  peered  anxiously  around  prior  to  taking  flight.  I 
have  noted,  however,  that  as  long  as  I  lay  concealed  in  a 
ditch  and  completely  out  of  view  of  the  birds,  voices,  not 
from  the  sentinels  alone,  but  from  several  individuals  of 
the  flock,  were  to  be  heard. 

Voice. — The  voice  of  the  Grey  Lag,  when  alarmed,  is 
loud  and  harsh ;  some  of  its  notes  are  pitched  lower 
than  others.  The  *  cackling,'  which  seems  to  denote  con- 
fidence among  the  flock  that  no  enemy  is  in  sight,  is  softer 
and  more  modulated  in  tone.  It  is  not  unlike  the  '  cackle  ' 
of  our  domestic  bird. 

Flight. — The  Grey  Lag-Goose  is  strong  on  the  wing ; 
when  taking  long  journeys  a  flock  will  assume  the  form 
of  the  letter  V,  which  is  characteristic  of  the  flight  of  many 
other  species  of  geese. 

Food. — The  chief  food  is  grass ;  but  grain,  ripe  and 
unripe,  is  also  eaten. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  usually  placed  in  heather,  of  which  it 
is  largely  composed.  In  marshy  places  it  is  formed  of  moss 
and  reeds  ;  it  is  lined  thickly  with  down  plucked  from  the 
mother's  breast.  The  eggs,  five  to  six  in  number,  are  dull 
yellowish-white.  They  are  laid  about  the  middle  of  April, 
and  at  the  onset  of  incubation  the  males  congregate,  and 
leaving  the  females,  take  to  the  nearest  water  in  the  vicinity. 

The  Grey  Lag  is  the  only  species  of  Wild  Goose  which 
breeds  in  a  state  of  nature  in  the  British  Isles.  It  formerly 
bred  in  the  fens  of  Cambridgeshire  and  Lincolnshire,  nest- 
lings having  been  taken  from  the  first-mentioned  county 
up  to  1773,  while  in  the  latter  county,  breeding  continued 
until  the  beginning  of  the  succeeding  century  (Saunders). 

This  species  is  supposed  to  have  bred  in  Ireland  during 


GEEY    LAG-GOOSE  57 

the  eighteenth  century  (Ussher).  In  Scotland  it  nests  in 
Caithness,  Eoss-shire,  Sutherland  and  the  Outer  Hebrides. 

In  North  Uist  it  has  nested  on  one  occasion  700  feet 
above  the  sea-level  (Harvie-Brown). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Grey  Lag- 
Goose  breeds  chiefly  in  the  northern  countries  of  Europe 
and  Asia,  viz.,  Iceland,  Kussia,  Scandinavia,  Holland, 
North  Germany  and  Siberia.  On  its  southern  migration, 
it  is  widely  distributed  over  Central  and  Southern  Europe 
and  Temperate  Asia. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male1  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  back, 
wings  and  tail,  greyish-brown ;  base  of  beak  surrounded 
by  a  few  small  white  feathers  ;  breast  and  front  of  neck, 
pale  brown  ;  lower  breast  and  abdomen,  dull  white  ;  upper 
tail-coverts  and  wing-coverts,  bluish-grey  ;  abdomen  marked 
with  a  few  small  transverse  bars  of  black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Back  darker,  and  head  and 
neck  lighter  than  those  of  the  adult ;  black  spots  absent 
from  the  abdomen. 

BEAK.     Flesh-colour  ;  tipped  with  a  white  '  nail.' 

FEET.     Flesh-colour. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...     34       in.     Female  smaller. 
WING          ...         ...     17'5      ,,      One  inch  or  so  shorter 

in  the  female. 

BEAK          2'5      „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS       2'75    „ 
EGG  3-5  X  2'4  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — A.  rubrirostris 
is  the  foim  which,  in  winter,  migrates  to  Tropical  Asia. 

1  In  the  Geese  and  Swans  (Genera,  Anser,  Chen,  Bernicla,  and 
Cygnus),  the  adult  plumage  of  both  sexes  is  alike,  or  in  some  species 
with  only  minor  differences,  and  without  seasonal  changes.  In  this 
respect  they  differ  markedly  from  the  Ducks. 


58 


WHITE-FRONTED  GOOSE.     Anser  albifrons  (Scopoli). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  4; 
Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe/  vol.  vi,  pi.  414;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  21  ;  Alpheraky,  *  Geese 
of  Europe  and  Asia,'  pi.  4. 

The  White-fronted  is  smaller  than  either  the  Grey  Lag 
or  Bean-Goose,  and  its  plumage  is  handsome  and  variegated. 
It  derives  its  name  from  a  rather  conspicuous  white  patch 
on  the  forehead,  but  at  a  distance,  this  is  not  by  any  means 
the  most  distinguishing  feature  of  the  coloration. 

The  White-fronted  Goose  is  most  easily  identified  among 
a  mixed  assemblage  of  geese,  by  the  broad  jet-black  bars 
which  traverse  its  breast.  These  beautiful  markings  have 
given  rise  to  the  popular  name  of  '  Tortoise-shell  Goose  '  as 
applied  to  this  species. 

It  is  very  interesting  to  watch  a  large  gathering  or 
'  gaggle  '  of  these  birds.  As  a  rule  they  can  only  be 
observed  in  the  distance  and  by  means  of  a  binocular,  as 
they  are  shy  and  watchful.  Sometimes  the  flock  may  con- 
sist of  more  than  one  species  of  goose.  For  instance,  I 
recollect  seeing  numbers  alight  on  a  marsh  in  a  valley  on 
the  wild  coast  of  western  Kerry.  I  made  my  observations 
on  a  hill-side  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away.  To  the  best 
of  my  belief,  the  flock  consisted  of  some  fifty  birds,  out  of 
which  over  forty  were  White-fronted,  and  the  remainder 
Bean-Geese.1  Two  of  the  latter  species  appeared  to  act  as 
sentinels.  It  took  me  fully  half  an  hour  to  distinguish  the 
two  species,  for  it  was  necessary  to  watch  through  my 
binocular  until  each  bird,  in  turn,  faced  me  so  that  the 
transverse  black  bars,  or  the  absence  of  such,  on  the  breast, 
could  be  discerned.  Continuing  my  observations,  I  noted 
how  the  birds  slowly  paraded  through  the  marshy  grass. 
Most  of  them  were  heading  in  the  same  direction,  and  now 
and  then  one  would  halt  to  preen  its  feathers,  while  a 
few  others  steered  leisurely  across  a-  muddy  pond  ;  the 
greater  part  of  the  flock,  however,  were  engaged  in  feeding,  but 
a  few  were  resting,  each  supported  on  one  leg.  As  the  birds 


1  It  might  be  suggested  that  the  supposed  Bean- Geese  were  only  the 
sombre -plumed  immature  White-fronted  Geese.  But  this  is  unlikely  for 
two  reasons,  (a)  immature  birds  do  not  act  as  sentinels  to  the  flock,  (6) 
the  numbers  of  adults  in  a  flock  would  hardly  exceed  the  immature 
birds  to  such  an  extent. 


WHITE-FKONTED  GOOSE  59 

approached  the  edge  of  the  tide  the  sentinels  appeared 
to  grow  less  anxious,  and  bending  their  necks  towards  the 
water,  commenced  to  feed  on  the  surface. 

This  species  is,  with  the  exception  perhaps  of  the 
Brent,  the  most  abundant  of  the  Wild  Geese  which  visit 
Ireland,  and  the  one  most  frequently  exposed  for  sale  in 
poulterers'  shops.  The  Bean-Goose  is  more  common  in 
England.  The  White-fronted  is  easily  tamed  and  thrives 
well  in  captivity.  Illustrative  of  the  affection  which  this  bird 
may  foster  for  other  animals,  I  cite  an  incident  con- 
cerning a  White-fronted  Goose,  a  cat  and  a  retriever  dog. 
The  bird  grew  so  fond  of  these  animals  that  it  was  permitted 
to  sleep  and  feed  in  the  same  outhouse.  The  case  is  remark- 
able as  the  dog  had  previously  retrieved  the  bird,  winged  by 
a  sportsman,  from  the  water,  and  dragged  it  ashore,  shaking 
it  considerably  before  landing  it  at  the  gunner's  side.  The 
bird  must  have  been  strong  to  have  survived  such  treat- 
ment, however,  it  recovered  and  lived  for  several  years. 
The  White-fronted  Goose  has  repeatedly  bred  in  captivity 
and  hybrids  have  been  raised.  The  flesh,  especially  that  of 
the  young  bird,  is  well  flavoured  if  the  bird  is  in  good 
condition.  Some  authorities  think  that  this  species  has 
close  ancestral  affinities  with  our  tame  bird. 

Flight. — The  flight  resembles  that  of  the  Grey  Lag. 

Voice. — The  note  is  a  harsh  croak. 

Food. — This  Goose  '  grazes  '  to  a  large  extent  in  fields 
of  short  grass  and  clover,  but  other  vegetable  substances, 
including  seaweeds,  are  also  eaten. 

Nest. — The  site  of  the  nest  and  the  materials  used  for  its 
construction,  do  not  differ  to  any  extent  from  those  of  the 
last  species.  The  eggs,  five  to  seven  in  number,  are  creamy- 
white.  Incubation  begins  in  June. 

Geographical  distribution. — This  Goose  nests  in  Northern 
Kussia,  Iceland  and  Arctic  Siberia.  It  is  plentiful  on  the 
lower  Yenesei  (Popham)  and  according  to  Middendorff, 
it  is  the  most  common  Goose  in  the  Taimyr  district.  On 
passage,  in  winter,  it  is  widely  distributed  over  the  Conti- 
nents of  Europe  and  Asia,  reaching  India,  Egypt  and  Nubia. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Encircling  the  base 
of  the  beak  is  a  broad  white  band  ;  head,  neck,  back,  wings 
and  tail,  brownish  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  brownish-white  and 


60  ANATID^E 

handsomely  marked  with  transverse  black  bars  which  vary 
greatly  in  amount,  some  individuals  having  the  under-parts 
entirely  black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  black  on  the  breast  is  less 
conspicuous  than  in  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.— Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Breast-bars,  and  white  at 
the  base  of  the  beak  absent ;  rest  of  the  plumage  darkish- 
brown.  In  young  males  the  breast-bars  are  sometimes 
traceable. 

BEAK.     Orange- yellow,  tipped  with  a  white  'nail.' 

FEET.     Orange-colour  ;  toe-nails,  horn-colour. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 27     in. 

WING         16      „ 

BEAK         2      „ 

TARSO-METATAESUS         ...         ...       2" 5  ,, 

EGG  3x2  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — A  smaller 
form,  the  Lesser  White  -  fronted  Goose,  A.  erytliropus, 
with  darker  plumage,  breeds  in  Scandinavia  ;  while  a  large 
variety,  A.  gambeli,  with  very  distinct  black  bars  on  the 
breast,  and  more  black  on  the  abdomen  and  flanks  than 
our  bird,  nests  in  Arctic  America,  including  Greenland. 


BEAN-GOOSE.     Anser  segetum  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures.— Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
2  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  412  ;  Lilford, 
'Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  22;  Alpheraky,  'Geese 
of  Europe  and  Asia,'  pi.  11. 

This  Goose  is,  in  all  probability,  the  most  numerous 
of  the  '  Grey '  Geese  which  visit  our  Isles,  although  as 
already  mentioned,  the  White-fronted  and  Grey  Lag  are 
more  often  met  with  in  Ireland  ;  the  Bean-Goose  is  scarcer 
in  Scotland  than  elsewhere  in  the  British  Isles.  It  arrives 
on  our  shores  in  autumn  and  leaves  in  spring.  Owing  to 
its  extreme  wariness,  it  is  rather  difficult  to  identify  in  its 


BEAN-GOOSE  61 

natural  haunts  and  its  sombre  brownish-grey  plumage 
renders  it  inconspicuous,  when  standing  on  dark  marshy 
ground,  meadow-pasture,  or  corn-fields.  It  can  be  most 
easily  approached  when  feeding  in  company  with  other 
species  of  Geese.  Although  extremely  shy  in  its  wild  state, 
the  Bean-Goose  is  easily  tamed  and  often  displays  great 
affection  for  domestic  animals  and  inmates  of  the  farmyard. 

The  Bean-Goose  resorts  chiefly  to  situations  away  from 
the  tide,  but  its  movements  are  much  influenced  by 
the  weather.  It  is  not  a  hardy  bird,  and  cases  are  on 
record  of  its  capture  in  a  semi-starved  condition  during  or 
after  continued  hard  frosts.  In  some  localities,  large  flocks 
resort  at  night  to  tidal  waters  on  which  they  rest  until 
daylight. 

Food. — This  species,  though  mainly  herbivorous,  is  never- 
theless destructive  to  crops  of  grain,  such  as  wheat  and 
oats,  acres  of  which  a  flock  will  devastate  in  a  short  space 
of  time.  The  Bean-Goose,  like  its  congeners,  is  an  expert 
'  grazer,'  cutting  the  grass  with  its  sharp  beak  as  neatly  as 
if  done  by  a  machine.  A  male  sentinel  bird  is  said  to  guard 
the  flock  when  feeding,  and,  until  relieved  of  his  duties  by 
another,  he  does  not  lower  his  head  to  feed.  It  has  been 
stated  that  when  the  sentinel  wishes  to  feed  he  pecks 
vigorously  at  another  member  of  the  flock,  who  seems  to 
understand,  from  this  gentle  reminder,  that  his  turn  has 
come  to  protect  the  rest.  The  flesh  of  this  bird  is  well 
flavoured  and  compares  favourably  with  that  of  other  Geese. 

Voice. — The  voice  of  this  Goose  is  loud  and  hoarse, 
being  not  unlike  that  of  the  preceding  species. 

Flight. — It  is  difficult  to  distinguish  this  bird  on  the 
wing  from  other  *  Grey '  Geese,  and  its  flight  is  equally 
powerful  and  sustained. 

Nest. — The  nest  resembles  that  of  the  preceding  species 
both  in  situation  and  construction.  The  eggs,  about  six 
in  number,  are  dull  cream  colour.  Incubation  takes  place 
about  the  middle  of  June. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  The  distribution  of  the 
Bean-Goose  in  the  nesting-season  extends  over  a  consider- 
able portion  of  Northern  Europe.  It  breeds  in  Sweden, 
Scandinavia,  Norway,  Eussia,  the  Islands  of  Novaya-Zemlya 
(where  it  is  abundant),  the  Yenesei  and  other  Russian  rivers. 
The  late  Mr.  Seebohm  found  it  nesting  on  the  '  tundras ' 
of  the  Petchora.  On  migration,  in  the  cold  season,  the 
Bean-Goose  visits  the  European  Continent  as  far  south  as 


62  ANATID^E 

the  Mediterranean.    It  is  common  in  Russia,  and  is  found 
also  in  Western  Asia. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — The  general  shade  of 
the  plumage  is  greyish-brown,  but  darker  than  that  of  the 
other  '  Grey '  Geese ;  the  black  patches  are  absent  from  the 
breast  and  abdomen,  and  the  greyish-blue  from  the  wings, 
so  that  the  Bean  Goose  is  a  sombre-coloured  bird.  A  few 
small  white  feathers  are  scattered  round  the  base  of  the  beak. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Darker  in  colour  than  the 
adult  (except  the  neck  which  is  tawny)  and  with  less  distinct 
markings. 

BEAK.  Black  at  the  base  and  tip ;  dark  yellow  in  the 
centre. 

FEET.     Pinkish-yellow. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...  34      in.  Female  smaller. 

WING         19 

BEAK         2*4    „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...  2-6     ,, 

EGG  ...  3'2  > 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — A.  serrirostris, 
with  a  yellowish-brown  shade  in  the  head  and  neck,  and 
of  a  larger  size,  is  the  Eastern  representative. 

Note. — The  Bean-Goose  is  as  long  in  the  body  as  the 
Grey  Lag,  but  is  of  a  more  slender  build  and  lighter  in 
weight. 

PINK-FOOTED    GOOSE.     Anser  brachyrhynchus  (Baillon). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  3 ; 
Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe/  vol.  vi,  pi.  413;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  23  ;  Alpheraky,  '  Geese 
of  Europe  and  Asia,'  pi.  8. 

As  a  winter-visitor  to  our  shores  the  Pink-footed  Goose 
has  a  rather  remarkable  distribution.  It  far  exceeds  the 
Bean-Goose  in  numbers  on  the  east  coast  of  England,  being 


PINK-FOOTED   GOOSE  63 ' 

plentiful  in  Northumberland,  East  Yorkshire,  especially  in 
the  Humber  district,  and  in  parts  of  Norfolk.  It  is  much 
scarcer  on  the  southern  and  western  sides,  yet  considerable 
numbers  visited  Lancashire  in  1884  (Saunders). 

The  Pink-footed  Goose  was  first  distinguished  from  the 
Bean-Goose  by  M.  Baillon,  in  1833  (MacGillivray,  Brit. 
Birds,  vol.  i,  p.  149).  It  was  described  and  named  by 
Bartlett  in  1838.  Since  that  date  this  Goose  has,  from 
time  to  time,  been  identified  in  the  London  and  Provincial 
markets.  It  occurs  along  the  sea-board  on  both  sides  of 
Scotland,  visiting  the  Hebrides,  though  it  is  rare  in  the 
Orkneys,  and  practically  unknown  in  the  Shetlands.  It 
has  been  obtained  on  one  occasion  in  Ireland,  viz.,  in  the 
co.  Donegal  about  October  19th,  1891  ('  Irish  Naturalist,' 
1892,  p.  4,  A.  G.  More). 

In  1872  the  late  Sir  Victor  Brooke  identified  in  the 
co.  Meath,  two  Pink-footed  Geese  feeding  in  company  with 
a  large  flock  of  Bernacles  and  Grey  Lags.  He  states  that 
"  to  an  experienced  eye  the  pink  foot  of  this  species  is 
easily  distinguished  on  the  ground." 

The  Pink-footed  Goose  is  not  a  bird  with  conspicuous 
markings  and  so  may  be  easily  overlooked.  It  often 
associates  on  the  ground  with  Grey  Lag-Geese  and  other 
species ;  indeed  Sir  K.  Payne-Gallwey  has  shot  it  when 
keeping  company  with  Bean  and  White-fronted  Geese. 

It  is  probable,  however,  that  it  keeps  apart  from  the 
other  '  Grey '  Geese  on  migration,  otherwise  we  should 
expect  that  the  Pink-footed  Goose  would  have  a  wider 
distribution  over  the  British  Isles.  It  has  been  stated  that 
this  bird  does  not  associate  with  its  congeners  in  captivity, 
yet  in  this  state  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  it  has  interbred 
with  other  species,  and  hybrids  have  been  raised. 

Flight. — The  flight  resembles  that  of  the  preceding 
species,  from  which  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  this  Goose 
on  the  wing. 

Voice.  —  The  voice  resembles  that  of  other  '  Grey ' 
Geese  ;  Mr.  Saunders  considers  that  it  is  sharper  in  tone 
than  that  of  the  Bean-Goose. 

Food. — The  Pink-footed  Goose  is  graminivorous  to  a 
great  extent,  and  consumes  large  quantities  of  corn ;  it 
also  eats  grass  and  tender  shoots. 

Nest. — The  nesting-sites  of  this  species  are  not  well 
known.  The  eggs,  four  to  six  in  number,  are  pure  white. 
Incubation  usually  takes  place  in  June. 


64  ANATID^E 

Geographical  distribution. — The  bird  has  been  found 
breeding  in  Spitzbergen  ]  and  is  said  to  breed  in  Iceland 
also.  It  probably  nests  in  many  other  countries  of 
Northern  Europe.  On  migration,  in  the  cold  season,  it 
has  been  recorded  from  Holland,  Belgium  and  France, 
and  it  probably  visits  many  other  countries  in  Europe. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  upper  part 
of  neck,  ashy-brown ;  lower  neck,  chestnut ;  back  and  wings, 
greyish-brown,  edged  with  yellowish-white  ;  lower  back, 
dark  grey ;  wing-coverts,  bluish-grey ;  breast  and  abdo- 
men, light  greyish-brown ;  primaries,  bluish-grey ;  tail- 
feathers,  grey,  edged  with  white  ;  upper  and  under  tail- 
coverts,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Darker  in  colour  than  the 
adult  and  with  less  definite  markings. 

BEAK.  Proportionately  shorter  and  more  slender  than 
in  other  '  Grey '  Geese.  Basal  part  as  far  as  the  nostrils, 
black  ;  tip  or  '  nail,'  black  ;  centre  pink. 

FEET.     Pink  ;  claws  black. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 28      in. 

WING        17-5     „ 

BEAK         1'75  „ 

TABSO-METATABSUS        ...         ...  2-5     ,. 

EGG  ...  312  X  2'25  in. 


SNOW-GOOSE.     Chen  hyperboreus  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  413 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  24  ;  Alpheraky, 
1  Geese  of  Europe  and  Asia,'  pi.  1. 

The    Snow-Goose,  as   its   name  implies,  is   pure   white 
exceptxthe  tips  of  the  wings,  which  are  black  ;  it  therefore 


1  Here  the  nest  has  been  found  on  a  stony  hill-side,  overhung  by 
a  rock  some  seven  hundred  feet  above  the  Fjord,  with  no  water  except 
the  sea  in  the  vicinity  (Sir  E.  Payne- Gall wey). 


SNOW-GOOSE  65 

differs  markedly  in  plumage  from  the  members  of  the 
Genera,  Anser  and  Bernicla.  Thus,  from  other  Wild 
Geese  it  is  readily  distinguishable,  but  at  a  distance  it  might 
be  mistaken  for  a  tame  white  Domestic  Goose.  As  a  British 
bird  the  Snow-Goose  is  very  rare  ;  it  has  occurred  chiefly 
along  the  coast  during  the  autumn  migration.  In  his 
'  Letters  to  Young  Shooters '  Sir  E.  Payne-Gall  wey  mentions 
that  he  saw,  during  the  severe  winter  of  1890-1891,  five 
Snow-Geese  fly  past  him  along  the  coast  near  Berwick-on- 
Tweed.  The  same  writer  also  observed  three  others  at 
Berkely  in  Yorkshire  during  successive  winters,  in  company 
with  a  large  '  gaggle '  of  White-fronted  Geese,  but  none 
of  them  were  obtained. 

During  the  same  winter,  Snow-Geese  were  recorded 
from  Cumberland  and  Northumberland. 

In  Ireland,  the  occurrence  of  the  Snow-Goose  was  first 
made  known  by  Mr.  H.  Saunders,  who  records  three  shot 
on  the  Wexford  coast,  two  of  which  were  procured  (Proc. 
Zool.  Soc.,  1872,  p.  59).  This  species  has  visited  Ireland  on 
a  few  other  occasions.  There  are  two  interesting  records 
from  Belmullet,  co.  Mayo,  concerning  which  Mr.  Ussher 
writes  :  "  In  the  Zoologist,  1878,  p.  419,  the  Editor,  Mr. 
Harting,  records  the  appearance  of  seven  Snow-Geese, 
which  were  seen  on  marshy  ground  in  Termoncarra,  near 
Belmullet,  co.  Mayo,  about  the  end  of  October  1877  ;  one 
was  wounded  and  used  as  a  decoy,  by  which  a  second  was 
trapped.  The  latter  proved  to  be  a  gander  and  was  easily 
tamed ;  he  then  assumed  the  leadership  of  a  flock  of 
domestic  geese,  taking  them  long  distances  in  the  mornings 
and  returning  every  evening  to  the  yard  where  they  were 
kept ;  he  mated  with  one  of  them  and  goslings  were  reared  ; 
but  after  he  had  thus  lived  until  April  1884,  he  was  killed 
with  a  stone,  when  the  owner,  Mr.  J.  E.  Crampton,  pre- 
sented the  specimen  to  the  Dublin  Museum,  where  it  is 
preserved.  The  bird  that  was  wounded  in  1877  died  after 
six  weeks,  and  was  not  preserved. 

"In  the  end  of  September  1886  Mr.  H.  Blake  Knox 
received  another  specimen  from  a  son  of  one  of  his  tenants 
living  near  Belmullet,  who  shot  it  as  it  flew  past  his  house. 
Mr.  Blake  Knox  has  preserved  this  bird,  and  has  kindly 
lent  it  to  me  ;  it  is  of  larger  size  than  Mr.  Crampton's 
specimen  in  our  Museum.  It  was  exhibited  by  Dr.  H.  B. 
Sharpe  at  the  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club, 
on  22nd  November  1899,  and  proves  to  be  of  the  larger 
race,  Chen  nivalis  (Forster)."  ('  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  180.) 
5 


66  ANATHXE 

Quite  recently  a  number  of  occurrences  have  been 
recorded  from  Ireland  as  follows  : — 

October  28th,  1903  ;  a  female  bird  in  mature  plumage 
shot  in  a  stubble-field  in  co.  Longford,  and  sent  to  Williams 
and  Son  for  preservation ;  a  second  in  immature  plumage 
shot  the  same  day  in  the  same  place ;  this  specimen  was 
not  preserved. 

November,  1903  ;  a  flock  of  eight  Snow-Geese  seen  by 
Capt.  Kirkwood  and  his  daughter  at  Bartragh,  co.  Mayo. 

December  1st,  1903;  four  seen  by  Mr.  G.  F.  Knox 
at  Foxford,  co.  Mayo  (Williams,  'Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  459, 
and  K.  Warren,  ibid.,  1904,  p.  32,  also  G.  F.  Knox,  'Irish 
Naturalist,'  1904,  p.  76). 

Flight. — The  flight  is  strong  and  sustained. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  loud  and  harsh. 

Food. — The  Snow-Goose  partakes  of  a  rather  mixed 
diet ;  in  summer,  green  rushes  and  insects  are  eaten ;  in 
autumn,  berries  (Saunders). 

Nest. — The  nest  is  usually  placed  near  water  "  in  hollows 
formed  in  the  sandy  soil,  and  well  lined  with  down; 
the  eggs,  usually  five  in  number,  are  chalky- white  "  (Saun- 
ders) . 

Geographical  distribution. — There  are  two  forms  of  the 
Snow-Goose,  both  of  which  breed  in  the  New  World.  The 
larger  bird  nests  in  Eastern  North  America,  i.e.,  in  the 
Hudson  Bay  district.  The  Lesser  Snow-Goose  nests  in 
Western  North  America,  Alaska,  and  North-East  Asia.  In 
winter  both  forms  migrate  along  the  American  coasts.  The 
smaller  bird  is  the  variety  which  has  been  recorded  from 
the  Continents  of  Europe  and  Asia. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Pure  white,  except 
the  primaries,  which  are  black.  The  forehead  sometimes 
exhibits  a  rusty  tinge. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  greater  portion  of  the 
plumage  is  shaded  grey. 

BEAK.     Bed,  with  a  greyish-white  tip. 

FEET.     Bed. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 


KED-BKEASTED  GOOSE  67 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 28  in. 

WING         17  „ 

BEAK         ...  2*1  ,, 

TARSO-METATAKSUS         ...         ...       3  ,, 

EGG  ...       3-4  x  2'2  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — C.  coerulescens 
is  a  variety  of  Snow-Goose  which  exhibits  dull  bluish-grey 
shading  over  parts  of  the  plumage.  C.  rossi  is  a  very  small 
form  and  C.  nivalis  is  a  large  form  of  Snow-Goose. 


RED-BREASTED  GOOSE.    Bernicla  ruficollis  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  6; 
Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  416;  Lilford, 
'Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  25;  Alpheraky,  'Geese 
of  Europe  and  Asia,'  pi.  15. 

This,  the  least  in  size  of  the  British  Geese,  is  only  a 
rare  visitor  to  our  shores,  but,  if  once  seen,  it  should  attract 
attention  by  its  richly  coloured  plumage. 

Mr.  Saunders  gives  seven  instances  of  its  occurrence  in 
England,  and  three  birds  have  been  preserved.  The  data  of 
captures  are  as  follows  : — One  was  obtained  near  London 
in  the  winter  of  1776  ;  it  is  preserved  in  the  Museum  of 
Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

Another  was  killed  near  Berwick-on-Tweed,  in  1818, 
and  is  preserved  in  the  British  Museum.  The  third  speci- 
men is  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Marshall  of  Norton  Manor, 
Taunton,  having  been  sent  from  Maldon,  in  Essex,  on 
January  6th,  1871.  The  remaining  records  are  : — Two  from 
Devon,  one  from  Norfolk,  one  from  Yorkshire. 

It  is  very  doubtful  if  the  Eed-breasted  Goose  has  ever 
occurred  in  Ireland.  Mr.  Ussher  excludes  it  from  the  Irish 
fauna  in  the  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  so  did  the  late  Mr.  A.  G. 
More,  in  the  last  edition  of  his  'List  of  Irish  Birds,' 
published  in  1890. 

Like^  most  other  species  of  Geese,  the  Ked-breasted  is 
gregarious  and  easily  tamed. 


68  ANATID^ 

Food. — Observations  made  of  birds  in  captivity  show 
that  green  vegetables  form  the  chief  diet,  and  water  is 
frequently  drunk. 

Voice. — The  note  has  been  syllabled  skak-voy  (Pallas). 

Flight. — The  flight  is  strong  and  sustained. 

Nest — Mr.  Popham  describes  the  nest  as  being  placed  at 
the  foot  of  cliffs  and  well  supplied  with  down.  The  eggs, 
are  creamy-white  in  colour. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Red-breasted  Goose 
breeds  in  Arctic  regions  of  Europe  and  Asia,  notably  in 
Siberia.  The  late  Mr.  Seebohm  and  Mr.  Popham  found  it 
nesting  on  the  Yenesei :  on  migration  in  winter  it  visits 
the  European  Continent,  especially  the  Eastern  section,  as 
also  Asia. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  throat, 
and  back  of  neck,  black,  thinly  bordered  with  white ;  large 
white  patch  in  front  of  the  eye  ;  breast  and  fore-neck,  rich 
chestnut-red ;  a  patch  of  the  same  colour  surrounded  by 
a  white  margin  covering  the  ear ;  back,  wings,  and  tail, 
nearly  black,  some  of  the  wing-coverts  being  edged  with 
white ;  abdomen  white,  barred  on  the  flanks  with  black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Ear-patch  less  distinct 
than  in  the  adult,  being  whitish  with  a  chestnut  centre  ; 
breast,  pale  reddish ;  rest  of  plumage,  brownish,  except 
the  abdomen  and  tail-coverts,  which  resemble  those  of  the 
adult. 

BEAK.     Very  dark  brown. 

FEET.     Very  dark  brown. 

IEIDES.  Hazel. 


AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 22    in. 

WING        ...  14'5  „ 

BEAK  ...  ••  ...  1  „ 
TAUSO-METATARSUS  ...  •  ...  2  ,, 
EGG  279x1-93. 


BEKNACL.E-GOOSE  69 

BERNACLE-GOOSE.     Bernicla  leucopsis  (Bechstein). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  7 ; 
Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  415,  fig.  1  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  26 ;  Alpheraky,  '  Geese 
of  Europe  and  Asia,'  pi.  20. 

The  Bernacle  and  its  congener,  the  Brent,  are  essentially 
Sea-geese,  and  they  resemble  each  other  in  many  ways. 
Both  display  a  large  amount  of  black  in  the  plumage,  the 
Brent  especially  so.  At  a  distance  the  Bernacle  is  distin- 
guishable by  the  bold  and  well-defined  patches  of  white 
and  lavender-grey,  which  render  it  a  remarkably  bright 
and  handsome  bird. 

This  species  is  a  visitor  of  restricted  range  to  our 
shores  in  autumn  and  winter.  Its  distribution  contrasts 
with  that  of  the  Pink-footed,  and  in  a  less  degree  with  that 
of  the  Brent  Goose  ;  thus  the  Bernacle  mostly  frequents 
the  west  coasts  of  the  British  Isles,  whereas  the  two  former 
species  are  more  often  seen  along  the  east  coasts.  Large 
numbers  of  Bernacles  arrive  at  Solway  Firth  about  the  end 
of  September ;  visiting  at  the  same  time  the  islands  off  the 
coasts  of  Donegal,  Mayo  and  other  parts  of  the  west,  north 
and  north-east  coasts  of  Ireland. 

The  Bernacle  has  been  taken  while  migrating  at  Aran- 
more,  where  great  numbers  have  been  reported  on  passage. 
This  island  appears  to  be  in  the  direct  migration  line  from 
East  Greenland,  the  principal  breeding-resort  of  this  Goose. 
To  the  Hebrides,  Orkneys  and  Shetlands  it  is  not  an  infre- 
quent visitor. 

I  have  sometimes  seen  solitary  birds  resting  on  the  sea, 
close  to  the  city  of  Dublin.  They  probably  had  flown  from 
ornamental  waters  in  the  vicinity.  This  is  all  the  more 
likely,  as  most  of  my  observations  were  made  in  July,  when 
the  Geese,  in  a  wild  state,  would  have  been  breeding  in 
the  far  north. 

Imaginative  persons,  living  in  the  more  remote  districts, 
still  believe  that  Bernacle  and  Brent  Geese — a  distinction 
seldom  being  made  between  the  two  species — are  hatched 
from  Barnacles  which  hang  on  drift  timber. 

There  is,  another  familar  legend  still  in  vogue,  which 
endeavours  to  account  for  the  birth  of  these  Geese,  namely, 
that  certain  trees  overhanging  the  sea  contained  small 
round  berry-like  bodies  on  the  ends  of  their  branches ; 


70  ANATID^ 

according  as  they  grew  ripe  these  '  berries  '  dropped  into 
the  sea,  and  shortly  afterwards  re-appeared  on  the  surface 
as  fully  developed  Geese.  It  is  hard  to  conceive  that  such 
gross  superstition  is  possible,  but  one  can  understand  that 
to  fishermen  living  in  isolated  parts  and  unacquainted  with 
bird  migration,  the  sudden  appearance  of  multitudes  of 
these  weird  '  mourning-plumed '  birds  foraging  among  the 
seaweeds,  must  cause  no  small  amount  of  surprise  and 
conjecture  as  to  their  origin.1 

Flight. — The  flight  of  the  Bernacle  is  strong  and  rapid  ; 
the  birds  often  form  a  V-shaped  flock,  which  breaks  up 
irregularly  as  they  descend  toward  their  feeding-grounds. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  low  and  murmuring  and  pleasing 
to  the  ear.  , 

Food. — Bernacles  delight  to  congregate  on  grass-covered 
islands,  or  on  the  brow  of  a  lonely  hill  or  elevated  field 
overlooking  the  sea,  where,  free  from  molestation,  they  can 
readily  pluck  the  grasses,  clover  and  maritime  herbs.  They 
are  shy  birds,  guarding  their  flocks  by  sentinels  and  keeping 
up  a  noisy  cackle  while  feeding.  They  often  fly  down  to  the 
beach  at  low  water,  but  unlike  Brent  Geese,  do  not  require 
extensive  mud-flats  on  which  to  procure  their  food,  indeed 
many  flocks  resort  to  sea-pools  surrounded  by  seaweed- 
covered  rocks. 

The  Bernacle  is  not  a  bird  of  the  market,  and  it  is 
seldom  seen  in  large  numbers  in  the  game-dealers'  shops  ; 
nevertheless  its  flesh  is  much  esteemed. 

Nest. — Little  is  known  of  the  nesting-habits  of  this 
Goose.  It  breeds,  however,  freely  in  captivity,  usually 
making  a  nest  of  grass,  slender  stems  and  coarse  herbage, 
and  lining  it  with  down. 

The  eggs,  four  in  number,2  are  white  with  a  smooth  shell. 
The  bird  commences  hatching  about  May. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Bernacle-Goose  breeds 
probably  in  Greenland,  Iceland  and  Spitzbergen,  along  the 
shore  of  the  White  Sea,  and  other  Arctic  regions,  but  its 
distribution  in  the  nesting-season  requires  further  investi- 
gation. Professor  Collett  mentions  a  pair  that  bred  for 
several  years  on  one  of  the  Lofoten  islands  off  the  Nor- 

1  The    name   '  Bernacle,'   without   the    word    '  Goose '    following,    is 
often  used  to  designate  this  bird,  owing  to  the  ancient  fable  of  its  origin. 

2  This  is   the  number  which  I  have   most  frequently  seen  laid  in 
captivity. 


PLATE   VII. 


F.  H.  Walker,  Photo.] 


BERNACLE   GEESE. 
Zoological  Gardens,  Dublin. 


:iO    .Vm! 


.  -5          •    •   o  *<• 


BRENT  GOOSE  71 

wegian  coast,  but  being  an  isolated  instance,  it  affords 
us  little  help  as  to  the  general  geographical  distribution 
of  this  species  in  the  breeding-season.  Tn  cold  weather 
this  bird  migrates  along  the  sea-board  of  North  Western 
Europe,  very  few  examples  passing  south  of  France. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial, — Top  of  head,  throat 
and  neck,  black,  contrasting  strongly  with  the  white  under- 
parts  ;  front  of  head,  cheeks  and  chin,  white;  black  band 
running  from  the  front  of  the  eye  to  the  base  of  the  beak  ; 
back  and  wings,  delicate  ;  french  '  or  ;  lavender  '  grey,  barred 
with  bluish-black  and  white ;  primaries  and  tail-feathers, 
black ;  upper  and  under  'tail-coverts,  white  ;  breast  and 
abdomen,  also  white ;  flanks,  barred  with  pale  grey. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Cheeks,  spotted  black  and 
white  ;  back  and  wing-feathers,  edged  with  rufous ;  flanks 
barred  darker  than  in  the  adult. 

BEAK.    Black. 

FEET.    Black. 

IKIDES  Very  dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 27     in.    Female  smaller. 

WING         1C) 

BEAK         1-4  „ 

TAHSO-METATARSUS         ...       2'3  ,, 

EGG  '2-8  x  T9  in. 


BRENT  GOOSE.     Beniicla  brenta  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  7; 
Dresser,  '  Birds  ot  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  415,  fig.  2 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  26 ;  Alpheraky,  *  Geese 
of  Europe  and  Asia,'  pi.  16. 

The  Brent  Goose — often    called    the    Sea    Bernacle — is 
more  exclusively  marine  in  its  habits  than  the  last  mentioned 


7*2  ANATIDJ^ 

species.  With  the  exception  of  the  Red-breasted  Goose, 
which  is  only  a  rare  wanderer  to  onr  shores,  the  Brent  is  the 
smallest  member  of  its  family  and  the  one  which  is  most 
abundant  along  our  coasts.  To  the  eastern  and  southern 
shores  of  England  it  is  a  plentiful  visitor  and  thousands 
frequent  various  parts  of  the  Irish  coast.  The  Brent  is  very 
abundant  in  Tralee  Bay,  co.  Kerry,  where  I  have  seen 
acres  of  slob-land  tenanted  by  immense  gatherings.  On 
the  west  of  Scotland,  however,  it  is  less  numerous  than  the 
Bernacle.  This  Goose  arrives  about  September,  and  its 
numbers  increase  until  December.  It  remains  until  April, 
and  I  have  seen  small  parties  early  in  May  on  the  Dublin 
coast.  Stragglers  in  summer  have  been  seldom  recorded ; 
a  specimen  was  obtained  on  July  10th,  1887,  at  the  Island  of 
Rathlin  O'Birne  (Barrington). 

I  have  watched  great  numbers  of  Brent  Geese  on  the 
extensive  mud-flats  of  Dublin  Bay,  within  a  few  miles  of  the 
city.  These  birds  are  exceedingly  clever  and  are  quite  able 
to  discriminate  between  an  ordinary  pedestrian  and  a  gunner 
approaching  them  on  the  open  strand.  I  have  seen  these 
Geese  alight  within  seventy  yards  of  the  main  thoroughfare, 
crowded  with  noisy  holiday  seekers,  nor  did  the  din  of  the 
electric  cars,  the  whiz  of  the  passing  cyclist,  nor  the 
suspicious-looking  ornithologist,  as  he  peeped  over  the  wall 
and  stood  staring  through  his  field-glasses,  cause  any  anxiety 
among  the  flock.  Shooting  is  here  forbidden,  and  well  the 
Geese  know  it.  But  let  the  gunner  try  to  approach  them— 
be  it  ever  so  stealthily — on  the  strand,  and  ere  he  get 
within  two  hundred  yards  of  them  off  they  fly.  With 
the  aid  of  my  field-glass  I  have  been  able  to  view  these 
birds  so  that  they  seemed  to  appear  almost  at  my  feet. 
On  several  occasions  I  have  had  the  good  fortune  to  arrive 
at  their  feeding-grounds  before  them,  and  have  watched 
a  flock  fly  in  from  the  sea  and  pitch  on  the  ooze.  The 
birds  almost  immediately  begin  to  feed,  with  the  exception 
of  perhaps  one  or  two  which  may  look  about  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  in  this  locality,  where  the  birds  are  compara- 
tively tame,  I  have  not  noticed  any  special  sentinel  Geese. 
They  usually  walk  leisurely  after  one  another,  heading  in 
the  same  direction,  some,  however,  may  be  seen  retracing 
their  steps,  some  indulging  in  a  chase,  with  wing's  spread 
and  necks  at  full  stretch,  while  others  often  halt  to  preen 
their  feathers.  As  they  feed  they  search  among  the  sea- 
wrack,  for  Zostera  and  other  marine  weeds ;  they  will 


BRENT   GOOSE  78 

also  plunge  their  heads  and  necks  under  water  to  obtain 
food  at  the  bottom  of  shallow  sea-pools.  On  one  occasion 
I  witnessed  a  large  '  gaggle  '  of  Brent  Geese  break  up  into 
two  parties  ;  one  continued  to  feed  as  above  described, 
the  other  entered  the  shallow,  tranquil  water  of  the 
rising  tide,  on  which  they  moved  smoothly  in  the  same 
direction  as  though  gliding  On  the  surface  of  a  polished 
sheet  of  glass.  Calmly — but  not  suspiciously — they  viewed 
their  surroundings,  turning  their  heads  and  slender  necks 
now  to  this  side  now  to  that,  having  nought  to  fear,  and 
presenting  a  peaceful  and  fascinating  appearance  on  a  warm, 
calm,  bright  day  in  mid-winter.  It  is  astonishing  how 
unsuspicious  these  Geese  are  when  compared  with  those 
harassed  by  the  '  staunchion '  shooter.  The  hunted  Brent 
becomes  gun-shy  and  extremely  vigilant,  guarding  its 
numbers  by  outposted  sentinels.  Illustrative  of  the  astute- 
ness of  this  species  when  trying  to  baffle  the  efforts  of 
the  sportsman,  Sir  R.  Payne-Gallwey  writes  :  "  A  couple 
of  winters  ago  I  was  lying  in  a  deep  channel  at  low  tide. 
There  was  a  large  gaggle  of  several  hundred  Brent,  feeding 
some  distance  off.  One  of  them  wandered  from  his  com- 
panions a  long  way  in  search,  I  suppose,  of  daintier  food. 
He  suddenly  popped  his  head  over  the  bank  within  a  dozen 
yards  of  where  I  lay  motionless  in  my  punt  awaiting  the 
rising  tide  that  would  bring  me  within  shot.  The  Goose 
stared.  I  stared.  "  Brenta  ?'  would  soon  spring,  I  thought, 
and  spoil  my  chance  of  a  shot  with  my  swivel  gun.  Not 
so  !  he  merely  stalked  back  to  his  friends,  and  on  reaching 
them  sprang  up  and  led  them  off  seaward." 

Flight. — The  flight  of  the  Brent  Goose  is  strong  and 
swift.  When  flying  the  members  of  a  flock  frequently  alter 
their  relative  positions.  I  have  seen  a  flock  travel  through 
the  air  in  a  steady  V-shaped  pattern  for  some  distance,  and 
then  change  to  an  irregular  linear  figure,  the  birds  in  the 
rear  overtaking  those  in  advance.  Finally,  before  descend- 
ing, the  flock  often  assumes  a  rounded  and  compact  mass, 
which  thins  out  as  the  birds  approach  the  ground. 

Voice. — The  note  may  be  syllabled  hoyank-hunk-hunk  : 
it  is  rather  loud  and  unmusical. 

Food. — The  Brent  feeds  among  the  ooze  and  patches  of 
sand,  laid  bare  by  the  receding  tide.  It  seems  very  partial 
to  Zoster  a  marina,  but  other  seaweeds  are  also  eaten.  It 
feeds  by  day,  differing,  in  that  respect,  from  the  Bernacle. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  built  of  grass  and  other  vegetable 
materials,  and  is  thickly  lined  with  down. 


The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  smooth  and  creamy- 
white  in  colour.  Incubation  begins  about  the  middle  of 
June. 

The  Brent  is  readily  tamed,  and  thrives  well  in  captivity. 

Geographical  distribution. — This  Goose  has  a  wide  breed- 
ing-distribution in  Arctic  Europe  and  America,  far  beyond 
the  limit  of  forest  growth.  It  breeds  on  the  Siberian 
Islands  and  Coasts,  on  the  Islands  in  the  Arctic  Ocean  as 
Kolguev,  Novaya-Zemlya,  Spitzbergen  and  Franz  Josef 
Land.  In  winter  it  visits  the  sea-board  of  Europe,  North 
Africa  and  Western  Asia. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  throat,  neck, 
and  upper  breast,  black ;  a  small  white  patch  on  either  side 
of  the  neck,  which  sometimes  becomes  confluent,  forming 
either  a  complete  ring  or  a  '  horse-shoe  '  of  white  feathers  ; 
back  and  wings,  brownish- black,  with  paler  edges  ;  primaries, 
rump  and  tail,  black  ;  upper  and  under  tail-coverts,  white  ; 
lower  breast  and  abdomen,  bluish-grey,  with  the  edges  of 
the  feathers  of  a  lighter  shade. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Browner  in  colour  than  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Almost  similar  to  the 
nuptial  plumage,  except  that  the  feathers  of  back  and  wings 
are  tinged  with  rusty-brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  The  colours  are  much 
duller  than  in  the  adult  and  there  is  less  white  on  the  neck. 

BEAK.     Black,  including  the  '  nail.' 

FEET.     Black. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  '23  in. 

WING    13-5  ,, 

BEAK    1'5  ,, 

TARSO-METATABSUS         2 

EGG  27  X  T3  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — B.  nigricans, 
with  a  white  collar  and  black  lower  breast,  is  the  American 
representative. 


CANADA  GOOSE  75 

Three  other  species  of  Geese  have  been  obtained  in  the 
British  Isles  ;  namely,  the  CANADA  GOOSE,  the  EGYPTIAN 
and  the  SPUR-WINGED  GOOSE.  These  have  been  intro- 
duced into  our  country,  and  unpinioned  birds  inhabit 
ornamental  waters.  It  is  more  than  likely  that  specimens 
which  have  been  shot,  apparently  as  wild  birds,  may  have 
escaped  from  confinement.  Some  Egyptian  and  Canada 
Geese  have  been  obtained  at  seasons  when  migration  is 
practically  at  a  standstill,  and  it  is  a  significant  fact  that 
the  Canada  Goose  has  been  more  often  procured  in  England 
than  in  Ireland,  though  the  latter  country  is  nearer  to 
America.  Furthermore,  the  east  side  of  Ireland  has  yielded 
more  specimens  than  the  west  side. 

The   Egyptian  and   Spur-winged   Geese  are   residential 
species  in  the  tropical  regions,  and  evidence  goes  to  prove 
that  they  have  not  been  obtained  in  a  truly  wild  state 
latitudes  north  of  the  Mediterranean. 

Inasmuch  as  these  three  species  have  not  as  yet  claims 
sufficient  to  rank  as  British  birds,  it  is  not  necessary  to  give 
more  than  a  general  account  of  their  descriptive  characters 
and  measurements,  so  that  if  shot  they  may  be  identified. 


CANADA  GOOSE.     Bernicla  canadensis.     (Linn.) 
DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult. — Head,  and  upper  part  of  neck, 
black  ;  on  the  back  of  the  cheeks  a  white  patch  extends 
to  the  chin  and  throat  ;  lower  neck,  white ;  back  and 
wings,  brownish  ;  primaries,  rump,  and  tail,  black  ;  upper 
and  under  tail-coverts,  white  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  light 
brown ;  flanks,  paler. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Dark  greyish-black. 

IRIDES.  Dark  hazel. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 40  in. 

WING         18  „ 

BEAK         2  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS         3  „ 


7.6  ANATID^E 

EGYPTIAN  GOOSE.     Chenalopex  cegyptiaca  (Linn). 
DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult. — Cheeks,  chin,  and  sides  of  neck, 
yellowish  ;  head,  back  of  neck,  and  back,  brownish  ;  second- 
aries, lustrous-green,  tipped  with  black;  primaries  and  lower 
back  as  far  as  tail,  black ;  front  of  neck,  breast,  and  upper 
abdomen,  pale  reddish  ;  on  the  breast  is  a  distinct  arid 
isolated  brown  patch  ;  lower  abdomen  as  far  as  the  tail, 
pale  brown. 

BEAK.  Pale  brown,  the  base,  'nail,'  and  edges  being 
darker. 

FEET.     Pink. 

j  J  IRIDES.  Yellow,  surrounded  by  a  patch  of  reddish-brown 
feathers. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...         ...  27       in. 

WING        ...         16 

BEAK         1'75  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS  3 


SPUR-WINGED  GOOSE.     Plectropterus  gambensis  (Linn). 
DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult. — Upper  part  of  head  and  neck,  dull 
brown  ;  cheeks  and  throat,  white,  spotted  with  brown  ;  sides 
of  breast,  lower  neck  and  back,  black ;  scapulars  and  inner 
secondaries  exhibit  a  brilliant  lustrous-green  ;  wings  edged 
with  white  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  white. 

BEAK.  Reddish-yellow,  with  a  '  protuberance '  at  the 
base. 

FEET.     Reddish-orange. 

IRIDES.  Light  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...    ...    ...  38  in. 

WING    18  „ 

BEAK    ...    3  „ 

TARSO-METATAKSUS  3  , 


WHOOPEE  SWAN  77 

/ 

Note. — At  the  fold  of  the  wing  (carpal  joint)  there  is  a 
strong  white  horny  spur  developed  which  points  upwards 


and  inwards.     It  measures  '62  in.  in  length. 


WHOOPER  SWAN.     Cygnus  musicus  (Bechstein). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  9 ; 
Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  419,  fig.  4 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  29 ;  Booth, 
'Eough  Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pi.  2. 

The  Whooper  is  the  larger  of  the  two  Wild  Swans 
which  visit  our  country.  WTith  the  onset  of  severe  wintry 
weather  in  Northern  Europe,  numbers  migrate  southward. 
The  coast  and  islands  of  Scotland  are  generally  visited 
during  the  middle  of  November,  and,  with  continued  stress 
of  weather,  Whoopers  make  their  appearance  in  many  other 
parts  of  the  British  Isles.  It  seems  rather  a  moot  point  as 
to  whether  this,  or  Bewick's  Swan,  is  the  more  plentiful 
bird  in  England.  With  reference  to  the  distribution  of  the 
two  species,  Sir  B.  Payne-Gallwey  draws  attention  to  the 
fact  that  Whoopers  are  known  to  wander  to  inland  lakes, 
often  preserved,  and  accessible  to  the  shoulder -gun,  and  so 
this  species  has  been  misjudged  a  more  numerous  bird 
than  Bewick's  Swan,  which,  frequenting  the  sea-coast,  is 
less  easily  approached  by  the  fowler.  In  Sir  B.  Payne- 
Gallwey's  experience,  the  Whooper  is  on  the  whole  the 
rarer.  It  more  frequently  occurs  in  Scotland  than  elsewhere 
in  the  British  Isles.  To  Ireland  it  is  a  rather  rare  and 
uncertain  visitor,  which  fact  is  borne  out  by  the  late  Mr.  E. 
Williams's  statement,  namely,  that  the  Whooper  occurs  in 
the  proportion  of  one  to  twenty-five  of  Bewick's  Swan. 
The  former  pays  us  but  a  short  visit.  Its  arrival,  as  before 
stated,  depends  largely  on  the  severity  of  the  weather,  but 
the  majority  of  the  birds  do  not  appear  until  December, 
and  often  take  their  departure  in  February  or  March, 
though  stragglers  may  linger  until  May. 

Of  the  numbers  of  Wild  Swans  that  frequent  our  shores 
few  are  molested.  Apart  from  sentimental  reasons,  the  birds 
are  hardly  worth  the  expense  of  powder  and  shot.  Their 
flesh  is  coarse  and,  unless  they  are  young,  it  is  tough  and 


78  ANATIDJE 

stringy.  Many  a  fowler  lets  an  opportunity  pass  of  'bag- 
ging '  with  one  discharge  from  his  heavy  staunchion  gun, 
half  a  dozen  or  more  of  these  great  birds :  it  is  sentiment 
and  perhaps  superstition  on  the  part  of  the  gunner  that 
often  saves  a  Wild  Swan's  life.  In  the  West  of  Ireland  this 
is  particularly  noticeable.  The  late  Mr.  Watters,  in  his 
charming  little  book  on  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  gives  the  follow- 
ing romantic  account :  "  On  the  authority  of  Mr.  B.  Glennon, 
towards  spring  the  small  lakes  in  the  county  of  Mayo  are 
tenanted  by  flocks  of  these  birds  congregated  there  pre- 
paratory to  their  return  to  those  regions  of  snow  to  which 
their  plumage  accords,  and  approximates  so  chastely  in 
appearance.  And,  strange  to  say,  although  they  occur  in 
considerable  numbers  at  that  time,  they  are  never  interfered 
with  or  molested  by  the  peasants  of  the  neighbourhood,  on 
account  of  a  tradition  that  the  souls  of  virgins  (?)  who, 
whilst  living,  had  been  remarkable  for  the  purity  of  their 
lives,  were  after  death  enshrined  in  the  form  of  these  birds, 
as  emblematic  of  their  purity  and  beatitude  ;  for  this  reason 
they  remain  in  safety,  as  it  is  also  believed  that  whoever 
would  be  so  unlucky  as  to  meddle  with  them  would  pay 
for  his  temerity  by  the  forfeit  of  his  life,  ere  the  year  had 
elapsed." 

From  remote  ages  the  Swan  has  been  loved  and  admired 
by  mankind,  as  is  well  illustrated  by  the  numerous  poetical 
descriptions  of  its  beautiful  unsullied  plumage,  gentle  form, 
and  graceful  flight :— 

"  So  the  white  swans  from  the  firmament  swoop, 
With  their  gong-throated  queen — a  beautiful  troop — 
"Wheeling  gracefully  earthward,  and  floating  as  though 
The  young  winds  were  wooing  fair  cloudlets  of  snow." 

Flight. — The  flight  of  this  great  bird,  when  once  fairly 
under  way,  is  rapid  and  strong,  but  owing  to  its  heavy 
weight,  the  Whooper  rises  in  a  rather  clumsy  manner. 
The  flapping  of  the  wings  of  a  flock  rising  off  the  surface 
of  the  water,  may  be  likened  to  the  cracking  of  a  whip 
rapidly  repeated.  The  swishing  sound  of  the  wings  can  be 
heard  after  the  birds  have  ascended  to  a  considerable 
height. 

Voice. — This  Swan  derives  its  name  from  the  sound  of 
its  voice,  which,  when  heard  at  a  distance,  resembles  a 
rather  full-toned  whistle.  It  is  not  a  vibrating  sound  ;  it 
is  a  clear  prolonged  whoo-wlioo,  followed  by  a  pause  and 


WHOOPEK  SWAN  79 

then  repeated.  I  have  heard  Wild  Swans  (presumably 
Whoopers),  whistling  on  a  migration-night  overhead,  along 
the  Dublin  coast.  JDuring  the  snowy  weather  of  February, 
1900,  Mr.  F.  H.  W^alker  of  Dublin  drew  my  attention  at 
dusk,  to  a  loud  whistling  cry  syllabled  as  already  described. 
We  heard  the  voices  sounding  from  a  great  height  in  the  air 
over  Clontarf  estuary,  near  Dublin.  It  was  an  intensely 
cold  evening  and  the  biting  north  wind  was  blowing  half 
a  gale.  Now  and  again  the  whistling  seemed  as  though 
produced  close  to  us,  the  storm  wafting  it  to  our  ears.  The 
cry  was  not  unmusical  though  rather  clanging  in  character. 
We  were  of  the  opinion  that  a  flock  of  Whooper  Swans 
was  passing  by. 

Fo)d. — The  Whooper  feeds  largely  on  aquatic  vegetables, 
including  roots  and  seeds  :  it  also  eats  insects,  water-snails, 
and  other  shell-fish. 

Nest. — The  nest,  which  is  very  large,  is  usually  placed 
on  the  ground,  often  on  an  island  in  a  lake  ;  it  is  composed 
of  coarse  grasses  and  other  materials. 

The  eggs,  four  to  seven  in  number,  are  of  a  cream-colour 
with  rough  shells.  Incubation  begins  about  the  last  week 
in  May. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Whooper  Swan  breeds 
in  many  parts  of  Arctic  Europe  and  Asia,  including  Iceland, 
Finland,  Lapland,  Norway,  Sweden,  Northern  Russia  and 
Siberia.  A  little  over  a  hundred  years  ago  it  nested  in  the 
Orkneys.  On  migration,  it  reaches  the  waters  of  Europe, 
North  Africa  and  Asia,  as  far  east  as  Japan  and  China. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Completely  white ;  the 
head  sometimes  exhibiting  a  faintly  yellowish  tinge. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Head,  neck,  back  and 
wings,  brownish  ;  breast  and  greater  -part  of  abdomen,  pale 
brown  ;  lower  abdomen,  white. 

BEAK.  Basal  part  deep  yellow,  this  colour  extending  in 
front  of  the  nostrils;  rest  of  beak,  black. 

FEET.     Blackish. 

IKIDES.  Dark  brown. 


80  ANATID^E 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...         ...  60      in. 

WING        25 

BEAK         4'2    „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        4-25  ,, 

EGG  4'5  x  2'9  in. 


BEWICK'S  SWAN.     Cygnus  bewicU  (Yarrell). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  10;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  419, 
fig.  3 ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  '60. 

The  late  Mr.  Yarrell  first  identified  this  bird  as  a  distinct 
species;  for  a  long  time  it  had  been  conf9unded  with  the 
Whooper. 

In  a  state  of  nature,  the  two  species  of  Wild  Swans  do 
not  intermix,  so  that  a  chance  of  comparing  their  relative 
sizes  is  thereby  not  afforded.  When  placed  side  by  side, 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  distinguishing  the  one  from  the 
other,  for  the  Whooper  is  one-third  the  larger,  and  the 
distribution  of  the  yellow  patch  at  the  end  of  its  beak  differs 
considerably. 

Bewick's  Swan  is  a  visitant  to  our  shores  during  the 
winter  months  only,  the  numbers  which  migrate  increasing 
with  the  severity  of  the  weather.  Like  the  Whooper,  it 
remains  with  us  but  a  few  months,  arriving  during  December 
and  departing  towards  the  end  of  February. 

Bewick's  Swan  is  not  uncommon  along  parts  of  the 
Welsh  and  English  coasts;  in  Scotland  and  Ireland  it  is 
much  more  abundant. 

As  a  general  rule,  the  number  in  a  flock  of  these  birds 
greatly  exceeds  that  in  a  flock  of  Whooper  Swans. 

This  Swan  differs  but  little  from  the  Whooper  in  its 
habits.  It  is  fonder  of  tidal  waters  and  the  open  sea  than 
the  latter. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  swift,  buoyant,  and  strong,  when 
once  the  bird  is  fairly  on  the  wing ;  the  rapid  beat  of  the 
pinions  produces  a  highly-pitched  whistling  sound,  audible 
at  a  considerable  distance. 

Voice. — The  voice  of  Bewick's   Swan  has  not  the  same 


82  ANATID^ 

musical  sound  as  that  of  the  Whooper  ;  it  is  a  rather  loud, 
sonorous  or  barking  noise,  syllabled  tong -tong -bong -hong  - 
ong-ongong. 

Food. — The  food  consists  chiefly  of  water-plants. 

Nest. — The  situation  and  materials  of  the  nest  resemble 
those  of  the  preceding  bird,  but  the  structure  is  smaller.  In 
his  book  'Icebound  on  Kolguev,'  p.  43,  Mr.  Trevor-Battye 
describes  the  nest  as  a  structure  raised  two  and  a  half  feet 
above  the  ground  like  a  mound.  It  is  perfectly  smooth  on 
the  outside  and  tapers  to  the  top,  which  is  circular  and  about 
two  feet  in  diameter.  Mr.  Battye  found  it  to  be  composed 
of  bunches  of  moss,  lichen  and  dry  grass.  It  was  lined 
with  dead  grass  and  a  little  down  and  contained  three  eggs, 
smaller  and  whiter  than  those  of  the  Whooper. 

The  eggs  are  of  a-  pale  cream  colour.  Incubation  begins 
about  May. 

Geographical  distribution. — Bewick's  Swan  breeds  in 
Arctic  Europe  and  Asia,  including  many  of  the  islands  of 
the  Arctic  Sea  ;  its  distribution  does  not  extend  as  far  west 
as  that  of  the  Whooper.  The  eggs  have  been  taken  by 
Mr.  Harvie-Brown  and  the  late  Mr.  Seebohm  on  the  Pet- 
chora,  and  by  Mr.  Trevor-Battye  on  the  island  of  Kolguev ; 
this  Swan  breeds  also  on  the  Yenesei  and  in  Novaya-Zemlya. 
On  migration  in  winter  it  is  found  over  the  European  and 
Asiatic  Continents  as  far  east  as  Japan. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.     Adult  male  nuptial. — Pure  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  in  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Brownish. 

BEAK.  Base,  orange,  this  colour  terminating  behind  the 
nostrils  ;  rest  of  beak,  black. 

FEET.     Black. 

IEIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         50       in. 

WING         21 

BEAK ...  3'5     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS         4'75  ,, 

EGG  3-9  X  2'6  in. 


MUTE  SWAN  83 

MUTE   SWAN.     Cygnus  olor  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  8; 
Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  418 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  28. 

As  we  watch  this  magnificent  and  stately  bird  gliding 
leisurely  through  the  waters  of  our  parks  and  rivers,  now 
and  again  drawing  up  to  the  brink  to  accept  the  proffered 
cake  or  biscuit  from  the  hand  of  even  the  most  timid  child, 
no  creature  could  appear  more  thoroughly  domesticated 
and  accustomed  to  the  society  of  man.  Yet  the  Mute 
Swan  maintains  itself  on  unprotected  lakes,  and  breeds  in 
a  semi-feral  state  in  many  parts  of  the  British  Isles.  Ac- 
cording to  Mr.  Saunders,  it  is  said  to  have  been  introduced 
into  England  in  the  time  of  Eichard  I.,  having  originally 
come  from  Cyprus.  It  is  generally  distributed  in  England 
and  Scotland,  breeding,  during  recent  years,  in  the  Outer 
Hebrides,  where  the  birds  fly  as  if  wild. 

With  reference  to  its  occurrence  in  Ireland,  Mr.  Ussher 
states  that  it  "  has  increased  to  considerable  flocks  in 
favourable  localities." 

When  boating  in  Dublin  Bay,  I  have  met  the  Mute 
Swan  resting  on  the  open  sea ;  I  have  seen  solitary  indi- 
viduals flying  across  the  city  of  Dublin,  some  fifty  yards 
above  the  highest  buildings,  and  judging  from  their  heavy 
form,  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  they  were  Mute  Swans.  I 
have  seen  them  in  midsummer  as  well  as  in  winter,  which 
tends  to  prove  that  they  were  not  migrating,  but  were  simply 
unpinioned  birds  from  ornamental  waters,  locally  changing 
their  quarters. 

In  the  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  Mr.  Ussher  states  that 
"  when  the  resorts  of  these  birds  become  crowded,  small 
parties  go  forth  on  the  wing,  not  only  to  other  lakes  and 
rivers,  but  in  many  places  to  the  coast ;  thus  Mr.  Warren 
has  seen  seven  adults  in  Killala  Bay,  and  Mr.  Sheridan 
has  met  with  others  in  Achill,  while  six  were  approached 
and  one  shot  on  Dundalk  Bay  a  mile  from  land."  During 
hard  winters  the  numbers  of  Mute  Swans  are  increased 
by  migrants  arriving  from  Denmark,  Sweden,  and  other 
countries  of  Europe.  These  visitors — which  may  or  may 
not  remain  to  breed  in  the  British  Isles — are  distinctly 
wild  birds.  It  has  been  stated  that  a  blow  from  a  Swan's 
wing  is  of  sufficient  strength  to  break  a  man's  leg.  This 
can  hardly  be  true,  judging  from  the  size  of  the  wing 


84  ANATID^E 

bones  and  muscles,  nor  do  I  know  of  a  single  instance  of 
fracture  resulting  from  such  violence.  I  have  known  a 
furious  old  male  Swan  to  knock  a  small  boy  head  over  heels 
into  the  water  just  as  he  retreated  across  a  little  narrow 
bridge  connecting  an  island  in  an  artificial  lake  with  the 
lawn.  The  intruder  thought  to  steal  an  egg  from  the 
Swans'  nest  during  their  absence,  and  to  return  to  the  land 
in  safety,  but  in  vain,  for  the  male  was  awaiting  the  return 
of  the  plunderer  across  the  bridge,  while  the  female  was 
fast  approaching  on  the  water.  With  the  assistance  of  two 
men  and  a  rope  the  boy  was  quickly  landed,  and,  although 
repeatedly  struck  on  the  arms  and  legs,  he  did  not  sustain 
a  fracture. 

Flight. — The  flight  resembles  that  of  the  two  preceding 
species  but  is  less  buoyant. 

Voice. — The  term  '  mute '  is  hardly  a  correct  one  to 
apply  to  this  species.  In  the  pairing-season  it  often  utters 
a  loud  trumpeting  note,  moreover  it  hisses  like  a  snake  if 
disturbed  while  incubating. 

Food. — The  food  consists  of  various  kinds  of  water- 
plants  ;  insects  and  grain  are  also  eaten. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  a  bulky  structure,  made  up  of  various 
kinds  of  coarse  herbage ;  it  is  usually  built  on  islands  of 
inland  waters.  The  eggs  are  greenish-white  in  colour. 
The  shell  is  of  rough  texture,  and  the  clutch  ranges  from 
three  to  ten.  Incubation  begins  in  May. 

Mr.  Ussher  states  that  he  has  "  seen  an  incompleted 
clutch  of  five  eggs  nicely  covered  with  down  and  rubbish 
when  the  birds  were  off  them."  The  cygnets  (young  swans) 
are  very  carefully  tended  by  their  parents.  The  Mute 
Swan  pairs  for  life. 

Geographical  distribution. — In  a  thoroughly  wild  state 
this  species  has  a  wide  distribution  as  a  breeding-bird  in 
Europe.  It  nests  in  Denmark,  in  South  Sweden,  Central 
and  Southern  Russia,  extending  southward  to  the  lakes 
of  Greece,  the  Black  and  Caspian  Seas.  In  winter  it 
migrates  to  the  waters  of  North  Africa  and  Central  Asia 
as  well  as  to  Europe.  In  addition  to  the  British  Isles  it 
breeds  in  many  parts  of  Germany  in  a  semi-domesticated 
condition. 


MUTE  SWAN  85 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.     Adult  male  nuptial. — Pure  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  in  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female  (cygnet). — Greyish-brown, 
the  breast  and  abdomen  being  of  a  lighter  shade. 

BEAK.  Deep  orange  colour,  except  the  'nail,'  the  nos- 
trils, and  the  '  basal  protuberance,'  which  are  black.  There 
is  also  a  noticeable  patch  of  black,  extending  from  the 
front  of  the  eye  to  the  base  of  the  beak. 

FEET.     Black. 

IEIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 


TOTAL  LENGTH 
WING  
BEAK  
TARSO-METATAESUS  ... 
EGG     

58       in.    Female  smaller. 
27         „ 
4-25    „ 
4-5      „ 
4  x  2'9  in. 

Note. — The  Mute  Swan  is  the  only  one  of  the  three 
species  mentioned,  which  carries  its  neck  with  a  graceful 
sigmoid  curve,  its  wing-plumes  at  the  same  time  being 
raised  and  arranged  loosely  over  the  back.  The  whole 
carriage  of  the  bird  is  one  of  pride  and  dignity. 

The  Whooper  and  Bewick's  Swans,  on  the  other  hand, 
assume  a  stiffer  gait ;  they  move  on  the  water  like  Geese, 
with  necks  straight  and  backs  flattened. 

In  the  Mute  Swan  there  is  no  cavity  in  the  upper  part 
of  the  breast-bone  (sternum)  to  receive  a  coil  of  the  wind- 
pipe (trachea).  In  the  adult  Whooper  the  loop  of  wind-pipe 
takes  a  vertical  course,  in  Bewick's,  a  horizontal  course,  as 
it  Jies  in  the  sternal  cavity. 

The  so-called  *  Polish '  Swans  are  now  looked  on  as 
white  varieties  of  the  cygnet  of  the  Mute  Swans  ('  Zoolo- 
gist,' 1887,  p.  463,  1888,  p.  470,  also  Cat.  B.  Brit.  Mus., 
xxvii,  p.  38)  (Saunders). 


86  ANATID^E 

COMMON  SHELD-DUCK.    Tadorna  cornuta  (S.  G.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  11 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  420 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  32. 

The  Sheld-Duck,  in  full  nuptial  plumage,  is  one  of  the 
most  handsome  of  our  common  Ducks.  Its  favourite  re- 
sorts are  large  tracts  of  mud-slob,  ooze,  or  sand. 

During  high  tide,  when  the  feeding-grounds  are  covered, 
small  parties  of  this  Duck  may  be  seen  on  our  tidal  estuaries, 
in  company  with  Wigeon  and  other  species,  but  large  gather- 
ings are  uncommon. 

On  a  hot  sunny  day  in  the  month  of  September,  I  have 
watched  through  a  telescope  several  Sheld-Ducks,  immature 
and  adult,  standing  on  the  sand,  with  their  beaks  resting 
on  their  backs,  the  birds  being  apparently  asleep.  Even 
then,  they  are  on  the  alert,  and  can  rarely  be  approached 
within  the  range  of  gun-shot.  Once,  however,  I  managed 
to  get  within  twenty  yards  of  a  flock  of  fifteen  birds.  They 
were  at  the  edge  of  a  grass-plot  on  the  beach  of  Dublin 
Bay,  and  were  feeding  on  sand-hoppers,  here  plentiful. 
Going  on  '  all  fours '  through  the  short  grass — the  only 
available  cover — I  succeeded  in  stalking  them  and  securing 
several  specimens. 

The  Sheld-Duck  is  indeed  a  wary  bird.  The  cautious 
way  in  which  a  flock  will  quietly  walk  away  from  a  gunner 
who  attempts  to  come  within  two  hundred  yards  on  the 
open  strand,  and  the  slow,  regular,  and  measured  flight,  are 
habits  more  characteristic  of  Wild  Geese  than  of  Ducks. 

To  the  unaided  eye,  Sheld-Ducks,  even  at  a  short  dis- 
tance, appear  simply  as  black  and  white  birds,  and  are  often 
mistaken  by  the  inexperienced  observer  for  Oyster-catchers. 
It  is  only  when  seen  close  at  hand,  or  through  a  powerful 
field-glass,  that  the  rich  chestnut  marking  can  be  discerned. 
The  Sheld-Duck  very  seldom  even  attempts  to  dive,  except 
in  the  case  of  the  young,  when  trying  to  escape  capture. 
I  have  also  seen  Sheld-Ducks,  wounded  by  gunshot,  making 
frantic  efforts  to  escape  by  repeatedly  diving,  while  at  tbe 
sight  of  the  Peregrine  Falcon  overhead  these  birds  will 
submerge  themselves  under  water. 

This  species  is  a  tolerably  plentiful  British  bird  :  I 
have  seen  it  in  Dublin  Bay  6very  month  in  the  year.  It 
seldom  leaves  the  sea-coast.  The  flocks  which  occur  in  the 
autumn  and  winter  scatter  in  the  spring,  and  the  birds 


COMMON    SHELD-DUCK  87 

commence  to  pair  in  April,  or  sometimes  earlier.  Speci- 
mens which  have  been  obtained  inland  have  generally  flown 
from  ornamental  waters,  which  abound  with  this  elegant 
and  easily  domesticated  Duck. 

This  Duck  receives  its  name  from  the  word  '  sheld,' 
signifying  parti-coloured  or  pied.  It  is  popularly  supposed 
to  derive  its  name  from  the  following  characteristics: — (a)  It 
feeds  on  shell-fish,  (b)  the  knob  at  the  base  of  the  beak 
turns  pink  in  the  breeding-time  and  resembles  a  shell,  (c) 
the  bird  has  a  chestnut  cravat  or  'shield'  (hence  'sheld') 
around  its  neck  and  breast. 

Food. — The  food  consists  of  small  crabs,  various  marine 
molluscs,  and  worms ;  in  addition  to  which,  I  have  found 
seaweeds  in  the  stomach.  I  have  fed  tame  Sheld-Ducks  on 
bread,  biscuits,  grain,  small  frogs  and  minnows. 

The  flesh  as  an  article  of  food  is  worthless.  It  is  dark 
in  colour,  and  has  a  rank,  disagreeable,  fishy  flavour.  I 
have  tasted  both  adult  and  immature  birds,  cooked  and 
seasoned  in  all  kinds  of  ways,  but  never  found  them 
eatable. 

Voice. — The  voice  in  the  male  is  rather  whistling  in 
character,  being  pitched  much  higher  than  that  of  the 
female.  The  latter  sex,  much  more  noisy,  utters  a  kind  of 
bark  or  cackle. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  steady  and  well  sustained,  and 
the  stroke  of  the  pinion  is  slower  than  that  of  other  Ducks, 
in  this  respect  more  closely  resembling  the  flight  of  the 
Goose. 

Nest. — For  their  nesting-sites  the  greater  number  of 
Sheld-Duck  select  rabbit-holes  excavated  in  sand-dunes 
on  the  coast ;  some,  however,  scrape  burrows,  circular  in 
outline,  for  themselves.  The  nest  is  often  twelve  feet  from 
the  entrance.  A  few  birds  resort  to  the  vicinity  of  fresh- 
water lakes  ;  Mr.  Ussher  records  an  instance  in  which  this 
species  bred  on  Lough  Neagh.  The  Puflin,  though  the 
most  usual,  is  not  the  only  assailant  which  at  times  evicts 
the  rightful  owner  from  its  home,  as  is  seen  from  the  follow- 
ing lines,  quoted  from  '  The  Fowler  in  Ireland,'  p.  64,  by 
Sir  E.  Payne-Gall wey  :  "I  once  saw  an  amusing  tugging 
match  between  a  female  Shelduck  and  a  young  rabbit  that 
had  invaded  the  hole  which  she  had  selected  for  her  eggs, 
the  intruder  at  last  being  hauled  out  by  the  ear  and  sent 
adrift."  The  Sheld-Duck  takes  the  utmost  care  not  to 
betray  its  presence  when  near  its  burrow,  round  which 


88 

its  footprints  can  seldom  be  found.  It  is  not  supposed  to 
leave  its  nest  until  early  morning  or  at  twilight.  I  have 
known  of  a  sitting  bird  which  was  dug  out  and  captured 
on  the  nest.  The  eggs  have  also  been  discovered  in  holes 
on  precipices,  and  rarely,  in  furze-coverts.  Grasses,  leaves, 
and  fragments  of  dry  seaweeds,  with  a  warm  lining  of  down, 
are  the  building  materials  used. 

The  eggs,  seven  to  twelve  in  number,  are  cream- 
coloured.  Incubation  usually  begins  in  May.  The  parent- 
birds  watch  over  their  brood  most  carefully  ;  the  nestlings 
are  conveyed  in  safety  to  the  sea  by  scrambling  on  to  their 
mother's  back. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Sheld-Duck  has  a  wide 
breeding-distribution  round  the  British  coast.  North  of 
Britain  it  breeds  in  Norway,  Sweden,  Denmark,  and 
Holland.  South  of  our  Isles  it  reaches  the  shores  of  France 
and  Spain,  and  extends  eastward  to  the  Black  and  Caspian 
Seas.  It  is  also  found  on  some  of  the  salt  lakes  of  Asia,  as 
far  east  as  Japan,  while  its  winter  range  extends  to  the 
Tropic  of  Cancer  (Saunders).  It  is  at  once  seen  that  the 
Sheld-Duck  is  less  arctic  in  its  breeding-range  than  are 
most  of  the  Wild  Geese  and  Swans. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  upper  neck, 
dark  glossy-green,  below  which  is  a  white  collar,  while  at 
the  root  of  the  neck  is  a  broad  chestnut  band  extending 
across  the  upper  part  of  the  back  and  breast ;  rest  of  back, 
white  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  white,  interrupted  by  a  broad 
dark  brown  median  line ;  scapulars  and  primaries,  nearly 
black ;  alar  speculum,1  green,  bounded  behind  by  a  line  of 
chestnut  ;  tail,  white,  tipped  with  black  ;  wing-coverts, 
white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  colour  to  the  male 
but  duller  in  pattern.2 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Head  and  neck,  dark 
mouse-colour,  the  feathers  being  finely  edged  with  dull 

1  The  alar  speculum  is  the  bright  lustrous  patch  on  the  secondaries. 

2  Like  the  Geese  the  sexes  of  the  Sheld-Duck  are  almost  similar  in 
plumage,  and  the  male  does  not  assume  an  '  eclipse '  dress. 


BUDDY   SHELD-DUCK  89 

buff;  patch  in  front  and  below  the  eye,  throat,  breast  and 
abdomen,  white ;  top  of  back  and  scapulars,  brownish ; 
wing-coverts,  chiefly  white,  with  a  little  green  on  the 
speculum  ;  primaries,  blackish  ;  upper  surface  of  tail- 
feathers,  chiefly  brownish,  except  the  outer  ones,  which 
are  pure  white. 

BEAK.  Kich  red ;  knob  at  the  base  same  colour ;  this 
knob  is  absent  in  the  female. 

FEET.     Warm  flesh-colour. 

IBIDES.  Brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     25      in. 

WING         13       „ 

BEAK         2'5    „ 

TAESO-METATARSUS        ...         ...  2*2    ,, 

EGG  2-75  X  1'9  in. 


RUDDY  SHELD-DUCK.     Tadorna  casarca  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  « Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  12 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  421 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  31. 

A  remarkable  immigration  of  Kuddy  Sheld-Ducks  to  the 
British  Isles,  comparable  to  the  spasmodic  visits  or 
'  irruptions '  of  Pallas's  Sand-grouse,  took  place  in  1892. 1 
Previous  to  that  date,  this  Duck  had  been  seldom  obtained, 
most  of  the  so-called  British-taken  specimens  being  escaped 
captives  from  aquatic  preserves.  The  first  recorded  bird 
killed  in  our  Isles  came  from  Blandford,  in  Dorset,  in  1776. 
It  is  preserved  in  the  Newcastle  Museum  (Saunders).  The 
Buddy  Sheld-Duck,  being  a  south-eastern  species,  rarely 
reaches  our  shores  on  migration  ;  according  to  Mr.  Saunders 
"it  is  almost  unknown  to  the  north  of  the  Alps  and  Car- 
pathians." Not  exclusively  marine  in  its  habits,  it  often 

1  The  reader  is  referred  to  a  most  interesting  account  of  the  migration 
of  numbers  of  Buddy  Sheld-Ducks  to  the  British  Isles,  written  by  Mr. 
Ogilvie,  and  published  in  the  'Zoologist'  for  1892.  Mr.  Ussher,  in 
the  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  gives  a  detailed  list  of  the  immigration  to  that 
country  in  1892. 


90  ANATID^E 

resorts  to  fresh  waters,  collecting  into  large  flocks  in  winter 
in  those  countries  where  it  is  common. 

Flight. — The  flight  resembles  that  of  the  last  species. 

Food. — In  its  habits  of  feeding  it  resembles  the  Goose 
even  more  than  the  preceding  species.  It  may  be  observed 
in  our  city  parks  and  Zoological  Gardens  '  grazing '  on 
the  lawns  and  grass  edgings  which  skirt  the  ornamental 
waters.  It  is  a  favourite  and  showy  water-fowl,  readily 
tamed,  and  hybrids  between  this  species  and  the  Egyptian 
Goose  have  frequently  been  raised. 

Voice. — The  note  is  loud,  and  resembles  a  repeated  bark  ; 
it  may  be  syllabled  kape-kape-kape.  I  have  heard  this  bird 
also  utter  a  rather  melancholy  a-Ong,  a-ong. 

Nest. — Like  its  congener,  the  Ruddy  Sheld-Duck  breeds 
in  burrows,  also  in  the  dark  crevices  of  high  rocks,  and  in 
the  hollow  trunks  of  trees.  The  nest  is  built  of  dry  grass 
and  other  vegetable  matter  and  thickly  lined  with  down. 
The  eggs  are  creamy-white  in  colour.  The  clutch  ranges 
from  nine  to  sixteen. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  breeding-range  of  the 
Ruddy  Sheld-Duck  extends  over  South-Eastern  Europe  and 
Asia,  and  as  far  east  as  China  and  Japan.  It  breeds  also  in 
North  Africa.  In  winter,  its  migrations  extend  to  India, 
and  as  a  wanderer  it  has  been  observed  in  many  of  the 
northern  countries  of  Europe,  including  Iceland. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  throat,  pale 
buff;  neck,  back,  scapulars,  breast  and  abdomen,  ruddy- 
brown  ;  black  ring  round  the  neck ;  wing-coverts,  very  light 
buff,  the  alar  speculum  being  of  a  lustrous  bronze-green 
colour  ;  primaries,  dark  greyish-brown  ;  tail  and  rump, 
greyish-black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  black  ring  is  absent,  while 
the  front  of  the  head  is  lighter  in  colour  than  in  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  black  neck-ring  is 
absent. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female,  but 
is  duller  in  shade. 

BEAK.     Lead  colour. 

FEET.     Blackish. 

IRIDES.  Yellowish-brown. 


MALLARD  91 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH...       _.'..  25        in.    Female  smaller. 

WING ...  14-5      ,, 

BEAK       ...         T75    ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS      ...  2 '25    ,, 

EGG  2'6  x  1*8  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  South 
African  representative  is  T.  cana,  with  a  grey  head. 
Australia  and  New  Zealand  possess  other  forms  (Saunders). 


MALLARD.     Anas  boscas  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  15;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  422; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  33. 

The  Mallard  or  Wild  Duck  is  familiar  to  every  sportsman 
and  naturalist.  It  is  resident  to  a  large  extent  in  the 
British  Isles ;  nevertheless  its  numbers  are  greatly  aug- 
mented by  the  arrival  of  migrants  which  come  from  more 
northern  latitudes.  The  Mallard  frequents  marsh,  river, 
lake  and  sea-coast.  During  autumn  and  winter  large 
numbers  appear  on  our  tidal  estuaries,  where,  in  company 
with  Wigeon  and  other  species,  hundreds  may  be  seen 
drifting  on  the  tideway.  During  severe  frost,  Mr.  K.  Warren 
has  found  Mallards  as  numerous  as  Wigeon  on  the  sands 
of  the  Moy  estuary,  co.  Mayo.  It  is  not  at  all  times  easy 
to  identify  a  '  Wild  Duck '  (especially  a  female  or  an 
immature  bird)  resting  on  the  open  sea.  The  plumage, 
when  viewed  at  a  distance,  often  appears  darker  than  it 
really  is,  especially  on  a  gloomy  winter's  day,  when  I  have 
seen  the  birds  of  a  flock  look  almost  as  black  as  Scoters. 
It  would  appear  that  the  Mallards  which  are  seen  round 
our  coasts  in  winter  are  migrants ] ;  several  examples  of 
these  I  have  examined  in  the  flesh,  and  have  found  them 
smaller  and  lighter  in  weight  than  home-bred  birds  taken 
from  inland  districts. 

1  I  have  examined  specimens  shot  at  sea  in  early  autumn  in  very 
poor  condition,  probably  newly-arrived  visitors  which  had  been  suffering 
from  migratory  fatigue. 


92 


ANATID^E 


Food. — The  Mallard  is  essentially  a  night-feeder, 
'  flighting,'  as  the  gunner  terms  it,  at  dusk  to  its  feeding- 
grounds.  Those  birds  which  frequent  the  tidal  waters  by  day 
part  company  at  night  with  Wigeon  and  other  sea-ducks, 
which  remain  to  feed  on  the  coast.  Potato-fields,  stubble, 
bogs,  ditches,  the  shores  of  fresh-water  lakes,  are  all  fre- 
quented by  the  Mallard,  and  the  corn-fields  are  greedily 
attacked  in  the  harvest  season. 


FIG.  14.— MALLARD. 


Flight. — The  Mallard  is  strong  and  swift  on  the  wing ; 
when  flying  inland  to  its  feeding-grounds,  it  travels  at 
a  rapid  rate  generally  "at  no  great  height  from  the  ground. 
The  clear  highly-pitched  whistle  produced  by  the  vibrations 
of  the  pinions,  is  a  pleasing  sound  well  known  to  sportsmen. 
In  autumn  the  Mallard  undergoes  a  heavy  moult1,  shedding 
its  quills  almost  simultaneously ;  it  is  then  scarcely  capable 
of  flight,  and  remains  on  secluded  rivers  or  on  small  lakes, 


1  On  August  28th,  1901,  in  the  co.  Clare,  in  company  with  the 
Rev.  S.  W.  King,  we  suddenly  disturbed  a  Mallard  out  of  a  tuft  of  rushes 
on  a  turf  bog.  With  great  difficulty  the  Duck  kept  on  the  wing  for  some 
twenty  yards.  We  marked  it  down,  and  after  a  short  chase,  succeeded 
in  capturing  it.  We  found  it  moulting  so  freely  that  several  of  the  wing 
and  tail-feathers  came  out  while  holding  the  bird  gently  in  our  hands. 


MALLAKD  93 

or  it  may  lurk  about  in  turf-drains  or  in  ditches;  in  the 
last-named  situation  I  have  seen  it  feeding  by  day. 

Voice. — At  the  onset  of  the  pairing-season,2  in  early 
spring,  the  males  become  noisy,  and  their  loud  call-note 
quack-quack  qua-qtia,  may  be  heard  on  our  tidal  estuaries 
above  the  merry  whistle  of  the  Wigeon,  as  they  sport 
on  the  water,  the  rival  males  actively  endeavouring  to  gain 
possession  of  the  females.  The  alarm-note  is  harsher  and 
more  prolonged  than  the  call-note. 

Nest. — The  Mallard  builds  on  the  ground,  along  the 
margins  of  inland  lakes  and  rivers,  amid  the  grass  and  scrub 
of  the  drier  and  firmer  soil  of  bog-land,  in  dry  ditches,  among 
heather  on  the  hills,3  and  more  rarely  in  trees,  in  ruins,  and  on 
the  tops  of  walls.  Most  of  the  nests  which  I  have  observed 
in  unprotected  situations  have  been  built  among  vegetation 
sufficiently  dense  and  tall  to  conceal  the  sitting  bird,  but  in 
preserves  the  nests  are  often  in  very  exposed  situations. 
The  principal  materials  of  which  the  nest  is  composed 
are  dry  grasses,  with  a  lining  of  down.  The  eggs,  eight 
to  twelve  in  number,  are  very  pale  greenish-blue,  which 
changes  to  greenish-yellow  as  incubation  advances.  Incu- 
bation begins  about  the  end  of  March  in  the  southern 
counties,  but  later  further  north.  The  Mallard  still  breeds 
freely  in  the  British  Isles,  despite  increased  drainage,  nor 
is  it  likely  to  fall  off  in  numbers  as  long  as  it  continues  to 
receive  adequate  protection. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  bird  has  an  ex- 
tensive distribution  as  a  nesting-species  over  the  Continent 
and  Islands  of  Europe,  from  the  Sub-arctic  regions  to  the 


Having  made  up  our  minds  that  the  bird  showed  all  signs  of  maturity, 
and  having  noted  the  sex,  we  gave  it  its  liberty.  It  fluttered  to  the 
nearest  furze-bush,  under  which  it  took  refuge.  On  different  occasions  I 
have  seen  a  Mallard  fly  so  clumsily  that  a  dog  could  easily  hunt  it  down. 
These  'moulting  Mallards'  (adult  females  or  males  changing  from 
eclipse  to  winter  plumage)  are  frequently  mistaken  for  'flappers'  by 
sportsmen. 

2  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  Mallard  in  a  state  of  nature  is 
monogamous,  whereas  its  descendant,  the  farm-yard  Duck,  is  distinctly 
polygamous. 

3  An   interesting  habit,  as  recorded  by  Mr.  Ussher,  is  that  of  the 
parent   bird  leading  its  little  downy  ducklings  from  the   hills   to   the 
Cappagh  lakes,  co.  Waterford.     The  distance,  which  is  sometimes  about 
one  mile,  is  undertaken  on  foot.     In  the  stillness  of  the  night  Sir  R. 
Payne-Gallwey  once  came  across  a  Wild  Duck  "  and  her  tiny  straggling 
brood,"  marching  through  a  village  street  ( 'Fowler  in  Ireland,'  p.  33). 


94  ANATID.E 

Southern  countries,  likewise  in  Asia,  as  far  south  as 
Kashmir,  and  eastward  to  Japan  and  China.  It  also  breeds 
in  North  Africa.  On  its  winter  migration  it  reaches  to 
India  and  Burmab.  Our  bird  is  also  found  in  Temperate 
and  Central  America. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  neck,  dark 
glossy  green,  below  which  is  a  white  neck-band  ;  hind  neck, 
upper  part  of  back  and  breast,  rich  reddish-brown  ;  lower 
part  of  back,  dark  bluish-black  ;  wing-coverts,  brownish ;  alar 
speculum,  bluish-purple,  edged  above  and  below  with  white ; 
primaries,  brownish ;  breast,  abdomen  and  scapulars,  light 
grey,  finely  speckled  with  black  spots  ;  tail  greyish-brown  ; 
upper  tail-coverts,  glossy  black,  the  four  central  feathers 
being  curled  up  ;  under  tail-coverts,  also  black. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — About  the  end  of 
May  the  male  assumes  a  brown  plumage,  resembling  that  of 
the  female ;  but  the  feathers  of  the  top  of  the  head  and 
lower  back  are  darker  ;  this  garb  is  retained  until  September 
or  October. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  dark  brown;  rest 
of  plumage  chequered  brown  and  buff;  alar  speculum,  dark 
glossy-green. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  female 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Yellowish-green. 

FEET.     Orange-red. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AYERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 23        in. 

WING 11 

BEAK         ...         , 2'25      „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...      •  ...       T75      ,, 
EGG  ...  2-25  x  1-6  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms.— Anas  obscura 
inhabits  the  North-east  of  America,  both  sexes  resembling 
in  plumage  our  female  bird  (Saunders). 


GADWALL  95 

GADWALL.     Anas  strepera  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  19;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  424; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  34  ;  Booth, 
1  Eough  Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pis.  5  and  6. 

The  Gadwall  is  only  an  irregular  visitor  to  our  country, 
and  is  by  no  means  common. 

The  female  somewhat  resembles  in  size  and  colour  the 
Mallard  of  the  same  sex,  and  thus  may  be  easily  overlooked, 
though  the  white  patch  on  the  wing  distinguishes  the  species. 

The  Gadwrall  is  more  often  seen  on  fresh  than  on  salt 
water,  still,  it  is  significant  to  note  that  it  has  been  recorded 
more  frequently  from  or  near  maritime  counties  than  from 
inland  districts,  especially  in  Ireland  (Ussher).  On  the  Moy 
estuary  it  has  been  seen  feeding  with  Wigeon  (Warren). 
It  also  visits  the  coasts  of  Scotland,  including  the  Hebrides 
and  Orkneys.  It  is  rather  solitary  and  very  shy,  and 
delights  in  the  quietude  and  shelter  of  small  lakes  and  pools, 
fringed  with  such  aquatic  herbage  as  weeds  and  rushes. 

Food. — Its  food,  taken  chiefly  at  night,  consists  of  green 
vegetables,  seeds  and  grain.  In  the  gizzard  of  an  adult 
male  specimen  sent  me  from  co.  Clare  by  Rev.  S.  W.  King, 
I  found  quantities  of  minute  reddish-brown  seeds  mixed  with 
coarse  sand  and  grit.  In  the  gizzard  of  another  adult  male 
sent  me  from  co.  Waterford  by  Mr.  Ussher,  I  found  shreds 
of  fine  grasses  and  an  abundance  of  glistening  sand. 

Flight. — On  the  wing  this  Duck  strongly  resembles  the 
Mallard,  but  the  flight  of  the  former  is  even  swifter  and 
more  buoyant. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  a  low  cackling  sound,  and  may 
be  syllabled  quack -quack,  quack-quack,  in  rapid  succession. 

Nest. — The  Gadwall  breeds  on  the  ground,  generally  in 
the  vicinity  of  fresh  water.  The  nest,  lined  with  down,  is 
built  of  grasses  and  other  vegetation.  The  eggs  are  shaded 
from  light  buff-colour  to  almost  creamy-white.  The  clutch 
numbers  from  eight  to  thirteen. 

This  bird  now  breeds  in  fair  numbers  in  Norfolk.  About 
half  a  century  ago  some  pinioned  birds  were  turned  down 
on  the  lake  at  Narford  Hall,  and  it  is  their  descendants, 
together  with  such  wild  migrants  as  they  have  induced  to 
remain  during  spring  and  summer,  which  represent  the 
breeding-stock.  In  Norfolk  this  species  is  increasing,  and 
under  adequate  protection  it  will  probably  extend  its 
breeding-range  to  other  adjacent  counties. 


96  ANATID^ 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Gadwall  breeds 
sparingly  in  Northern,  but  commonly  in  Central  and 
South-eastern  Europe,  also  in  Asia  and  North  America  to 
the  Sub-arctic  regions.  Its  winter  range  extends  to  North 
Africa,  North  India,  Central  America  and  the  West  Indies. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  upper  neck, 
light  greyish-brown,  finely  speckled  with  brownish-black ; 
feathers  of  back  and  scapulars,  dark  brownish,  edged  with 
a  crescent  of  light  grey ;  wing-coverts,  chestnut,  shading 
to  black,  behind  which  are  blackish-brown  feathers,  fol- 
lowed by  a  white  speculum ;  primaries,  brownish  ;  inner 
secondaries,  brownish,  edged  with  yellowish-brown  ;  these 
feathers  are  long  and  pointed ;  tail,  dark  brown,  each  feather 
margined  with  a  lighter  shade ;  upper  and  under  tail- 
coverts,  bluish-black ;  lower  neck  and  upper  breast,  dark 
grey,  each  feather  being  edged  with  a  light  grey  crescent ; 
lower. breast  and  abdomen,  white;  sides,  finely  pencilled 
with  shades  of  grey  and  white. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — This  plumage  is 
somewhat  similar  to  that  of  the  female,  but  the  wing  colours 
are  retained. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Head  and  upper  neck,  speckled 
with  dark  brown  on  a  lighter  ground  shade ;  the  crescentic 
markings  of  the  back,  neck  and  breast  are  light  brown  on 
a  darker  ground  colour,  and  broader  but  less  distinct  than 
in  the  male ;  no  chestnut  patch  on  the  wing ;  under  tail- 
coverts,  spotted  greyish-brown. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respec- 
tive nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  markings  of  the  back 
and  neck  are  reddish-brown  speckled  with  darker  brown. 

BEAK.     Blackish. 

FEET.     Dull  deep  yellow. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 20     in. 

WING       10-5  „ 

BEAK        ..          2      ,, 

TABSO-METATAESUS      1-5   „ 

EGG          2-1  x  1-5  in. 


SHOVELER  97 

SHOYELER.     Spatula  clypeata  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  14;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  425; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  35 ;  Booth, 
'  Rough  Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pis.  5  and  6. 

The  Shoveler  is  another  fresh-water  Duck  ;  only  when 
the  lakes  and  rivers  are  frost-bound  is  it  driven  to  the  tide. 
I  have  seen  a  few  specimens  shot  on  brackish  water  in  close 
proximity  to  the  Bay  of  Dublin.  The  beak,  disproportion- 
ately large  and  somewhat  spoon-shaped,  distinguishes  this 
species  at  once.  At  a  distance  the  female  and  immature 
birds  in  their  modest  brown  attire  may  be  confounded  with 
the  female  Mallard ;  the  former,  however,  are  distinctly 
smaller  and  appear  of  a  more  slender  build  when  seen 
swimming  on  the  water. 

In  winter  in  our  Isles  the  Shoveler  usually  occurs  in 
small  parties  and  when  apart  from  the  company  of  other 
Ducks  it  is  not  notably  shy. 

Food. — A  distinctive  characteristic  of  this  bird  is  the 
manner  in  which  it  feeds.  When  hungry,  it  darts  about 
on  the  water,  skimming  or  '  shovelling '  its  beak  horizon- 
tally on  the  surface.1  The  mouth  is  kept  slightly  gaping, 
so  that  hundreds  of  small  aquatic  insects  and  plants,  are 
taken  in  with  the  water  and  entrapped  by  a  fringe  of  stiff 
bristles  which  borders  either  side  of  the  upper  segment  of 
the  beak.  This  species,  in  addition,  eats  worms,  slugs,  and 
snails,  which  fact  is  indicative  of  its  feeding  on  land  also. 
I  have  been  in  the  company  of  a  sportsman  who  shot  a 
Shoveler  just  as  it  rose  from  the  edge  of  a  small  pond.  I 
examined  its  mouth  immediately  after  death  and  found  it 
full  of  thick  mud,  in  which  the  bird  had  probably  been 
searching  before  it  was  disturbed.  The  flesh  is  very  palat- 
able. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  strong  and  swift. 

Voice. — The  Shoveler  on  the  whole  appears  to  be  a 
rather  silent  bird ;  in  captivity  I  have  heard  it  utter  a  feeble 
call-note  which  may  be  syllabled  uk-uk-uk-uk. 

Nest. — The  Shoveler  builds  on  the  ground,  in  a  tuft  of 

1  I  have  also  observed  the  Shoveler  plunge  its  head  under  water  and 
obtain  food  from  the  bottom  of  a  shallow  pond.  When  feeding  in  this 
way  it  will  tilt  its  body  so  that  the  tail  points  vertically  upwards  and  the 
feet  are  visible  above  the  surface  of  the  water. 


98  ANATID.E 

coarse  grass  or  among  other  vegetation  tall  enough  to 
conceal  the  sitting  bird ;  in  some  cases  the  cover  is  but 
scanty.  The  nest  is  made  of  grass  and  lined  with  down, 
and  is  usually  placed  near  the  water's  edge,  frequently  along 
the  shore  of  an  inland  lake.  The  eggs,  of  which  eight  to 
fourteen  form  the  clutch,  are  pale  greenish,  turning  to  pale 
yellow  as  incubation  advances. 

This  Duck  is  increasing  in  our  Isles  as  a  nesting-species. 
It  has  been  found  breeding  in  the  following  counties  :— 

England  : — Cumberland,  Northumberland,  Durham, 
Yorkshire,  Norfolk,  Lincolnshire,  Kent,  Dorset,  Notting- 
hamshire and  Staffordshire. 

Scotland : — Haddington,  Elgin,  Kirkcudbrightshire,  Dum- 
bartonshire, in  the  counties  between  the  Forth  and  the  Tay, 
northward  to  Sutherland,  the  Orkneys,  and  on  Tiree,  one  of 
the  Inner  Hebrides  (Saunders). 

Ireland : — In  this  country  the  Shoveler  appears  to  be 
increasing  not  only  as  a  breeding- species  but  also  as  a 
winter-visitor.  It  has  nested,  or  has  been  met  with  in  the 
nesting-season,  in  the  following  counties  : — Kerry,  Cork, 
Waterford,  Clare,  Wexford,  Queen's  Co.,  King's  Co.,  West- 
meath,  Dublin,  Louth,  Galway,  Koscommon,  Mayo,  Sligo, 
Fermanagh,  Monagban,  Tyrone,  Antrim,  Donegal  (Ussher). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  over  the 
greater  part  of  Europe,  North  Africa,  Temperate  Asia 
and  North  America.  Its  winter  range  extends  to  South 
Africa,  India,  China,  Japan,  Central  America  and  Australia. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  upper  neck, 
glossy-green;  lower  neck  and  scapulars,  white;  wing-coverts, 
pale  blue ;  alar  speculum  glossy-green,  separated  from  the 
blue  by  a  narrow  white  band ;  primaries,  chiefly  dark  brown  ; 
feathers  of  back,  brown  with  lighter  margins  ;  rump,  tail, 
and  its  coverts,  blackish ;  breast  and  abdomen,  rich  chest- 
nut, flanks,  speckled  reddish-brown  ;  lower  abdomen,  white. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Somewhat  resembles 
the  female,  but  the  bright  blue  of  the  wing  is  retained  and  the 
general  plumage  is  of  a  warmer  brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  and  back  mottled  with 
dark  and  light  brown ;  wing-coverts,  dull  bluish  ;  speculum, 
much  less  glossy  than  that  of  the  male  ;  breast  and  abdomen, 
pale  brown. 


PLATE   X. 


Fig.  1. 
SHOVELEB    (Male). 


Fig.  2. 

PINTAIL   (Male). 
From  a  specimen  mounted  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 


PINTAIL  99 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respec- 
tive nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female  in 
plumage. 

BEAK.  Dull  bluish-grey ;  disproportionately  long  and 
heavy,  much  expanded  at  the  end,  the  sides  of  both  seg- 
ments being  beset  with  long  lamellae  or  bristles. 

FEET.     Orange-red. 

IRIDES.  Golden-yellow. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 20'5    in. 

WING        10 

BEAK         ...       2'8    „ 

TABSO-METATABSUS        ...         ...       1'4    „ 

EGG  2  X  1'4  in. 


Note. — The  beak  of  the  nestling  is  proportionately 
longer  and  more  slender  than  that  of  the  Mallard  or 
Gadwall,  but  when  the  Shoveler  reaches  the  age  of  three 
weeks,  the  beak  further  increases  in  length  and  breadth, 
especially  in  the  Drakes  (Saunders). 


PINTAIL.     Dafila  acuta  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.— Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  18;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pis.  430  and 
431 ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures/  vol.  vii,  pi.  36. 

For  elegance  of  form  no  British  Duck  surpasses  the 
Pintail.  It  rests  buoyantly  on  the  water,  where  it  can  be 
identified  among  other  Ducks  by  its  slender  build,  long  and 
graceful  neck,  and  pointed  tail.  The  adult  male  is  readily 
recognised  by  a  broad  white  stripe  down  either  side  of  the 
neck  and  also  by  the  great  length  and  tapering  shape  of 
the  middle  tail-feathers  ;  the  latter  are  conspicuous,  being 
raised  off  the  surface  of  the  water  as  the  bird  swims.1 

The  Pintail  is  for  the  most  part  a  winter-visitor  to  our 
Isles,  and  is  found  on  inland  as  well  as  on  tidal  waters. 

1  The  Pintail  is  sometimes  called  the  Long-tailed  Duck,  owing  to  the 
length  of  its  tail.  But  the  plumage  of  the  two  species  is  so  utterly 
different  that  they  should  not  be  confounded. 


100  ANATID^ 

The  southern  coasts  are  most  frequented.  Immature  birds 
arrive  about  the  end  of  September,  followed  about  a  month 
later  by  the  adults.  In  April  it  migrates  to  more  northern 
climes,  save  a  few  pairs  which  remain  to  breed  in  Scotland. 

I  have  repeatedly  come  across  this  fine  species  when 
boating  by  day,  and  have  noted  small  and  scattered  flocks 
drifting  on  the  tidal  estuaries,  in  consort  with  countless 
hordes  of  Wigeon.  Through  a  field-glass  I  have  observed 
that  while  the  latter  were  resting — some  sleeping — the 
Pintails  were  actively  feeding.1  One  by  one  their  heads  and 
long  necks  disappeared  under  water,  their  tails  pointing 
vertically  upwards2  as  they  tilted  their  bodies  forwards. 

The  Pintail  is  a  shy  and  vigilant  bird,  especially  when 
in  company  with  other  Ducks ;  as  a  rule  its  habits  can  only 
be  studied  from  a  distance  with  the  aid  of  a  field-glass,  or 
the  observer  must  be  ambushed. 

Food. — Like  other  non-diving  Ducks,  the  Pintail  quits 
the  water  at  times  in  search  of  food.  It  visits  stubbles, 
flooded  fields,  and  marshes.  Its  diet  consists  of  insects, 
worms,  crabs,  shrimps,  various  aquatic  vegetables,  and 
grasses. 

Flight. — This  bird  is  fast,  but  not  buoyant  on  the  wing ; 
the  rapid  flutter  of  its  pinions  recalls  the  flight  of  Diving 
rather  than  of  Surface-feeding  Ducks. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  rather  peculiar.  It  seems  to  me 
to  resemble  a  low  muttering.  Montagu  compares  it  to  the 
crying  of  a  young  kitten. 

Like  most  other  Ducks  the  Pintail  is  readily  tamed. 
Wild  hybrids  with  Wigeon  and  Mallard  have  been  raised. 
Its  flesh  is  excellent. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  generally  built  on  rather  dry  soil, 
and  fairly  well  concealed  by  the  surrounding  vegetation. 
It  is  usually  placed  in  the  neighbourhood  of  water.  The 
nest  is  well  lined  with  down. 

The  eggs,  which  number  seven  to  ten,  are  pale  yellowish- 
green.  Incubation  begins  about  May. 

We  have  no  conclusive  evidence  that  the  Pintail  has 
nested  in  England,  but  of  later  years  it  has  bred  on  several 


1  Some  authorities  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  Pintail   feeds  chiefly 
at  night ;   others  maintain  that  it  seeks  its  food  almost  entirely  during 
day  light. 

2  This  attitude  is  not  peculiar  to  the  Pintail.     Our  farm-yard  Ducks 
and  many  other  wild  species  may  be  seen  assuming  a  similar  position 
when  feeding  under  the  surface  of  the  water  (see  footnote  p.  97). 


PINTAIL  101 

occasions  in  Scotland,,  both  on  the  mainland  and  on  the 
Hebrides.     Thus  in  June,  1881,  Mr.  Harvie-Brown  found 
it  breeding  on  one  of  the  Inner  Hebrides  (Proc.  Boy.  Phys. 
Soc.,   Edin.,   1881-83).      In    1882    it    bred   m:$tt^darid>. 
(Harvie-Brown   and   Buckley,    'Fauna   of   S^thefclainc!/  andV 
Caithness,'  1887).     Again  in  May,  1898,  several  nest&,y?ei:e8  „ 
discovered  on  Loch  Leven,  in  Kinross-shtj;e  $SwisV  A^i^j  • 
Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1898,  p.  162).     The  Pintail  may  also  have' 
bred   in   the   Outer    Hebrides    (Harvie-Brown,    '  Avifauna 
Of  The  Outer  Hebrides/  1888-1902;  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist., 
1902-3). 

With  regard  to  the  breeding  of  the  Pintail  in  Ireland 
Mr.  Ussher  writes  :  "  Lord  Castletown  has  an  egg  measuring 
2'14  x  1'6  in.,  which  he  informs  me  he  took  when  a  boy 
from  a  Pintail's  nest  near  Granston,  and  this  is  the  only 
instance  I  can  cite  of  its  breeding  near  Abbeyleix." 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Pintail  breeds 
freely  in  Northern  Europe  (including  Iceland),  Asia  and 
America.  It  also  breeds  in  Holland,  and  more  sparingly  on 
other  parts  of  the  Continent  of  Central  Europe.  On  migra- 
tion in  winter,  it  reaches  to  the  south  of  Europe,  and  to 
Africa  as  far  as  Egypt.  In  an  eastern  direction  it  can  be 
traced  to  India,  China  and  Japan,  while  on  the  American 
Continent  it  descends  to  the  West  Indies  and  Panama. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  upper  neck, 
brown,  reflecting  shades  of  dark  green  and  bronze;  on  the 
sides  of  the  neck  this  colour  is  interrupted  by  a  noticeable 
white  stripe,  narrow  above  where  it  begins  at  the  back  of 
the  head,  and  broadening  out  below  until  it  finally  blends 
with  the  white  of  the  lower  neck,  breast  and  abdomen ;  back 
and  flanks  finely  chequered  grey  ;  wing-coverts,  grey ;  alar 
speculum,  lustrous  bronze-green,  margined  below  with  black 
and  white,  and  above  with  bright  buff ;  primaries,  greyish, 
these  when  the  wing  is  folded  are  covered  for  the  most 

Eart  by  the  long  and  narrow  inner  secondaries,  which  are 
lack  in  colour  with  white  margins  tinged  with  light  buff ; 
central  tail-feathers,  long  and  pointed,  and  brownish-black  ; 
rest   of   the   tail-feathers,   grey-brown,  edged  with   white ; 
under  tail-coverts,  black. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — This  plumage  is 
assumed  in  July  and  retained  until  October.  It  somewhat 


102 

resembles  that  of  the  female,  but  is  distinguished  by  the 
presence  of  the  bronze-green  alar  speculum. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  back,  scapulars  and 
.wings,  .mottled-brown  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  greyish-white; 
tail-featfe^rs/Jharred  with  buff  and  dark  brown ;  middle  tail- 
feathers  .noi  prolonged  much  further  than  the  rest. 
.**S  '^dtyliwinfyr^tnale  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  female 
plumage,  but  the  young  male  can  be  distinguished  by  the 
presence  of  the  alar  speculum. 

BEAK.     Slate-grey. 

FEET.     Slate-grey. 

IBIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...         ...         ...     28     in.     (including 

the   long   central 
tail-feathers) . 

WING       11      in. 

BEAK 2 

TARSO-METATARSUS      T85  ,, 

EGG  2-1  x  1-5  in. 


Note. — In  several  old  drakes  which  I  measured,  I  found 
that  the  central  tail-feathers  averaged  about  7 '5  to  8  in. 


TEAL.     Nettion  crecca  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  16 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  426 ; 
Lilford,  «  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  37. 

Diminutive  in  size  and  of  dainty  appearance,  the  Teal 
is  familiar  to  most  of  us  as  a  widely  distributed  and  common 
Duck  in  our  Islands.  Its  numbers  are  increased  in  autumn 
and  winter  by  migrants  which  reach  our  shores,  some 
arriving  early  in  September.  No  common  British  bird 
has  found  more  favour,  or  has  attracted  more  attention 
than  this  neat  little  game-bird.  The  scientific  and  patient 
observer,  who  watches  its  habits  without  destructive  intent, 
is  rilled  with  admiration  at  the  activity  displayed,  as  the 
Teal  glides  gaily  to  and  fro  on  a  sheltered  pond  or  stream. 


104  ANATIME 

When  alarmed  it  suddenly  shoots  upwards  with  marvellous 
speed,  as  though  it  were  projected  by  a  strong  spring  into 
the  air,  and  then  off  it  flies,  twisting  and  turning  with  a 
strength  and  velocity  hardly  inferior  to  that  of  the  fleeting 
Dove  or  the  swooping  Falcon.  The  gunner  rejoices  when 
he  gets  among  a  wisp  of  Teal ;  the  rapid  flight  more  than 
tests  his  aim ;  quickly  he  tries  a  snap-shot,  down  comes 
his  game,  only  one  grain  of  shot  in  the  wing,  but  the  frail 
little  bone  has  been  broken  and  the  beautiful  flight  is  ended. 
Then  the  taxidermist,  pent  up  in  his  work-room,  finds  his 
subject  all-absorbing,  as  he  models  the  dainty  form  and 
arranges  the  pretty  plumes  of  this  miniature  Duck. 

The  Teal  loves  quiet  inland  waters,  and  may  be  found 
on  pools  and  canals  of  small  size.  Though  it  is  not  by 
any  means  a  coast-loving  bird,  yet  considerable  numbers 
may  be  seen  in  our  bays  and  creeks  in  the  autumn  and 
winter.  Hard  and  continued  frost  drives  it  to  the  coast, 
when  as  many  as  five  hundred  have  been  counted  together 
on  the  tideway.  Thompson  states  that  between  August  and 
September  he  has  noted  as  many  as  fifty  in  Belfast  Bay. 

I  have  shot  Teal  on  the  tops  of  mountains,  among  dry 
heath  and  gorse,  and  once,  when  boating,  caught  an  adult 
female  bird  which  was  hiding  in  the  shelter  of  an  over- 
hanging embankment  of  a  river.  I  let  the  boat  drift  towards 
her,  and  was  on  the  point  of  seizing  her,  when  she  dived 
like  a  flash,  and  had  I  not  immediately  thrust  my  arm  full 
length  under  water,  she  would  have  escaped.  The  bird 
was  not  moulting  and  flew  away,  strong  on  the  wing,  when 
liberated. 

Food. — Food  is  sought  for  mainly  in  the  early  morning 
and  in  the  twilight,  when  the  bird  visits  the  ditches,  bog- 
lands  and  stubble,  in  search  of  vegetables,  seeds,  grasses, 
worms,  slugs,  and  in  warm  countries,  rice.  I  have  observed 
this  little  Duck  at  mid-day,  picking  at  the  reeds  growing 
by  a  river-bank.  It  is  one  of  the  most  palatable  of  game 
birds. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  harsh  and  loud  for  the  size  of  the 
bird.  The  note  may  be  syllabled  qude-qui-qui. 

Flight. — The  flight  of  the  Teal  is  more  rapid  and 
glancing  than  that  of  the  larger  Ducks,  but  when  flushed 
from  cover  it  has  a  habit  of  alighting  at  no  great  distance 
from  where  it  has  been  disturbed.  Sportsmen  acquainted 
with  this  habit  can  often  make  good  bags  by  following  up 
the  birds.  Thus,  I  have  seen  a  family  party,  consisting  of 


TEAL  105 

the  two  adults  and  eight  young  birds — all  strong  on  the 
wing — completely  wiped  out  in  a  couple  of  hours  by  a 
gunner  who  followed  them  up  and  shot  them  one  by  one. 
The  birds  when  first  discovered,  were  feeding  together  on 
a  marsh,  but  as  they  rose  they  scattered.  Captain  G.  Gould 
estimates  the  speed  of  this  bird  on  the  wing  to  be  one 
hundred  and  forty-four  miles  per  hour.  I  have  seen  Teal 
swoop  down  from  a  height  in  the  air  to  the  water  with 
as  great  an  impetus  as  that  acquired  by  a  flock  of  Golden 
Plover  when  a  shot  is  fired  into  their  midst. 

Nest. — Though  the  nest  is  invariably  placed  on  the 
ground,  yet  the  breeding-haunts  of  the  Teal  vary  consider- 
ably. I  have  found  the  nest  under  heath-tufts,  on  damp 
turfy  soil,  among  high  sedges  and  reeds  by  the  river's  side, 
as  well  as  in  the  stunted  and  scanty  herbage  of  rough,  low- 
lying  pasture-land.  In  the  co.  Mayo,  in  the  year  1898,  I 
discovered  a  Teal  breeding  among  heather  near  the  summit 
of  a  hill,  while  fifty  feet  lower  down  a  pair  of  Curlews  were 
nesting  on  flat  and  somewhat  damp  ground.  Dry  grass  is 
the  chief  material  of  which  the  nest  is  composed ;  when 
built  in  heath,  stems  of  that  plant  are  frequently  utilised. 
The  nest  is  lined  with  down.  The  eggs,  ranging  from 
eight  to  ten,  and  even  more  in  the  clutch,  are  of  a  rich 
creamy-white  colour,  some  showing  a  tinge  of  pale  bluish- 
green.  Incubation  begins  about  May. 

The  Teal  is  easily  tamed  and  breeds  freely  on  aquatic 
preserves  :  hybrids  frequently  have  been  raised. 

This  Duck  nests  throughout  the  British  Isles ;  in  the 
Outer  Hebrides,  where  it  hitherto  has  been  looked  upon  as 
a  rare  species,  it  is  now  increasing,  and  no  doubt  breeds  in 
North  and  South  Uist  (Harvie-Brown,  'Avifauna  Of  The 
Outer  Hebrides,'  1888-1902,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1902-3). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  Duck  is  found 
nesting  over  a  vast  area  of  the  European  and  Asiatic  Con- 
tinents, also  in  North  Africa.  Its  winter  migrations  extend 
to  Tropical  Africa  and  Asia.  Our  bird  has  occasionally 
wandered  to  the  American  coast,  but  its  true  representative 
is  the  next  species,  the  American  Green-winged  Teal,  Nettion 
carolinense. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.— Top  of  head,  back  of 
neck,  cheeks,  and  throat,  rich  reddish-brown ;  behind  the  eye 
is  a  patch  of  glossy-green,  which  extends  down  the  side  of 
the  neck  for  a  short  distance  ;  above  and  below  this  patch 


106  ANATIDJE 

are  narrow,  whitish-yellow  lines,  which  meet  in  front  of 
the  eye,  and  are  then  prolonged  as  a  single  line  to  the  base 
of  the  beak  and  chin ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  finely 
pencilled  with  grey  and  white  ;  lower  back,  and  upper  tail- 
coverts,  very  dark  brown,  latter  edged  with  rufous  ;  tail, 
ash-brown ;  under  tail-coverts,  nearly  black  in  the  centre, 
and  buff-colour  on  each  side ;  wing-coverts,  brownish,  with 
a  brilliant  lustrous-green  and  purple-black  speculum  which 
is  edged  with  white ;  chin,  black  ;  front  of  neck,  warm  buff, 
spotted  with  black ;  breast  and  abdomen,  white ;  flanks, 
pencilled  like  the  back. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — From  July  until 
October  the  drake  assumes  a  plumage  somewhat  like  that 
of  the  female. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  general  plumage  of  the 
female  consists  of  a  mottling  of  brown  and  buff,  the  latter 
colour  showing  chiefly  as  edgings  to  the  feathers  of  the 
upper  parts ;  on  the  side  of  the  neck  and  throat  the  buff 
predominates ;  on  the  top  of  the  head  the  brown  is  more 
marked. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female.— Almost  similar  to  the 
female,  but  the  brown  on  the  breast  and  abdomen  is  darker, 
and  more  mottled. 

BEAK.     Blackish-brown. 

FEET.     Dull  greyish-brown. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...         ...  14*5     in. 

WING        7-25    „ 

BEAK         T5      ,, 

TARSO-METATABSUS        1        ,, 

EGG  1-8  X  1'2  in. 


AMERICAN  GREEN-WINGED  TEAL.     Nettion  carolinense 
(J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  38. 

There  are  three  records  of  this  extremely  rare  visitor. 
The  first  was  shot  at  Hants,  prior  to  1840.     The  second,  an 


BLUE-WINGED  TEAL  107 

adult  male,  occurred  near  Scarborough,  in  November,  1851. 
The  third,  also  an  adult  male,  was  shot  on  November  23rd, 
1879,  in  South  Devon  (Saunders). 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — The  adult  male,  on  the 
whole,  resembles  our  own  bird,  but  the  delicate  pencilling  of 
the  plumage  is  more  minute.  On  the  side  of  the  breast  and 
lower  neck  there  is  a  broad  crescent-shaped  band  of  finely 
vermiculated  greyish-white  feathers ;  the  yellowish  lines  on 
the  cheeks  and  round  the  eye  are  less  defined  than  are  those 
of  the  common  Teal. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Somewhat  similar 
to  the  female  plumage. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  plumage  of  the  female  is 
practically  the  same  as  that  of  the  female  of  the  preceding 
species. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Kesembles  the  female 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Bluish-grey. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

EGG.       Yellowish- white  :  clutch,  seven  to  twelve. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 14'5     in. 

WING         7-25   „ 

BEAK         1*5     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        I'l     ,, 

EGG  1-8  X  1-25  in. 


BLUE-WINGED  TEAL.     Querquedula  discors  (Linnaeus). 
Coloured  Figures. — Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  40. 

Another  extremely  rare  and  accidental  wanderer  to  our 
shores.  There  is  but  one  genuine  record,  viz.,  a  specimen 
shot  at  Dumfries  in  1858.  It  is  a  male  bird  and  is  preserved 
in  the  Edinburgh  Museum  (Saunders). 


108  ANATID^E 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  greyish  ;  throat,  much 
the  same  shade ;  white  crescent-shaped  patch  in  front  of  eye ; 
rest  of  cheeks  and  neck  *  french '  grey ;  back,  mottled  with 
light  red ;  on  each  wing  there  is  a  broad  white  stripe  and 
a  bronze  green  patch,  wing-coverts,  as  described  by  Mr. 
Saunders  '  lapis  lazuli '  blue  (far  more  vivid  than  in  our 
Garganey).  Breast  and  abdomen,  pale  reddish. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Resembles  the 
female  plumage,  but  the  wings  are  brighter  in  colour. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  female  is  speckled  brown 
and  light  yellow  and  the  eye-stripe  is  ill-defined. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respec- 
tive nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  female 
plumage,  but  the  lustrous  blue  speculum  is  wanting. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Yellowish. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

EGGS.     Pale  yellowish-white  :  clutch,  eight  to  twelve. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 16        in. 

WING        7-5      „ 

BEAK         T75    ,, 

TABSO-METATARSUS        1-2      „ 

EGG  1-85  x  1'35  in. 


GARGANEY.     Querquedula  circia  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  17 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  427  ;  Lil- 
ford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  39. 

This  pretty  little  Duck — not  much  larger  than  the  Teal- 
is  generally  known  as  a  spring  migrant.  It  is  very  rare  in 
winter,  a  season  when  most  species  of  Ducks  are  to  be  seen 
about  our  shores.  The  Garganey  is  seldom  met  with  in 
autumn  on  its  migration  southward.  Like  the  Teal  it 
frequents  both  fresh  and  tidal  waters  :  it  has  been  recorded 
mainly  from  maritime  counties  or  at  any  rate  from  those 


GAEGANEY  109 

not  far  from  the  coasts.  It  seems  to  be  rarer  in  Scotland,1 
Wales,  and  Ireland,  than  in  England.  In  Ireland  it  has 
been  recorded  from  the  following  counties  : — Clare,  Cork, 
Carlow,  Wicklow,  Dublin,  King's  Co.,  Westmeath,  Mayo, 
Fermanagh  and  Down  (Ussher). 

In  England,  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  Lincoln,  and  Yorkshire, 
are  visited  most  regularly.  In  its  habits  the  Garganey 
strongly  resembles  the  Teal.  Its  flight  is  rapid  ;  its  pose  on 
the  water  buoyant ;  and  of  man,  boat,  or  dog,  it  exhibits  no 
great  dread.  Thus  with  reference  to  three  Garganey  shot 
by  Sir  E.  Payne- Gallwey  in  Cork  Harbour,  in  March,  1878, 
he  mentions  that  "  they  were  very  tame  and  allowed  me  to 
kill  two  of  them  on  the  water,  and  a  third  flying,  from  an 
ordinary  boat,  with  a  shoulder-gun  "  ('  Fowler  in  Ireland,' 
p.  63). 

The  drake  Garganey  may  be  distinguished  from  the  Teal 
on  the  water,  by  the  white  stripe  which  extends  from  above 
the  eye  backwards  and  downwards  along  the  neck.  The 
female  is  more  difficult  to  recognise. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  very  rapid  and  on  the  wing  the 
Garganey  might  easily  be  mistaken  for  the  Teal. 

Food. — The  food  consists  chiefly  of  fish  and  molluscs, 
with  very  little  vegetable  matter. 

As  a  bird  for  the  table  this  Duck  is  not  considered  good 
by  some  authorities,  while  by  others  it  is  highly  esteemed. 

Voice. — The  name  of  '  Cricket  Teal '  has  been  applied  to 
this  species  on  account  of  the  curious  vibratile  or  rattling 
sound  produced  by  the  drake's  voice  in  the  spring. 

Nest. — This  bird  nests  on  marshy  low-lands,  also 
in  drier  and  more  elevated  districts  among  heather.  Its 
breeding-haunts,  in  fact,  resemble  those  of  the  Teal.  The 
nest  is  made  chiefly  of  dry  grass  and  is  lined  with  down. 

The  eggs,  eight  to  thirteen  in  number,  are  creamy-white 
in  colour.  Incubation  begins  about  the  end  of  April. 

The  Garganey  is  a  rare  British  nesting-species.  But  to 
Norfolk,  where  protection  is  afforded  it — and  particularly  in 
the  '  Broad  '  district — this  Duck  resorts  annually  to  breed, 
while  in  the  following  counties  there  is  also  evidence  that 
it  probably  has  nested : — Suffolk,  Lincolnshire,  Cambridge- 
shire, Huntingdonshire,  Warwickshire,  Hampshire  and 
Yorkshire. 


1  This  Duck  was  not  observed  in  Scotland  until  March,  1841,  when 
four  were  shot  near  Stirling  (Macgillivray). 


110  ANATTME 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Garganey  breeds 
over  a  large  area  of  Temperate  Europe,  especially  in  the 
Eastern  section,  also  in  Asia.  It  winters  in  Southern 
Europe,  North  and  Tropical  Africa,  India,  China,  and  Japan, 
visiting  the  Phillipines  and  other  neighbouring  islands  in 
the  Tropics. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back 
of  neck,  dark  brown;  cheeks  and  throat,  rich  reddish-brown, 
pencilled  with  short  thin  lines  of  white  ;  extending  from  the 
front  of  each  eye  to  the  nape  of  the  neck  is  a  noticeable 
white  band,  by  which  the  Garganey  may  be  distinguished 
at  some  distance ;  back,  dark  brown  with  a  lighter  edge  to 
the  feathers  ;  wing-coverts,  chiefly  bluish-grey  with  a  green 
speculum  margined  by  two  white  bars  ;  scapulars,  long 
and  pointed,  black  in  colour,  each  with  a  central  line  of 
white  ;  primaries  and  tail,  brown  ;  chin,  black ;  breast,  light 
brown,  each  feather  being  edged  with  a  dark  brown 
crescent ;  abdomen,  white ;  flanks,  coarsely  pencilled  with 
transverse  lines  of  black  on  a  white  ground  ;  under  the  tail 
these  dark  lines  shorten  into  spots. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Resembles  the  adult 
female  plumage,  but  the  alar  speculum  is  much  brighter. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Head  more  coarsely  spotted  with 
shades  of  brown  ;  face-line  much  less  distinct,  smaller  than 
in  the  male  and  yellowish  rather  than  pure  white  ;  back, 
rather  similar  in  colour  to  the  drake,  but  with  a  bolder 
pattern ;  wing-coverts,  chiefly  greyish-brown  ;  chin,  white  ; 
breast,  chequered  in  different  shades  of  greyish-white  and 
brown ;  sides  and  flanks,  chequered  light  and  dark  brown. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respec- 
tive nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. -^-Resembles  the  adult  female 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Greenish-grey. 

IBIDES.  Hazel. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...  16    in.     Female  smaller. 

WING        7-8,, 

BEAK         ...          ..         ...  1*5  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...  1'3  ,, 

EGG  ...  1-85  x  T35  in. 


WIGEON  111 

WIGEON.     Mareca  penelope  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  13  ; 
Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pis.  432,  433  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  41. 

Hundreds  of  Wigeon  visit  our  coasts  in  late  autumn  and 
winter,  taking  their  departure  about  March,  to  breed  in 
more  northern  regions.  The  majority  arrive  in  October, 
preceded  by  a  few  immature  birds  which  reach  us  during 
the  latter  end  of  August.  I  have  seen  small  numbers  of 
immature  Wigeon  as  early  as  August  14th,  feeding  with 
Oyster-catchers  and  Gulls  on  the  ooze-flats  of  Dublin  Bay. 
They  appeared  fatigued  and  were  comparatively  tame. 

Though  essentially  maritime,  yet  large  sheets  of  fresh 
water,  and  less  frequently  small  lakes,  rivers  and  marshes, 
also  afford  this  species  natural  habitat. 

Intensely  cold  and  boisterous  weather,  when  inland 
waters  are  frozen  over,  drives  vast  assemblages  of  Wigeon 
to  our  bays  and  estuaries.  Viewed  at  a  distance  with  the 
unaided  eye,  these  Ducks  resemble  a  long,  irregular  and 
broken  line  of  black  sea-wrack  tossing  up  and  down  on 
the  angry  breakers,  or  tiny  dark  specks  strewing  the  sea 
for  many  acres  round.  It  would  repay  the  bird-lover  to  take 
a  ramble  along  the  beach  at  high  water,  and  study  these 
familiar,  yet  interesting,  sea-fowl.  From  the  cover  of  a 
sand-dune,  he  can  see  the  hardy  little  creatures  pitching 
about  asleep  on  the  waters,  despite  the  approaching  hurri- 
cane. Among  them  are  a  few  Pintails,  Mallards,  Scaups, 
Scoters,  Cormorants  and  Gulls,  scarcely  able  to  cope  with 
wind  and  wave.  But  in  this  great  multitude  of  Wigeon, 
there  are  many  awake  and  lively.  The  yellow-headed 
drakes  are  speeding  across  the  water  in  hot  pursuit,  some 
are  diving  to  escape,  others  washing,  splashing  and  sitting 
up  on  end  flapping  their  wings. 

Their  merry  whistle  may  be  heard  clearly  above  the 
roar  of  the  breakers.  Now  something  has  disturbed  them  ! 
They  stretch  their  necks  and  look  intently  upwards  in  great 
excitement. 

What  keen  sight  they  possess  !  They  have  been  watch- 
ing for  some  time  what  still  appears  a  mere  speck  in  the 
air.  A  Peregrine  Falcon  !  They  recognise  their  foe  long 
before  the  onlooker  can  even  discern  that  it  is  an  approach- 
ing bird.  Ere  a  minute  has  elapsed  the  Falcon  is  directly 
overhead.  A  magnificent  sight !  One  great  swoop  to  the 


WIGEON  113 

water  and  he  is  up  again,  but  without  his  prey,  and  the 
Ducks  and  other  birds  closely  pack,  keeping  to  the  water, 
their  only  sanctuary.  A  very  Babel  of  sound  now  fills  the 
air,  as  the  flocks,  by  their  angry  threats,  endeavour  to  drive 
off  the  enemy.  There  is  much  confusion  in  the  ranks  ; 
some,  more  frightened  than  the  rest,  immediately  dive,  but 
none  attempt  to  fly  as  long  as  the  Peregrine  lurks  overhead. 
Now,  however,  the  attention  of  the  Falcon  is  attracted  by  a 
flock  of  Plover,  crossing  the  estuary.  In  a  moment  he  is 
among  them,  and,  singling  out  his  victim,  enters  on  his 
deadly  chase.  Out  over  the  sea  the  two  birds  fly  until 
finally  they  disappear  from  view. 

.  Wigeon  do  not  invariably  remain  on  the  water  when 
disturbed  by  the  first  sight  of  the  Falcon  in  the  distance. 
I  have  seen  thousands  of  them  rise  and  join  with  immense 
companies  of  'waders,'  the  great  dark  cloud  of  birds  utterly 
deserting  the  estuaries  and  sand-flats  for  miles  around. 

Wigeon  are  very  sociable ;  an  entire  flock  will  rest,  fly, 
and  feed  together.  Unlike  the  Mallard  and  many  other 
species  of  Ducks,  they  usually  rise  in  silence,  and  do  not 
whistle  until  they  are  well  on  the  wing.  "  On  inland 
waters  they  may  often  be  seen  in  company  with  Coots, 
and  will  watch  the  latter  diving  for  and  bringing  up 
pond-weed,  when  they  rush  in  and  seize  it"  (Ussher). 

Food. — In  their  movements  Wigeon  are  most  regular. 
By  day  they  rest  on  the  water,  especially  during  high  tide, 
and  after  dusk1  visit  the  Zost era-covered  sand-flats,  to  feed, 
varying  their  hours  according  to  the  tide.  They  assemble 
at  their  feeding-grounds  as  the  ooze  becomes  bare.  They 
are  then  usually  silent,  save  a  soft  purr  of  satisfaction  which 
is  uttered  by  the  females  when  undisturbed. 

As  an  article  of  food,  the  Wigeon  is  much  sought  after, 
and  is  sorely  persecuted  by  the  'punt  gunner.'  Although 
vast  quantities  are  destroyed  for  the  markets,  it  is  pleasant 
to  think  that  this  pretty  Duck  is  not  sensibly  diminishing 
in  numbers.  It  is  practically  marine  in  its  habits,  yet  its 
flesh  is  palatable.  This  is  so  because  the  bird  is  not, 
as  a  rule,  a  lover  of  shell-fish,  feeding  almost  entirely  on 
vegetable  matter.  I  have  occasionally  tasted  very  '  fishy  ' 
Wigeon,  old  birds  shot  on  the  coast,  and  have  found  shell- 
fish and  marine- worms  in  the  gizzards  of  a  few. 

1  In  localities  where  Wigeon  are  not  harassed  by  gunners  they  will 
feed  also  during  the  day. 

8 


114  ANATID^E 

Flight.- — Wigeon  can  remain  a  long  time  on  the  wing, 
and  even  in  rough  weather  flocks  may  be  seen  travelling 
with  great  velocity  at  a  considerable  height  in  the  air. 

Voice. — The  whistle  of  the  drake  sounds  like  whee-oo  ; 
it  is  shrill  yet  mellow,  and  once  heard  is  not  easily  forgotten. 
The  purr  of  the  female  has  already  been  described. 

Nest. — This  Duck  breeds  on  the  ground,  and  generally 
not  far  from  a  fresh-water  lake  or  pond.  The  nest  is  built, 
for  the  most  part,  of  dry  grass  and  weeds,  and  is  concealed 
in  a  tuft  of  rushes  or  other  herbage  :  a  tuft  of  heather  is  a 
favourite  nesting- site.  The  eggs,  five  to  ten  in  number,  are 
light  creamy-yellow. 

There  are  but  few  records  of  the  Wigeon  nesting  in 
England,  but  in  the  following  counties  there  is  evidence  of 
its  having  probably  bred  : — Yorkshire,  Cheshire,  Norfolk,  and 
Sussex  (Harting,  '  Handbook  of  British  Birds,'  p.  246  ; 
Stevenson,  'Birds  of  Norfolk/  iii,  p.  188;  Borrer,  'Birds  of 
Sussex,'  p.  350). 

In  Scotland  the  nest  has  been  obtained  in  Sutherland, 
Caithness,  Boss,  Cromarty,  Perth,  and  Selkirk,  also  in  the 
Orkneys  and  Shetlands  (Saunders).  This  Duck  has  not  been 
recorded  as  a  nesting- species  from  the  Outer  Hebrides,  but 
a  flapper  was  shot  on  North  Uist  in  August,  1891  (Harvie- 
Brown,  '  Avifauna,  Outer  Hebrides,'  1888-1902,  Ann.  Scot. 
Nat.  Hist.,  1902-3). 

In  Ireland  the  Wigeon  has  perhaps  bred,  though  proof 
of  this  is  still  wanting.  In  his  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  Mr. 
Ussher  cites  several  instances  of  adult  birds  seen  in  the 
height  of  the  breeding-season ;  for  instance  on  June  3rd, 
1893,  he  saw  a  male  and  female  on  a  lake  in  co.  Leitrim. 
Sir  Douglas  Brooke  has  shot  very  young  birds  in  Ferma- 
nagh on  August  1st,  and  Lord  Caledon  has  observed  this 
Duck  in  the  co.  Tyrone  in  summer,  while  in  June,  1892, 
Mr.  R.  Patterson  saw  Wigeon  repeatedly  on  Lough  Fern, 
co.  Donegal. 

Quite  recently,  viz.,  in  May,  1901,  eggs  were  taken  by 
Mr.  John  Cottney  in  the  vicinity  of  Belfast,  and  submitted 
to  Mr.  Ussher  and  Mr.  R.  Patterson,  who  first  reported  them 
to  be  those  of  the  Wigeon,  but  after  a  thorough  examina- 
tion not  only  of  the  down  but  also  of  small  feathers  in  the 
nest,  the  eggs  were  shown  to  be  those  of  the  Shoveler 
('Zoologist/  1901,  p.  269,  and  'Irish  Naturalist/  1901, 
p.  147,  and  ibid.,  1903,  p.  275). 

The  Wigeon  is  easily  tamed  and  is  a  pretty  addition 
to  an  ornamental  pond. 


WIGEON  115 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Wigeon  breeds 
abundantly  in  Northern  Europe,  and  in  small  numbers  in 
Holland,  Denmark,  and  North  Germany.  Eastward  it  nests 
in  Central  and  North  Asia,  and  on  the  North  American 
Continent  may  be  traced  round  to  Alaska.  On  migration  it 
is  found  over  Central  and  Southern  Europe,  North  Africa, 
Tropical  Asia,  occurring  also  along  the  North  American 
sea- board. 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Top  of  head,  rich 
chrome-buff  ;  rest  of  head  and  upper  neck,  warm  chestnut, 
the  hind  part  of  the  latter  finely  spotted  with  light  green ; 
chin,  black ;  lower  neck  and  upper  breast,  pale  pinkish-grey  ; 
lower  breast  and  abdomen,  white ;  back  and  flanks,  finely 
pencilled  or  vermiculated  with  grey  ;  wing-coverts,  white ; 
speculum,  green,  edged  above  and  below  with  black; 
narrow  pointed  secondaries,  chiefly  black,  edged  with  white  ; 
primaries,  brown  ;  tail,  brown  ;  under  tail-coverts,  black. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — This  plumage  is 
assumed  about  the  middle  of  June.  It  somewhat  resembles 
the  female  plumage,  but  is  of  a  much  more  ruddy  hue. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Back  and  wings,  mottled  greyish- 
brown  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  greyish- white. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female  in 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Bright  lead-blue,  tipped  with  black. 

FEET.     Dark  greyish-brown. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE    MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH         18' 5     in. 

WING 10-5 

BEAK 1-5       „ 

TARSO-METATAESUS T5      ,, 

EGG      ...  2'3  x  1-5  in. 


116  ANATID^E 


AMERICAN  WIGEON.     Mareca  americana  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  707  ; 
Lilford,  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  42. 

I  know  of  only  two  well  authenticated  instances  of  this 
very  rare  visitor.  A  specimen  was  obtained  by  Mr.  Bartlett 
in  a  London  market  in  the  winter  of  1837-38.  In  February 
of  1895,  after  a  lapse  of  fifty-seven  years,  Sir  Ralph  Payne- 
Gallwey  secured,  through  Mr.  K.  Lee,  of  Thirsk,  a  young 
male  from  a  game-dealer  in  Leeds. 

The  few  Scotch  and  Irish  occurrences  are  so  unsub- 
stantiated that  the  American  Wigeon  may  be  excluded 
from  the  avifauna  of  these  countries. 

In  the  'Zoologist'  for  1901,  p.  411,  Mr.  F.  Coburn 
gives  an  interesting  account  of  an  expedition  to  the  north 
of  Iceland,  where  he  discovered  the  American  Wigeon 
breeding. 


DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Crown  of  head,  dull 
white;  on  each  side  of  the  head,  a  broad  streak  of  green 
extends  from  the  eye  to  the  hind-neck;  cheeks,  chin,  throat, 
neck,  whitish,  speckled  with  black ;  back,  brownish,  vermi- 
culated  with  black;  wing-coverts,  light  brown  shading  to 
white ;  speculum,  metallic-green  edged  above  with  black  ; 
primaries,  brown ;  inner  secondaries  elongated,  black  with 
white  edges ;  breast  and  sides,  reddish-brown  ;  abdomen, 
white ;  tail,  brown. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Somewhat  re- 
sembles the  female  plumage. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Head  and  neck,  yellowish-white 
speckled  with  black ;  breast  duller  than  that  of  the  male ; 
back,  dark  brown. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female,  but 
the  young  male  has  a  more  defined  wing-pattern. 

BEAK.     Greyish-blue  with  a  black  tip. 

FEET.     Bluish. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

EGGS.     Pure  white  :    clutch,  seven  to  ten. 


KED-CRESTED  POCHAED  117 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  19  in. 

WING     ...  ...         .,.  10-5     „ 

BEAK     ...         ...         •••         ...       1'3     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS     1*5  ,, 

EGG  2-1  x  1-5  in. 


RED-CRESTED  POCHARD.     Netta  rufina  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  22 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  435 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  43. 

The  Red-crested  Pochard  is  a  very  rare  wanderer  to  the 
British  Isles,  its  breeding-haunts  being  Southern  Europe, 
North  Africa  and  Asia.  The  earliest  occurrence  known  is 
that  of  a  female,  obtained  in  Norfolk  in  1818  (Saunders). 
Several  others  have  been  recorded  from  the  same  county. 
It  has  subsequently  been  obtained  in  the  following  coun- 
ties : — Northumberland,  Westmoreland,  Lincoln,  Essex, 
Devon,  Cornwall,  Pembroke,  occurring,  as  may  be  seen, 
most  frequently  on  the  east  coast.1  There  are  other  records, 
from  London  markets  (Leadenhall),  and  from  the  Thames. 

In  Scotland,  there  appears  to  be  but  one  capture  re- 
corded, namely,  a  bird  taken  in  Argyll,  January,  1862 
(Gray,  '  Birds  "of  West  Scotland'). 

Likewise  from  Ireland,  only  one  example  has  been  re- 
corded, namely,  a  bird  obtained  near  Tralee,  co.  Kerry, 
January  18th,  1881  (Ussher,  '  Zoologist,'  1881,  p.  143), 
and  exhibited  by  More,  before  the  Zoological  Society  of 
London,  on  March  15th,  1881  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc.,  1881, 
p.  409). 

The  rich,  handsome  plumage  of  the  adult  male  should 
at  once  attract  the  attention  of  the  observer  in  the  field. 

Food. — This  Pochard  feeds  on  a  variety  of  aquatic 
creatures,  on  frogs,  fish,  insects,  and  vegetable  matter.  Its 
flesh  is  considered  palatable. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  loud,  consisting  of  harsh,  deep 
notes,  uttered  chiefly  at  night  ;  the  male  also  whistles 
in  a  high  key. 

1  Kecently,  a  specimen  was  shot  at  Redcar,  in  Yorkshire,  on 
January  20th,  1900  (T.  H.  Nelson,  'Zoologist,'  1900,  p.  483). 


118  ANATID^E 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  crest, 
light  chestnut ;  rest  of  head  and  upper  neck,  dark  chestnut ; 
lower  neck,  breast,  and  abdomen,  very  dark  brown  ;  flanks, 
white  with  a  pinkish  hue ;  back  and  scapulars,  yellowish- 
brown,  with  two  white  shoulder-bands  ;  secondaries,  banded 
with  white  ;  coverts  of  wing-fold,  bordered  white  ;  primaries, 
greyish-white,  tipped  with  brown ;  tail,1  ash-brown  ;  upper 
tail-coverts,  dark  brown. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Resembles  the  adult 
female  plumage,  but  distinguished  by  the  presence  of  the 
crest. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Crest  absent ;  top  of  head,  darker 
brown  than  in  the  male ;  cheeks  and  throat,  impure  white ; 
back  and  breast  shading  from  pale  red  to  greyish-brown; 
shoulder-band,  dull  white. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature^  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female,  in 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Brilliant  red  ;  tip,  yellow. 

FEET.2   Vermilion  red  ;  webs,  nearly  black. 

IRIDES.  Red. 

EGGS.     Bluish-green  :  clutch,  about  ten. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 22      in. 

WING         10-5    „ 

BEAK         T9    „ 

TARSO-METATAESUS 1*5    ,, 

EGG  2'3  x  1-6  in. 


POCHARD.     Fnligula  ferina  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  20;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  434; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  44 ;  Booth, 
'  Rough  Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pi.  12. 

The  Pochard  is  best  known  as  a  winter-migrant,  yet  it 
breeds  sparingly  in  the  British  Isles.     Considerable  num- 

1  Tail   consists   of  sixteen  feathers,  only  fourteen  in   the  Common 
Pochard. 

2  The  hind  toe  is  broadly  lobed  as  in  other  Diving  Ducks. 


POCHAKD  119 

bers  make  their  appearance  during  October  around  our 
coasts  and  on  inland  waters  ;  about  March  they  migrate 
northward  to  breed.  The  Pochard  is  more  often  to  be  seen 
on  large  sheets  of  fresh  water  than  on  the  tideway.  Even 
in  frosty  weather  this  Duck  is  not  anxious  to  change  its 
quarters,  and  will  remain  on  a  lake  as  long  as  there  is  a 
small  portion  not  frozen  where  it  can  procure  its  food  by 
diving.  Travelling  under  water  for  some  distance,  this 
bird,  as  it  rises  to  the  surface,  may  encounter  the  ice, 
and  being  unable  to  obtain  air,  become  suffocated.  Dead 
Pochards  have  repeatedly  been  found  beneath  the  ice,  espe- 
cially in  shallow  water ;  but  prolonged  and  severe  frost  will 
eventually  drive  this  species  to  the  coast,  and  large  numbers 
will  also  collect  on  estuaries  after  a  heavy  gale. 

The  male  Pochard,  with  his  red  head  and  light  grey 
back,  can  usually  be  identified  with  no  great  difficulty  on 
the  w^ater.  No  other  common  Diving  Duck,  frequenting 
inland  lakes,  resembles  him  in  plumage.  The  Scaup  has, 
like  the  Pochard,  a  grey  back,  but  its  head  is  black,  and 
it  is  almost  exclusively  maritime  in  its  habits.  The  male 
Wigeon,  not  unlike  the  male  Pochard  in  colour,  could 
hardly  be  mistaken  for  it,  as  the  former  is  not  a  Diving 
Duck,  and  rests  much  higher  on  the  water.  In  build,  the 
Pochard  is  thickset  and  clumsy ;  it  progresses  slowly  and 
awkwardly  on  land,  another  difference  between  it  and  the 
active  little  Wigeon.  When  unmolested,  the  Pochard  is 
not  very  shy.  I  have  often  watched  several  scores  of  these 
birds  swimming  and  diving  some  fifty  yards  from  the  edge 
of  a  lake.  They  swim  so  low  on  the  water  that  they  appear 
smaller  than  they  really  are,  and  some  of  their  movements 
are  rather  strange.  Thus,  a  flock  will  seldom  pack  closely, 
the  birds  preferring  to  scatter  widely  over  the  water,  where 
they  may  be  seen  diving  in  rapid  succession.  They  con- 
stantly cross  and  recross  one  another,  swimming  over  a 
considerable  area  between  each  dive.  When  one  of  the 
party  is  shot,  the  others,  after  taking  a  short  flight,  will 
sometimes  return  to  the  same  place. 

Food. — Food  is  procured  by  diving,  chiefly  in  shallow 
water.  Pond-weed  is  largely  eaten,  but  birds  frequenting 
salt  water  descend  to  the  bottom  for  shell-fish  and  crabs. 

Flight. — The  Pochard  is  often  reluctant  to  fly,  even  to 
escape  danger,  and  like  other  Diving  Ducks,  it  is  not  buoyant 
on  the  wing.  It  seldom  takes  long  flights,  except  when 
migrating,  and  dislikes  crossing  overland.  When  alarmed, 


120 

it  skims  along  the  surface  of  the  water,  resting  again  a 
few  hundred  yards  ahead  ;  but  it  chiefly  avoids  capture  by 
diving. 

Voice. — The  male  whistles,  and  both  sexes  utter  a  curious 
alarm-note,  which  may  be  syllabled  curre-curre-curre. 

Nest. — The  Pochard  breeds  in  rather  damp  situations, 
building  its  nest  among  the  sedges  and  rushes,  which  skirt 
the  margins  of  ponds  and  swamps.  The  eggs,  seven  to  ten, 
or  more  in  number,  are  dull  greenish-yellow. 

In  England,  it  has  been  found  nesting  in  Norfolk, 
Yorkshire,  Lancashire,  Dorsetshire,  Hertfordshire,  and 
other  localities  (Saunders). 

In  Scotland,  the  nest  has  been  found  in  Ross-shire, 
Moray,  Perthshire,  Fifeshire,  Roxburghshire,  in  Tiree  on 
the  Inner  Hebrides ;  also  in  the  Orkneys  (Buckley,  '  Fauna 
of  the  Orkneys'). 

With  regard  to  Ireland,  there  seems  as  yet  to  be  no 
proof,  though  there  is  strong  presumptive  evidence  that 
this  Duck  has  nested  in  the  following  counties  : — Kerry, 
Tipperary,  Westmeath,  Meath,  Sligo,  Down,  Antrim  ;  but 
Mr.  Ussher  says,  "my  own  researches,  in  many  counties, 
have  been  unsuccessful  as  regards  the  breeding  of  this  bird  " 
('  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  204). 

Many  Pochards  are  occupants  of  our  ornamental  waters, 
where  they  breed.  Wild  hybrids  with  the  Ferruginous 
Duck  have  been  captured  and  recorded. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Pochard  breeds 
over  a  large  area  of  Temperate  Europe  and  Asia,  migrating 
in  winter  beyond  the  latitude  of  our  Isles  to  Southern 
Europe,  North  Africa,  Southern  Asia,  as  far  east  as  Japan. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  neck,  warm 
chestnut ;  upper  breast  and  back,  black  ;  rest  of  back,  finely 
dusted  with  grey ;  wings,  chiefly  grey,  including  speculum  ; 
primaries,  brown ;  lower  breast  and  abdomen,  greyish- 
white  ;  tail  and  its  coverts,  nearly  black. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Head  brownish  ; 
breast  streaked  with  grey ;  otherwise  resembles  the  male 
nuptial  plumage. 

Adult  female  nuptial — Head,  neck,  and  breast,  dull 
brown;  chin,  whitish;  back,  breast  and  abdomen,  deeper 
and  duller  in  colour  than  in  the  male. 


FERRUGINOUS  DUCK  121 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respec- 
tive nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female 
plumage. 

BEAK.  Black  at  the  base  and  tip,  the  intermediate 
portion  being  bright  slate-blue. 

FEET.     Dull  bluish-grey. 

IKIDES.  Crimson. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 19  in. 

WING        8-25  in. 

BEAK         2-25  ,, 

TAKSO-METATAKSUS        ...         ...  1*5     ,, 

EGG  2*4  x  1'7  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — F.  americana 
with  no  black  at  the  base  of  the  beak,  and  with  back  and 
abdomen  of  a  lighter  shade,  is  the  American  representative. 


FERRUGINOUS  DUCK.     Fuligula  nyroca  (Giildenstadt). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  21 ;  Dresser,  *  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  438 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  45. 

The  Ferruginous  Duck  is  a  rare  visitor  to  the  British 
Isles,  occurring  chiefly  in  winter  and  early  spring. 

In  England,  it  has  been  met  with  most  often  along 
the  east  coast.  Norfolk  has  contributed  over  twenty 
examples ;  specimens  have  also  been  procured  from 
Suffolk,  Cambridge,  Yorkshire,  Nottinghamshire,  Lan- 
cashire, Northumberland,  Oxfordshire,  Dorset,  Devon,  and 
Radnorshire.  Some  two  or  three  examples  have  been  re- 
corded from  Scotland,  about  the  Firth  of  Forth  and  the 
Tay  (W.  Evans). 

It  has  been  recorded  on  six  occasions  from  Ireland ; 
once  from  Dublin,  and  once  from  Antrim,  March,  1871 ; 
twice  from  Westmeath,  January  21st,  1893,  and  January 
18th,  1897  ;  twice  from  the  east  coast,  1879  ;  once  from 
the  south  of  Ireland,  November  27th,  1897  (Ussher). 


12'2  ANATID^E 

The  Ferruginous  Duck  has  occasionally  been  obtained 
in  the  London  markets,  but  when  so  procured,  is  more 
probably  Continental  than  British  in  origin. 

This  bird,  when  viewed  at  a  distance,  might  be  mistaken 
for  a  female  Pochard,  but  a  closer  inspection  will  show 
that  the  latter  is  larger  and  has  a  lighter-coloured  back. 
The  white  eye  of  the  Ferruginous  Duck  is  a  distinguish- 
ing feature.  This  species  is  not,  by  any  means,  partial  to 
the  sea-coast ;  it  resorts  to  ponds,  where  weeds  are  plen- 
tiful and  where  it  can  lurk  about,  concealed  from  view. 

Food. — Food  is  taken  chiefly  during  the  day,  and  con- 
sists of  various  aquatic  vegetables,  insects,  shell-fish,  and 
frogs. 

This  Duck  can  dive  to  a  great  depth  and  can  travel  at  a 
rapid  rate  under  water. 

Flight. — Like  that  of  most  Diving  Ducks,  its  flight  is 
heavy  and  not  buoyant. 

Voice. — The  note  is  harsh,  resembling  the  syllables 
curr-curr,  repeated  many  times. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  built  among  reeds,  in  close  vicinity 
to  water. 

The  eggs,  seven  to  fourteen  in  number,  are  dull  white, 
shading  to  cream-colour. 

The  Ferruginous  Duck  thrives  well  in  captivity  and 
mates  with  other  species. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  breeding-range  of  this 
species  extends  over  Central  and  Southern  Europe,  Tem- 
perate Asia  (being  abundant  in  Kashmir),  and  North  Africa. 

In  winter  the  Ferruginous  Duck  migrates  to  India, 
Egypt  and  Abyssinia. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  upper 
breast  and  flanks,  rich  mahogany-brown  ;  small  white  patch 
on  chin ;  breast  and  abdomen,  white  ;  back,  scapulars,  and 
wings,  chiefly  dull  brown  with  a  greenish  tinge ;  speculum, 
white,  bordered  with  black ;  primaries,  brownish-black ; 
tail,  black,  under  tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — It  would  appear  that 
no  other  plumage  is  assumed  by  the  male  more  closely 
resembling  that  of  the  female. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  head  and  neck  are  darker  and 
much  duller  in  colour  than  in  the  male,  while  the  breast 
and  abdomen  are  greyish  rather  than  pure  white. 


TUFTED  DUCK  123 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Bears  a  general  resem- 
blance to  the  female  plumage,  but  the  shades  are  duller. 

BEAK.     Deep  slate-colour. 

FEET.     Deep  slate-colour,  but  webs  darker. 

IBIDES.  White,  commonly  called  '  pearl/ 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ,' 16       in. 

WING        7-75,, 

BEAK         ,.  2'25  „ 

TARSO-METATAESUS        1-2    ,, 

EGG  2-1  x  1'5  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — F.  bceri  is  the 
genuine  Eastern  representative. 


TUFTED  DUCK.     Fuligula  cristata  (Leach). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  23;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  437; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  47. 

This  familiar  species,  known  to  sportsmen  as  the 
'  Magpie  Diver,'  is  generally  distributed  over  the  British 
Isles.  It  is  resident  in  many  counties,  and  its  numbers  are 
largely  increased  in  winter  by  migrants  from  northern 
latitudes.  The  winter-visitors  do  not  as  a  rule  become 
plentiful  until  December ;  about  April  they  take  their 
departure  for  colder  regions. 

The  Tufted  Duck  is,  on  the  whole,  fonder  of  fresh  than 
of  salt  water.  It  is  not  commonly  met  with  on  the  open 
sea,  though  limited  numbers  frequent  bays  and  estuaries.  I 
have  generally  seeri  this  Duck  in  small  parties  of  from  five 
to  twenty  birds,  never  in  great  flocks  like  Wigeon  or  Scaup. 

The  adult  male  is  easily  identified  when  swimming  un- 
suspiciously on  a  lake,  by  his  white  flanks  and  black  upper 
plumage.  By  creeping  cautiously  to  the  water's  edge  and 


124  ANATID^E 

then  crouching  low,  or  better  still,  lying  flat  on  one's  chest, 
several  groups  of  these  birds  may  be  observed  scattered  on 
the .  water.  Some  are  perhaps  asleep,  their  heads  turned 
round  on  their  backs,  the  dumpy  little  creatures  resembling 
balls  of  black  and  white,  but  the  majority  will  probably  be 
feeding,  every  now  and  then  disappearing  under  the  surface. 
Should  one  wait  a  little  time  longer  in  silence  the  birds  will, 
in  all  likelihood,  approach  closer  to  the  water's  brink.  Now, 
even  without  a  field-glass,  the  adult  male  with  dark  glossy 
back  and  neck,  crested  head,  white  flanks  and  bright  yellow 
eyes,  can  readily  be  detected. 

When  suspicious  of  danger,  it  swims  so  low  in  the 
water  that  its  white  sides  cannot  be  seen.  On  salt-water 
inlets  it  might  be  mistaken  in  the  distance  for  a  Scoter, 
from  which,  however,  it  may  be  distinguished  by  its  smaller 
size,  and  by  the  fact  that  unlike  the  Scoter  it  never 
assembles  in  immense  flocks ;  moreover,  the  Scoter,  being 
exclusively  marine  in  its  habits,  is  often  found  weathering 
the  gale  far  out  at  sea. 

At  times  the  Tufted  Duck  will  associate  with  other 
species,  especially  about  the  mouths  of  large  rivers,  where 
food  and  consequently  bird-life  is  abundant.  I  have  seen 
small  parties  in  company  with  Golden-eyes  at  the  estuary 
of  the  River  Liffey,  Dublin,  the  birds  quietly  floating  down 
the  tide  in  single  file.  Prior  to  the  spring-migration,  I 
have  noticed  Tufted  Ducks  on  the  water  in  company  with 
many  other  species,  frequently  with  Mergansers. 

Food. — This  Duck  seeks  its  food  chiefly  in  the  morning 
and  evening ;  it  may  be  seen  sleeping  during  the  day1  on 
ornamental  waters.  Descending  to  a  considerable  depth  in 
quest  of  food — shell-fish,  aquatic  insects,  and  vegetables — it 
has  been  taken  in  nets  lying  fifteen  fathoms  deep  on  Lough 
Neagh  (Ussher). 

Voice. — The  voice  is  guttural  in  character,  the  call-note 
sounding  like  curragh-curragh-curragh  (Whitaker). 

Nest — The  Tufted  Duck  breeds  on  the  ground  and 
generally  near  water,  concealing  its  nest  in  grass-tufts  and 
other  available  herbage.  Mr.  Ussher  states  that  he  has 
"  seen  nine  nests,  each  in  the  centre  of  a  large  clump  of 
rushes  on  a  high  grassy  peninsula,  with  cattle,  sheep,  and 
horses,  grazing  between  the  nests."  The  eggs,  eight  to 


1  A  habit  also  common  to  the  Pochard  and  Golden-eye. 


TUFTED  DUCK  125 

thirteen  in  number,  are  greenish-yellow.  Incubation  com- 
mences about  the  end  of  May. 

The  Tufted  Duck  breeds  in  several  English  counties, 
among  which  may  be  mentioned  : — Nottinghamshire,  York- 
shire, Lancashire,  Northumberland,  Norfolk,  Sussex,  Hamp- 
shire and  Dorset.  In  Scotland  it  has  increased  markedly 
of  late  years  as  a  breeding-species,  the  individual  nesting 
districts  being  far  too  numerous  to  mention  (Harvie- 
Brown,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1896,  and  Proc.  Koy.  Phys. 
Soc.  Edin.,  1895). 

It  now  breeds  in  several  localities  in  Ireland,  though 
formerly  in  the  time  of  Thompson  (1849),  it  was  but  a 
winter  visitor.  According  to  Mr.  Ussher's  investigation 
since  1890,  the  bird  has  in  all  likelihood  bred  in  the  fol- 
lowing counties  : — Kerry,  Cork,  Clare,  Tipperary,  West- 
meath,  Longford,  Koscommon,  Sligo,  Leitrim,  Fermanagh, 
Monaghan,  Armagh,  Antrim,  and  Londonderry.  In  some 
localities  the  breeding-birds  have  noticeably  increased. 

The  Tufted  Duck  is  easily  tamed  and  breeds  in  captivity  ; 
hybrids  with  the  Ferruginous  Duck  and  the  Pochard  have 
been  raised. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  in  the 
Northern  but  Sub-arctic  regions  of  Europe  and  Asia,  migra- 
ting in  winter  over  the  rest  of  these  Continents,  until  India, 
China,  and  Japan  are  reached.  Wanderers  extend  their 
journeys  even  to  the  neighbouring  islands  in  the  North 
Pacific  Ocean.  On  the  African  side  the  bird  reaches 
Abyssinia. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  with  its  crest  of 
thin  wavy  feathers,  neck  and  upper  breast,  glossy-black, 
reflecting  shades  of  purple  and  green ;  back,  scapulars, 
wing-coverts,  and  under  tail-coverts,  duller  black ;  wing 
speculum,  white  with  a  black  border ;  primaries  and  tail, 
blackish-brown;  lower  breast  and  abdomen,  white;  flanks, 
shaded  with  greyish-white. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse.  —  Kesembles  the 
female  plumage,  but  the  brown  is  much  darker,  almost 
black,  and  the  flanks  are  streaked  with  black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  black  parts  are  replaced  by 
dark  brown,  and  the  breast  and  abdomen  are  shaded  from 
dirty  white  to  brownish-grey. 


126  ANATID^E 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.—  Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female 
plumage,  but  the  brown  on  the  front  of  the  head  is  finely 
spotted  with  white. 

BEAK.     Slate-grey  with  a  black  tip. 

FEET.     Dull  slate-grey  ;  webs  nearly  black. 

IRIDES.  Bright  golden-yellow. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 17*25     in. 

WING 8 

BEAK         1'75      ,, 

TARSO-METATABSUS        ...         ...       1          ,, 

EGG  2-3  X  3 '5  in. 


SCAUP-DUCK.1     Fuligula  mania   (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  24;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  436; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  46. 

The  presence  of  the  Scaup-Duck  is  a  feature  of  bird-life 
on  the  coast ;  it  is  essentially  marine  in  its  habits,  and  even 
when,  under  exceptional  circumstances,  it  is  met  with  on 
fresh  water,  the  locality  is  usually  adjacent  to  the  sea.  This 
Duck  is  a  common  winter- visitor  to  our  Isles,  arriving  about 
October  and  departing  in  March  or  April.  After  the  main 
body  of  migrants  has  arrived,  Scaups  do  not  apparently 
become  more  plentiful  with  the  onset  of  severe  weather, 
as  inland  lakes,  not  being  frequented,  cannot,  when  frost- 
bound,  reinforce  the  numbers  of  those  birds  on  tidal  waters. 
The  Scaup  is  not  a  wary  bird.  I  have  passed,  when  sailing 
on  the  open  sea,  within  sixty  yards  of  large  flocks. 
During  heavy  gales,  shallow  creeks  and  salt-water  channels 
are  often  thickly  studded  with  these  Ducks.  In  the  severe 


1  A  Duck  "so-called  because  she  feeds  upon  Scaup,  i.e.,  broken 
shel-fish,"  as  may  be  seen  in  Willughby's  Ornithology  (p.  365) ;  but  it 
would  be  more  proper  to  say  that  the  name  comes  from  the  "  Mussel- 
scaups"  or  "  Mussel-scalps,"  the  beds  of  rock  or  sand  on  which  mussels 
(Mytilus  edulis,  and  other  species)  are  aggregated"  (Newton). 


SCAUP-DUCK  127 

weather  of  January,  1881,  Mr,  W.  J.  Williams  observed 
several  Scaup-Ducks  some  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
river  Liffey,  Dublin,  and  the  birds  did  not  seem  to  be  dis- 
turbed by  the  din  of  the  city  traffic.  They  were  so  tame 
that  Mr.  Williams  was  able  to  procure  a  specimen1  with  a 
catapult,  the  projectile  being  a  large  grain  of  shot.  Sir  E. 
Payne-Gallwey  remarks  that  this  species  is  not  heedful  of 
loud  noises  at  sea,  such  as  the  fog-bell. 

At  ebb-tide,  Scaup-Ducks  will  rest  for  many  hours  on 
the  sand-bars  of  low-lying  coasts,  unless  they  be  repeatedly 
disturbed.  When  a  large  number  of  these  birds  are 
approached  and  they  become  suspicious  of  danger,  they 
begin  to  divide  into  smaller  companies,  which  radiate  from 
one  another  in  all  directions.  The  habit  is  very  character- 
istic of  Sea-Ducks. 

When  the  danger  is  past,  the  birds  come  together  again 
and  form  a  great  and  densely-crowded  mass ;  these,  in  turn, 
are  often  joined  by  other  flocks,  so  that  after  a  little  time 
all  the  Scaup-Ducks  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood  may 
occupy  a  patch  on  the  sea  several  acres  in  extent. 

Flight. — This  species  is  slow  in  taking  flight,  and  being 
heavy  in  build,  it  usually  flutters  along  the  surface  of  the 
water  before  rising  on  the  wing. 

When  swimming  it  may  be  distinguished  by  its  white 
sides  and  grey  back. 

Voice. — The  note  is  hoarse  and  unmusical,  and  resembles 
the  syllables  scaup-scaup-scaup,  often  repeated. 

Food. — The  Scaup  is  an  expert  diver,  feeding  from  the 
floor  of  the  sea  on  crabs,  shell-fish  and  seaweeds. 

Nest. — It  generally  breeds  near  fresh  water,  in  some 
cases  on  islands  in  lakes.  The  nest,  formed  chiefly 
of  dry  grass  and  weeds,  is  as  a  rule  situated  in  coarse 
herbage,  or  among  loose  stones.  The  eggs,  six  to  eleven 
in  number,  are  greenish-buff  or  greenish-grey. 

Several  assertions  regarding  the  nesting  in  Scotland 
have  not  been  proved  ;  however,  in  June,  1902,  Mr.  Harvie- 
Brown  received  and  identified  a  nestling  Scaup,  ten  days 
old,  taken  from  one  of  the  Outer  Hebrides  south  of  the 
Sound  of  Harris  (Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1902-3). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  Duck  breeds  in 
the  Arctic  and  Sub-arctic  regions  of  Europe,  including 


1  This  specimen,  which  is  preserved  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  Williams, 
was  killed  on  January  19th,  1881,  opposite  the  Four  Courts,  Dublin. 


128 

Iceland,  Asia,  and  America.  On  its  winter  passage  it 
reaches  the  seas  and  some  of  the  larger  sheets  of  fresh 
water  in  Central  and  Southern  Europe.  Eastward  its 
migrations  extend  to  China  and  Japan,  while  along  the 
Atlantic  sea-board  it  is  to  be  found  as  far  south  as  Central 
America. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial  —  Head,  neck,  upper 
breast,  and  back,  glossy-black,  reflecting  shades  of  green 
and  purple ;  rest  of  back,  scapulars,  and  most  of  the  wing- 
coverts,  finely  pencilled  with  black  and  white ;  '  speculum  ' 
white,  bordered  with  greenish-black  ;  primaries,  brown ; 
lower  breast  and  abdomen,  white  ;  tail,  brown  with  darker 
coverts. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Closely  resembles 
the  adult  female  plumage. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Head  very  dark  brown,  with  a 
noticeable  white  patch  at  the  base  of  the  beak ;  neck,  upper 
breast,  and  back,  brown  ;  rest  of  back,  dusky-brown,  finely 
pencilled  with  grey  ;  the  flanks  and  under  tail-coverts  of 
rather  similar  markings  ;  abdomen,  dull  greyish-white. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respec- 
tive nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  female 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Bright  slate-blue,  tipped  black. 

FEET.     Bluish-grey. 

IEIDES.  Bright  golden-yellow. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 19       in. 

WING         8'5      „ 

BEAK         T75    ,, 

TARSO-METATABSUS        T5      ,, 

EGG  2-6  x  1'75  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — F.  affinis  is 
the  Lesser  Scaup,  a  smaller  American  form.  But  the  bird 
figured  as  such  in  the  earlier  editions  of  Yarrell  appears  to 
be  a  hybrid  between  the  Scaup  and  Pochard  (Saunders). 


GOLDEN-EYE 


GOLDEN-EYE.     Clangula  glaucion  (Linnaeus). 


129 


Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  31 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  440 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  48 ;  Booth, 
'Kough  Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pi.  13. 

As  a  winter-migrant  the  Golden-eye  is  tolerably  plenti- 
ful, and  may  be  met  with  round  our  coasts  between  October 
and  April.  It  inhabits  river,  lake,  and  tide,  delighting  in 
the  smooth  waters  of  sheltered  bays  and  estuaries.  It  is  a 
somewhat  difficult  Duck  to  approach,  but  with  the  aid  of 


FIG.  17.— GOLDEN-EYE. 


a  field-glass,  can  be  distinguished  by  a  white  patch  in  front 
of  the  eye,  very  conspicuous  in  the  adult  male,  while  its 
bright  eye  of  golden-yellow  can  be  discerned  some  little 
distance  off. 

The  Golden-eye  may  be  watched  from  the  shore  of  a 
small  lake,  but  being  very  wary  can  be  observed  to  the  best 
advantage  only  from  the  ambush  of  a  large  rock  or  other 
available  cover.  Like  the  Tufted  Duck,  it  appears  on 
the  water  as  a  short,  thickset  bird,  and  from  its  black  and 
white  plumage  has  also  been  named  by  sportsmen  the 

9 


130  ANATID^ 

'  Magpie  Diver.'  Small  flocks  annually  visit  Dublin  Bay 
and  the  neighbouring  inlets,  and  although  I  have  watched 
these  birds  for  several  years  in  succession,  I  have  discovered 
but  few  adult  males  among  them.  Many  sportsmen  are 
not  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  female  differs  considerably 
in  plumage  from  the  male,  indeed  the  former  as  well  as 
the  immature  birds  of  both  sexes  are  known  by  many  as 
'  Morillons.' 

The  Golden-eye  is  somewhat  restless  in  disposition 
and  may  be  seen  frequently  changing  its  quarters  from 
lake  to  tide,  especially  in  windy  weather.  This  to-and-fro- 
movement,  very  noticeable  in  some  districts,  does  not 
subserve  the  same  purpose  as  the  '  flighting  '  of  Surface- 
feeding  Ducks  (such  as  the  Wigeon),  which  leave  the  sea 
and  fly  regularly  to  a  particular  feeding-bank. 

Flight.  —  This  Duck  is  wonderfully  quick  in  taking 
wing.  It  can  shoot  through  the  water  into  the  air1  with 
almost  the  rapidity  of  a  flying-fish,  and,  when  on  the  wing, 
its  short,  stiff  plumes,  vibrating  rapidly,  make  a  rattling  or 
whistling  sound  quite  audible  at  a  fair  distance  off.  Hence 
the  local  names  of  *  Battle- wing '  or  '  Whistler.'  Equally 
quick  is  it  at  diving  to  avoid  danger.  If  suddenly  alarmed 
it  disappears  under  the  water  in  a  twinkle,  not  waiting  to 
sink  itself  deeply  on  the  surface  to  avoid  observation, 
prior  to  diving,  as  the  Tufted  Duck  is  seen  to  do. 

Food. — Food  is  procured  by  diving,  and  chiefly  during 
the  daytime ;  crabs,  shell-fish  and  seaweeds  are  largely 
eaten. 

Voice. — The  note  is  harsh  and  croaking  and  may  be 
syllabled  curr-curr-curr. 

Nest. — The  Golden-eye  nests  in  holes  in  trees,  and  in 
this  respect  differs  from  most  species  of  Ducks.  However, 
in  districts  where  trees  are  not  available  it  is  known  to 
build  in  holes  in  the  ground. 

The  nest  is  lined  with  down.  The  eggs,  ten  to  twelve 
in  number,  are  pale  greenish-blue  with  the  green  shade 
decidedly  predominating,  but  this  fades  to  a  considerable 
extent  after  the  eggs  are  blown. 

In  a  state  of  nature  this  Duck  has  bred  with  several 
species,  including  the  Merganser  and  Smew. 

1  Other  species  of  Diving  Ducks  when  put  to  flight  are  usually  seen  to 
hesitate  for  a  few  seconds  on  reaching  the  surface  of  the  water,  to  regain 
their  breath  before  taking  whig. 


GOLDEN-EYE  131 

It  is  easily  tamed  and  the  adult  male  in  full  plumage  is 
strikingly  ornamental  on  aquatic  preserves. 

Geographical  distribution. — This  bird  breeds  in  great 
numbers  in  Northern  Europe  and  Asia,  but  only  very 
sparingly  beyond  the  forest  growth.  In  Russia,  it  nests 
as  far  south  as  lat.  58°  N.  On  migration  it  visits  the  seas 
and  inland  waters  of  Central  and  Southern  Europe  and  Asia, 
while  wanderers  occasionally  reach  N.  Africa. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  upper  neck, 
glossy-black,  reflecting  shades  of  dark  green ;  feathers  on 
the  top  of  the  head  form  a  short,  thick  crest ;  below  and  in 
front  of  the  eye  is  a  noticeable  white  patch  ;  rest  of  neck, 
wing-coverts,  breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  white ; 
flanks,  brownish-grey ;  back  and  upper  tail-coverts,  black  ; 
primaries,  dark  brown  ;  scapulars,  black  interspersed  with 
white ;  tail  brownish-black. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Resembles  the 
female  dress,  but  the  white  patch  at  the  base  of  the  beak 
does  not  altogether  disappear,  and  much  of  the  white  on 
the  wings  is  retained. 

Adult  female  nuptial.  — Head  and  upper  neck,  dark  nut- 
brown  ;  below  this  is  a  pale  whitish-brown  collar ;  rest  of 
neck  and  upper  breast,  greyish-brown ;  back  and  sides,  dark 
brown  shading  to  dusky  greyish-black ;  much  of  the  white 
on  the  wing-coverts  in  the  male  is  replaced  by  dark  brown 
shading  to  black  ;  lower  breast  and  abdomen,  white. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  — Resembles  the  female 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Dull  bluish-black. 

FEET.     Yellow ;  webs,  blackish. 

IBIDES.  Bright  golden-yellow. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 18'5     in. 

WING         8-25   „ 

BEAK         1-4     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        T5     ,, 

EGG  2-4  xT6  in. 


132  ANATIDZE 

Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — C.  islandica 
(Barrow's  Golden-eye),  a  larger  bird,  the  male  of  which  has 
a  more  fully-developed  crest  and  more  purple  shading  on 
the  head,  is  the  representative  in  Iceland  and  Greenland, 
while  a  larger  form  with  no  difference  in  plumage  from  our 
bird,  inhabits  North  America  (Saunders). 


BUFFEL-HEADED  DUCK.     Clangula  albeola  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  « Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  439  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  49. 

This  beautiful  little  bird,  smaller  than  the  Golden-eye, 
but  somewhat  similar  to  it  in  markings,  is  an  inhabitant 
of  the  New  World.  There  are  but  four  substantiated 
records  of  its  occurrence  in  Britain,  the  specimens  secured 
being  all  males.  One  was  obtained  in  the  winter  of  1830 
at  Yarmouth ;  it  is  preserved  in  the  Norwich  Museum 
(Lubbock,  '  Fauna  of  Norfolk  ') ;  another  in  January,  1865, 
from  the  Loch  of  Loriston,  Aberdeenshire  ;  a  third  "  many 
years  ago"  from  the  Loch  of  Strathbeg;  this  specimen 
is  preserved  in  the  Banff  Museum  (Gray,  '  Birds  of  West 
Scotland').  The  fourth  was  taken  in  the  winter  of  1864- 
1865,  at  Bridlington,  Yorkshire,  and  is  now  in  the  collection 
of  Mr.  Whitaker,  of  Eainworth. 

As  yet  no  examples  have  been  recorded  from  Ireland. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and 
throat,  glossy  purplish-black  ;  forehead  and  back  of  neck, 
metallic  greenish-black ;  a  large  white  patch  behind 1  the 
eye  extends  to  the  back  of  the  head  and  forms  a  crest ; 
a  white  collar  round  the  lower  neck,  becomes  continuous 
with  the  white  of  the  breast  and  abdomen  ;  back  and  inner 
secondaries,  black ;  scapulars,  outer  secondaries,  and  wing- 
coverts,  white,  the  last  interspersed  with  black  ;  tail,  grey  ; 
coverts,  darker. 

1  In  the  Golden-eye,  this  white  patch  is  situated  in  front  of  the 
eye. 


LONG-TAILED  DUCK  133 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — "Eclipse  male 
resembles  a  faded  female,  but  much  paler  on  the  scapulars ; 
assumed  about  middle  of  August."  (Described  by  Mr.  F. 
Coburn,  from  a  specimen  in  his  collection.) 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  and  back,  brown  ; 
sides  of  abdomen,  tinged  with  greyish-brown. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Bluish. 

FEET.     Yellowish -pink. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

EGGS.     White,  tinged  with  green  :  clutch,  ten. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 15   in 

WING    6'5  „ 

BEAK    ...    ...    ...    ...  1   ,, 

TAESO-METATARSUS        ...  1      ,, 

EGG  2  x  1*5  in. 


LONG-TAILED   DUCK.     Harelda  glacialis  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain.'  vol.  v,  pi.  33; 
Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pis.  443,  444;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  50. 

Around  the  coasts  of  Scotland  and  the  north-west  of 
Ireland,  small  gatherings  of  Long-tailed  Ducks,  active  and 
sprightly-looking,  may  be  seen  at  times  riding  on  the 
rough  waves  of  the  winter- sea,  their  lively  gambols  and 
clamorous  voices  telling  us  that  they  are  in  the  zenith  of 
enjoyment  in  their  maritime  home. 

Before  October,  few  appear  on  our  coasts,  and  most  ol 
the  birds  depart  in  April.  Along  the  southern  and  south- 
western sea-board  of  England  and  Ireland  this  species 
is  somewhat  uncommon ;  proceeding  northward  it  becomes 
more  plentiful,  large  numbers  visiting  several  of  the  Scottish 
Islands. 


134  ANATID.E 

Immature  birds1  are  more  often  met  with  than  adults ; 
the  former  are  harder  to  distinguish  than  the  old  males, 
which  are  strikingly  handsome. 

This  species  is  gregarious,  though  it  seldom  collects 
into  very  large  flocks.  In  the  year  1856,  Mr.  Warren 
observed  fifty  birds  together  (nearly  all  males),  feeding 
outside  the  Moy  estuary,  co.  Mayo. 

This  Duck  delights  in  the  open  sea,  and  is  driven  only 
by  stress  of  weather  to  take  refuge  in  bays  and  shallows.  It 
is  seldom  met  with  away  from  the  tide,  but  Mr.  Ussher 
mentions  several  interesting  instances  from  inland  lakes,  also 
one  from  Portadown  on  the  River  Bann,  and  another  from  a 
small  pond  at  Rathf arnam  near  Dublin  ('  Birds  of  Ireland ' ) . 

Voice. — Long-tailed  Ducks  attract  attention  by  their  loud 
gabbling  cry  (unlike  the  hoarse  croak  of  most  Diving  Ducks), 
which  may  be  syllabled  cal-loo-bb-cal-lod-bb.  In  Scotland 
this  cry  has  been  translated  into  coal-an-can-le-licht. 

Food. — Being  an  expert  diver,  this  Duck  frequents  deep 
waters  studded  with  rocks,  from  which  periwinkles  and 
other  shell-fish  can  be  picked  at  a  depth  of  three  or  four 
fathoms.  Seaweeds  and  worms  also  form  part  of  the  diet. 

Nest. — The  nest,  composed  of  broken  stems  of  withered 
grass,  with  a  warm  lining  of  down,  is  built  on  the  ground 
and  generally  concealed  in  some  sort  of  rough  herbage, 
such  as  a  grass-tuft  or  in  scrub  ;  or  it  may  be  placed  at 
the  foot  of  a  low  bush,  but  always  close  to  a  river,  lake, 
or  pond.  The  eggs,  ten  to  twelve  or  more  in  number,  are 
greenish-white  with  a  tinge  of  buff  (Yarrell).  In  the  breed- 
ing-season this  Duck  is  sociable,  and  many  nests  may  be 
discovered  within  the  confines  of  a  small  area. 

Except  occasionally  in  the  Shetlands  (Buckley  and 
Evans,  '  Fauna  of  the  Shetlands,'  1899),  and  perhaps  in 
the  Orkneys,  there  is  no  evidence  of  the  Long-tailed  Duck 
breeding  in  the  British  Isles. 

Geographical  distribution. — This  species  nests  numerously 
within  the  Arctic  circle  in  Europe,  Asia,  and  America,  its 
breeding-range  being  practically  circumpolar.  It  breeds 
more  sparingly  in  Sub-arctic  latitudes. 

On  its  southern  migration,  it  visits  the  seas  and  large 
sheets  of  fresh  water  of  the  European,  Asiatic  and  North 


1  Several  examples  of  immature  Long-tailed  Ducks  have  been  shot  on 
the  Dublin  coast ;  I  have  collected  three  from  that  locality. 


PLATE   XI. 


Fig.  1. 
LONG-TAILED   DUCK   (Male). 


Fig.  2. 

EIDEK  DUCK   (Male). 
Specimens  mounted  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 


LONG-TAILED  DUCK  135 

American  Continents,  extending  to  Japan  in  the  East,  and 
the  United  States  in  the  West. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  neck, 
pure  white ;  cheeks,  delicate  light  grey,  below  each  of  which 
is  a  dusky  brown  patch  extending  to  the  side  of  the  neck  ; 
entire  back,  blackish ;  scapulars  white,  most  of  them 
elongated,  pointed,  and  drooping  ;  inner  secondaries,  white ; 
breast,  wing-coverts,  and  primaries,  brownish-black  ;  ab- 
domen and  flanks,  pure  white  ;  long  central  tail-feathers, 
black  ;  outer  and  shorter  ones,  white. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — This  plumage  is 
assumed  about  the  end  of  May.  The  beautiful  white  of  the 
head  and  neck  is  replaced  to  a  great  extent  by  dark  brown, 
but  the  cheeks  retain  a  light  buff  and  a  very  impure  shading 
of  white ;  the  back  is  brownish  and  the  scapulars  and  inner 
secondaries  are  black  with  reddish-brown  edges. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back,  and  wings, 
brown ;  neck  and  stripe  at  the  back  of  the  eye,  white ; 
cheeks,  throat,  and  upper  breast,  light  brown  ;  abdomen, 
white  ;  central  tail-feathers  short. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages,  though  the  male  usually  exhibits  more 
white  about  the  head. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Closely  resembles  the 
female  plumage. 

BEAK.  Base  and  tip,  black,  middle  portion  of  upper 
segment,  rose-colour. 

FEET.     Dull  slate-colour  ;  webs,  dusky. 

IRIDES.  Keddish. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...     22  to  26  in.,  including  the 

long  central  tail-feathers.1 

WING 8-8  in. 

BEAK 1       ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS    ...       1*25  ,, 

EGG       2-1  x  1-45  in. 

1  I  have  found  that  the  long  central  tail-feathers,  in  a  fully-matured 
male,  average  8'5  inches  in  length. 


136  ANATID^B 

HARLEQUIN  l  DUCK.     Cosmonetta  histrionica  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
32;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  442;  Lilford. 
1  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  51. 

Though  abundant  and  resident  in  Iceland  (Coburn, 
'  Zoologist,'  1901),  this  handsome  Duck  is  very  rare  as  a 
British  Bird.  Specimens  have  been  procured  from  Scotland 
(J.  Sowerby,  '  British  Miscellany,'  1806) ;  one  from  Filey  on 
the  Yorkshire  coast  in  the  autumn  of  1862,  which  is  pre- 
served in  the  collection  of  Mr.  Whitaker,  of  Rainworth  ; 
two  from  the  Northumberland  coast  on  December  2nd, 
1886,  now  in  the  collections  of  Mr.  R.  W.  Chase  and  Rev. 
Julian  Tuck  (Saunders). 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  throat,  and  neck, 
bluish-black  ;  partially  encircling  the  neck  are  two  white 
collars,  the  upper  margined  with  a  thin  band  of  black ;  in 
front  of  the  eye  is  a  large  patch  of  white,  behind  the  eye  a 
smaller  one  and  running  down  the  back  of  the  neck  is  a 
white  stripe ;  on  top  of  the  head  there  is  a  black  band, 
margined  on  either  side  with  white  and  chestnut  which 
extend  from  the  front  to  the  back  of  the  head  ;  back  and 
upper  tail-coverts,  bluish-black ;  scapulars,  wing-coverts,  and 
secondaries,  patched  with  white  and  purple ;  primaries  and 
tail,  brownish ;  breast  and  abdomen,  brownish-grey  ;  flanks, 
reddish-brown ;  on  either  side  of  the  tail  there  is  a  small 
white  spot. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse.  —  "  Eclipse  male 
resembles  female,  but  much  darker  in  general  plum- 
age;  mantle,  flanks,  and  under  parts  being  slaty-black, 
assumed  about  the  end  of  July  or  early  in  August." 
(Described  by  Mr.  F.  Coburn,  from  a  specimen  in  his 
collection.) 

Adult  female  nuptial.  —  Rather  sombre-plumed ;  back 
and  neck,  brownish ;  breast  and  front  of  neck,  mottled 
brownish- white  ;  abdomen,  impure  white  ;  there  is  a  large 

1  The  appropriate  name  '  Harlequin J  has  been  given  to  this  species 
on  account  of  the  well-marked  patches,  stripes,  and  incomplete  rings  of 
white,  which  stand  out  in  bold  relief  against  the  dark  ground- shades  of 
the  cheeks  and  neck. 


EIDEK  DUCK  137 

patch  of  white  in  front  of  the  eye,  and  a  smaller  one 
behind  it. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Kesembles  the  female 
plumage,  but  "more  rusty-looking"  (Coburn). 

BEAK.      Bluish-black. 

FEET.      Lead-colour. 

IRIDES.   Orange-red. 

EGG.        Cream-colour :  clutch,  seven. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH   17   in. 

WING    ...   8   „ 

BEAK     1*25 ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS  ...  1'3    ,, 

EGG...         ...  ...  2-2  x  T7  in. 


EIDER  DUCK.     Somateria  mollissima  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain.'  vol.  v,  pi. 
26 ;  Dresser,  « Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  445 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  52;  Booth,  'Bough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pis.  8,  9,  10. 

The  Eider  Duck  is  an  uncommon  winter-visitor  to  the 
British  Isles.  However,  along  the  north-eastern  coast  of 
England,  and  in  certain  districts  in  Scotland,  where  it  is 
partially  resident,  it  occurs  in  considerable  numbers.  On 
the  Irish  sea-board  it  is  only  a  rare  and  an  uncertain 
migrant  in  winter. 

In  its  habits  no  Duck  is  more  thoroughly  maritime. 
Storm  seldom  dislodges  it  from  its  home  on  the  deep,  and 
even  during  the  most  dismal  tempest,  parties  of  Eiders  may 
be  seen,  far  out  at  sea,  actively  swimming  and  diving 
through  the  great  rolling  billows.  Except  in  the  nesting- 
season  the  Eider  is  seldom  found  on  inland  waters.  Mr. 
Ussher,  in  '  The  Birds  of  Ireland/  records  two  instances  of 
its  occurrence  on  Lough  Neagh.  This  bird  is  not  difficult 
to  recognise  on  the  open  sea.  Its  superior  size  distinguishes 


138  ANATID^E' 

it  from  other  Ducks,  while  its  habits  of  diving  exclude  the 
possibility  of  its  being  mistaken  at  a  distance  for  any  of  the 
Wild  Geese. 

Food.  —  Eider  Ducks  are  constantly  plunging  under 
water ;  they  descend  to  a  great  depth  and  remain  beneath 
the  surface  for  a  considerable  time,  snatching  mussels  (their 
staple  diet)  from  off  the  rocks.  They  also  eat  crabs,  cray- 
fish, and  a  small  quantity  of  seaweed. 

The  flesh,  rank  and  fishy,  is  eaten  by  the  Greenlanders. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  low  and  murmuring,  resembling  the 
syllable  curr,  softly  produced ;  as  a  rule,  the  bird  keeps 
silent  unless  alarmed. 

Flight.  —  The  Eider  Duck  can  travel  at  a  consider- 
able speed  on  the  wing,  still  the  flight  is  heavy  and  not 
buoyant. 

Nest. — Though  this  bird  builds  on  the  ground,  its  nest 
may  be  found  on  cliffs,  hundreds  of  feet  above  the  sea-level. 
But  the  more  usual  site  selected  is  a  low,  flat-topped  island, 
fairly  clad  with  marine  vegetation,  in  clumps  of  which  the 
nest  may  be  placed.  Sometimes  a  crevice  between  rocks  or 
loose  stones  is  utilised.  The  materials  are  dry  grass  and 
seaweed,  to  these,  which  form  the  foundation,  bits  of 
heather,  stems,  and  campion,  are  sometimes  added.  The 
nest  is  thickly  lined  with  grey  down,  the  well-known  Eider- 
down of  commerce ;  as  incubation  proceeds  the  mother-bird 
continues  to  add  more  down  to  the  nest.1 

Incubation  begins  about  the  end  of  May  and  lasts  for 
twenty-eight  days.  During  all  that  time  it  seems  evident 
that  the  hatching-bird  abstains  from  food,  a  fact  which 
has  been  vouched  for  by  observations  made  on  birds  in 
captivity  (Payne-Gallwey, '  Letters  to  Young  Shooters,'  Third 
Series,  p.  173). 

The  eggs,  five  to  eight  in  number,  are  usually  of  a  light 
olive  colour,  but  the  shade  varies  even  in  the  same  clutch. 

The  sitting-bird  is  often  remarkably  tame  (especially  in 
countries  where  the  Eider  Duck  is  protected  by  law),  and 


1  It  may  be  mentioned  that  the  down  which  is  so  characteristic  a 
feature  of  the  lining  of  Ducks'  nests,  is  plucked  by  the  mother-bird  from 
her  own  breast.  The  down  of  aquatic  birds  is  remarkably  light  and  soft, 
and  retains  among  the  interstices  of  its  fibres,  the  heat  given  out  from 
any  body  with  which  it  is  in  contact.  The  softness,  lightness,  and 
elasticity  of  Eider-down,  with  its  wonderful  heat-retaining  properties, 
renders  it  a  highly-prized  material  for  coverlets. 


EIDEB  DUCK  139 

will  even  suffer  herself  to  be  stroked  with  the  fingers. 
However,  when  put  off  her  nest,  she  squirts  a  foul-smelling 
liquid  over  her  eggs,  as  sitting-ducks  are  wont  to  do.  The 
Drakes  keep  apart  in  small  assemblies  while  their  mates 
are  hatching. 

In  districts  where  this  species  is  plentiful,  the  nests  are 
often  in  such  close  proximity  that  the  birds  may  be  said  to 
breed  in  colonies. 

The  only  breeding-haunts  which  are  known  to  exist  in 
England,  are  off  the  coast  of  Northumberland,  where  on 
the  Farne  Islands  quite  a  large  number  of  birds  nest. 
Coquet  Island  appears  to  be  the  most  southern  breed- 
ing-station (Harting,  '  Handbook  of  British  Birds,'  p.  260). 
Along  both  sides  of  the  Scottish  sea-board,  including 
the  Orkneys,  Shetlands,  Inner  and  Outer  Hebrides,  and 
other  islands  along  the  western  side,  the  Eider  Duck  occurs 
as  a  nesting-species.  Strange  to  say,  though  it  breeds  and 
is  seen  in  large  flocks  on  Islay,  it  occurs  only  as  a  rare 
winter-visitor  to  the  Irish  coast,  even  to  Eathlin  Island, 
separated  from  its  breeding-haunts  by  less  than  twenty 
miles  of  water  (Ussher).  In  Scotland  it  is  increasing  as  a 
nesting-species  (Harvie  Brown). 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Abroad,  this  species  nests 
abundantly  in  Iceland,  the  Faroes,  and  Norway,  in  which 
countries  it  is  strictly  preserved ;  it  also  breeds  in  the 
Arctic  regions  of  Europe  and  Western  Asia.  When  migrat- 
ing in  winter,  it  visits  the  coasts  and  seas  of  Europe,  only 
small  numbers  wandering  as  far  south  as  the  Mediterranean. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  and  front  of  head, 
black,  this  colour  being  prolonged  in  the  form  of  a  point  of 
feathers  along  the  middle  line  of  the  beak  half  way  to  the 
nostrils ;  a  white  median  line  interrupts  the  black  on  the 
top  of  the  head ;  back  of  upper  neck,  pale  sea-green ;  hind 
part  of  cheeks,  same  colour,  these  two  green  patches  being 
separated  by  a  whitish  line ;  rest  of  cheeks,  throat,  upper 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wing-coverts,  white ;  primaries 
and  outer  secondaries,  brownish-black,  and  crossed  by  the 
long  curved  drooping  inner  secondaries  ;  these  feathers  are 
of  a  yellowish-white  tinge  ;  lower  neck  and  breast,  warm 
rosy-buff;  abdomen,  upper  and  under  tail-coverts,  black; 
tail,  brownish-black  ;  flanks  behind  the  legs,  patched  with 
white. 


140  ANATID^E' 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — The  back  and 
scapulars  are  chequered  with  blackish-brown,  much  darker 
than  in  the  female. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  plumage  of  the  female  is 
chiefly  light  reddish-brown,  chequered  and  barred  with 
black  ;  the  shades  of  the  head  and  neck  are  lighter  than 
those  of  the  breast  and  abdomen. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  closely  the 
female  plumage. 

BEAK.     Greenish. 

FEET.     Dull  greenish-brown. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 23       in. 

WING        11 

BEAK         2'25    „ 

TARSO-METATABSUS        T75    ,, 

EGG  3x2  in. 


Allied  Species  and  ^Representative  Forms. — Somateria 
v-nigrum,  a  larger  species,  and  differing  in  that  the  male 
has  a  black  mark  under  the  chin,  inhabits  Behring  Sea. 

S.  mollissima  borealis  inhabits  Greenland  and  districts  to 
the  west  in  Arctic  America. 

S.  dresseri,  with  "  the  bare  space  near  the  base  of  the 
bill  rounded  rather  than  triangular,  and  the  sides  of  the 
crown  greener,"  inhabits  Southern  Labrador,  extending  to 
the  Delaware  in  winter  (Saunders). 


KING-EIDER.     Somateria  spectabilis  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
27;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  446;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  53. 

This  Arctic  Duck  is  a  rare  visitant  to  British  seas,  more 
especially  along  the  south  coast.      It  has  been  obtained  on  a 


KING-EIDEK  141 

few  occasions  in  Norfolk,  a  bird  taken  at  Breydon  Harbour 
on  July  25th,  1813,  being  probably  the  earliest  British 
specimen  recorded  (Yarrell,  'British  Birds').  The  following 
counties  have  also  yielded  specimens  : — Northumberland 
(Fame  Islands),  Durham,  Yorkshire,  Essex  and  Suffolk. 
A  female  bird,  purchased  in  Leadenhall  Market,  is  now  in 
the  possession  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney. 

In  Scotland,  a  few  examples  have  been  obtained  from 
the  coasts  of  Haddingtonshire,  and  from  the  Firths  of  Forth 
and  Tay  ;  there  are  several  records  also  from  the  Orkneys 
and  Shetlands.  Recently,  viz.,  February  25th,  1899,  a  male 
was  taken  at  Lerwick,  one  of  the  last-named  group  of 
islands  (Harting,  '  Handbook  of  British  Birds,'  1901,  p.  466). 

In  Ireland  the  King-Eider  is  exceedingly  rare  ;  it  has 
been  procured  on  three  or  four  occasions,  and  only  once 
from  the  west  coast.  Its  occurrences  are  as  follows  :— 
A  female  obtained  in  Kingstown  Harbour  (Dublin),  about 
October  1st,  1837  (Thompson)  ;  another  female  obtained  in 
Belfast  Lough  on  March  llth,  1850,  now  preserved  in  the 
Belfast  Museum  (Thompson)  ;  a  third  female  procured  in 
Rathlin  Island,  in  November,  1861,  as  recorded  by  the  late 
Robert  Gage  in  his  list  of  Rathlin  Birds  made  in  1889 
(Ussher). 

The  fourth  specimen,  which  proved  to  be  an  immature 
maJe,  was  shot  on  Achill  Island,  co.  Mayo,  on  December 
12th,  1892,  and  is  now  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  Edwin 
Bayles,  in  Birmingham  (J.  R.  Sheridan,  '  Irish  Naturalist,' 
1893,  p.  177). 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  nape 
of  neck,  bluish-grey  ;  neck,  yellowish,  except  the  front  which 
is  white  ;  cheeks,  light  green  and  white  ;  under  the  chin  is  a 
black  patch  ;  upper  region  of  the  back,  whitish  ;  wings, 
black,  except  a  large  white  patch  on  the  coverts  ;  inner 
secondaries,  long  and  curving  down  over  the  primaries ; 
lower  region  of  the  back,  scapulars,  and  upper  tail-coverts, 
black;  tail,  dark  brown;  upper  breast,  rich  buff;  lower 
breast  and  abdomen,  black  ;  flanks,  patched  with  white. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Somewhat  resem- 
bles the  female  plumage,  but  the  shades  are  darker,  and 
the  throat  is  marked  with  traces  of  black ;  there  is  very 
little  white  on  the  wings. 


142  ANATID^E 

Adult  female  nuptial.  —  General  shade  of  plumage 
brown  ;  feathers  of  the  head  and  neck  being  of  a  lighter 
shade.  The  female  of  this  species  and  that  of  the  Com- 
mon Eider  are  very  much  alike  in  colour  ;  in  the  former, 
however,  the  central  line  of  feathers  on  the  upper  segment 
of  the  beak  runs  down  to  the  level  of  the  nostrils ;  in  the 
Common  Eider  this  line  hardly  reaches  a  point  mid-way 
between  the  base  of  the  beak  and  the  nostrils. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respec- 
tive nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Kesembles  the  female  in 
plumage. 

BEAK.  Orange-red  ;  '  basal  tubercle  '  same  colour,  mar- 
gined with  black. 

FEET.     Orange-red  ;  webs  darker. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

EGGS.  Green,  shading  to  greenish-grey :  clutch,  four 
to  six. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...         ...  22      in. 

WING        10-5    „ 

BEAK         1*25  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        2       ,, 

EGG  ...  2-5   x   1*8  in. 


STELLER'S  EIDER.     Somateria  stelleri  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
25;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  447;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  54. 

This,  the  least  of  the  three  Eider  Ducks  in  size,  is  an 
exceedingly  rare  wande'rer  from  the  Arctic  seas.  It  has 
been  twice  recorded  from  England.  A  male  was  killed  on 
February  10th,  1830,  near  Caistor,  in  Norfolk.  It  is  now 
in  the  Norwich  Museum  (A.  Patterson,  '  Zoologist,'  1900,  p. 
532).  The  second  specimen  was  obtained  from  Filey  Brigg, 
Yorkshire,  on  August  15th,  1845,  by  the  late  Mr.  G.  N. 
Curson.  It  is  in  the  collection  of  Lord  Scarsdale,  at 
Kedleston  (Yarrell). 


COMMON  SCOTEK  143 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  upper  neck,  glossy- white, 
with  two  green  patches,  one  on  the  back  of  the  head, 
another,  smaller,  in  front  of  the  eye  ;  chin,  black  ;  a  purplish- 
black  neck-collar  is  continuous  with  a  band  of  the  same 
colour,  which  extends  along  the  middle  of  the  back ;  wing- 
coverts,  chiefly  white  ;  speculum,  dark  glossy-blue  margined 
below  with  white,  inner  secondaries  and  scapulars,  long, 
pointed,  and  decurved,  edged  white  and  blue ;  primaries, 
brown ;  tail,  brown  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  rich  reddish- 
brown  ;  under  tail-coverts,  dark  brown. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — An  eclipse  plumage, 
having  a  resemblance  to  that  of  the  female,  or  of  the  minia- 
ture male,  is  probably  assumed  in  early  autumn. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Dark  brown,  mottled  with 
reddish-buff  about  the  neck  and  breast ;  speculum,  bluish- 
black,  bordered  above  and  below  with  narrow  white  bands. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respec- 
tive nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female  in 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Dark  grey. 

FEET.     Greyish-black. 

IRIDES.  Pale  brown  ;  lids  surrounded  by  a  black  rim. 

EGGS.     Greenish-grey  :  clutch,  seven  to  nine. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 18   in. 

WING    8-5  „ 

BEAK    1-5  „ 

TARSO-METATAESUS        1*5 

EGG  2-2  x  1*6  in. 


COMMON   SCOTER.     (Edemia  nigra  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
28  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  449  ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  55;  Booth,  'Eough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pi.  11. 

Thousands    of    Scoters   journey   southward   from    their 
breeding-haunts  in  autumn  and  early  winter,  and,  collecting 


144  ANATID.E 

into  vast  assemblages  around  our  coasts,  darken  the  waters 
for  miles  around.  Off  the  east  side  of  England  this  Duck 
is  so  abundant  that  its  numbers,  thickly  scattered  over 
the  open  sea,  appear  almost  countless.  In  spring,  about 
April,  Scoters  leave  our  seas  for  more  northern  latitudes, 
though  a  few  immature  birds  remain  along  our  coasts 
throughout  the  summer.  In  Dublin  Bay  I  have  seen 
Scoters  and  Shags  together  on  the  water,  and  the  manner 
in  which  the  two  species  descend  offers  an  interesting 
contrast.  The  Shag,  slightly  raising  itself  out  of  the  water, 
takes  a  distinct  '  header  ' ;  the  Scoter  disappears  without 
warning  or  splash,  as  though  it  were  suddenly  gripped 
from  beneath  and  pulled  under  water.  Scoters  dive  rather 
obliquely,  and  travelling  under  the  surface,  generally  re- 
appear some  distance  from  where  they  first  descend. 
They  are  fast  swimmers,  and  may  be  seen,  especially  in 
the  early  spring,  cruising  on  the  water  with  their  heads 
and  necks  stretched  out,  after  the  fashion  of  Shovelers. 
Scoters,  like  other  Diving  Ducks,  constantly  raise  them- 
selves upright  on  the  water  and  flap  their  wings,  thereby 
arranging  their  feathers  and  dislodging  drops  of  water 
which  have  remained  among  them  after  diving.  In  a  vast 
company  of  these  birds  it  is  most  entertaining  to  watch 
several  of  them  suddenly  rising  up  and  flapping  like  so 
many  *  Jack-in-the-Boxes.'  Unlike  most  Diving  Ducks,  the 
Scoter  floats  comparatively  high  on  the  water,  at  times 
cresting  the  rough  billows  with  considerable  buoyancy.  It 
seldom  leaves  the  open  sea  even  in  rough  weather,  but  after 
a  furious  gale  it  is  occasionally  found  near  land,  dead,  or 
in  an  exhausted  condition.  Lord  Ventry  has  picked  up  near 
Inch  Point,  co.  Kerry,  "  water-soaked  and  storm-driven 
Scoters  scarcely  able  to  breathe"  (Payne-Gall wey,  'Fowler 
in  Ireland,'  p.  110). 

Watters  mentions  that  "on  two  occasions  this  Scoter 
has  been  shot  whilst  apparently  searching  for  food  along 
the  bottom  of  wet  ditches  and  open  drains"  ('Birds  of 
Ireland/  p.  213).  A  few  instances  of  the  occurrence  of  this 
species  away  from  the  tide  have  been  recorded,  viz.,  in  Wilt- 
shire (twenty  miles  inland),  Oxford,  and  Windermere.  It 
has  also  visited  several  Irish  rivers,  as  the  Liffey,  Suir, 
Shannon,  and  Blackwater,  also  Lough  Neagh. 

Food. — The  Scoter  subsists  mainly  on  shell-fish,  often 
obtained  at  a  depth  of  several  fathoms. 

In  countries  where  this  bird  is  eaten,  numbers  are  caught 


PLATE   XII. 


COMMON    SCOTER   (Male). 


COMMON  SCOTER  145 

in  nets,  spread  over  'mussel-beds.'  The  Ducks  dive  for 
shell-fish,  and,  becoming  entangled  in  the  meshes  of  the 
nets,  are  drowned. 

Voice. — The  voice  of  the  male  in  the  nesting-season 
resembles  the  sound  tu-tu-tu-tu,  the  female  answering 
re-re-re-re  (Saunders) . 

Flight. — The  flight  is  fast,  but  not  buoyant. 

Nest. — The  Scoter  builds  on  the  ground,  arnid  coarse 
herbage,  such  as  heather,  and  usually  in  the  vicinity  of 
fresh  water  :  an  island  in  a  lake  is  a  favourite,  situation. 
The  nest  is  composed  chiefly  of  dry  grass  and  is  lined  with 
grey  down. 

The  eggs,  six  to  nine  in  number,  are  creamy-white  in 
colour.  Incubation  begins  in  June. 

With  the  exception  of  a  small  number  of  birds  which 
remain  to  breed  in  Caithness,  Sutherland,  Ross,  and 
Inverness-shire,  as  well  as  in  Tiree  (where  this  Duck 
bred  in  1897),  we  had  no  further  evidence  that  it  nested 
elsewhere  in  the  British  Isles  until  1904,  when  in  June  and 
July  of  that  year  Major  Herbert  Trevelyan  observed  a  pair 
of  Scoters  on  one  of  the  larger  loughs  in  Ireland.  On 
June  13th,  1905,  the  same  observer  found  a  female  Scoter 
on  her  nest,  under  a  small  bush  on  an  island.  The  nest 
contained  eight  eggs.  On  July  1st  the  female  bird,  and  a 
brood  of  five  young,  were  observed  swimming  on  the  lough. 
The  nest,  eggs,  and  young,  were  identified  beyond  a  doubt 
by  Dr.  Bowdler  Sharpe  and  Mr.  Heatley  Noble  ('Field,' 
July  15th,  1904;  also  Ussher,  'Irish  Naturalist,'  1905, 
p.  199). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Scoter  breeds  in 
Northern  Europe  and  Western  Siberia,  migrating  in  winter 
over  the  seas  of  the  European  Continent,  travelling  as  far 
as  the  coast  of  North  Africa,  and  extending  along  the 
Mediterranean  to  the  coast  of  Palestine.  Limited  numbers 
appear  on  the  large  inland  waters  of  Europe. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Entire  plumage,  glossy- 
black,  the  breast  and  abdomen  being  duller  than  the  back 
and  wings. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — It  is  generally 
supposed  that  the  adult  male  retains  the  black  plumage 
throughout  the  summer,  though  some  approach  to  the 

10 


146  ANATID.E 

female  garb  may  possibly  be  assumed  for  a  short  period, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  Velvet-Scoter. 

Adult  female  nuptial.  —  Chiefly  dark  brown  ;  wing- 
coverts,  lighter;  sides  of  the  neck  and  cheeks,  greyish- 
white  ;  chin,  impure  white. 

Adult  winter, male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Cheeks,  chin,  sides  and 
front  of  neck,  breast,  and  abdomen,  dull  greyish-white ; 
lower  part  of  the  abdomen,  mottled  with  white  and  brown. 

BEAK.  Black,  with  the  '  basal  protuberance  '  marked 
in  the  middle  line  by  a  narrowband  of  orange-yellow,  which, 
widening  out,  extends  nearly  to  the  tip.  In  the  female  the 
*  basal  protuberance  '  and  orange  band  are  absent. 

FEET.     Deep  brownish-black. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 20   in. 

WING   9 

BEAK   ... 1-9  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS      1'25  ,, 

EGG  2-5  x  1-8  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — (E.  americana, 
with  a  completely  orange-yellow  '  basal  protuberance,'  is  the 
North  American  representative. 


YELYET-SCOTER.     (Edemia  fusca  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
29 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  448 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  56. 

This  is  the  largest  of  the  three  Scoters  which  visit  British 
waters.  It  may  readily  be  distinguished  from  the  former 
species  by  the  white  band  on  its  wings.  It  cannot  be  said 
that  the  Velvet-Scoter  is  a  plentiful  winter-visitor,  yet  it  is 
not  infrequent  along  the  south  and  east  coasts  of  England 
and  Scotland,  as  far  north  as  the  Orkneys. 


VELVET-SCOTEE  147 

Along  the  western  sea-board  of  Great  Britain  (including 
Wales)  it  is  rare. 

To  Ireland  it  is  an  uncommon  visitor  in  winter,  occurring 
chiefly  on  the  north  and  east  coasts,  especially  on  those  of 
Louth  and  Dublin.  It  has  also  been  recorded  from  the 
following  counties  : — Kerry,  Cork,  Wexford,  Down,  Antrim, 
Donegal,  and  Mayo.  It  appears  to  be  very  rarely  met  with 
on  the  west  coast. 

Like  its  congeners,  it  is  sea-faring  in  its  habits,  and  is 
usually  met  with  some  miles  from  land.  It  very  rarely 
seeks  the  sheltered  waters  of  tidal  estuaries  and  salt-water 
channels,  which,  after  a  gale,  are  often  thickly  studded 
with  multitudes  of  other  species  of  Ducks.  Occasionally, 
however,  it  has  been  discovered  on  inland  waters.  Velvet- 
Scoters,  as  a  rule,  collect  into  small  gatherings,  and  these 
may  associate  with  multitudes  of  Common  Scoters. 

Food. — This  Duck  feeds  on  shell-fish,  captured  at  a  con- 
siderable depth  in  the  water. 

Voice. — The  note  may  be  described  as  a  low,  croaking 
grunt. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  fast  and  well-sustained  when  the 
bird  is  migrating,  but,  like  its  congeners,  this  species 
endeavours  to  escape  observation  by  diving  rather  than  by 
taking  wing. 

Nest. — The  Velvet- Scoter  breeds  on  the  ground,  gene- 
rally under  a  bush  or  among  scrub ;  the  site  may  be  at  a 
considerable  distance  from  water.  The  nest  is  built  chiefly 
of  dry  grass,  weeds,  bits  of  stem,  and  dead  leaves,  and  is 
lined  with  down. 

The  eggs,  eight  to  ten  in  number,  are  creamy-white. 
Incubation  does  not  take  place  until  late  in  June.  A  few 
pairs  may  have  bred  in  the  Northern  Highlands  of  Scot- 
land (Saunders),  but  elsewhere  this  Duck  is  unknown  as  a 
nesting-species  in  the  British  Isles. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Abroad,  it  breeds  in 
Northern  Europe  and  is  common  in  parts  of  Scandinavia 
and  Kussia,  also  in  Western  Siberia.  In  winter  it  migrates 
to  the  seas  of  Europe,  southward  to  the  Mediterranean  and 
eastward  to  the  Caspian  and  Black  Seas. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Plumage  rich  velvety- 
black,  except  for  a  noticeable  white  bar  which  runs 


148  ANATID.E 

obliquely  across  the  middle  of  the  wing,  and  a  small  white 
patch  behind  and  below  each  eye. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Somewhat  resembles 
the  adult  female  plumage,  but  darker  in  shade  and  inter- 
spersed with  black  feathers. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Back  and  wings,  dark  brown  ; 
breast  and  abdomen,  lighter  in  shade ;  the  white  patch 
extends  in  front  of  as  well  as  behind  the  eye,  and  the  wing- 
bar  is  smaller  and  less  distinct  than  in  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Besembles  the  female  in 
plumage. 

BEAK.  Yellow ;  '  basal  protuberance '  black,  from  which 
a  thin  dark  line  is  prolonged  in  an  oblique  direction  above 
each  nostril  to  the  tip  ;  lower  margin  of  the  upper  segment 
of  the  beak,  black. 

FEET.     Orange  red;  webs,  blackish-brown. 

IRIDES.  Light  greyish-white. 

AYERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH         22      in. 

WING 10-75  „ 

BEAK 1-9     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS T25  ,, 

EGG  2-75  x  1-9  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — (E.  carbo  is 
the  true  Eastern  representative,  and  (E.  velvetina,  a  smaller 
bird  with  a  different  beak,  is  the  North  American  form 
(Saunders) . 


SURF-SCOTER.     (Edemia perspicillata  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
30;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe/  vol.  vi,  pi.  450;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  57. 

The  home  of  the  Surf- Scoter  is  North  America,  but 
wanderers  have  occasionally  found  their  way  to  our  shores, 
chiefly  along  the  western  sea-board.  This  Duck  was  first 


SUKF  SCOTEK  149 

recorded  in  Britain  in  1838,  by  Blyth.  Subsequently  it 
has  been  obtained  in  Dorset,  Devon,  Cornwall,  the  Scilly 
Islands,  Lancashire  and  in  Cumberland. 

In  Scotland  its  occurrence  has  been  repeatedly  made 
known  in  the  Orkneys,  where  several  specimens  have  been 
obtained.  In  the  Shetlands  the  bird  has  been  identified, 
though  not  procured.  It  appears  to  have  been  very  seldom 
met  with  in  the  Hebridean  Islands,  however,  one  was 
taken  near  Stornaway,  in  the  winter  of  1865  (Gray,  '  Birds 
of  the  West  of  Scotland').  On  the  mainland  a  specimen 
was  obtained  from  the  Firth  of  Forth  in  the  spring  of 
1852,  and  another  off  the  coast  of  Aberdeen  in  November, 
1855  (Harting,  '  Handbook  of  British  Birds,'  1901,  p.  463-4). 
The  Surf- Scoter  is  a  very  rare  visitor  to  Ireland  ;  only  six 
specimens  have  been  procured.  The  data  are  as  follows  : — 
One,  an  adult  male,  from  Belfast  Bay,  co.  Down,  September 
9th,  1846  (Thompson)  :  preserved  in  the  Belfast  Museum. 
Another  adult  male  from  Clontarf,  Dublin,  October,  1880 
(Payne-Gallwey,  '  Fowler  in  Ireland/  p.  112).  Another,  an 
immature  bird  (sex  doubtful),  from  Crookhaven  Harbour, 
co.  Cork,  November  5th,  1888  (Barrington,  '  Zoologist,'  1889, 
p.  32).  The  fourth,  an  immature  female,  from  Dugort, 
Achill  Island,  co.  Mayo,  October  25th,  1890  (Ussher,  '  Birds 
of  Ireland,'  p.  216).  The  fifth,  an  adult  female,  and  the 
sixth,  an  adult  male,  were  obtained  in  Killala  Harbour, 
co.  Mayo,  on  December  19th,  1896  and  January  18th, 
1897,  respectively.  These  specimens  are  preserved  in  the 
National  Museum,  Dublin  (B.  Warren,  'Field,'  May  1st, 
1897,  and  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1897,  p.  59). 

It  will  at  once  be  seen  that  the  Irish  records,  with  the 
exceptions  of  the  first-mentioned,  have  taken  place  within 
recent  years,  those  from  Mayo  being  about  the  latest  occur- 
rences known  in  the  British  Isles.  This  Duck  can  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  two  preceding  Scoters  by  a  white  patch 
on  its  forehead  and  another  on  the  back  of  its  neck.  Its 
habits  are  practically  similar  to  those  of  its  congeners,  it 
revels  in  the  rough  billows  and  surging  foam,  and  may  be 
seen  in  most  unsheltered  parts  of  the  sea,  during  a  severe 
hurricane. 

Food. — The  Surf-Scoter  lives  almost  entirely  on  shell- 
fish which  are  often  procured  at  a  considerable  depth 
beneath  the  surface  of  the  water. 

Flight. — The  flight  resembles  that  of  the  preceding 
species. 


150  ANATID^E 

Voice. — The  voice  is  croaking  in  character,  like  that  of 
the  last  species,  and  not  particularly  harsh  or  loud. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  built  on  the  ground  among  coarse 
herbage,  usually  near  the  margin  of  a  lake.  The  eggs,  six 
to  eight  in  number,  are  of  a  beautiful  pure  white  colour. 
Incubation  does  not  take  place  until  late  in  June. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Surf-Scoter  breeds  over 
a  great  area  of  North  America,  chiefly  north  of  the  United 
States,  though  rare  in  Greenland  and  North-east  Siberia. 
In  winter  it  migrates  almost  as  far  south  as  the  West 
Indies  on  the  Atlantic  side,  and  California  on  the  Pacific 
side.  As  a  wanderer  it  has  occurred  in  the  Faroes,  Norway, 
Lapland,  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia,  Heligoland,  and  the  north 
coast  of  France  (Saunders). 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Plumage  rich  inky- 
black,  except  for  a  broad  patch  of  white  on  the  top  of  the 
head  and  another  on  the  back  of  the  neck. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — An  eclipse  plumage, 
somewhat  approaching  that  of  the  female,  may  be  assumed 
by  the  adult  male  for  a  short  period  in  early  autumn. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Dull  brown ;  lighter  about  the 
cheeks,  breast,  and  abdomen.  There  is  a  white  patch — 
more  ill-defined  than  in  the  male — on  the  back  of  the  neck, 
and  sometimes  two  white  spots  on  the  cheeks. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female  in 
plumage,  but  as  a  rule  there  is  more  white  about  the 
cheeks. 

BEAK.  Chiefly  orange-red ;  deeper  in  tint  about  the 
nostrils,  tip,  and  sloping  *  basal  protuberance.'  On  the 
side  of  the  upper  segment  near  the  gape,  is  a  large  black 
patch. 

FEET.     Deep  yellow  or  orange ;  webs  dusky-brown. 

IEIDES.  Bright  yellow. 


GOOSANDEE  151 

AYERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 21         in. 

WING        ...  ...  9'5 

BEAK         T5        ,, 

TARSOMETATAKSUS        ...         ...  1-5        „ 

EGG  ... 2-3  x  1'6  in. 


GOOSANDER.     Mergus  merganser  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
34 ;  Dresser,  « Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  452 ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  58 ;  Booth,  '  Eough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pis.  18,  19. 

In  this  and  the  succeeding  species  the  beak  is  long, 
narrow,  strongly  toothed,  and  hooked  at  the  extremity. 
Hence  the  popular  name  of  '  Saw-Bill '  as  applied  to  the 
Mergansers  collectively.  Though  resident  in  parts  of  the 
Highlands  of  Scotland,  the  Goosander  is  better  known  as 
a  winter-visitant  to  British  waters,  preferring  the  shelter 
of  estuaries,  harbours,  and  fresh-water  lakes,  to  the  open 
sea.  It  is  not  uncommon  on  the  eastern  coasts  of  England 
and  Scotland,  but  is  rare  on  the  western  and  southern  sides. 
In  Ireland,  it  is  of  irregular  occurrence,  but  with  the 
onset  of  severe  weather1  often  appears  in  small  numbers 
on  our  lakes,  rivers,  creeks,  and  harbours.  It  seldom 
arrives  before  the  end  of  November,  and  is  most  plentiful 
in  January.  Large  flocks  *are  not  met  with,  but  parties 
consisting  of  from  three  to  six  may  usually  be  seen. 
The  male  in  mature  plumage  is  very  handsome,  but 
is  of  rarer  occurrence  than  the  immature  or  female. 
When  in  company  with  the  Bed-breasted  Merganser,  the 
Goosander  may  be  identified  by  its  superior  size,  and  by  the 
greater  amount  of  white  in  the  plumage  of  the  neck  and 
breast. 

Food. — This  species  is  almost  entirely  piscivorous,  and 
is  not  only  capable  of  descending  to  a  great  depth  under 
water,  but  of  travelling  at  a  great  speed  in  pursuit  of  fish. 

1  In  the  severe  winter  of  1881,  Goosanders  were  obtained  in  many 
parts  of  Ireland  (Payne-Gallwey,  'Fowler  in  Ireland'). 


152 


salt  waters   the 


Though   frequenting   fresh   as  well   as 
flesh  is  distinctly  disagreeable  in  flavour. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  much  more  powerful  than  that  of 
the  ordinary  Diving  Ducks. 

Voice. — The  note  is  rough  and  unmusical  and  sounds 
like  Tcarr-karr. 

Nest. — The  Goosander  breeds  in  holes  in  trees  or  in  the 
ground,  and  in  some  cases  the  nest  is  built  in  the  shelter 
of  nooks  and  crevices  formed  by  overhanging  banks  and 
ledges  of  rock.  In  Denmark  and  other  Continental 
countries  this  species  sometimes  builds  in  nesting-boxes  set 
up  by  the  natives  for  various  kinds  of  Ducks  (Saunders). 


FIG.  18.— GOOSANDER. 


The  eggs,  eight  to  thirteen  in  number,  are  creamy- 
white.  Incubation  begins  about  the  end  of  April  or  the 
first  week  in  May. 

In  Scotland  the  Goosander  has  bred  in  Sutherland, 
Perthshire,  Argyll,  Koss,  and  perhaps  in  other  counties 
of  the  Highlands.  With  regard  to  references  of  its 
breeding  in  the  Outer  Hebrides,  see  Harting,  '  Handbook 
of  British  Birds,'  1901,  p.  263. 

Geographical    distribution. — Abroad,  this   species  nests 


GOOSANDER  153 

in  Northern  Europe  (including  Iceland),1  also  in  Denmark, 
North-east  Germany,  some  of  the  Swiss  lakes,  Central 
and  Eastern  Russia.  Further  east  it  may  be  traced  to 
Siberia  and  Central  Asia  as  a  breeding-species. 

In  winter  it  visits  the  waters  of  Southern  Europe, 
Northern  Africa,  and  Southern  Asia. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  crest,  and  upper 
neck,  rich  glossy  greenish-black;  lower  neck,  breast,  and 
abdomen,  white,  suffused  with  a  delicate  salmon-pink  ;  upper 
back  and  scapulars,  black  ;  primaries,  brown  ;  wing-coverts, 
chiefly  white  ;  lower  back  and  tail,  light  brown. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Somewhat  resembles 
the  adult  female  plumage,  but  distinguished  by  an  in- 
distinct black  neck-ring,  and  by  the  darker  back  and  whiter 
wings. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Head,  crest,  and  upper  neck, 
reddish-brown ;  chin  and  lower  neck,  impure  white ;  breast 
and  abdomen,  dull  white  shaded  with  grey  on  the  flanks  ; 
back  and  scapulars,  ash-grey ;  primaries,  brown. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female 
plumage,  but  the  breast  and  flanks  are  marked  with  brown, 
and  the  crest  is  very  short. 

BEAK.  Bright  red ;  serrated  and  slightly  hooked  at  the 
extremity. 

FEET.     Deep  orange. 

IEIDES.  Red. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 26     in.    Female  smaller. 

WING        11      „ 

BEAK         2'5    „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...       1*9   ,, 

EGG  2-6  x  1'8  in. 


Allied  Species  and   Representative  Forms. — The    North 

1  Mr.  Coburn,  however,  did  not  meet  with  it  on  his  recent  expedition 
to  North  Iceland  in  1899  ('Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  413). 


154  ANATID^ 

American  Goosander,  though  it  does  not  rank  as  a  distinct 
species,  shows  in  the  adult  male  a  well-marked  black  band 
across  the  wing-patch  (Saunders). 


RED-BREASTED  MERGANSER.     Mergus  serrator  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain/  vol.  v,  pi. 
35 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  453  ;  Lilford, 
1  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  59 ;  Booth,  'Eough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pis.  15,  16,  17. 

The  Ked-breasted  Merganser  is  the  most  abundant  of 
the  British  Saw-billed  Ducks.  In  many  parts  of  Scotland 
and  Ireland  it  is  resident,  breeding  on  islands  or  shores  of 
inland  lakes,  and,  to  a  less  extent,  in  the  vicinity  of  tidal 
estuaries  ;  in  England  it  occurs  only  as  a  migrant.  There  is 
a  considerable  increase  in  numbers  during  autumn  and 
winter,  due  to  the  arrival  of  migrants  travelling  southward. 
In  spring,  a  return  movement  takes  place,  flocks  continuing 
to  press  northward  until  late  in  May. 

In  winter,  the  Red-breasted  Merganser  is  rarely  met 
with  away  from  the  tide  :  estuaries  of  large  rivers,  sheltered 
bays,  and  salt-water  channels,  are  its  favourite  resorts. 
Assembling  in  large  flocks,  Mergansers  may  be  seen 
swimming  and  diving  in  company  with  Wigeon  and  other 
common  sea-fowl.  Shy  and  vigilant  by  nature,  they  can 
rarely  be  approached  within  gunshot. 

During  the  spring-season  (usually  about  the  middle  of 
April,  when  the  birds  are  pairing)  I  have  observed  from  a 
boat,  with  the  aid  of  a  binocular,  some  fifty  Mergansers 
engaged  in  sport  about  the  mouth  of  the  river  Liffey, 
Dublin.  Of  a  sudden,  with  necks  stretched  and  lowered, 
and  head-plumes  fully  erected,  two  or  three  adult  males 
dash  across  the  water,  hotly  pursuing  the  females ;  the 
latter  dive  to  evade  their  suitors,  and  reappear  on  the  sur- 
face behind  the  rest  of  the  flock.  Espied  a  second  time 
by  the  ardent  drakes,  the  chase  is  renewed,  until  a  few 
of  the  females,  too  closely  followed,  take  wing,  alighting 
several  hundred  yards  away. 

In  the  water  this  bird  swims  low,  little  of  its  body 
being  visible.  On  land  it  progresses  in  an  awkward 
shuffling  manner,  assuming  a  semi-upright  gait.  Now  and 
again  I  have  met  Mergansers  standing  on  a  sand-bank  at 


KED-BBEASTED  MEEGANSEE  155 

the  edge  of  the  ebbing  tide.  On  December  16th,  1900,  I  lay 
concealed  in  a  drain  011  one  of  the  ooze-flats  of  the  Dublin 
coast,  watching  the  movements  of  hundreds  of  wading-birds. 
Presently  a  fine  adult  male  Merganser  alighted  in  a  rough 
and  muddy  salt-water  channel,  some  thirty  yards  from 
where  I  was  crouching.  The  bird,  not  perceiving  me, 
slowly  moved  in  the  water  apparently  swimming,  but  in  an 
erect  posture  with  its  body  almost  completely  visible  above 
the  surface.  Now  and  then  it  plunged  its  head  under 
water  and  appeared  to  capture  something,  but  in  this 
position  it  did  not  attempt  to  dive.  When  mid-stream  was 
almost  reached  it  lowered  its  body  and  swam  in  the  ordinary 
way.  Then  it  made  three  frantic  efforts  to  dive,  and,  after 
much  splashing  and  floundering  about,  was  barely  able  to 
submerge  its  body.  Eventually,  after  a  lapse  of  about 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  it  took  wing  and,  rising  high,  flew 
out  to  sea.  Leaving  my  place  of  ambush  I  proceeded  to 
the  edge  of  the  channel.  The  water  being  muddy  I  could 
not  see  the  bottom,  but  on  measuring  with  a  piece  of  stick 
I  found  that  it  was  but  a  few  inches  in  depth.  It  is 
therefore  obvious  that  the  bird  was  wading  in  the  water 
in  the  erect  posture  for  most  of  the  time,  and  though  a 
sufficient  depth  was  reached  at  mid-stream  to  allow  it  to 
swim,  even  then,  the  channel  was  too  shallow  for  diving 
purposes.  To  these  observations  I  attach  importance,  as 
I  have  often,  on  previous  occasions,  noticed  Mergansers 
standing  about  the  edge  of  shallow  channels,  and  it  is 
evident  that  they  fish  occasionally  by  wading  and  plunging 
their  heads  under  water  after  the  manner  of  Herons;  it 
may  be  added  that  the  channel  in  question  abounded  in 
small  sand-dabs,  eels,  and  other  fishes. 

Food. — The  Ked-breasted  Merganser  is  almost  exclu- 
sively piscivorous  and  is  destructive  in  the  nesting-season 
to  small  salmon  and  trout.  It  plunges  under  water  like  a 
Cormorant  and  swiftly  pursues  its  finny  prey.  As  evidence 
of  its  indifference  to  vegetable  diet,  it  is  noteworthy  that 
this  bird  often  breeds  round  inland  waters  quite  void  of 
aquatic  vegetation,  and  where  rough  stones  and  gravel 
line  the  beach  and  floor  of  the  lake. 

Flight. — The  Merganser  is  swift  and  powerful  on  the 
wing,  and  may  be  seen  frequently  crossing  bays  and 
estuaries  at  a  considerable  height  in  the  air. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  harsh  and  guttural,  and  resembles 
the  syllables,  kurr-kurr-kurr. 


156  ANATID^E 

Nest. — The  nest  is  generally  situated  on  marine  or  fresh- 
water islands,  sometimes  on  the  mainland,  and  always  near 
water  ;  it  is  as  a  rule  well  concealed  amid  coarse  herbage, 
such  as  tall  grasses,  nettles,  scrub,  or  meadow-sweet ;  or  it 
is  sometimes  built  in  tangled  brushwood,  under  heather- 
tufts,  or  in  the  recess  of  an  overhanging  bank.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  I  have  found  this  bird  nesting  in  quite 
exposed  situations.  For  example,  on  an  island  in  Lough 
Sheelin,  co.  Cavan,  I  found  a  nest  built  in  a  shallow 
recess  between  a  few  rocks,  with  no  vegetation  to  hide 
the  sitting-bird. 

The  nest  is  formed  of  dry  grass,  weeds,  and  small  bits  of 
twigs,  and  is  lined  with  down.  The  eggs,  eight  to  twelve  in 
number,  are  of  a  light  muddy  yellowish-brown,  slightly 
tinged  in  some  instances  with  green.  Incubation  takes 
place  about  the  beginning  of  June. 

In  the  north-west  of  Scotland,  including  the  island- 
groups,  as  well  as  in  Ireland,  this  bird  is  a  common  nesting- 
species  ;  in  fact,  in  Ireland,  it  is  one  of  the  most  numerous 
of  our  resident  Ducks,  though  far  from  being  as  abundant 
as  the  Mallard  (Ussher). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Ked-breasted 
Merganser  nests  in  Temperate  and  Sub-arctic  Europe,  Asia 
and  North  America,  migrating  in  the  winter  to  the  waters 
of  Southern  Europe,  Northern  Africa,  eastward  as  far  as 
Japan,  and  westward  along  the  Atlantic  sea-board  to  the 
Bermudas. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  crest  (the  plumes 
of  which  are  much  longer  and  more  filamentous  than  those 
of  the  Goosander),  and  upper  neck,  glossy  greenish-black  ; 
lower  neck,  white,  intersected  behind  by  a  black  line  con- 
tinuous with  that  of  the  back ;  upper  breast  and  lower 
neck,  reddish-brown,  streaked  with  black ;  lower  breast 
and  abdomen,  white ;  flanks,  upper  and  under  tail-coverts, 
finely  pencilled  with  grey ;  inner  scapulars,  black ;  outer 
ones,  white ;  wing-coverts,  chiefly  white,  barred  across  with 
narrow  black  lines ;  primaries  and  tail,  brownish-black  ;  at 
the  bend  of  the  wing  is  an  ornamental  tuft  of  white 
feathers,  margined  with  black. 

Adult    male,    post-nuptial   or    eclipse.  —  Somewhat    re- 


SMEW  157 

sembles  the  adult  female  plumage,  but  distinguished  by  the 
slate-grey  markings  on  the  breast  and  flanks. 

Adult  female  nuptial — Head  and  neck,  reddish-brown  ; 
there  is  a  distinct  black  bar  across  the  wing.  The  plumage 
bears  a  general  resemblance  to  that  of  the  female  Goosander, 
but  the  back  and  scapulars  are  brown  in  the  Merganser, 
rather  than  ash-grey. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Red ;  shaped  like  that  of  the  Goosander. 

FEET.     Deep  orange-red. 

IRIDES.  Ked. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...  24     in.  Female  smaller. 

WING        9-5    „ 

BEAK         2'25  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...       To    ,, 

EGG  ...  ...       2-5  X  1'7  in. 


SMEW.     Mergus  albellus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
37 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pis.  454,  455  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  60  ;  Booth, 
*  Rough  Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pi.  14. 

The  Smew,  the  smallest  of  the  Mergansers,  annually 
resorts  to  British  waters,  though  nowhere  along  our  coasts  can 
it  be  considered  numerous.  It  is  most  frequently  met  with 
off  the  east  coast  of  England  and  Scotland.  It  probably 
occurs  annually  in  Ireland,  yet  it  has  not  very  often  come 
under  the  notice  of  ornithologists  in  that  country.  It 
is  partial  to  both  fresh  and  salt  water,  and  generally  appears 
during  or  after  severe  wintry  weather  ;  after  a  gale  it  should 
be  looked  for  on  large  sheets  of  fresh  water.  The  late  Mr. 
E.  Williams  informed  me  that  he  purchased  immature 
and  female  birds  in  the  Dublin  markets,  which  were 
taken  during  rough  weather,  on  inland  waters.  In  the 
spring  this  species  returns  to  northern  latitudes  to  breed. 

Few  birds  make  a  more  handsome  and  effective  show  for 
museum-purposes  than  a  well  set-up  adult  male  Smew  in 


158  ANATID^ 

fall  nuptial  dress.  The  plumage  of  unsullied  white,  here 
and  there  interrupted  by  bands  and  patches  of  velvety-black, 
is  most  beautiful,  and  in  nicety  of  size,  neatness  of  shape, 
and  grace  of  deportment,  no  other  bird  can  well  surpass 
it.  Hence  the  adult  males  are  much  sought  after,  and 
are  very  scarce  and  difficult  to  procure.  They  appear 
to  be  more  strictly  maritime  in  their  habits  than  the 
females  and  young ;  even  during  rough  weather  the 
former  keep  out  to  sea,  while  the  latter  wrili  usually 
avail  themselves  of  the  shelter  of  bays  or  inland  waters. 
So  comparatively  scarce  is  the  old  drake,  that  notwith- 
standing its  striking  plumage  it  is  practically  unknown 
to  fishermen,  who  call  this  species  the  '  Red-Headed 
Smew/  from  the  colour  of  the  female  and  young.  This 
Duck,  as  a  water-bird,  is  exceedingly  active,  diving  and 
swimming  with  great  alacrity,  but  on  land  it  progresses 
slowly  and  in  an  ungainly  manner,  due  to  its  feet  being 
placed  so  far  back. 

Food. — The  food,  which  is  obtained  by  diving,  consists 
mainly  of  fish,  but  small  crabs  and  molluscs  are  also  eaten. 
Flight. — The  flight  is  strong  and  rapid. 
Voice. — The   voice   is   grating  in    character,   the   notes 
resembling  the  syllables  curr-curr-curr-curr.     In  the  breed- 
ing-season a  somewhat  softer  whistling  note  may  be  heard. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  built  in  holes  in  trees ;  thus  eggs  were 
taken  by  Wolley  in  Finnish  Lapland,1  "  from  a  hollow  in 
an  old  rotten  birch-stump  on  June  8th,  1857  "  (Saunders). 
The  nest  is  lined  with  white  down.  The  eggs,  seven  or 
more  in  number,  are  cream-coloured. 

Geographical  distribution.2 — The  Smew  breeds  in  Nor- 
thern Kussia  and  Siberia,  its  range  being  limited  by  the  forest- 
growth.  On  its  winter  migration  it  visits  the  seas  and 
inland  waters  of  Southern  and  South-eastern  Europe  and 
Asia,  while  westward,  in  Europe  and  North  Africa,  it 
spreads  as  far  as  the  sea-board  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  chiefly  silken- 
white,  except  the  lower  feathers  of  the  crest  (which  are 

1  Finnish  Lapland  appears  to  be  the  western  limit  of  the  breeding- 
range  of  this  species. 

2  In  the  British  Museum  there  is  a  specimen  of  a  Smew  which  is  said 
to  have  come  from  North  America. 


HOODED  MEKGANSEK  159 

greenish-black),  and  a  black  patch  surrounding  the  eye  which 
reaches  in  front  as  far  as  the  base  of  the  beak  ;  neck,  breast, 
abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  white  ;  wings,  chiefly  white, 
barred  with  black ;  primaries  and  tail-feathers,  brownish- 
black  ;  upper  tail-coverts,  brownish  ;  back,  black  ;  scapulars, 
white  ;  flanks,  finely  pencilled  with  grey  ;  from  the  upper 
part  of  the  back  a  narrow  curved  black  line  extends 
forwards  over  the  root  of  the  neck ;  another  curved  line 
passes  across  the  front  of  the  wing. 

Adult  male,  post-nuptial  or  eclipse. — Resembles  the 
female  plumage,  but  at  once  distinguishable  by  the  presence 
of  the  two  narrow  curved  black  lines  described  above. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Head,  crest,  and  back  of  neck, 
chestnut ;  black  patch  in  front  of  eye  ;  round  the  neck  is  a 
collar  of  light  greyish-brown ;  back,  lighter  in  shade  than 
in  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  back  and  wings  are 
to  a  large  extent  mottled-grey,  and  there  is  no  black  patch 
on  the  face. 

BEAK.  Slate-blue  ;  serrated  like  that  of  the  Merganser, 
but  much  shorter  in  proportion. 

FEET.     Dull  bluish-grey. 

IBIDES.  Red. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...  17'5   in.  Female  smaller. 

WING         7-6    „ 

BEAK         1'25  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...       1       „ 

EGG  2  x  1-45  in. 


HOODED  MERGANSER.     Mergus  cucullatus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
36  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  696 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  61. 

The  Hooded  Merganser,  a  North  American  species,  is  an 
extremely  rare  wanderer  to  British  waters.  Ireland  has 
yielded  most  records,  about  six  in  number.  Only  three  of 
these  are  thoroughly  substantiated.  Mr.  Ussher  has  failed 
to  trace  two  specimens  supposed  to  have  been  shot  and 
preserved  ;  one  stated  to  have  been  obtained  in  1840  at 


160  ANATID.E 

Dingle  Bay,  co.  Kerry,  by  Dr.  Chute  (Thompson)  ;  the 
other  bird,  as  recorded  by  Watters  ('Birds  of  Ireland'), 
was  shot  in  the  co.  Meath. 

Mr.  J.  G  Millais  is  in  the  possession  of  a  specimen 
supposed  to  have  been  killed  in  Tralee  harbour,  co.  Kerry, 
in  1880.  The  three  remaining  birds  were  shot  by  Sir  K. 
Payne-Gall wey,  who  writes  as  follows: — "I  had  the  good 
fortune  to  kill  two  of  these  birds  in  the  south  of  Ireland  in 
December  1878,  and  a  third  in  the  very  severe  frost  of 
January  1881,  on  the  coast  of  Kerry,  after  a  heavy  gale 
from  the  north-west.  All  three  birds  were  shot  on  the 
tide.  One  wras  an  adult  male  and  two  were  females.  In 
my  anxiety  to  obtain  the  former  I  fired  at  such  close 
quarters  that  I  cut  its  head  clean  off,  but  it  was  afterwards 
fixed  to  the  body  w^hen  the  bird  was  preserved  "  (*  Letters  to 
Young  Shooters/  Third  Series,  pp.  191,  192).  "From 
what  I  saw  of  those  I  shot,  they  appeared  to  fly  faster 
and  with  a  more  darting  motion  than  other  Mergansers, 
and  though  diving  with  equal  facility,  not  excelling  their 
congeners"  ('Fowler  in  Ireland,'  p.  122). 

A  specimen  from  the  Menai  Straits,  North  Wales, 
obtained  in  the  winter  of  1830-31,  has  been  described  and 
figured  by  Eyton  ('  History  of  The  Barer  British  Birds,' 
p.  75).  Stevenson,  in  his  '  Birds  of  Norfolk,'  iii,  p.  228, 
refers  to  a  male  of  this  species  obtained  in  Norfolk  in  the 
winter  of  1837-38.  Less  authenticated  statements  are 
omitted  here. 

From  the  above  data  it  may  be  seen  that  the  Hooded 
Merganser  has  touched  most  often  on  the  western  sea-board 
of  Ireland,  as  we  might  expect  from  a  Trans-Atlantic 
wanderer. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — The  most  noticeable 
part  of  this  bird's  plumage  is  its  handsome  black  and  white 
semi-circular  hood,  the  white  feathers  of  which  run  back 
from  behind  the  eye ]  and  spread  out  in  a  fan-shaped  manner, 
the  tips  of  the  fan  being  edged  with  black.  The  hood  is 
thick  and  bushy,  and  composed  of  short,  wavy  feathers  ;  it 
differs  materially  from  the  crests  of  the  larger  Mergansers, 
the  plumes  of  which  are  pointed,  elongated,  and  sparsely 
arranged.  Neck  and  back,  black ;  primaries,  rump,  and 

1  A  white  patch  of  similar  distribution  is  to  be  seen  on  the  Buffel- 
headed  Duck,  so  that  at  a  distance  the  two  species  might  be  confounded. 


HOODED  MEKGANSEK  161 

tail,  dark  brown ;  wing-coverts,  chiefly  black,  barred 
with  white;  elongated  and  decurved  scapulars,  and  inner 
secondaries,  white,  edged  with  black ;  lower  neck  and  upper 
breast,  white,  interrupted  by  two  black  crescents ;  abdomen 
and  under  tail-coverts,  white  ;  flanks,  tinged  with  light  brown. 

Adult  male,  post  nuptial  or  eclipse.1 — It  would  appear 
that  the  adult  male  of  this  species  (like  other  Mergansers) 
assumes  a  plumage  in  late  summer  which  approaches  that 
of  the  female. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  head-crest,  which  is  longer 
and  more  drooping  than  that  of  the  male,  is  of  a  reddish- 
brown  colour  ;  head,  back  of  neck,  back,  and  wings,  brown  ; 
chin,  white ;  front  of  neck,  light  brown  ;  breast  and  ab- 
domen, white. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  respec- 
tive nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  female 
plumage,  but  the  crest  is  very  rudimentary  or  wanting. 

BEAK.     Black 

FEET.     Dull  red. 

IRIDES.  Bright  yellow. 

EGG.       Ivory  white  :  clutch,  five  to  eight. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 19      in. 

WING 7-75  „ 

BEAK         1'5     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...       1*5     ,, 

EGG  ...  2-1  x  1-75  in. 


1  Note. — It  seems  highly  probable  that  the  adult  males  of  all  the 
Palaearctic  and  Nearctic  Ducks  which  differ  in  plumage  from  the  females, 
assume  in  late  summer,  and  usually  for  a  short  period,  an  eclipse  dress. 
It  would  appear  that  in  this  garb  several  species  are  overlooked.  The 
reader  is  referred  to  an  interesting  article  in  the  *  Avicultural  Magazine,' 
1906,  pp.  259  et  seq.,  where  Mr.  Finn  maintains  that  the  Ferruginous 
Duck  assumes  no  eclipse  plumage ;  on  the  other  hand,  in  the  Bulletin  of 
the  Brit.  Ornith.  Club,  vol.  xvi,  p.  80,  a  reference  is  made  to  Naumann's 
Naturgesch.  Vog.  Mitteleuropas,  pi.  x,  fig.  4,  and  pi.  xiv,  fig.  1,  where  the 
eclipse  plumage  of  Ferruginous  Duck  is  figured. 

Mr.  J.  Lewis  Bonhote  has  recently  described  an  intermediate  plumage 
of  the  Shoveler  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xvi,  p.  64),  and,  in  detail,  the  eclipse 
plumage  of  the  Smew  (Avicult.  Mag.,  1905,  p.  122). 

In  Cat.  Birds  Brit.  Mus.,  xxvii,  p.  408,  the  eclipse  plumage  of  the 
Velvet  Scoter  is  described,  but  of  the  Common  Scoter  it  is  stated  "males 
in  moulting  dress  are  unknown."  p.  403  (Salvadori). 
11 


162 


Order    COLUMBA.1 

Family  COLUMBID^]. 

RING-DOVE.     Columba  palumbus  (Linnaeus). 

STOCK-DOVE.     Columba  anas  (Linnseus). 
ROCK-DOVE.     Columba  lima,  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

TURTLE-DOVE.     Turtur  communis  (Selby). 
RUFOUS  TURTLE-DOVE.     Turtur  orientalis  (Latham). 

Order    PTEROCLETES.1 

Family  PTEROCLID^E. 
PALLAS'S  SAND-GROUSE.     Syrrhaptes  paradoxus  (Pallas). 

Order    GALLING.1 

Family  TETRAONID^E. 

CAPERCAILLIE.     Tetrao  urogallus  (Linnaeus). 

BLACK  GROUSE.     Tetrao  tetrix  (Linnaeus). 

RED  GROUSE.     Lagopus  scoticus  (Latham). 

PTARMIGAN.    Lagopus  mutus  (Montin). 

Family  PHASIANID^E. 

PHEASANT.     Phasianus  colchicus  (Linnaeus). 

COMMON  PARTRIDGE.     Perdix  cinerea  (Latham). 

RED-LEGGED  PARTRIDGE.     Caccabis  rufa  (Linnaeus). 

QUAIL.     Coturnix  communis  (Bonnaterre). 

1  The  species  (consisting  entirely  of  Land-Birds),  which  belong  to  the 
Orders  COLUMBA,  PTEBOCLETES,  and  GALLING,  are  here  men- 
tioned, so  that  the  links  in  the  chain  of  classification  between  the  pre- 
ceding and  succeeding  Orders  of  Aquatic  Birds,  may  be  seen. 


163 


Order   GRALL^E. 


Sub-Order  FULICABI2E. 


Family 
CORN-CRAKE.     Crex  pratensis   (Bechstein). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
87  ;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  499  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  iv,  pi.  55. 

The  Corn-Crake,1  or  Land-Rail,  is  by  far  the  best-known 
member  of  its  family.  It  is  widely  distributed  in  summer 
over  the  British  Isles  and  is  even  plentiful  on  many  of  the 
remote  islands  off  the  western  sea-board  of  Scotland  and 
Ireland.  In  some  districts,  the  birds  are  very  abundant, 
and  their  harsh  voices  may  be  heard  in  chorus  from  the 
meadows  around,  yet  comparatively  few  persons  are  familiar 
with  the  size  and  colour  of  this  species.  Like  other  Crakes, 
it  skulks  in  cover  during  the  day-time,  and  is  most  reluctant 
to  take  wing,  unless  suddenly  surprised  in  close  quarters  by 
a  dog.  It  is  mainly  the  voice  which  is  known  to  the  general 
public,  and  were  the  bird  more  silent  it  might  pass  as  a 
much  scarcer  summer-visitor. 

The  Corn-Crake  usually  arrives  during  the  latter  half  of 
April  and  early  May,2  remains  to  breed  during  the  summer, 
and  takes  its  departure  in  October.  It  is  quite  true  that  a 
very  small  percentage  of  those  that  breed  here  are  recorded 
annually  in  winter  from  some  part  or  other  of  the  British 
Isles,  but  this  is  no  criterion  that  this  species  is  not  migra- 

1  The  voice  is  such  a  characteristic  feature  that  I  much  prefer  the 
name  Corn-Crake  to  Land-Rail,  besides,  this  bird  is  more  closely  allied 
to  the  succeeding  Crakes  (Porzana)  than  to  the  Water-Bail  (Eallus). 

2  As  an  exceptionally  early  occurrence,  may  be  mentioned   a  bird 
caught  on  the  Tuskar  rock  off  Wexford,  on  March  28th,  1884  (Ussher). 


164  EALLID^ 

tory. 1  In  Ireland,  where  the  seasons  are  generally  less  severe 
than  in  England  or  Scotland,  there  have  been  numbers  of 
records  of  Corn-Crakes  taken  in  winter,  but  according  to 
Mr.  Ussher,  though  birds  have  been  obtained  in  November, 
December,  January,  and  February,  there  is  nothing  to  show 
that  any  have  remained  until  March.  It  is  also  quite  true 
that  these  few  stragglers,  or  winter  Corn-Crakes,  are  gene- 
rally discovered  ensconced  in  holes  in  walls  or  banks.  They 
are  not  hibernating  in  the  true  physiological  sense,  but  being 
accustomed  to  more  southern  climes  in  winter,  are  simply 


FIG.  19.  -CORN-CRAKE. 

seeking  what  warmth  and  shelter  they  can  obtain  ;  indeed 
they  are  often  found  to  be  slightly  injured  by  shot,2  or  in  a 
debilitated  condition,  and  so  unable  to  undertake  a  journey 
across  the  sea. 

In  the  Outer  Hebrides  there  have  been  several  instances 
of  these  birds  remaining  throughout  the  winter,  and  one 
was  recorded  at  the  unusual  date  of  March  3rd,  1902 
(Harvie-Brown,  *  Avifauna  of  the  Outer  Hebrides  '). 

Flight. — One  must  not  suppose  that  the  Corn-Crake  is 
weak  on  the  wing,  because,  when  flushed  by  a  dog  out  of  the 

1  Sportsmen  sometimes  make  the  mistake  of  stating  that  they  often 
shoot  Corn-Crakes  in  winter  and   can  obtain  one  any  winter.     I  have 
frequently  acceded  to  their  kind  offers  and  have  duly  received,  just  as 
I  expected,  specimens  of  Water-Rails. 

2  For  instance,  Mr.  W.  J.  Williams  records  a  specimen  obtained  from 
co.  Armagh,  on  February  2nd,  1906,  in  which  the  wing  had  been  pre- 
viously broken,  but  the  bone  had  united  ( '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1906,  p.  112). 


COKN-CKAKE  165 

long  grass,  it  flits  off  in  an  awkward  manner  with  its  legs 
dangling  down,  only  to  alight  in  the  same  or  an  adjoining 
meadow ;  for  this  bird  is  nocturnal  in  its  habits,  and  when 
awakened  by  the  sudden  approach  of  a  dog,  finding  no 
chance  of  escape  by  running  and  hiding  (which  all  Crakes 
prefer),  terrified,  it  shoots  up  vertically  through  the  long 
grass,  dangling  its  legs  parallel  to  the  grass-stems  so  as  not 
to  impede  its  flight.1  I  attribute  its  very  short  flight  under 
these  circumstances  to  sensitiveness  to  daylight,  for  I  have 
noted  that  when  hunting  Corn-Crakes  in  the  summer  with 
dogs,  if  the  sun  be  shining  very  brightly,  they  rise  on  the 
wing  only  to  drop  again  immediately. 

But  I  have  observed  the  flight  of  this  species  when 
migrating,  to  be  very  different.  For  instance,  at  daybreak 
on  August  13th,  1890,  when  steaming  from  Belfast  to 
Dublin  and  about  ten  miles  off  the  coast  of  the  co.  Down, 
I  observed  a  Corn-Crake  flying  over  the  sea.  As  it  neared 
our  steamer  it  descended  in  its  flight  and  passed  us  in  a 
rather  zig-zag  manner  and  with  great  velocity.  At  one 
time  it  came  within  fifteen  yards  of  the  steamer  flying 
almost  on  a  level  with  the  deck.  The  legs  were  certainly 
not  dangling  down,  and  as  far  as  I  could  ascertain  they 
were  stretched  out  behind.  At  night,  these  birds  have 
been  observed  by  hundreds  round  lighthouses  and  light- 
ships, and  the  "repeated  occurrence  of  the  Corn-Crake 
several  miles  from  shore— killed  striking  against  lanterns 
between  100  and  200  feet  above  the  sea-level — must  satisfy 
the  most  sceptical  that  this  species  can  fly  at  a  high  level 
with  great  power  and  velocity."2  But  it  is  not  surprising 
that  this  bird  should  be  endowed  with  great  and  sus- 
taining powers  of  flight:  it  is  not  only  an  essentially 
migratory  species,  but  one  which  at  times  ventures  upon 
vast  peregrinations  across  the  Oceans.  Thus  Professor 
Newton  states  that  "  in  the  course  of  its  wanderings 
it  has  now  been  known  to  reach  the  coast  of  Greenland, 
and  several  times  that  of  North  America,  to  say  nothing  of 
Bermuda,  in  every  instance  we  may  believe  as  a  straggler 


1  Many  other  nocturnal  birds  when  startled  in  the  daytime  from  their 
sleeping-quarters   take   wing   in   quite   a   different   manner    from   their 
ordinary  evening  flight.     Witness  the  confused  bustling  flight  of  a  Wood- 
cock, or  even  of  an  Owl,  disturbed  in  the  daytime,  compared  with  the 
buoyant  slow-flapping  evening  flight. 

2  Barrington  and  More,  Migration  Keports,  1886,  p.  5. 


166 

from  Europe,  or  Barbary.  An  example  has  even  been 
recorded  from  New  South  Wales"  (Eec.  Austral.  Mus.  ii, 
p.  82).  _ 

It  is  hardly  less  surprising  that  anyone  who  has  ever 
taken  the  trouble  to  carefully  examine  and  to  weigh  a  dead 
Corn-Crake  can  possibly  doubt  its  power  of  flight.  Com- 
pared, for  instance,  with  that  of  many  other  migratory 
species,  we  find  that  its  body  is  proportionately  lighter  in 
weight,  its  pinions,  though  not  long  and  pointed,  are  of 
considerable  breadth  and  strength,  while  its  narrow  com- 
pressed neck  and  body  offer  little  resistance  to  the  velocity 
of  its  flight. 


FIG.  20.— HEAD  OF  CORN-CRAKE.     11  Nat.  size. 


Voice. — I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  in  syllables  the 
familiar  rasping  call-note  of  the  male  Corn-Crake.  It  can 
be  readily  reproduced  by  drawing  a  stick  across  the  teeth 
of  a  comb.  By  this  form  of  mimicry  the  bird  may  be 
gradually  attracted  to  within  a  few  yards,  and  the  performer 
who  keeps  still  and  lies  low  in  a  ditch  will  be  amused  by 
watching  how  a  suspicious  old  male  will  tread  cautiously 
through  the  grass  until  he  comes  into  full  view  at  the  edge 
of  the  meadow.  Here  he  may  be  seen  commencing  to 
1  crake  '  defiantly  in  answer  to  his  supposed  rival.  But  I 
have  found  from  experience  that  the  artificial  voice  will 
carry  much  further  if,  instead  of  using  a  stick  and  a  comb, 
the  edge  of  a  flat  dry  bone  (e.g.,  a  piece  of  a  rib  of  an  ox), 
about  six  inches  in  length,  is  passed  over  the  edge  of 
another  bone  which  has  been  notched  and  toothed  like  a 
saw.  By  such  a  contrivance  I  have  coaxed  a  Corn-Crake 
from  one  end  of  a  large  field  to  another.  The  voice  is 
exceedingly  powerful,  and  when  heard  close  at  hand,  seems 
by  its  vibrations  almost  to  shake  the  ground  on  which  the 


COKN-CEAKE  167 

bird  is  standing.  I  am  satisfied  after  repeated  observation, 
that  this  species  possesses  no  peculiar  powers  of  modu- 
lating its  voice  after  the  fashion  of  a  ventriloquist.  The 
note  is  a  loud  vociferous  rasp,  invariably  uttered  with  the 
greatest  amount  of  power  and  zest ;  moreover,  the  careful 
listener  will  generally  hear  a  loud  call  followed  by  a  more 
distant  one,  and  this  alternation  often  continues  for  some 
time.  This  is  simply  the  result  of  two  males  in  different 
parts  of  a  meadow,  '  craking '  in  response,  as  though  con- 
tending with  one  another  for  their  right  of  territory  during 
the  breeding-season.  The  '  crake '  is  sounded  both  when 
the  bird  is  running  and  standing,  hence  the  constant  altera- 
tion in  the  volume,  but  not  in  the  tone  of  the  voice,  as  the 
birds  move  rapidly  through  the  meadow. 

Sir  E.  Payne-Gallwey  rejects  the  idea  of  ventriloquism 
in  the  Corn-Crake,  and  attributes  the  variations  in  sound  to 
the  alternate  calling  of  two  males,  while  challenging  each 
other,  and  in  the  meantime  moving  from  place  to  place. 

The  note  is  commonly  heard  towards  evening  and  during 
the  night,  usually  when  the  bird  is  in  cover.  Mr.  Ussher, 
however,  cites  a  case  of  a  Corn-Crake  "  standing  openly  in  a 
field  before  a  house  in  Donegal  while  it  craked  loudly."  He 
also  describes  another  call  "  like  the  squeal  of  a  trapped 
rabbit,  and  in  one  case  the  bird,  which  produced  it  in  a 
suppressed  tone,  was  approaching  its  hatching  mate." 

Food.  —  This  species  lives  on  insects,  small  worms, 
slugs,  and  vegetable  substances,  including  the  seeds  of 
grasses,  and  clover.  Its  flesh  is  very  palatable,  and  in 
former  days  was  considered  a  table  luxury,  for  so  Dry  den 
says  :— 

"  The  rayle  which  seldom  comes  but  upon  rich  men's  spits." 

Nest. — It  is  quite  a  mistake  to  think  that  the  Corn- 
Crake  is  exclusively  a  *  dry-land '  bird,  breeding  only  in 
long  meadows,  clover,  or  corn-fields  :  the  large  majority  do 
resort  to  such  situations,  nevertheless  in  some  cases  the  nest 
is  built  among  damp  herbage.  In  the  co.  Wicklow  I  have 
more  than  once  flushed  a  hatching-bird  from  off  her  nest 
on  a  small  grass-grown  hillock,  damp  and  sodden  and 
surrounded  by  bog-land  and  reeds.  That  the  Corn-Crake  is 
in  some  cases  partially  aquatic  like  its  congeners,  in  the 
nesting-season,  is  borne  out  by  the  remarks  of  Mr.  Ussher, 
namely,  that  on  small  islets  off  Wexford,  it  "  nests  annually 
in  rank  grass  among  the  colony  of  Terns,"  and  again 


168 

in  describing  its  distribution  in  Ireland,  he  says,  it  ''is 
to  be  found  on  flat,  sedgy  islands  in  the  larger  lakes, 
where  one  cannot  walk  with  dry  feet."  The  nest  is  com- 
posed of  dry  grass  and  small  weeds.  The  eggs,  six  to  ten 
in  number,  are  of  a  very  pale  buff-colour,  spotted  and  finely 
blotched  with  reddish-brown. 

Incubation  begins  early  in  June.  Hundreds  of  hatching- 
birds  and  their  eggs  are  destroyed  annually  by  the  mowing- 
machine,  but  the  numbers  are  maintained  by  the  birds 
that  breed  in  corn,  which  is  not  cut  until  the  broods  are 
hatched,  and  also  by  those  which  resort  to  uncultivated 
ground  where  the  mowing-machine  is  not  used. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Abroad,  the  Corn-Crake 
breeds  freely  over  a  large  area  of  Temperate  Europe,  extend- 
ing its'  range  in  suinmer  even  to  the  Arctic  Circle.  East- 
ward, it  can  be  traced  as  a  breeding-species  over  the  greater 
part  of  the  Asiatic  Continent.  In  winter  it  migrates  to 
Central  and  Southern  Africa  as  well  as  to  Arabia. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.1  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back  of 
neck,  back,  and  scapulars,  dark  brown,  the  feathers  being 
broadly  edged  with  dull  yellowish-buff;  wing-coverts  and 
primaries,2  beautiful  rich  chestnut,  conspicuous  when  the 
bird  is  flying  ;  cheeks,  greyish  ;  throat,  white  ;  breast, 
greyish-buff;  abdomen,  greyish- white  ;  flanks,  alternately 
barred  with  chestnut  and  buff. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  grey  on  the  head,  and  the 
chestnut  on  the  wings  are  duller  than  in  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.— -The  grey  on  the  head 
.and  breast  is  replaced  by  ochreous-brown,  and  some  of  the 
wing-coverts  show  whitish  bars. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  winter 
adult  plumage. 

Nestling. — Dark   brownish-black. 

BEAK.     Light  brown. 

FEET.     Brown.. 
1  IRIDES.  Light  hazel. 

1  Partial  and  entire  albino  Corn-Crakes  are  on  record. 

2  According  to  Mr.  J.  L.  Bonhote,  the  primaries  and  secondaries  are 
shed  simultaneously.     ('Zoologist,'  1900,  p.  29). 


SPOTTED  CKAKE  169 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...  10*5    in.  Female  smaller. 

WING         5-25  „ 

BEAK         0'75  „ 

TABSO-METATARSUS  1*8     ,, 

EGG  1'45  x  1*1  in. 


SPOTTED   CRAKE.     Porzana  maruetta,  (Leach). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
88 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  496  ;  Lilford, 
1  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  iv,  pi.  56. 

This  bird,  intermediate  in  size  between  the  Corn-Crake 
and  Little  Crake,  is  an  annual  summer-migrant  to  England, 
though  not  plentiful.  A  certain  number  remain  with  us 
during  the  summer  to  breed,  others  occur  as  birds  of 
double  passage  in  spring  and  autumn,  while  a  very  few 
sojourn  in  our  Isles  for  the  winter.  In  the  south  of 
England  the  Spotted  Crake  usually  arrives  about  the  middle 
of  March  (0.  V.  Aplin,  <  Zoologist,'  1890  and  1891).  In 
October  there  is  a  general  move  southward,  both  of  the 
birds  which  have  remained  throughout  the  summer,  and  of 
those  which  arrive  after  the  nesting-season,  in  the  early 
autumn. 

To  Scotland  the  Spotted  Crake  is  chiefly  a  passing 
visitor  in  autumn,  but  it  has  bred  in  several  counties : 
specimens  have  been  procured  in  the  Orkneys  and  Shet- 
lands.  In  the  latter  Islands  the  latest  record  appears 
to  be  that  of  a  female  bird  taken  in  1901,  close  by  Cliff 
Loch,  being  the  fourth  obtained  in  the  Shetlands  (Saxby, 
'Zoologist,'  1901). 

In  Ireland  this  species  is  apparently  scarce ;  it  has 
been  obtained  chiefly  in  autumn.  However,  owing  to  its 
skulking  habits  it  is  hard  to  estimate  the  numbers 
which  are  annually  overlooked  in  the  spring  and  early 
summer,  i.e.,  during  the  close  season  from  shooting. 
Indeed,  as  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Ussher,  when  the  sportsman 
starts  '  flapper '  shooting  in  early  August,  he  invades  the 
haunts  of  the  Spotted  Crake,  hence  the  number  of  speci- 
mens recorded  in  that  month.  In  October  the  birds  appear 


170  BALLID^E 

most  numerous,  and  for  a  two-fold  reason ;  firstly,  the 
shooting  has  become  very  general,  secondly,  the  birds, 
which  may  have  remained  all  the  summer,  are  reinforced 
by  passing  autumn-migrants.  It  is  very  unlikely,  save  in 
a  few  cases,  that  the  Spotted  Crake  winters  in  Ireland. 
The  only  counties  without  records  of  its  occurrence  are  the 
following  : — Limerick,  King's  Co.,  Meath,  Leitrim,  Gal  way, 
Cavan,  Kilkenny,  Carlow,  Kildare,  Longford,  and  Monaghan. 

Like  the  Corn-Crake,  this  species  may  be  found  fre- 
quenting uplands  and  dry  meadows,  but  it  is  more  partial  to 
wet  ditches  abounding  in  a  thick  growth  of  brambles  and 
weeds,  in  the  midst  of  which  it  can  hide  from  its  enemies. 
It  is  most  difficult  to  induce  this  bird  to  take  wing,  for 
even  when  hotly  pursued  by  a  good  water-dog  it  will  dodge 
in  and  out,  making  for  the  most  intricate  cover,  from  which 
it  can  be  dislodged  only  with  the  greatest  difficulty.  As  we 
catch  a  glimpse  of  it  stealing  silently  away,  we  regard  it  for 
a  moment  as  a  small  mammal,  perhaps  a  rat,  not  a  bird. 
Mr.  Harting  has  noted  it  "  swimming  like  a  little  Moor- 
hen, nodding  its  head  and  flirting  its  tail." 

Flight. — The  Spotted  Crake  can  fly  at  a  considerable 
height  and  with  great  speed.  When  migrating  around  the 
coast  it  is  known  to  fly  some  distance  out  to  sea.  As  an 
instance  of  this  fact  we  find  that  it  has  been  taken  at  isolated 
lighthouses,  such  as  the  Tearaght,  off  the  co.  Kerry,  on 
August  21st,  1887,  and  the  Fastnet,  off  the  co.  Cork,  August 
20th,  1895  (Barrington,  '  Migration  of  Birds '). 

Voice. — The  note,  as  described  by  Mr.  Saunders,  is  a 
peculiar  whuit,  whuit. 

Food. — The  food  consists  of  aquatic  insects  and  vegetable 
material,  together  with  worms  and  slugs. 

Nest.  —  In  its  nesting-habits  this  Crake  is  strongly 
aquatic.  It  usually  builds  in  thick  reed -grown  marshes, 
or  in  a  tussock ;  sometimes  on  an  islet  of  sedges  with 
water  all  round.  The  outside  of  the  nest  is  formed  of 
long  flags ;  the  cup-shaped  centre  is  lined  with  fine  soft 
grass  (Saunders).  The  eggs,  eight  to  ten  in  number,  are 
greenish-brown,  blotched  and  dashed  with  dark  reddish- 
brown. 

The  Spotted  Crake  has  nested  in  the  following  districts 
in  England  : — Several  of  the  southern  counties,  East  Anglia, 
the  Humber,  Trent,  and  Solway  districts,  Durham,  and 
Northumberland . 

In  Wales  it  has  nested  in  the  bogs  of  Breconshire. 


SPOTTED  CKAKE  171 

In  Scotland  it  has  bred  as  far  north  as  Elgin,  also  in 
Kirkcudbrightshire  and  Dumfriesshire  (Saunders). 

In  Ireland  there  is  one  authenticated  instance,  namely, 
from  the  county  Eoscommon,  where  Colonel  Irwin  obtained 
a  nest  with  nine  eggs  in  a  swamp  near  Castleplunket,  about 
1851.  At  that  period  this  species  was  not  uncommon  in 
the  district  (Ussher).  It  is  worth  noting  that,  according 
to  Thompson,  a  young  bird,  still  retaining  some  down,  was 
obtained  in  the  co.  Kerry. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  freely  in 
many  countries  of  Central  and  Southern  Europe.  It 
reaches  latitude  65°  N.  in  Scandinavia,  but  has  not  yet 
been  noticed  in  Iceland  or  the  Faroes,  though  twice  obtained 
in  Greenland  (Saunders).  Eastward  it  can  be  traced,  as 
a  breeding  species,  to  Central  Asia  ;  in  winter  it  migrates 
to  India,  North  and  Central  Africa. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Top  of  head,  dark 
brown  ;  back  and  wings,  greenish-brown,  with  darker 
streaks,  and  prettily  speckled  with  white  especially  about 
the  neck  and  tail-coverts ;  cheeks  and  throat,  dull  grey ; 
breast,  brown,  also  speckled  with  white ;  flanks,  barred 
with  brown  and  white ;  abdomen,  grey. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Duller  in  colour  than  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Somewhat  similar  to 
the  respective  nuptial  plumages  except  that  the  white  spots 
are  more  profuse,  and  are  visible  on  the  cheeks,  throat,  and 
side  of  neck. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  spots  are  much  more 
profuse  than  in  the  adult,  and  the  throat  is  white. 

Nestling. — Glossy  greenish -black. 

BEAK.     Yellow,  shaded  with  red  at  the  base. 

FEET.     Yellowish-green. 

IRIDES.  Keddish-brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH          9      in. 

WING 4-5    „ 

BEAK 0'5    ,, 

TARSOMETATARSUS 1*25  ,, 

EGG  ...  1-3  X '9  in. 


172  KALLID^ 

Note. — "  A  specimen  of  the  Carolina  Crake,  P.  Carolina, 
shot  near  Newbury,  Berks,  was  exhibited  at  the  meeting 
of  the  Zoological  Society,  February  14th  1865,  by  Professor 
Newton,  who  remarked  upon  the  powers  of  endurance  in 
their  flight  of  various  members  of  the  family  Rallidse, 
and  upon  the  capture  of  this  species  on  one  occasion  in 
Greenland.  In  the  '  Field '  of  December  4th  1897,  Mr. 
C.  Clive  Bayley  records  that  two  came  on  board  the  yacht 
"Vampa"  in  about  latitude  20°  N.  and  longitude  55°  W. ; 
one  of  them  taking  food  freely  and  reaching  England  alive. 
The  adult  may  be  distinguished  from  the  European  bird  by 
its  black  face"  (Saunders). 


LITTLE  CRAKE.     Porzana  parva  (Scopoli). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
90  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  498 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  iv,  pis.  57  and  58. 

The  Little  Crake  is  a  rare  visitor  in  spring  and  autumn. 
The  earliest  British  specimen  on  record  is  a  bird  obtained 
in  Sussex  in  March,  1791  (Markwick,  '  Catalogue  of  Sussex 
Birds,'  p.  9).  Several  have  been  obtained  since  in  the 
same  county.  The  species  has  been  most  often  recorded 
from  Norfolk. 

In  November,  1898,  a  Little  Crake  was  procured  in 
Shropshire,  seven  miles  north  of  Shrewsbury.  This  occur- 
rence is  of  special  interest,  for  it  appears  to  be  the  first 
authenticated  record  "for  any  of  the  western  counties 
north  of  Somerset"  (H.  E.  Forrest,  'Zoologist,'  1900, 
p.  280).  Specimens  have  also  been  recorded  from  the 
following  counties,  chiefly  maritime  : — Cumberland,  Lan- 
cashire, Yorkshire,  Lincolnshire,  Suffolk,  Cambridgeshire, 
Oxfordshire,  Middlesex,  Kent,  Hampshire,  Dorset,  Somerset, 
Devon,  and  Cornwall 

In  Scotland  one  was  procured  in  March,  1852,  and  is 
now  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney  (Saunders). 

Only  two  examples  have  been  taken  in  Ireland.  One, 
a  male  from  Balbriggan,  co.  Dublin,  shot  March  lltb, 
1854.  This  bird  is  preserved  in  the  collection  of  the  late 
Canon  Tristram,  acquired  by  the  Liverpool  Museum.  The 


LITTLE  CEAKE  173 

second  was  obtained  near  Rathangan,  co.  Kildare,  on 
November  12th,  1903  (Williams,  '  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  460). 
As  there  has  been  a  lapse  of  almost  half  a  century  between 
the  two  captures,  and  as  the  species  has  been  taken  so 
much  oftener  proportionately  in  England,  it  is  probable  that 
this  diminutive  Crake,  skulking  in  its  habits,  has  been  to 
a  certain  extent  overlooked.  This  is  still  more  likely  when 
we  bear  in  mind  that  the  numbers  of  workers  at  Irish 
ornithology  are  comparatively  few.  Even  in  England 
I  have  little  doubfc  that  the  bird  often  escapes  observation. 

In  its  general  habits  the  Little  Crake  may  be  well 
ranked  among  our  aquatic  birds.  It  not  only  frequents 
marshes,  but  it  constantly  enters  the  water,  swimming  and 
diving  in  search  of  food.  Its  diminutive  form  and  light 
weight1  allow  of  its  running  along  the  surface  of  floating 
leaves  such  as  those  of  the  water-lily,  a  habit  with  which 
we  are  familiar  in  the  case  of  nestling  Water-Hens  and 
Coots. 

Flight. — This  bird  is  rapid  on  the  wing,  but  it  generally 
steals  into  cover  on  foot  to  escape  its  enemies. 

Voice. — The  note  is  a  defiant  kik,  kik,  kik  (Saunders). 

Food. — This  consists  for  the  most  part  of  aquatic  insects 
and  vegetables ;  small  worms  and  slugs  are  also  eaten. 

Nest. — -The  nest  is  built  among  tufts  of  sedges  raised 
above  the  level  of  the  water.  The  lining  materials  used 
are  short,  broad  bits  of  reed-blades  (W.  Eagle  Clarke). 
The  eggs,  about  seven  to  the  clutch,  are  pale  olive,  with 
darker  greenish-brown  markings. 

There  have  been  no  records  of  the  Little  Crake  breeding 
in  our  Isles,  but  it  is  quite  conceivable  that  some  of  the 
spring-visitors  may  remain  during  the  summer  for  this 
purpose,  and  be  overlooked. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  species  breeds 
in  many  countries  in  Central,  Southern,  and  Eastern 
Europe,  also  in  Asia  and  parts  of  North  Africa.  In  winter 
it  migratesto  the  Tropical  regions  of  Asia  and  Africa. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  except  the  centre 
of  the  crown,  which  is  olive-brown,  throat  and  front  of  neck, 
breast  and  abdomen,  slate-grey ;  under  tail-coverts,  spotted 

1  Which  does  not  exceed  If  ozs. 


174  EALLIDJE 

and  barred  with  white  ;  thighs,  spotted  with  a  similar  colour  ; 
hind-neck,  back,  and  wings,  olive-brown,  the  back  being 
broadly  streaked  with  black  and  marked  along  the  middle 
line  with  a  few  white  spots  ;  primaries,  entirely  brown,  the 
outer  web  of  the  first  thus  differing  from  that  of  Baillon's 
Crake ;  tail-feathers  and  inner  secondaries  have  dark  centres 
and  broad  greenish-brown  margins. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back  and  sides 
of  neck,  light  brown  ;  streak  over  the  eye,  grey ;  chin  and 
throat,  white ;  front  of  neck,  breast,  and  abdomen,  rich 
tawny-buff;  sides  and  under  tail-coverts,  ash-grey,  thinly 
barred  with  white. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Bears  a  general  resem- 
blance to  the  respective  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Breast  and  abdomen, 
pale  buff,  almost  white ;  flanks  more  streaked  than  in 
the  adult. 

Nestling. — Glossy-black  with  a  greenish  tinge. 

BEAK.     Ked  at  base  ;  point,  green. 

FEET.     Green. 

IEIDES.  Bed. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 8      in. 

WING        4-2     „ 

BEAK        0%5     „ 

TAKSO-METATAESUS        1*4     „ 

EGG  I'l  x  *85  in. 


BAILLON'S  CRAKE.     Porzana  bailloni  (Vieillot). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
89  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  497  ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  iv,  pi.  59. 

Baillon's  Crake  (which  more  strictly  speaking  might  be 
called  the  Little  Crake,  for  it  is  smaller  than  the  last 
species)  is  a  rare  and  an  uncertain  visitor,  chiefly  in  spring 
and  autumn.1  But  there  is  stronger  evidence,  than  in  the 

1  Mr.  Harting  is  of  the  opinion  that  Baillon's  Crake  is  a  local  resident 
in  England,  the  bird  having  been  procured  in  nearly  every  month  of 
the  year.  Mr.  Saunders,  on  the  other  hand,  considers  that  there  is  no 


BAILLON'S  CEAKE  175 

case  of  the  Little  Crake,  that  this  species  may  remain 
with  us  in  some  districts  during  the  summer  months  to 
breed.  Most  specimens  have  come  from  Norfolk.  It  has 
also  been  recorded  from  the  following  counties,  seven  of 
which  are  maritime  and  have  furnished  us  with  examples 
of  the  Little  Crake : — Cumberland,  Lancashire,  Yorkshire, 
Suffolk,  Derbyshire,  Nottinghamshire,1  Hertfordshire, 
Dorset,  Somerset  and  Cornwall. 

In  Wales  this  species  appears  to  have  been  obtained 
but  once,  namely  at  Llangwstenin,  near  Colwyn  Bay,  on 
November  6th,  1905  (H.  E.  Forrest,  'Zoologist,'  1905, 
p.  465). 

From  Scotland  there  are  four  records : — One  probably 
obtained  in  Sutherland  in  1841  (in  the  Sinclair  collection 
at  Thurso)  ;  one  from  Dumfriesshire,  recorded  by  Jardine, 
1842 ;  one  from  Stranraer,  1891 ;  and  one  from  Kenfrew- 
shire,  in  May,  1893  ;  the  last  bird  having  struck  a  telegraph 
wire  (Saunders). 

In  Ireland  only  two2  examples  have  been  obtained,  one  in 
spring,  the  other  in  autumn,  and  both  many  years  ago.  The 
first  was  procured  on  a  bog  near  Youghal,  on  October  30th, 
1845,  It  was  subsequently  examined  by  the  late  Mr.  A.  G. 
More  ('Zoologist,'  1882,  p.  113).  The  second  bird  was 
captured  alive  on  Tramore  Bay,  co.  Waterford,  on  April  6th, 
1858.  It  was  presented  in  1892,  by  Dr.  Burkitt,  to  the 
Dublin  Museum. 

Baillon's  Crake  is  also  a  bird  of  the  wet  marshes,  though, 
according  to  Mr.  Saunders,  it  "  appears  to  be  less  partial  to 

meres  and  open  waters  than  the  Little  Crake 

if  disturbed  it  runs  like  a  water-rat  in  preference  to  taking 
wing." 

Flight. — Like  other  Crakes,  it  is  rapid  in  its  flight  when 
once  fairly  started,  but  one  very  seldom  has  the  opportunity 
of  watching  its  aerial  movements. 


evidence  to  show  that  the  bird  remains  throughout  the  year,  though 
a  specimen  is  said  to  have  been  captured  on  some  ice  near  Cambridge 
in  January,  1823. 

1  A  specimen  was  picked  up  under  telegraph  wires  near  Nottingham, 
on  June  22nd,  1893  ('Zoologist,'  1893). 

2  It   is  highly  probable   that  this   diminutive  Crake  has   also   been 
repeatedly  overlooked  ;  sportsmen  when  beating  the  marsh  with  a  well- 
trained  dog  may  secure  one.     Even  if  killed  by  a  dog  and  almost  torn 
to  pieces,  the  remains  should  not  be  thrown  away,  but  sent  at  once  to 
a  competent  authority  for  proper  identification. 


176  BALLID^E 

Voice. — The  note  has  been  described  as  Jcek,  Jcek,  kek. 
The  nestling  utters  a  low  piping  cry  (Saunders). 

Food. — The  food,  like  that  of  the  preceding  species,  con- 
sists largely  of  aquatic  insects  and  plants,  together  with 
small  worms  and  slugs. 

Nest. — The  nest,  large  for  the  size  of  the  owner,  is  built 
amid  the  shelter  of  reeds  and  sedges  and  such  like  marshy 
vegetation.  The  eggs  resemble  those  of  the  Little  Crake, 
but  the  ground-colour  and  other  markings  are  darker. 


Fm.  21.— HEAD   OF  BAILLON'S  CRAKE.     Nat.  size. 

The  only  counties  in  the  British  Isles  where  this 
bird  has  been  found  nesting  appear  to  be  Norfolk  and 
Cambridgeshire.  In  the  latter,  two  nests  with  eggs, 
said  to  belong  to  this  species,  were  discovered  in  June  and 
August,  1858  ('  Zoologist,'  1859).  Two  more  were  taken  in 
the  former  county  in  June  and  July,  1866  ('  Zoologist/  1866). 
This  bird  has  probably  nested  in  other  counties  and  escaped 
observation. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  at  no  great 
distance  from  our  Isles,  viz.,  in  Holland  and  North-west 
France,  so  that,  as  indicated  by  Mr.  Saunders,  if  it  nested 
occasionally  with  us,  the  fact  should  not  cause  great  sur- 
prise. It  also  breeds  in  Spain,  Portugal,  Switzerland,  Italy, 
and  other  countries  in  Central,  Southern  and  South-eastern 
Europe,  as  well  as  in  Western  Asia  and  on  the  greater  part 
of  the  African  Continent  as  far  as  lat.  30°  S. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back  of 
neck,  back,  and  wings,  nut-brown,  spotted  with  black  and 
white  ;  cheeks,  throat,  breast,  and  abdomen,  slate-grey ; 
flanks  and  under  tail-coverts,  strongly  barred  with  black  and 


WATEE-KAIL  177 

white  ;  outer  web  of  the  first  primary,  white,  a  distinguish- 
able feature  (cf.  Little  Crake). 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Breast  and  abdomen,  light  grey; 
chin,  nearly  white ;  wings,  more  thickly  spotted  with  white 
than  in  the  male  ;  ground-colour  of  the  neck,  light  brown 
marked  with  darker  streaks.  The  white  on  the  web  of  the 
first  primary  is  less  distinct  than  in  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Eesembles  the  respec- 
tive nuptial  plumages,  but  the  shade  of  the  throat  is  much 
lighter,  almost  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Breast  and  abdomen,  barred 
with  different  shades  of  brown  ;  the  remainder  of  the  plu- 
mage resembling  that  of  the  female. 

Nestling. — Glossy-black. 

BEAK.     Green,  except  the  base  which  is  red. 

FEET.     Dull  olive. 

IRIDES.  Eed. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         7      in. 

WING        3-45  ,, 

BEAK         0'5     ,, 

TARSO-METATAKSUS        1        ,, 

EGG  1  x  -8  in. 


Note. — As  indicated  by  Mr.  Harting,  the  Little  Crake 
resembles  a  miniature  Corn-Crake,  whereas  Baillon's  Crake 
resembles  a  miniature  Spotted  Crake  (cf.  Little  Stint  with 
Dunlin,  and  Temminck's  Stint  with  Common  Sandpiper). 

Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — P.  pusilla, 
with  a  distinguishable  brown  stripe  through  the  eye  and 
ear-coverts,  is  the  Eastern  representative  (Saunders). 


WATER-RAIL.     Eallus  aquations  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
86 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  495  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  iv,  pi.  60. 

The   Water-Kail,    tolerably    common    and    widely  dis- 
tributed over  the  marshy  lands  of  the  British  Isles,  may  be 
12 


178  KALLID.E 

readily  distinguished  from  the  Corn-Crake  by  its  much 
longer  beak  and  darker  plumage.  Unlike  the  latter,  it  is 
resident  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  indeed,  is  generally 
observed  in  autumn  and  winter  more  often  than  in  the 
breeding-season.  It  is  not  improbable  that  numbers  of' 
our  home-bred  birds  move  southward  in  autumn,  while 
migrants  from  higher  latitudes  make  their  appearance  and 
remain  with  us  throughout  the  winter.  That  this  species 
is  migratory  in  its  habits  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  num- 
bers have  been  taken  at  remote  lighthouses  and  lightships 
(Barrington). 


FIG.  22.— WATER-RAIL. 

The  Water-Rail  is  a  much  more  plentiful  British  species 
than  is  popularly  supposed,  but  it  is  often  overlooked  owing 
to  its  habits  of  skulking  among  thick  aquatic  vegetation  on 
swampy  and  even' shaky  bog-land,  which  the  most  ardent 
snipe-shooter  will  hesitate  before  traversing,  and  also 
because  of  its  strong  disinclination  to  take  wing  when 
hunted.  I  have  frequently  shot  it  in  frosty  weather  when 
it  is  driven  to  resort  to  more  exposed  situations,  such  as  dry 
ditches,  rough  pasture-land,  and  along  the  margins  of  running 
streams.  In  hard  weather  I  have  seen  a  Water-Bail  outwit  a 
Cocker-spaniel  which  was  on  its  track,  by  running  along  the 


WATEK-KAIL  179 

bank  of  a  shallow  trout-stream  for  about  twenty  yards  until 
it  reached  the  trunk  of  a  sloping  willow,  which  it  ran  up 
with  all  speed,  not  halting  until  it  reached  an  outermost 
branch,  on  which  it  perched  in  safety.  It  is  wonderful 
through  what  dense  and  tangled  undergrowth  a  hunted 
Water-Kail  can  tread  its  way,  the  remarkably  narrow  breast 
and  flanks  being  admirably  adapted  for  such  habits.  It  will 
also  at  times  enter  the  water  and  swim  to  a  place  of 
safety. 

Flight. — As  in  the  case  of  the  Corn-Crake,  the  wing 
power  of  the  Water-Kail  must  not  be  judged  by  the  heavy, 
short  and  reluctant  flight  of  the  bird  when  suddenly  flushed 
from  cover.  As  yet  I  have  not  met  with  it  at  sea,  but 
judging  from  the  extremely  light  weight  of  its  body  (five 
ounces  being  the  average)  compared  with  its  size1  and  from 
the  proportionate  size  and  shape  of  the  wings,  I  have  no 
doubt  that  when  on  migration  its  flight  is  rapid  and  buoyant. 
Besides,  it  has  frequently  been  killed  when  striking  lanterns, 
stronger  evidence  still  of  the  rapid  rate  at  which  it  can  fly. 

Voice.  —  The  ordinary  voice,  frequently  heard  during 
the  breeding-season,  is  hoarse,  though  not  loud.  It  has 
rather  a  croaking  frog-like  sound  (Newton).  But  the 
call-note  of  the  male  is  much  louder  and  is  produced  with 
great  suddenness.  Mr.  Ussher  says,  its  "  outbursts  of 
hoarse  cries  are  startling  in  summer,  especially  when  a  shot 
is  fired  ;  they  give  the  idea  that  the  bird  is  hit  and  screaming 
with  pain,  though  often  uttered  without  assignable  cause. 

When   not    excited,    the   bird  produces   a 

sound  like  continued  grunting  and  squealing,  each  grunt 
being  prolonged  and  terminating  in  a  squealing  sound 
though  the  latter  is  not  shrill  like  that  of  a  pig."  Mr. 
Saunders  syllables  the  voice  as  cro-o-o-an. 

Food. — Vegetable  substances,  as  well  as  worms,  slugs,  and 
small  water-snails,  constitute  the  diet. 

Nest. — This  species  breeds  on  marshes,  usually  select- 
ing a  site  where  the  soil  is  boggy  and  yielding.  A 
favourite  spot  is  in  the  midst  of  a  dense  bed  of  tall  sedges, 
the  nest  being  a  little  elevated  on  a  tussock  of  such ' 
vegetation.  The  building-materials  are  reed  and  sedge- 
blades,  with  an  admixture  of  a  little  grass.  The  nest  is 

1  The  Water-Kail  is  about  one  inch  longer  in  the  body  than  the  Corn- 
Crake,  though  it  weighs  one  and  a-half  to  two  ounces  less.  Its  wings  are, 
however,  somewhat  shorter  in  proportion. 


180  RALLID.E 

always  well  hidden  from  view,  and  is  often  difficult  of 
approach,  owing  to  the  soft  nature  of  the  surrounding 
quagmire. 

The  eggs,  seven  to  eleven  in  number,  are  of  a  very  pale 
buff,  finely  spotted  and  flecked  with  reddish-brown  and  grey, 
the  specks  being  much  more  confined  to  the  larger  end  than 
in  the  eggs  of  the  Corn-Crake.  Incubation  begins  about  the 
end  of  April. 

The  Water-Rail  breeds  in  most  of  the  swamps  of  the 
British  Isles.  It  is  especially  plentiful  on  the  Norfolk 
'  Broads ; '  in  Ireland,  where  the  bird  is  not  at  all  well- 
known,  it  is  quite  a  common  breeding-species. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Abroad,  it  nests  over  a 
large  area  of  the  European  Continent,  including  Iceland 
and  the  north  of  Norway.  It  occasionally  wanders  with- 
in the  Arctic  Circle,  a  specimen  having  been  obtained 
as  far  north  as  Jan  Mayen,on  October  15th,  1882  (Saunders). 
It  also  breeds  in  Western  and  Central  Asia,  in  North  Africa, 
and  when  on  migration  in  winter,  it  travels  as  far  as  Egypt 
and  Abyssinia. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.1  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back  of 
neck,  back,  and  wings,  olive-brown  with  dark  streaks ; 
primaries,  mouse-brown  ;  cheeks,  front  and  sides  of  neck, 
and  breast,  dull  slate-grey  ;  chin,  light  greyish ;  flanks, 
blackish,  barred  transversely  with  white  ;  this  barring  is 
more  noticeable  than  the  brown  and  buff  stripes  on  the 
flanks  of  the  Corn-Crake ;  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts, 
light  buff  ;  tail,  dusky-brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. —  Similar  to  the  male  plumage  but 
duller  in  colour ;  sometimes  shows  white  bars  on  the  wings. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumages,  but  browner  in  shade,  and  the  flanks  and  thighs 
are  washed  with  fulvous-brown  ;  throat,  nearly  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  back  and  wings  have 

1  Note. — Messrs.  Williams  and  Son,  of  Dublin,  record  a  specimen 
shot  near  the  city  of  Dublin  on  November  13th,  1902,  which  was  entirely 
black  except  the  barred  feathers  on  the  sides  and  the  under  tail-coverts, 
which  were  dull  white,  beak  and  feet  black,  eyes,  dark  brown.  Messrs. 
Williams  and  Son  state  that  they  have  seen  white  and  cream-coloured 
varieties,  but  the  above  is  the  first  instance  of  melanism  met  with 
during  thirty  years'  experience  ('Zoologist,'  1902,  p.  467). 


• 
i 

WATEE-HEN  181 

a  greener  tint  than  those  of  the  adult,  and  the  breast  and 
abdomen  are  of  a  dull,  huffish-white ;  the  throat  is  speckled 
and  the  flanks  are  barred  with  dark  brown. 

Nestling. — Covered  with  black  down. 

BEAK.     Hed,  shading  to  brown. 

FEET.    Brownish. 

IRIDES.  Light  brownish-red. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 11-5     in. 

WING  ...         4-75    „ 

BEAK  T5      ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS  T5      ,, 

EGG  .  1-4x1  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — R.  indicus 
is  the  true  Eastern  representative,  and  E.  ccerulescens  is  the 
South  African  form. 


WATER-HEN.     Gallinula  chloropus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
85  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  503  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  iv,  pi.  61. 

The  Water-hen  or  Moor-hen,  is  a  plentiful  and  well- 
known  species,  resident  in  almost  every  district  of  the 
British  Isles  where  marshes  and  reed-grown  ponds  exist.  In 
some  districts,  especially  where  game  is  plentiful  and  sport 
active,  its  wary  and  sneaking  habits  recall  those  of  the 
Crakes  and  Bails.  On  the  contrary,  we  find  the  unmolested 
Water-hen  exhibiting  no  mean  amount  of  confidence 
in  man's  presence ;  swimming  contentedly  in  the  middle 
of  a  pond,  and  even  landing  in  full  view  on  the  bank 
along  which  it  gracefully  wends  its  way.  In  captivity 
it  grows  so  tame  as  almost  to  feed  from  the  hand, 
and  opportunity  is  thus  afforded  us  of  watching  its 
movements  closely.  Unlike  the  Crakes,  it  migrates  very 
little,  though  from  lighthouses  there  are  a  few  records. 
It  also  differs  from  the  preceding  species  in  that  it  is 


182  KALLID^E 

diurnal  in  its  habits,  and  so,  instead  of  skulking,  it  may  be 
seen  moving  actively  about  in  the  broad  daylight. 

The  Water-hen  soon  gets  accustomed  to  the  sound  of 
a  passing  train,  from  the  windows  of  which  scores  of  these 
birds  may  be  seen  feeding  on  the  wet  pastures  or  picking 
up  objects  from  the  surface  of  the  water,1  a  few  of  the 
more  timid  members  hastening  on  foot  towards  the  shelter 
of  a  ditch.  That  it  can  dive  is  evident  from  the  fol- 
lowing habit  described  by  Mr.  Ussher  :  "  two  males  will 
fight  in  the  water  by  striking  each  other  with  the  feet  like 
game-cocks ;  their  wings  are  then  thrown  back  and  their 
hinder  parts  immersed  ;  the  vanquished  bird  finally  escapes 


FIG.    23.— HEAD   OF  WATER-HEN.       V  Nat.  size. 


by  diving."  When  the  stagnant  waters  are  frost-bound, 
this  species  betakes  itself  to  running  streams,  frequent- 
ing also  the  shelter  of  plantations  and  timbered  districts. 

Flight. — When  necessity  arises  the  bird  can  mount  to 
a  considerable  height  in  the  air,  and  then  travel  with  sus- 
tained power  and  speed.  Such  aerial  movements  are  chiefly 
conducted  at  night  during  migration.  As  evidence  of  the 
velocity  with  which  the  Water-hen  can  fly,  I  quote  on  the 
authority  of  Mr.  K.  M.  Barrington  that,  "  On  October  28th, 
1886,  at  11.30,  P.M.,  one  struck  "with  tremendous  force" 

1  As  the  Water-hen  swims  it  moves  its  body  forwards  with  a  series 
of  jerks.  Its  long,  slender  toes,  not  connected  by,  or  even  fringed  with, 
webs,  offer  but  little  resistance  in  the  water.  Hence  to  drive  its  body 
forwards  it  is  obliged  to  move  its  feet  very  rapidly.  This  fact  is  easily 
verified  by  watching  birds  swim  in  captivity.  Both  when  swimming  and 
walking,  this  species  may  be  seen  constantly  '  flirting '  its  tail  up  and 
down. 


WATEK-HEN 


183 


at   Rathlin  O'Birne   on   the  West  Coast "   ('  Migration   of 
Birds  at  Irish  Light  Stations,'  p.  194). 

Voice. — Sometimes  the  Water-hen  utters  a  harsh,  one- 
syllabled  note  which  sounds  like  raik-raik-raik.  But  most 
of  us  are  more  familiar  with  a  pleasing  and  rather  mellow 
rolling  chirrup  difficult  to  represent  in  syllables,  but  ending 
in  the  vowels  i-  and  6.  The  nearest  rendering  in  syllables, 
that  I  can  attempt  is  pno-prlo,  the  consonant  r  being  well 
rolled. 


FIG.  24.— LEFT  FOOT  OF  WATER-HEN,     f  Nat.  size. 


Food.—  The  diet  consists  of  vegetable  substances,  includ- 
ing grain,  also  insects,  worms,  slugs,  and  snails.  Mr. 
Saunders  accuses  the  bird  of  devouring  the  young  of  other 
Water-fowl. 

Nest. — The  Water-hen  builds  not  only  on  the  ground 
among  tall  sedges,  but  also  on  the  branches  of  trees  and 
bushes  which  overhang  or  skirt  the  water's  edge.  The 
foundation  of  the  nest  is  generally  composed  of  a  mass  of 
dry  sedges,  on  the  top  of  which,  and  interspersed  between, 
are  a  number  of  dead  leaves.  Where  sedges,  reeds,  and 
bulrushes  are  not  available,  we  find  this  bird  building  with 


184  BALLID^E 

leaves,  small  sticks,  and  even  bits  of  paper  :  such  nests 
I  have  examined  on  ornamental  ponds.  Well  ambushed, 
and  with  the  aid  of  a  field-glass,  I  have  watched  Water- 
hens  quit  and  return  to  their  nest  both  before  and  after 
the  young  were  hatched,  and  though  I  have  seen  them 
pluck  the  green  leaves  off  trees  and  carry  them  to  their 
nests,  I  have  not  as  yet  detected  them  covering  either 
eggs  or  nestlings  with  such  foliage.  As  far  as  I  could 
observe  the  leaves  were  used  to  replace  part  of  the  lining 
of  the  nest,  which  in  wet  situations  soon  becomes  sodden 
and  uncomfortable  from  decomposition  of  the  subjacent 
foundation.  The  eggs,  seven  to  nine  in  number,  are  light 
buff,  shading  to  warmer  stone-colour,  spotted  with  reddish- 
brown. 

Incubation  sometimes  begins  as  early  as  the  end  of 
March,  and  during  the  breeding-season  several  broods  are 
brought  forth.1 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  species  breeds 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  Europe,  except  in  the  higher 
northern  countries,  also  over  the  Asiatic  and  North  African 
Continents  and  adjacent  Islands. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  and  breast, 
dark  greyish-black ;  abdomen,  lighter  grey ;  a  few  large 
white  streaks  on  the  flanks;  back  and  wings,  dark  olive- 
brown;  middle  under  tail-coverts,  black;  rest  of  under 
tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage,  but 
the  white  streaks  on  the  flanks  are  narrower. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Back  and  wings,  greyish- 
brown  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  ash-grey  ;  throat,  whitish. 

1  On  the  ornamental  waters  of  Weston  Park,  Sheffield,  a  Water-hen 
hatched  out  a  brood  as  late  as  the  last  week  in  August,  1904.  The  nest 
was  built  on  a  clump  of  holly  branches  secured  in  the  middle  of  the  pond. 
It  was  most  interesting  to  watch  how,  in  the  absence  of  the  parents, 
one  of  the  fully-fledged  immature  birds  of  an  earlier  brood  would  enter 
the  nest  and  view  with  tender  curiosity  its  baby  brothers  and  sisters. 
Sometimes  this  bird  would  quit  the  nest  before  the  return  of  one  or  both 
parents,  but  even  when  it  remained  there  its  presence  was  never  objected 
to.  In  fact,  at  one  time,  I  noted  a  united  family  consisting  of  both 
parents,  a  fully-grown  immature  bird  and  a  brood  of  nestlings  in  the 
nest  and  two  other  immature  birds  swimming  round  it. 


COOT  185 

BEAK.  Yellow  towards  the  tip,  and  bright  red  at  the 
base  ;  '  frontal  plate  '  same  colour. 

FEET.  Greenish-yellow,  with  a  red  band  just  above  the 
heel ;  toes,  long  and  slender. 

IRIDES.  Bright  reddish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 13   in. 

WING    6-75  „ 

BEAK    1'5   „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS         ...         ...  1*75    ,, 

EGG  ...  1-65  x  1-2  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  Water- 
hen,  which  inhabits  Madagascar  and  some  of  the  adjacent 
Islands,  is  somewhat  different  from  our  own  bird,  while  that 
found  in  the  Tristan  da  Cunha  group  is  a  distinct  species, 
called  G.  nesiotis.  G.  galeata  is  the  American,  and  G. 
sandvicencis  the  Hawaiian  Islands'  representative.  G.  tene- 
brosa,  without  white  streaks  on  the  flanks,  is  the  Australian 
bird  (Saunders). 

Note. — "  The  Purple  Gallinule  (Porphyrio  ccerulens),  the 
Green-backed  Gallinule  (P.  smaragdonotus),  the  Indian 
P.  poliocephalus  and  the  Australian  P.  melanotus,  are 
frequently  kept  in  semi-captivity,  and  individuals  which 
have  escaped,  or  which  have  been  deliberately  turned  out, 
have  from  time  to  time  been  captured  in  our  Islands.  The 
bird  from  the  south-west  of  Ireland  recorded  by  Thompson 
as  a  "  Martinique  Gallinule,"  has  proved  to  be  P.  smaragdo- 
notus,  but  there  is  said  to  be  a  genuine  example  of  the 
American  species  in  Mr.  Hart's  Museum  at  Christchurch  " 
(Saunders). 


COOT.     Fulica  atra  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
84 ;  Dresser,  «  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  504 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  iv,  pi.  63. 

The  Coot,  another  familiar  and  common  species  in 
suitable  localities  in  the  British  Isles,  is  even  more  strongly 
aquatic  in  its  habits  than  the  Water-hen.  Unlike  the 


186 

latter  we  do  not  find  it  lurking  about  damp  ditches,  moist 
pasture-lands,  or  hiding  in  a  covert  of  brambles,  for, 
even  when  suspicious  of  danger,  it  seldom  quits  the  water. 
It  prefers  to  take  refuge  among  the  tall  sedges  and 
other  aquatic  plants.  Even  when  undisturbed  it  does 
not  venture  as  a  rule  far  from  the  water's  edge,  albeit 
it  is  active  on  foot  and  its  gait,  though  slower  than  that 
of  the  Water-hen,  is  easy  and  graceful.  Thus  on  land 
its  movements  are  markedly  different  from  those  of  the 
Ducks  and  other  web-footed  birds  with  which  it  often 
associates;  but  observed  on. the  water  at  a  short  distance 
it  might  be  mistaken  for  a  dark-coloured  Duck ;  for 


FIG.  25.— COOT. 


unlike  the  Bails  and  Water-hen  it  is  not  narrow  and 
gaunt-looking,  but  as  it  swims,  which  it  does  with  no  less 
ease  and  buoyancy  than  a  Duck,  its  body  appears  full 
arid  rounded.  The  Coot  'is  also  a  capable  diver.  Large 
ponds,  lakes,  and  deep  slow-flowing  rivers,  thickly  fringed 
with  reeds  and  bulrushes,  are  its  favourite  resorts ;  but 
in  hard  weather  this  species  betakes  itself  to  salt-water 
estuaries,  where  in  company  with  sea-fowl,  it  may  be 
seen  congregated  in  hundreds.  Flocks  may  also  be 
observed  on  large  sheets  of  inland  water,  such  as  the 
Norfolk  '  Broads,'  and  Slapton  Ley  in  Devon,  where  battue- 
shooting  is  still  practised  and  large  numbers  killed.  At  their 
breeding-places,  e.g.,  on  many  of  the  large  lakes  of  Ireland, 
Coots  are  also  gregarious. 


COOT  187 

This  bird  is  practically  a  resident  in  the  British  Isles, 
migrating  in  considerable  numbers  to  marine  localities  in 
winter.  In  the  Shetlands  it  appears  to  be  chiefly  a  summer- 
visitor,  while  on  Achill  Island  it  occurs  as  a  winter- visitor. 
It  has  been  taken  on  several  occasions  at  light-stations, 
which  shows  that  it  is  capable  of  making  long  migratory 
journeys. 

Flight. — The  rising  flight  is  fluttering  and  rather  heavy, 
but  as  the  bird  gets  up  it  becomes  more  buoyant  and 
powerful  on  the  wing.  When  flying,  its  feet  extend 
beyond  the  tail. 

Voice. — The  shrill,  menacing  note  of  the  Coot  is  familiar 
to  most  of  us.  On  artificial  waters  and  especially  in  the 
nesting-season,  we  hear  its  voice  much  more  often  than  that 
of  other  water-fowl.  It  is  hard  to  imitate,  but  may  be  com- 
pared rather  to  the  short  highly-pitched  bark  of  quite  a 
young  puppy.  The  young  bird,  when  more  than  half- 
grown  but  still  in  the  downy  stage,  utters  a  note  remarkably 
like  that  of  the  Curlew.  I  first  became  acquainted  with  this 
fact  a  few  years  ago  when  watching  Coots  on  the  lake  of 
the  Dublin  Zoological  Gardens.  The  warning-note  of  the 
parent  sounds  like  a  hammer  striking  a  brick. 

Food. — The  food  is  practically  the  same  as  that  of  the 
Water-hen,  while  in  captivity  the  bird  will  eat  moistened 
bread  and  biscuits.  It  is  most  interesting  to  watch  how 
a  parent-bird  will  dip  its  beak  into  a  piece  of  moist  bread  or 
mashed  meal  and  again  withdraw  it  without  opening  it.  The 
beak  covered  with  food  is  then  presented  to  the  brood,  which 
crowd  round  to  pick  it  off.  The  Coot  feeds  chiefly  by  day. 

Nest. — This  species  constructs  a  strong  nest  of  flags, 
reeds,  and  rushes,  sometimes  on  a  bank  near  the  water's 
edge,  more  usually  in  a  bed  of  reeds  surrounded  by  water, 
above  the  level  of  which  it  is  well  raised.  It  is  as  a  rule 
concealed  from  view  by  the  surrounding  vegetation.  The 
eggs,  seven  to  ten  in  number,  are  stone-colour,  with  small 
specks  of  blackish-brown. 

Incubation  sometimes  takes  place  early  in  April,  but  on 
the  lakes  in  the  West  of  Ireland  in  May  and  June.  The 
young  take  to  the  water  a  few  days  after  they  are  hatched, 
when  their  parents  watch  them  assiduously,  and  will  attack 
and  drive  away  other  species  of  Water-fowl  much  larger 
than  themselves. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Coot  breeds  over 
the  greater  part  of  Europe  and  Temperate  Asia,  as  far  east 


188  KALLID^E 

as  China  and  Japan.     In  winter,  it  is  abundant  in  India, 
North  Africa,  and  the  adjacent  Islands. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Back  of  the  neck,  back, 
wings,  dark  slate-grey  ;  throat,  breast,  abdomen,  and  flanks, 
dull  black ;  wings  crossed  by  a  narrow  white  bar. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Breast  and  abdomen, 
greyish  ;  throat,  impure  white. 

Nestling. — Jet-black,  with  orange-red  head  varied  with 
purple-blue. 

BEAK.  Pale  pinkish-white ;  the  tip  ivory-white ;  '  frontal 
plate/  also  white,  with  a  smooth  surface  like  polished  ivory. 

FEET.  Greenish ;  toes  fringed  on  either  side  with  a 
series  of  membranous  lobes ;  such  a  form  of  foot  being  of 
great  use  when  the  bird  is  treading  its  way  through  reeds 
and  sinking  ooze,  as  well  as  when  swimming. 

IRIDES.  Bright  crimson. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 15   in. 

WING    8-5  „ 

BEAK    ...    ...    ...    ...   1*5  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        1*3   ,, 

EGG  2  x  1-5  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — F.  cristata  is 
the  African  representative.  It  has  two  bright  red  caruncles 
on  the  '  frontal  plate.' 

The  North  American  Coot  differs  from  our  bird  only  in 
having  a  large  amount  of  white  under  the  tail.  However, 
our  identical  bird  has  once  reached  Greenland  (Saunders). 


189 


Sub-Order— GRUES. 

Family— GKUID^. 
CRANE.     Grus  communis  (Bechstein). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
19 ;  Dresser,  «  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  p.  505  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  iv,  pi.  64. 

In  days  gone  by  the  Crane1  was  a  fairly  common  species 
in  parts  of  the  British  Isles.  At  the  present  time  it  is  a 
scarce  and  an  irregular  visitor  to  England.  Among  recent 
records  of  its  occurrence  may  be  mentioned  : — One  from 
Flamborough,  February,  1892  ;  and  one  near  Lowestoft, 
June,  1893  (Harting,  '  Handbook  Brit.  Birds,'  1901,  p.  157). 

In  Scotland  this  species  is  very  rare. 

In  Ireland  there  have  been  only  nine  or  ten  occurrences 
within  the  last  hundred  years.  Of  these  the  most  recent 
records  are  : — An  adult  male  shot  near  Thurles,  co.  Tipperary, 
about  September  3rd,  1896  (W.  Johnston,  '  Irish  Naturalist,' 
1898,  p.  51),  and  another  male  shot  on  Inch  Slobs,  Lough 
Swilly,  co.  Donegal,  on  June  23rd,  1896  (D.  C.  Campbell, 
'Irish  Naturalist,'  1896,  p.  214). 

The  remaining  counties  from  which  birds  have  been 
recorded  are  :— Kerry,  Cork,  Gal  way,  Mayo,  Down.  In 
Kerry  and  Cork  several  Cranes  were  met  with  in  October 
and  November,  1851  (Proc.  Dub.  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.,  December, 
1851). 

With  reference  to  the  Crane  as  a  British  bird  in  the 
past,  Mr.  Harting  states  that  "In  the  time  of  King  John 

1  The  term  'Crane'  is  still  used,  especially  among  country-folk,  to 
denote  the  Common  Heron.  Many  of  the  older  writers,  when  speaking 
of  the  abundance  of  the  Crane  in  Britain,  may  have  meant  the  Common 
Heron. 


190 

this  bird  was  sufficiently  common  in  Cambridgeshire  and 
Lincolnshire  for  the  king  to  capture .  as  many  as  seven  and 
nine  in  one  day  with  gerfalcons" 

Turner,  in  his  Avium  Historia,  1544,  states  that  he  had 
often  seen  the  young  ones — in  locis  palustribus  earum 
pipiones  scepissime  vidi.  Leslie  also  in  1578,  wrote  of  this 
bird  as  being  common  (Grues  plurimce)  in  Scotland  (De 
origine  moribus  et  rebus  gestis  Scotorum,  p.  25)  ('  Handbook 
of  Brit.  Birds/  1901,  pp.  155,  156.) 

"  It  has  been  believed  "  writes  Mr.  Ussher,  "  that  the 
Crane  was  common  in  Ireland  in  the  twelfth  century,  from 
the  statement  by  Giraldus  de  Barri  (Cambrensis)  that  a 
hundred  of  these  birds  (Grues)  might  then  be  seen  in  a  flock, 
and  his  chapter  on  the  Crane  in  the  British  Museum  MS. 
is  illustrated  with  an  unmistakable  coloured  figure  ;  Higden 
also,  in  the  fourteenth  century,  stated  that  Ireland  abounded 
in  Eagles,  Cranes,  Peacocks  (Capercaillies?),  Quails,  Hawkes, 
and  Falcons.  We  cannot,  however,  be  sure  that  these 
ancient  writers  did  not  confound  the  Heron  with  the  Crane, 
as  is  done  at  the  present  day ;  "  Crane  "  being  the  name  by 
which  the  Heron  is  generally  known  in  Ireland."  During 
the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries,  Cranes  visited  the 
British  Isles  regularly  in  winter,  but  for  over  a  hundred 
years  this  species  has  ceased  to  be  enumerated  among  our 
annual  winter-migrants. 

The  Crane  is  a  very  striking-looking  figure :  it  is  the 
largest  of  wading-birds,  standing  upwards  of  four  feet  high. 

Flight. — Watching  the  bird  stalking  about  in  a  slow  and 
dignified  manner  one  would  hardly  credit  it  with  the  power 
of  taking  immense  flights.  But  to  quote  Prof.  Newton's 
words,  "The  Crane's  aerial  journeys  are  of  a  very  extended 
kind  ;  and  on  its  way  from  beyond  the  borders  of  the  Tropic 
of  Cancer  to  within  the  Arctic  Circle,  or  on  the  return- 
voyage,  its  flocks  may  be  described  passing  overhead  at  a 
marvellous  height,  or  halting  for  rest  and  refreshment  on  the 
wide  meadows  that  border  some  great  river,  while  the  seeming 
order  with  which  its  ranks  are  marshalled  during  flight  has 
long  attracted  attention  "  (Diet.  Birds,  p.  110). 

Voice. — Unlike  the  Storks,  the  Crane  is  capable  of  pro- 
ducing a  remarkably  full-toned  trumpet-like  blast.  This 
is  uttered  both  when  the  bird  is  flying  and  on  the  ground. 
I  have  frequently  heard  it  from  birds  in  captivity  in  early 
spring,  and  have  noted  that  the  mouth  is  kept  open  during 
the  vibrations  caused  by  several  successive  notes. 


CEANE  191 

Food. — The  Crane  eats  grain,  insects,  small  birds,  and 
mammals.  Mr.  Saunders  also  mentions  the  tuber  of  the 
sweet  potato  and  water-melons. 

Nest. — This  species  builds  on  marshy  ground.  The  eggs 
are  greyish-brown  with  dark  brown  blotches  and  spots  : 
two  constitute  the  clutch.  Incubation  begins  in  April  or 
May. 

This  noble  bird  bred  in  the  fens  and  marshes  of  East 
Anglia  until  1590  (Saunders).  It  is  of  considerable  interest 
to  note  that  for  several  centuries,  the  bird  and  its  eggs  were 
protected  by  law,  and  in  1780  it  was  decreed  in  the  Fen  Laws 
that  "  no  person  should  take  any  Swans'  eggs  or  Cranes'  egg, 
or  young  birds  of  that  kind,  on  pain  of  forfeiting  for  every 
offence  3s.  4d.,"  "  but,"  says  Prof.  Newton,  "  this  was  most 
likely  but  the  formal  repetition  of  an  older  edict  ;  for  in 
1768  Pennant  wrote  that  after  the  strictest  enquiry  he 
found  the  inhabitants  of  those  counties  to  be  wholly  un- 
acquainted with  the  bird,  and  hence  concluded  that  it  had 
forsaken  our  island." 

(geographical  distribution. — On  its  northern  migration 
the  Crane  reaches  as  far  as  Swedish  and  Finnish  Lapland. 
In  these  countries  it  breeds,  but  it  also  halts  in  great  num- 
bers in  Central  and  Southern  Europe  to  take  up  its  breeding- 
quarters  in  spring.  In  summer  it  migrates  eastward  over 
the  Asiatic  Continent  up  to  lat.  65°  N.  Its  winters  are  spent 
in  Central  Africa,  India,  China,  Japan  and  other  warm 
countries. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — General  colour,  slate- 
grey,  with  darker  striping  down  the  front  of  the  throat; 
inner  secondaries  form  a  bunch  of  long  downward-curved 
blue-black  plumes  which  sweep  over  the  tail. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Lighter  in  colour  than  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Back  and  wings,  greyish- 
brown,  the  feathers  being  edged  with  a  fulvous  shade ;  top 
of  head  and  back  of  neck,  rusty-brown ;  wing-plumes,  very 
short. 

BEAK.     Geryish-green,  with  a  little  red  near  the  base. 

FEET.     Blackish-grey. 

IBIDES.  Eeddish-brown. 


192  GKUID^E 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH      45    in.   Female  smaller. 

WING          21     „ 

BEAK          4*25  in 

TABSO-METATAKSUS          ...       9*6    ,, 

EGG  3'8  X  2*6  in. 


Note. — A  male  example  of  the  Demoiselle  Crane,  Grus 
virgo,  is  said  to  have  been  shot  at  Deerness,  East  Mainland, 
Orkney,  on  May  14th  1863,  a  companion  bird  being  pur- 
sued, but  not  obtained  (Zool.,  p.  8692).  This  inhabitant 
of  Africa,  Asia,  and  the  south  of  Europe,  has  wandered  as 
far  north  as  Sweden  and  Heligoland ;  it  is  also  frequently 
kept  in  confinement.  An  African  Crowned  Crane,  Balea- 
rica  pavonina,  was  mobbed  to  death  by  the  populace  on 
the  Sabbath-day,  September  17th  1871,  near  Dairy  in 
Ayrshire  "  (Saunders). 


193 


Sub-Order  OTIDES. 

Family  OTIDIME. 

GREAT  BUSTARD.     Otis  tarda  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
17 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  508  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  1. 

This  magnificent  bird,  indigenous  and  plentiful  in  parts 
of  England  until  a  comparatively  recent  date,  is  at  the  pre- 
sent day  only  an  occasional  wanderer,  chiefly  in  winter. 
Its  visits  are  irregular,  and  the  numbers  which  appear 
fluctuate  considerably.  Thus  in  1890-91  quite  a  visitation 
of  Bustards  took  place,  and  specimens  were  obtained 
from  Norfolk,  Sussex,  Essex,  Wiltshire,  Hampshire,  and 
Carmarthenshire,  ('Field,'  February  28th,  1891).  Other 
examples  have  been  recorded  of  recent  years  as  follows : 
One  from  Costessy,  Norfolk,  February  1st,  1894 ;  one  from 
Market  Lavington  (Wiltshire  Downs),  October,  1897  (Hart- 
ing)  ;  two  from  Jersey  in  December,  1899  (H.  MacKay, 
'  Zoologist,'  1904,  p.  378)  ;  two  from  North-east  Lincoln- 
shire in  1902,  viz.,  one  from  Weelsby,  December  8th,  and 
another  from  Tetney  cow-marsh,  December  29th  (G.  H. 
Caton  Haigh,  'Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  368). 

In  Scotland,  this  species  has  now  become  very  rare  ; 
one  was  procured  from  the  Orkneys  on  March  29th,  1876, 
before  which  time  the  bird  was  unknown  in  those  Islands 
0  Field,'  April  8th  and  15th,  1876). 

It  is  difficult  to  say  whether  the  Great  Bustard  is  yet 
to  be  included  in  the  Irish  List.  Messrs.  Ussher  and 
Warren  have  not  included  it  in  their  recent  work  on  '  The 
Birds  of  Ireland  '  (though  mentioned  by  Smith  among 
the  birds  of  Cork) ;  however,  in  December,  1902,  a  Great 
Bustard  was  shot,  and  another  was  seen  in  the  same  place 
13 


194 

in  Tipperary.  With  regard  to  these  occurrences,  Messrs. 
Williams  and  Son  published,  a  paragraph  in  the  '  Zoo- 
logist,' 1903,  p.  153-4,  which  has  been  criticised  in  the  pages 
of  the  'Irish  Naturalist,'  1903,  p.  198.  To  the  criticisms 
Messrs.  Williams  and  Son  reply  on  p.  248  of  the  same 
Journal. 

The  first  note  reads  :— 

GREAT  BUSTARD  IN  IRELAND. 

"  Two  large  birds  were  observed  frequenting  some  fields 
near  Thurles,  co.  Tipperary,  during  the  month  of  December, 
1902.  On  the  20th  one  fell  to  the  gun  of  a  farmer's  son, 
who  thought  it  was  a  Wild  Goose ;  it  was  sent  to  us  for 
identification,  and  proved  to  be  a  female  Great  Bustard  in 
excellent  plumage.  Its  stomach  contained  turnip-tops. 
This,  we  believe,  is  the  first  record  of  this  species  in 
Ireland.  The  gentleman  who  turned  down  the  Great 
Bustards  in  Norfolk  has  carefully  examined  the  specimen, 
but  cannot  identify  it  as  one  of  his  birds." 

Criticism:  "Messrs.  Williams  and  Son  record  in  the 
Zoologist  for  April  the  occurrence  of  two  Great  Bustards 
in  co.  Tipperary  in  December  last  year,  one  being  shot. 
But  the  recent  liberation  of  a  number  of  Great  Bustards  in 
Norfolk  seriously  affects  the  value  of  what  would  otherwise 
be  a  new  record  for  Ireland.  To  put  it  mildly,  it  is  a 
singular  coincidence  that  the  first  appearance  of  the  species 
in  Ireland  should  so  closely  follow  its  deliberate  introduc- 
tion into  England." 

(The  writer  of  this  criticism  does  not  give  his  name.) 

Reply  :  "In  the  Irish  Naturalist  for  July  (p.  198  supra), 
we  see  a  paragraph  casting  doubt  on  the  Great  Bustard  shot 
in  Tipperary  being  a  genuine  wild  bird.  We  received  the 
same  week  in  December  a  very  fine  specimen  from  Glamor- 
ganshire. As  two  years  have  elapsed  since  the  fifteen  Great 
Bustards  were  liberated  in  Norfolk,  and  in  a  recent  number 
of  the  Field  every  single  liberated  bird  has  been  accounted 
for,  we  may  safely  conclude  that  the  Irish  specimen  has 
not  had  an  assisted  passage ;  we  may  also  remark  that  both 
specimens,  Irish  and  Welsh,  have  been  carefully  examined 
by  the  gentleman  who  brought  the  birds  to  Norfolk,  and 
his  conclusion  was  that  they  were  bond-fide  travellers.  Of 
course  there  will  always  be  a  certain  amount  of  doubt  when 
there  is  only  one  occurrence  of  a  species  in  a  locality,  but  in 


GKEAT   BUSTAKD 


195 


this  instance  the  two  birds  were  seen  for  some  weeks,  and 
the  bird  was  shot  in  Wales  in  the  same  week  in  which  the 
Irish  specimen  was  obtained.  We  cannot  find  any  account 
of  the  species  having  been  turned  down  in  Ireland,  as  was 
the  case  with  the  Tawny  Owl  obtained  in  the  North  of 
Ireland." 

While  agreeing  with  Messrs.  Williams  and  Son,  it  seems 
to  be  difficult  to  determine  whether  the  birds  in  question 


FIG.  26.— GREAT  BUSTARD. 

had  only  crossed  from  England,  having  tarried  there  for 
a  considerable  time  after  liberation,  or  had  reached  Ireland 
as  genuine  migrants.  It  is  a  matter  for  regret  that  birds 
like  Bustards,  which  at  intervals  are  '  turned  down '  in 
England,  are  not  first  properly  marked.  There  is  an 
objection  to  putting  metal  rings,  &c.,  round  the  legs,  as 
they  may  get  detached,  to  say  nothing  of  the  discomfort 
which  they  might  cause  to  the  wearer.  When  liberating 
Bustards  it  is  quite  possible  to  brand  them  first :  a  small 


196  OTIDIDJE 

area  of  the  skin  might  be  tattooed  with  a  dark  indelible 
pigment.  This  may  be  done  very  conveniently  on  one  of 
the  bare  areas  of  skin  (apteria),  i.e.,  between  the  tracts 
along  which  the  feathers  grow  (pterylce).  I  have  success- 
fully tattooed  homing-pigeons,  only  very  few  feathers 
being  lost  by  this  treatment. 

Though  male  Bustards,  like  Ruffs,  fight  savagely  to 
gain  possession  of  the  females,  it  still  remains  uncertain 
whether  they  are  truly  polygamous.  One  thing  is  certain, 
namely,  that  when  their  consorts  are  hatching  they  leave 
them  and  assemble  in  small  companies. 

The  remarkable  posture  which  the  male  assumes  during 
his  ardent  fits  of  courtship  is  best  understood  by  a  reference 
to  an  excellent  illustration  by  Wolf  ('  Zoological  Sketches/ 
pi.  45).  Suffice  it  to  mention  that  the  erected  tail,  the 
retracted  head  and  neck,  and  much  distended  throat,  are 
almost  hidden  from  view  among  the  short  and  elevated 
feathers  of  the  drooping  wings. 

Flight. — Except  in  late  spring  (end  of  May  and  early 
June),  when  the  Bustard  loses  its  flight-feathers  and  can- 
not rise,  it  is  strong  and  swift  on  the  wing  and  readily 
escapes  danger  by  flying  rather  than  running. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  soft  and  has  been  compared  to 
the  cooing  of  a  pigeon. 

Food. — Grain  forms  the  staple  diet,  but  worms,  field- 
mice,  and  frogs,  are  not  discarded. 

From  the  days  of  Xenophon  the  flesh  of  the  Bustard 
has  been  esteemed  a  delicacy  (Anab.  I.,  v.)  (Newton). 

Nest. — The  nest  is  simply  a  hollow  scraped  in  the  soil ; 
the  eggs,  two  to  three  in  number,  are  olive-green,  blotched 
with  brown.  Incubation  begins  in  April  or  May.  The 
Great  Bustard  remained  indigenous  in  England  for  a  much 
longer  period  than  in  Scotland.  It  bred  in  small  numbers 
on  the  Plains  of  Berwickshire  and  East  Lothian  until  1526, 
while  in  England  the  last  eggs  were  taken  in  Norfolk  and 
Suffolk  about  1838.  Formerly  this  fine  bird  bred  in  Berk- 
shire, Hertfordshire,  the  Wolds  of  Lincolnshire  and  the 
Downs  of  Sussex,  Salisbury  Plain,  and  the  Eastern  Wolds 
of  Yorkshire. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  species  breeds 
in  Southern  Europe,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Danube 
and  Black  Sea,  in  Spain,  and  in  Germany;  in  countries 
further  north  it  is  only  a  wanderer.  It  also  breeds  on  the 
Steppes  of  Asia  and  can  be  traced  to  Western  China,  but  in 
North  Africa  it  is  uncommon. 


LITTLE  BUSTAKD  197 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  bluish-grey  ;  just 
below  the  base  of  the  lower  segment  of  the  beak  there  is  a 
tuft  of  long,  thin,  white  bristle-like  feathers,  which  grow 
downwards  on  either  side  of  the  throat ; l  back  and  scapulars, 
rich  yellowish-buff,  barred  with  black ;  wing-coverts,  white ; 
primaries,  brownish ;  tail,  yellowish-brown,  barred  with 
black,  and  edged  with  white ;  breast,  banded  with  rich 
reddish-brown  and  grey  ;  abdomen,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Kesembles  the  male  plumage, 
but  the  face-bristles  are  absent,  and  the  breast  is  not  banded. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  respective 
nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  female 
plumage. 

BEAK.  Lead-grey,  shading  to  horn-colour,  blackish  at 
the  tip. 

FEET.     Light  brown. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH          43  in.    Female  often  only  30  in. 

WING       24  „  „  19  „ 

BEAK       2  „ 

TAKSO-METATAKSUS     6  ,, 

EGG         ...  3  x  2'1  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — 0.  dybowskii 
is  the  true  Eastern  representative. 


LITTLE  BUSTARD.     Otis  tetrax  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
18;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol  vii,  pi.  509;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  2. 

In  the  south  and  east  of  England  and  as  far  north  as 
Yorkshire,    there    are    several    occurrences    of    the    Little 

1  The  males  have  a  large  air-pouch  in  the  throat  which  is  capable 
of  great  distention  in  the  mating-season. 


198  OTIDIM; 

Bustard  on  record,  but  elsewhere  in  the  British  Isles  it 
must  be  regarded  as  a  very  rare  and  an  accidental  visitor. 
The  majority  of  birds  have  been  taken  in  winter.  Mr. 
Harting  states  that  up  to  the  year  1872  over  forty  instances 
were  known  to  him,  and  subsequently  he  has  recorded 
many  more.  Among  recent  captures  may  be  mentioned  :— 
One  taken  in  Hastings,  Sussex,  on  December  23rd,  1900 
(G.  W.  Bradshaw,  'Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  428)  ;  another  shot 
in  the  same  county  on  December  16th  of  the  following  year 
(W.  P.  Westell,  '  Zoologist/  1902,  p.  70) ;  while  on  May  14th, 
1901,  a  Little  Bustard  was  shot  in  North  Derbyshire,  the 
second  from  that  county  (W.  Storrs  Fox,  '  Zoologist,'  1901, 
p.  270) ;  and  on  February  4th,  1902,  a  specimen  was  obtained 
in  Jersey  (H.  Mackay,  '  Zoologist,'  1904,  p.  378). 

The  Little  Bustard  has  been  obtained  four  times  in 
Scotland  and  six  times  in  Ireland,  as  follows  :— 

Scotland. — One  near  Montrose,  December,  1833  ;  one 
near  St.  Andrews,  March  6th,  1840 ;  one  at  Halkirk,  Caith- 
ness, June,  1848 ;  and  the  fourth  at  Westfield,  near  Elgin, 
February  8th,  1861  (Harting). 

Ireland. — One  on  Killough  Bog,  in  co.  Wicklow,  August 
23rd,  1833 ;  another  accompanied  it  but  escaped  being  shot ; 
one  on  Ballycottin  Bay,  co.  Cork,  December  24th,  1860  ; 
one  on  Youghal  Bay  in  the  same  county,  November  14th, 
1883 ;  one  "  sent  to  the  Dublin  Market  in  a  package  of 
game  from  co.  Longford,"  February  13th,  1883  ;  two  seen 
and  one  secured  near  Belmullet,  co.  Mayo,  December,  1887  ; 
this  specimen  is  preserved  in  the  Dublin  Museum  ;  one 
near  Ballybunion,  co.  Kerry,  December  30th,  1892  (Ussher). 

In  its  general  habits  the  Little  Bustard  resembles  its 
larger  relative,  but  differs  in  that  the  males  do  not  assemble 
in  packs  when  the  females  are  hatching,  each  keeping  near 
its  own  particular  mate. 

Flight. — Like  the  Great  Bustard,  this  species  is  strong 
on  the  wing,  and  when  suddenly  surprised  will  rise  with 
a  clattering  noise,  flying  off  with  immense  velocity. 

Voice. — The  peculiar  note  of  the  male  heard  in  the 
breeding-season  sounds  like  prut-prut.  When  uttering  the 
cry  the  bird  assumes  a  characteristic  attitude.  Its  head  and 
neck  are  well  thrown  back  between  the  shoulders,  the  wings 
are  partly  extended,  and  the  tail  is  held  erect.  Moreover, 
the  bird  has  a  strange  habit  of  suddenly  jumping  up  after 
each  call  "  striking  the  ground  in  a  peculiar  manner  on  his 
descent"  (Saunders).  In  the  spring-season  the  throat  is 


LITTLE  BUSTAKD  199 

much  dilated,  and  at  this  time  of  year  the  male  remains 
about  the  same  spot  for  many  hours  in  the  day. 

Food. — Grain  is  consumed  in  large  quantities,  while  small 
mammals,  frogs,  slugs,  snails,  and  insects,  are  also  eaten. 

Nest. — The  nest  of  dry  grass  is  built  on  the  ground  in 
places  where  the  vegetation  is  tall  enough  to  cover  the 
sitting-bird.  The  eggs,  numbering  three  to  four  in  the 
clutch,  are  greenish-brown  in  ground-colour,  with  darker 
patches,  and  often  zoned  with  reddish-brown  or  rufous. 
Incubation  usually  begins  towards  the  end  of  May. 

The  males  fight  to  gain  the  possession  of  the  females, 
and  after  breeding,  the  birds  form  large  packs  which,  as 
winter  approaches,  break  up  into  smaller  parties. 

Unlike  the  Great  Bustard,  the  Little  Bustard  has  never 
been  known  to  breed  in  the  British  Isles. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  This  is  a  south-eastern 
species,  breeding  in  many  countries  of  Southern  Europe, 
also  in  Asia  and  North  Africa.  On  migration  it  has  been 
recorded  from  Norway  and  Sweden,  while  in  Germany  it 
occurs  chiefly  as  a  winter- visitor.  It  also  migrates  in  winter 
to  north-western  India. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back,  and 
scapulars,  rather  light  brown,  streaked  profusely  with  fine 
black  lines ;  wing-coverts,  breast,  and  abdomen,  white ; 
cheeks  and  throat,  grey  ;  neck,  black,  interrupted  by  a  white 
U-shaped  loop  above,  and  a  collar  of  white  below. 

Adult  female  ' nuptial.  —  Feathers  of  the  neck  and 
breast,  brown,  finely  marked  with  black  ;  back  and  wings, 
strongly  marked  with  black  streaks. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Somewhat  resembles 
the  female  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Somewhat  resembles  the 
adult  winter  plumage. 

BEAK.  Horn-grey,  black  at  the  tip ;  base  of  lower 
segment  yellowish. 

FEET.      Dull  ochre-yellow. 

IBIDES.    Dull  yellowish-brown  shading  to  reddish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 17     in. 

WING        9.5  „ 

BEAK         I'l  ,, 

TABSO-METATARSUS        2*5  ,, 

EGG  1'95  X  1'5  in. 


200  OTIDID^ 

MACQUEEN'S  BUSTARD.     Otis  macqueeni  (J.  E.  Gray). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  *  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  511  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  3. 

Four  instances  only  of  this  Oriental  species  are  known 
to  have  occurred  in  our  Isles.  Those  from  eastern  coun- 
ties of  England,  are  as  follows : — One  taken  near  Kirton- 
in-Lindsey,  Lincolnshire,  in  October,  1847,  and  preserved 
in  the  Museum  of  the  Philosophical  Society  of  York.  A 
second,  an  adult  male,  obtained  near  Bedcar,  on  October 
5th,  1892,  and  preserved  in  the  Newcastle  Museum.  A 
third  taken  near  Holderness,  on  October  17th,  1896 
(Saunders). 

In  addition  to  these  records,  Mr.  W.  Eagle  Clarke,  in  the 
Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.  (1899,  p.  78),  mentions  a  Macqueen's 
Bustard  obtained  inPitfour,  Aberdeenshire,  on  October  24th, 
1898.  (Vide  also  Bull.  B.O.C.,  No.  Iv.) 

This  bird  has  on  several  occasions  wandered  to  Germany 
and  other  countries  of  Central  Europe. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Feathers  of  the  back  of 
the  head  elongated  into  a  white  crest  tipped  with  black,  the 
ruff  on  the  sides  of  the  neck  being,  for  the  most  part,  of  the 
same  colour ;  back  and  wings,  buff,  finely  streaked,  freckled, 
and  vermiculated  with  black  ;  tail,  tinged  with  light  reddish- 
brown,  banded  with  three  black  bars  and  tipped  with  white  ; 
throat,  pale  grey  with  fine  black  frecklings ;  upper  part  of 
breast,  bluish-grey,  lower  part  and  abdomen,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Lighter  in  colour  than  the  male 
plumage,  with  shorter  crest  and  ruff ;  frecklings  on  the  lower 
part  of  throat  and  fore-neck  coarser  than  those  of  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  Somewhat  resembles 
the  female  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  female 
plumage,  but  can  be  distinguished  by  the  buff-coloured 
1  arrow-headed  '  markings  of  the  back  and  wings. 

BEAK.  Upper  segment,  chiefly  dusky  bluish-black ;  lower 
segment,  paler  or  greenish. 

FEET.     Pale  yellow. 

IRIDES.  Pale  shading  to  bright  yellow. 

EGOS.      Bather  resemble  those  of  the  Great  Bustard  but 


MACQUEEN'S  BUSTARD  201 

the  ground-colour  shows  less  of  a  greenish  shade :   clutch, 
three. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     28      in. 

WING         ... 15-5    „ 

BEAK         ...         T8   „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS         ...         ...  4*9   ,, 

EGG  2-55  x  1*7  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms, — "In  the 
African  Ruffed  Bustard,  0.  undulata,  the  ground-colour  is 
more  rufous,  the  vermiculations  are  coarser,  the  tail  is 
broadly  crossed  with  five  dark  bars,  and  the  elongated 
feathers  of  the  crest  and  lower  throat  are  white.  The  latter 
species  occurs  on  Lanzarote,  the  nearest  of  the  Canary 
Islands  to  Africa  "  (Saunders). 


202 


Order  LIMICOL^E. 

Family   (EDICNEMID^E. 

GREAT  PLOVER.1     (Edicnemus  scolopax  (S.  G.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
35 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  512  ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  4  ;  Booth,  '  Bough  Notes,' 
vol.  in,  pi.  13. 

The  name  '  Norfolk  Plover '  has  also  been  given  to  this 
species,  owing  to  the  fact  that  it  annually  resorts  to  the  dry 
sandy  flats  and  heaths  of  the  maritime  counties  of  South- 
eastern England,  especially  Norfolk.  Southward,  as  far  as 
Dorset,  it  may  be  regarded  as  a  regular  summer-visitor, 
occurring  only  in  limited  numbers.  Elsewhere  in  the 
British  Isles  the  Great  Plover  is  rare. 

Two  examples  have  been  recorded  from  Scotland  ; 
namely,  a  bird  obtained  close  to  St.  Andrews,  in  January, 
1858,  and  another  procured  in  Dumbartonshire,  in  August, 
1897  (Saunders). 

Ireland  has  yielded  about  eleven  specimens,  nine  of 
which  were  taken  on  the  east  coast.  The  most  recent 
record  is  that  of  a  bird  obtained  in  co.  Donegal  on  October 
12th,  1903  (D.  C.  Campbell,  'Irish  Naturalist,'  1904,  p.  119). 
The  other  counties  from  which  the  bird  has  been  obtained 
and  the  dates  of  capture  are  as  follows  : — 

Dublin  : — One,  January  27th,  1829,  the  earliest  record 
(Thompson) ;  another,  1849  (Kinahan,  Proc.  Dub.  Univ. 
Zool.  Soc.,  1854)  ;  a  third,  1853  (Kinahan,  Proc.  Dub. 
Nat.  Hist.  Soc.,  1860) ;  a  fourth,  January  4th,  1868  (Blake- 
Knox,  '  Zoologist,'  1868)  ;  a  fifth,  December  3rd,  1884 
(More,  '  List  of  Irish  Birds ')  ;  this  specimen  is  preserved  in 
the  Dublin  Museum. 


1  Also  known  as  the  Stone-Curlew. 


GEEAT   PLOVEK 


203 


Zoo- 


Wexford: —  One,  early  in  December,  1844  (Poole, 
logist/1845). 

Waterford  :—  One,  March  1st,  1840  (Thompson). 

Antrim  :  —  One  near  Belfast  (Ussher,  '  Birds  of  Ireland  ')  ; 
this  specimen  is  preserved  in  the  Belfast  Museum. 

Clare  :  —  A  specimen  said  to  have  been  shot  in  this  county 
in  the  autumn  of  1844  ;  the  evidence  of  this  record  rests  on 
a  somewhat  shaky  basis  (Ussher,  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  249, 
also  Watters,  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  172). 


FIG.  27.— GREAT   PLOVER. 


It  may  be  seen  from  the  above  that  there  have  been 
several  occurrences  in  winter.  To  these  I  may  add  the 
following  note  : — On  December  10th,  1900,  while  I  was 
engaged  watching  the  movements  of  a  great  flock  of  Golden 
Plover,  my  attention  was  attracted  by  a  larger  and  lighter- 
coloured  bird,  which  was  standing  at  the  edge  of  the  flock. 
The  bird,  undoubtedly  a  Great  Plover,  appeared  very  wild, 
and  was  anxiously  watching  my  advances.  As  I  viewed  it 
with  a  field-glass  at  a  distance  of  some  two  hundred  yards, 
its  immense  and  prominent  orange-coloured  eyes  were  plainly 


204  OEDICNEMIM; 

discernible.  As  I  endeavoured  to  draw  closer  it  rose,  and 
flying  off,  startled  the  flock  of  Golden  Plover  which  then 
joined  it  on  the  wing. 

Sometimes,  however,  the  Great  Plover  is  easily  ap- 
proached and  will  run  rather  than  fly  when  pursued. 

Though  essentially  a  summer-migrant,  arriving  about 
April  and  departing  in  October,  yet  several  stragglers  have 
been  known  to  remain  until  December  or  January, 
especially  in  Cornwall,  and,  to  a  less  extent,  in  other  parts 
of  the  south  of  England.  A  few  of  these  birds  may  have 
crossed  over  to  the  east  side  of  Ireland,  and  this  would 
account  for  their  appearance  in  that  country  in  midwinter. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  rather  whistling  in  character,  and  is 
best  heard  on  moon-lit  nights ;  during  the  day  this  species 
is,  as  a  rule,  silent. 

Food. — The  Great  Plover  feeds  chiefly  on  nocturnal 
beetles,  captured  during  and  after  dusk.  In  the  gizzard  of 
an  immature  bird,  taken  at  Retford  on  October  10th,  1904, 
and  sent  me  by  the  Rev.  Julian  Tuck,  I  found  quantities  of 
ear- wigs'  forceps  ;  the  rest  of  the  insects  having  been  nearly 
digested.  I  also  found  pebbles  4  mm.  in  size  and  green 
vegetable-matter  present.  Various  species  of  small  reptiles, 
frogs,  small  mammals,  worms  and  slugs,  are  also  eaten. 

Nest. — This  bird  forms  its  nesting-place  by  scraping  a 
hollow  in  sandy  soil,  or  among  loose  stones  or  shingle.  The 
eggs,  two  in  number,  are  light  brown,  spotted  and  streaked 
with  grey,  dark  brown,  and  several  intermediate  shades. 

In  addition  to  the  counties  of  South-eastern  England, 
where  this  species  breeds,  the  nest  has  been  found  in  the 
Midlands,  Worcestershire,  Lincolnshire  and  East  York- 
shire; but  west  of  Hereford  the  bird  is  almost  unknown 
(Saunders). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Great  Plover 
breeds  in  Temperate  Europe  and  Asia,  while  in  Southern 
Europe  and  in  Northern  Africa  it  is  resident  to  a  large 
extent.  Further  south  it  can  be  traced  to  India  and 
Ceylon. 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back  of 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  wings,  and  rump,  light  brown,  with 
darker  streaks ;  across  the  wings  are  two  thin  white  bars  ; 
primaries,  dark  brownish-black;  tail,  tipped  with  black, 
and  barred  above  with  greyish-white,  light  and  dark  brown ; 


GEEAT   PLOVEK  205 

chin,  throat,  and  a  streak  on  the  cheek  below  the  eye, 
white :  rest  of  neck,  and  breast,  light  cinnamon-colour, 
streaked  with  brownish-black ;  upper  abdomen,  light  buff, 
streaked  with  brownish-black ;  lower  abdomen,  white ; 
under  tail-coverts,  rich  reddish-buff. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Similar  to  the  adult 
plumage,  but  duller  in  shade. 

BEAK.     Basal  half,  yellow;  distal  half,  black. 

FEET.     Yellow. 

IRIDES.  Bright  golden-yellow. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 16        in. 

WING        9-25    „ 

BEAK         1/5     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        3 '2     ,, 

EGG  ...  2-1  x  1-5  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — (E.  capensis 
is  the  South  African  form,  while  (E.  affinis,  a  Tropical 
representative,  is  found  in  Somaliland  (Saunders). 


206 


Family  GLAREOLID^. 


PRATINCOLE.     Glareola  pratincola  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
46 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  513  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  5. 

The  Pratincole  visits  Southern  Europe  in  summer,  but 
can  be  regarded  only  as  a  rare  wanderer  to  Britain  during 
the  spring  and  autumn  migrations.  It  was  first  noted  in 
1807,  in  Lancashire  and  Cumberland.  Subsequently,  it  has 
been  obtained  in  Norfolk,  Essex,  Lincolnshire,  Cambridge- 
shire, Yorkshire  ;  it  has  visited  Surrey,  Hampshire,  Dorset, 
Wiltshire,  Somerset,  Devon,  Cornwall,  and  Breconshire 
(Saunders) . 

Two  examples  have  been  procured  in  Scotland,  one 
at  Unst  in  the  Shetlands,  August  16th,  1812  ;  the  other 
at  Montrose  in  Forfarshire,  November  4th,  1899  (Harvie- 
Brown,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1900).  This  appears  to  be 
the  most  recent  capture  known. 

From  Ireland  there  is  but  one  record  of  its  occurrence, 
viz.,  in  co.  Cork  previous  to  1844  (Ussher, '  Birds  of  Ireland,' 
p.  249). 

The  Pratincole  can  be  distinguished  from  other  small 
shore-birds  by  its  forked  tail.  In  most  wading-birds  the 
middle  feathers  of  the  tail  are  longer  than  the  lateral 
ones.  In  the  Pratincole  this  arrangement  is  reversed. 

Like  its  near  allies  the  Plovers,  the  Pratincole  can  run 
rapidly ;  when  at  rest  it  has  the  peculiar  habit  of  jerking  its 
tail  up  and  down. 

Flight.  —  The  wings  are  long  and  pointed,  and  well 
adapted  for  swift  and  sustained  flight ;  Degland  compares 
the  aerial  movements  of  this  species  to  those  of  the  Swallow. 

Food. — This  bird  is  mainly  insectivorous  ;  it  lives  chiefly 


PEATINCOLE  207 

on  beetles,  and  grasshoppers  are  also  eaten.  In  the  stomachs 
of  two  specimens  (a  male  and  a  female)  shot  in  May,  1827, 
on  Breydon  Wall,  Messrs.  Paget  found  quantities  of  beetles 
(A.  Patterson,  'Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  98). 

Voice. — The  voice  is  loud  and  scolding,  not  unlike^that 
of  the  larger  species  of  Terns. 

Nest. — The  Pratincole  lays  on  the  bare  ground,  "  on  the 
sun-dried  mud  which  has  been  covered  with  water  during 
the  rains  of  winter ;"..."  the  eggs,  two  to  three  in 


FIG.  28.— PRATINCOLE. 

number,  are  laid  with  their  axes  parallel."  They  are  of 
a  huffish-grey  colour,  blotched  and  zoned  with  black  and 
purple-brown.  Incubation  begins  early  in  May  (Saunders). 
Geographical  distribution. — This  species  breeds  in  North 
Africa,  Southern  Europe,  and  Western  Asia,  migrating  in 
winter  to  Southern  Asia  and  Africa.  On  passage  north 
comparatively  few  birds  reach  a  higher  latitude  than  that 
of  France. 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  hind-neck, 
back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  brown  ;  some  of  the  secondaries 
are  edged  with  white ;  primaries,  dark  brown ;  tail,  dark 
brown,  with  the  bases  of  the  feathers  white;  upper  tail- 


208  GLAREOLID.E 

coverts,  tipped  with  white ;  throat,  dull  yellow,  limited 
below  by  a  thin,  black  'horse  shoe';  front  of  neck  and 
breast,  yellowish-brown ;  abdomen,  white  ;  axillaries,  reddish- 
brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Back  and  wings,  mottled 
and  striped  transversely  with  black  and  grey ;  breast, 
streaked  with  brown. 

BEAK.     Dark  brown,  red  at  the  base  behind  the  nostrils. 

FEET.     Black. 

IEIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE    MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH          ...  10'5  in. 

WING 7-5    „ 

BEAK  ...         ...         ...  0-8   „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS  ...  1'25 ,, 

EGG     1-15x0-9  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — G.  melanop- 
tera,  with  black  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries,  and  no 
white  wing-bar,  inhabits  Asia  as  well  as  Southern  Eussia, 
reaching  South  Africa  in  winter. 


CREAM  COLOURED  COURSER.     Cursorius  gallicus 
(J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
44;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  514;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  »v,  pi.  6. 

The  Cream-coloured  Courser  is  another  rare  wanderer 
to  British  shores  from  its  home  in  Northern  Africa  and 
Southern  Asia. 

In  England  it  has  visited  the  following  counties  as  a 
migrant  in  autumn  or  winter  : — Kent,  Middlesex,  Suffolk, 
Norfolk,  Lincolnshire,  Yorkshire,  Northumberland,  Cumber- 


CREAM-COLOURED  COURSER 


209 


land,  Leicestershire,  Cornwall,  Devon,  Somerset,  Dorset, 
Wilts,  and  Hants.  It  has  also  visited  North  Wales  and 
Cardiganshire.  It  may  be  noticed  that  the  above  counties 
are  maritime,  with  the  exception  of  Wilts,  Leicestershire, 
and  Middlesex. 

A  bird  from  Kent  about  1787  (Harting,  '  Handbook  of 
British  Birds,'  1901,  p.  410),  and  a  bird  from  North  Wales 
in  1793,  are  probably  the  earliest  captures  recorded.  The 


FIG.  29.— CREAM-COLOURED   COURSER. 


most  recent  occurrences  appear  to  be  those  of  two  speci- 
mens, one  obtained  in  Wiltshire,  on  October  10th,  and 
another  in  Jersey,  on  October  19th,  1896. 

The  Cream-coloured  Courser  has  not  been  recorded  as 
a  spring-migrant  on  its  passage  northward. 

In  Scotland  it  has  once  been  obtained,  namely  in 
Lanarkshire,  on  October  8th,  1868  (Gray,  '  Birds  of  the 
West  of  Scotland,'  p.  250). 

As  yet  it  has  not  been  included  in  the  Irish  List. 
14 


210  GLAEEOLID^ 

The  bird  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  Bustards :  it  is 
strongly  built,  and  is  less  graceful  and  active  in  its  move- 
ments than  the  typical  wading-birds. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  strong  and  swift. 

Food. — Insects  and  small  shell-fish  form  the  main  diet. 

Voice. — The  note  of  the  female  is  syllabled  rererer 
(Favier). 

Nest. — This  bird  lays  on  desert  sands  and  on  stony 
wastes.  The  eggs,1  two  in  number,  are  light  buff,  spotted 
and  marbled  with  shades  of  brown  and  deep  grey. 

Incubation  probably  commences  in  March. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Cream-coloured  Courser 
breeds  in  Northern  Africa,  and  is  abundant  on  some  of  the 
Canary  Islands.  Eastward  it  can  be  traced  across  the  Ked 
Sea  through  Arabia  to  North  India.  Its  visits  to  Southern 
Europe  are  irregular,  and  to  latitudes  north  of  France  it  is 
only  a  straggler. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  buffish- 
grey,  shading  to  slate-colour ;  feathers  of  the  back  of  the 
neck,  margined  with  black ;  a  narrow  white  stripe  extends 
from  the  eye  to  the  neck,  below  which  is  a  black  stripe ; 
back,  wings,  rump,  and  tail,  sandy-buff;  primaries,  axillaries, 
and  under  wing-coverts,  black ;  breast  and  abdomen,  pale 
greyish-buff,  shading  to  white  ;  under  tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — More  rufous  than  the 
adult ;  no  grey  or  black  on  the  back  of  the  neck ;  eye- 
stripe,  yellowish  ;  feathers  of  the  throat  and  back,  edged 
with  dark  crescentic  markings. 

BEAK.     Dark  brown. 

FEET.      Greyish. 

IRIDES.  Hazel. 

AVERAGE    MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 10        in. 

WING         ...       6-3       „ 

BEAK         1          „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS         2'25     „ 

EGG  ... 1'35  X  I'l  in. 

1  The  first  eggs  on  record  were  obtained  by  the  late  Canon  Tristram 
<•  Ibis,'  1859). 


211 


Family   CHAKADRIID^]. 


DOTTEREL.     Eudromias  morinellus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
43;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  526  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  8 ;  Booth,  '  Bough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pi.  14. 

Within  the  past  half  century  the  Dotterel  has  become 
greatly  diminished  in  numbers  as  a  British  bird :  nowadays 
visitations  of  large  flocks  are  unknown.  The  gunner  has 
sensibly  contributed  to  the  thinning  out  of  the  numbers, 
an  easily  accomplished  feat,  seeing  that  the  Dotterel  is 
little  heedful  of  danger.  So  tame — even  stupid — is  this 
bird  that  it  can  be  approached  on  an  open  field  within 
easy  gun-shot  range,  and  when  assembled  into  flocks,  large 
numbers  can  be  killed  with  a  few  shots.  Owing  to  the 
palatable  nature  of  its  flesh,  as  well  as  to  its  handsome 
plumage,  it  has  become  a  special  victim  to  gun  and  net. 

Grass-covered  fields,  stubbles,  and  rough  uncultivated 
commons  are  its  favourite  resorts  ;  it  also  occurs  about  the 
sand-hills  and  mud-flats  of  our  coasts.  The  Dotterel  is  a 
summer-visitor  to  Britain,  making  its  appearance  about  the 
end  of  April  and  departing  early  in  September. 

On  migration  it  is  distributed  on  both  sides  of  the 
English  coast,  though  very  local  in  its  breeding-resorts. 
It  is  rare  along  the  western  sea-board  of  Scotland,  including 
the  Hebrides,  and  in  Wales  and  Ireland  it  is  seldom 
obtained.  In  the  latter  country,  Mr.  Ussher  mentions 
twelve  occurrences  which,  with  the  exception  of  one,  took 
place  during  the  autumn  migration  The  following  counties 
have  been  visited : — Cork,  Waterford,  Tipperary,  Down, 
Antrim,  Londonderry,  and  Donegal.  The  most  recent 
record  is  that  of  a  bird  obtained  on  November  30th,  1905, 


212  CHAKADKIIDyE 

on  a  mud-flat  in  Donegal  Bay  (H.  R.  Nichols,  '  Irish 
Naturalist,'  1906,  p.  45). 

Food. — The  food  consists  of  various  insects,  especially 
beetles  and  caterpillars ;  worms,  slugs,  and  snails,  are  also 
eaten. 

Voice. — The  note  is  low  and  rather  plaintive. 

Nest. — In  the  nesting-season  the  Dotterel  resorts  to 
mountains  often  of  considerable  altitude,  breeding  on  the 
slopes  not  far  from  the  summits. 

The  eggs,  three  in  number,  deposited  in  a  depression 
in  moss  or  grass-covered  soil,  are  cold  buff,  varying  in 
shade  to  light  olive,  and  blotched  with  brownish-black. 
Incubation  begins  about  the  second  week  in  June. 

In  the  British  Isles  the  Dotterel  breeds  in  small 
numbers  on  the  hills  of  Cumberland  (Lake  district),  while 
northward  it  may  be  found  nesting  on  the  Grampians  (at 
an  elevation  of  3,000  feet),  and  on  other  mountain-ranges 
in  Northern  Scotland. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad  this  bird  breeds  in 
Scandinavia,  North  Russia,  and  eastward  right  across 
Siberia ;  also  on  some  of  the  islands  within  the  Arctic 
Circle.  Over  Temperate  and  Southern  Europe  it  is  mainly 
a  passing  spring  and  autumn  migrant.  Its  winter  range 
extends  to  North  Africa  and  Western  Asia. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,1  dark 
brownish-black ;  a  curved  white  stripe  extends  over  the  eye 
backwards  to  the  hind-neck,  joining  there  with  the  similar 
stripe  of  the  other  side ;  front  of  head,  cheeks,  chin,  and 
throat,  nearly  white,  with  a  little  brown  speckling  in  front 
of  the  eye;  feathers  of  the  back  and  wings,  brownish,  with 
lighter  margins ;  inner  secondaries,  margined  with  red ; 
primaries,  brown  ;  tail,  brown,  edged  with  white,  except 
the  central  pair  of  feathers ;  front  of  neck  and  upper  breast, 
greyish-brown,  the  lower  feathers  being  edged  with  black 
and  limited  by  a  white  crescent ;  lower  breast,  bright 
reddish-brown ;  flanks,  similar  in  colour ;  abdomen,  black  ; 
under  tail-coverts,  white  ;  axillaries,  greyish. 

1  In  the  shape  of  its  head  the  Dotterel  closely  resembles  the  true 
Plovers.  Its  forehead  is  round  and  prominent,  its  beak  short  and 
straight  and  its  eyes  large  and  bright. 


CASPIAN  PLOVEE  213 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
but  duller  in  shade  and  the  black  on  the  abdomen  is  less 
developed. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Somewhat  resembles 
the  nuptial  plumage,  but  the  top  of  the  head  is  brown,  and 
the  breast  and  abdomen,  isabelline  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Feathers  of  top  of  head, 
back,  scapulars,  wings,  and  hind-neck,  edged  with  reddish- 
buff  ;  breast,  mottled  greyish-brown  ;  white  crescent  very 
indistinct ;  lower  breast  and  abdomen,  white. 

BEAK.     Blackish. 

FEET.     Yellow. 

IEIDES.  Brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH       ...  ...         ...  9     in. 

WING          ...         ...  ...  6      ,, 

BEAK           ...         ...  ...         ...  0*6  ,, 

TAKSO-METATAESUS  ...         ...  1*3  ,, 

EGG  ..  1-6  X  1*1  in. 


CASPIAN  PLOYER.     JEgialitis  asiatica  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pis.  520 
fig.  1,  522;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  9. 

A  single  instance  of  the  occurrence  of  this  Oriental 
species  entitles  it  to  be  placed  in  the  British  Avifauna.  It  is 
an  extremely  rare  and  accidental  visitor,  which  in  a  few 
instances  wanders  westward  on  migration. 

The  specimen  above  referred  to,  was  captured  in  a 
garden  on  the  North  Denes,  at  Great  Yarmouth,  on  May 
22nd,  1890.  It  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  Southwell  before  the 
Zoological  Society  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc.,  1890,  p.  461),  and 
proved  to  be  an  adult  male.  It  is  now  preserved  in  the 
Norwich  Museum.  A  second  bird  of  the  same  species 
accompanied  it  but  was  not  secured. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Forehead  and  cheeks, 
white;  upper  breast,  reddish-brown,  forming  a  broad  band 


214  CHARADRIID.E 

edged  below  by  a  narrow  black  band;  lower  breast  and 
abdomen,  white ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  brown ; 
primaries,  dark  brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  colour  to  the  male 
plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  Breast-band,  dull 
brown  ;  head,  back,  and  wings,  umber,  shading  to  sandy- 
buff  on  the  forehead,  cheeks,  and  hind-neck. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — More  sandy-coloured  than 
the  adult  winter  plumage,  which  it  otherwise  resembles; 
feathers  of  the  back  and  wings,  edged  with  buff. 

BEAK.     Blackish. 

FEET.     Greenish-olive. 

IBIDES.  Dusky-hazel. 

EGGS.  Dull  yellow,  irregularly  spotted  with  dark  brown  : 
clutch,  three. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 7'5     in. 

WING        5'6      „ 

BEAK         0'8      „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        1'35    „ 

EGG  1'45  X  1'02  in. 


RINGED   PLOVER.     Mgialitis  hiaticola  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  «  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
41 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  525  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  10. 

This  pretty  little  Plover  may  be  seen  at  all  seasons  of 
the  year  along  our  coasts.  Its  numbers  increase  with  the 
arrival  of  migrants  in  spring  and  autumn,  and  though  many 
birds  pass  northward,  a  fair  proportion  remain  to  breed  in 
our  Isles. 

The  Ringed  Plover  is  most  adaptable  to  its  surround- 
ings ;  its  favourite  resorts  are  sandy  beaches,  but  it  also 
haunts  rocky  strands,  where,  in  company  with  Turnstones, 
it  may  be  seen  foraging  among  stones  and  sea-wrack  for 
food. 

The  banks  of  rivers  and  the  shores  of  fresh-water  lakes 
are  also  frequented. 


^-5  fl 

PS  §  § 

£  i  5 

o  g  So 

^  g  n 

^  I  3 

g  5-  S 

§  '5  § 


KINGED  PLOVEK  215 

When  not  molested  by  the  gunner,  it  is  a  tame  little 
creature.  It  may  be  seen  alighting  along  the  edge  of  the 
shore  a  few  paces  from  where  an  observer  is  standing, 
when  it  will  run  for  a  few  yards,  then  suddenly  stop 
and  peer  around  with  its  large  black  limpid  eyes.  Now 
remaining  quite  motionless,  its  pretty  form  and  plumage 
may  be  compared  to  an  ornament  placed  upon  the  sombre 
grey  sands. 

So  little  heedful  is  this  Plover  of  the  presence  of  man 
that  it  will  venture  on  the  crowded  beaches  of  fashionable 
watering-places,  usually  desolate  of  bird -life.  Here,  in  the 
presence  of  all  sorts  of  noisy  holiday-makers,  with  donkeys 
galloping  about,  dogs  yelping,  and  children  screaming,  a 
little  family-party  of  five  or  six  Kinged  Plovers  may  be  seen 
searching  for  food  by  the  edge  of  the  falling  tide  (Plate 
XIII.).  It  is  pleasant  to  spend  some  time  watching  the 
movements  of  these  nimble  birds,  at  their  favourite  feeding- 
grounds  ;  a  hillock  or  sand-dune  will  form  an  excellent 
ambush.  August  and  September  are  the  best  months  for 
this  purpose,  as  then  great  numbers  of  migrants,  many  of 
them  immature  and  remarkably  tame,  are  scattered  over  the 
strand. 

April,  May,  and  early  June  are  also  good  months  in  which 
to  make  observations.  In  these  months  I  have  seen  our 
shores  thickly  studded  with  Kinged  Plover,  mostly  migrants 
passing  northward  to  breed.  On  watching  this  little  wader, 
attention  is  at  once  arrested  by  the  beautiful  black  and  white 
markings,  which  in  the  form  of  two  collars  adorn  its  neck. 
Next,  interest  is  aroused  by  the  movements  of  this  species 
as  it  runs  actively  and  noiselessly  along  the  sands,  half 
mouse-like,  half  bird-like,  its  feet  moving  so  rapidly  that 
the  motions  cannot  be  followed.  But  the  movements  of 
the  Kinged  Plover  are  characteristic  of  the  group  to  which 
it  belongs.  It  takes  about  a  dozen  short  steps  forwards, 
then  suddenly  halts,  perhaps  picks  up  a  minute  worm,  and 
proceeds  again  for  another  dozen  paces,  then  another  halt, 
and  in  this  way  the  movements  are  repeated  as  a  considerable 
area  of  strand  is  traversed. 

At  a  distance  or  on  a  dark  day,  when  its  plumage- 
markings  are  not  very  clear,  this  species  can  be  identified 
among  a  flock  of  other  small  wading-birds  by  its  peculiar 
run.  Dunlins  and  Sanderlings,  with  which  it  often  asso- 
ciates, scamper  about  incessantly  and  in  a  most  irregular 
way. 


216  CHAKADEIID^E 

The  Kinged  Plover  is  decidedly  sociable.  Solitary  birds 
may  be  seen  both  on  the  sea-beach  and  on  the  margins 
of  inland-lakes,  bat  it  generally  keeps  company  with  other 
small  shore-birds,  such  as  those  already  mentioned.  On  the 
sand-flats  of  the  North  Bull,  Dublin  Bay,  I  have  seen 
several  Snow-Buntings,  having  foraged  in  the  refuse  cast 
ashore  by  the  tide,  hop  out  to  the  water's  edge  and  escort  a 
small  wisp  of  immature  Kinged  Plover  along  the  beach. 

Flight. — The  flight  of  this  species  is  swift  and  power- 
ful. When  a  flock  is  scared  from  its  feeding-grounds  at 
the  edge  of  the  tide,  the  birds  generally  fly  out  to  sea  in  a 
body,  for  a  short  distance,  and  return  to  the  strand,  often 
close  to  the  spot  from  which  they  were  disturbed.  If  per- 
sistently hunted,  the  flocks  detach  themselves  into  smaller 
batches,  and  as  the  birds  gradually  settle  down,  they  scatter 
themselves  widely  over  the  strand. 

Kinged  Plovers  often  accompany  Dunlins  on  the  wing, 
and  imitate  their  wonderful  aerial  movements  so  accurately 
that  in  a  large  flock  the  two  species  are  practically  indistin- 
guishable. I  have  seen  a  flock,  flying  in  from  the  sea,  turn 
in  the  air,  as  at  a  word  of  command,  the  bright  breasts 
and  rapidly-beating  pinions  glittering  like  a  shower  of  silver 
spray  in  the  brilliant  sunshine.  Approaching  the  water's 
edge,  the  flock  opened  out  and  after  a  momentary  pause, 
each  member  speedily  shot  downwards  with  a  swooping 
action  (a  characteristic  movement  of  many  wading-birds),  to 
rest  or  feed  on  the  sands.  It  was  not  until  I  turned  my 
field-glass  on  the  birds  and  examined  them  leisurely  that  I 
detected  what  species  were  in  the  flock. 

Occasionally  a  single  Kinged  Plover  may  be  noted 
coursing  swiftly  over  the  beach,  its  wings  almost  tipping 
the  foam  of  the  breakers.  Such  a  bird  is  often  surprised 
by  the  Merlin  :  along  the  sands  of  the  Dublin  coast  I  have 
frequently  witnessed  a  most  exciting  race  for  life.  More 
than  once  have  I  disturbed  a  Merlin  which  flew  off,  leaving 
behind  a  half-picked  Kinged  Plover,  and,  judging  from  the 
quantities  of  feathers  and  bones  that  one  finds,  it  is  evident 
that  this  bird  often  falls  a  prey  to  the  clutches  of  the  swift 
little  Falcon. 

Nor  can  the  Kinged  Plover  always  trust  the  Kestrel 
(which  seldom  molests  small  birds),  when  it  hovers  over  the 
sands  searching  for  the  downy  young. 

Food. — This  species  feeds  on  worms,  sand-hoppers, 
minute  shrimps,  shell-fish,  insects,  and  vegetables.  I  have 


PLATE   XIV. 


Fig.  1.— NEST  AND   EGGS   OF   KINGED   PLOVER. 
The  foot-prints  of  the  birds  are  seen  in  the  sand  surrounding  the  nest. 


Fig.  2.— NEST   AND   EGGS   OF   RINGED   PLOVER. 
In  damp  grass  and  seaweed. 


EINGED  PLOVEE  217 

found  gizzards  filled  with  remains  of  small  lustrous  blue- 
black  beetles,  the  bodies  of  which  measured  3  mm.  in 
length  ;  in  many  other  cases  I  found  the  gizzards  to 
contain  quantities  of  sand-hoppers.  Fine  grit  is  generally 
present. 

Voice. — This  little  bird  possesses  a  tuneful  and  plaintive 
voice.  It  seems  to  utter  the  syllables  chu-e-chu-e,  in  a 
pleading  and  slightly  querulous  tone. 

Nest. — The  position  and  construction  of  the  nest  varies 
considerably.  In  some  cases  the  eggs  are  deposited  on 
almost  level  sand  or  gravel,  the  surface  being  slightly 
scraped  to  prevent  them  from  rolling  away.  In  other 
cases — more  usual  in  my  experience — a  definite  nest  is 
attempted,  the  deeper  and  more  cup-shaped  hollow  being 
neatly  lined  with  fragments  of  shells  and  pebbles  (Plate 
XIV.,  fig.  1).  I  have  found  the  nest  in  short  wet  slob- 
land  grass  thickly  top-dressed  with  slimy  green  and  white 
seaweed  (Plate  XIV.,  fig.  2).  Away  from  the  tide  the 
Einged  Plover  nests  on  dry  warrens,  also  on  the  pebbly 
and  sandy  shores  and  islands  of  fresh-water  lakes  and 
rivers. 

The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  pear-shaped  and  large  for 
the  size  of  the  bird.  The  ground-colour  ranges  from  dull 
cream  to  warm  stone  or  fawn-colour,  the  dark  brown  and 
black  markings  taking  as  a  rule  the  form  of  spots ;  in  some 
instances  these  are  largely  replaced  by  streaks  and  scrolls.1 
The  eggs  are  generally  arranged  in  the  nest  with  their 
pointed  ends  meeting  in  the  centre  like  those  of  other 
*  waders,'  but  eggs  freshly  laid,  i.e.,  before  the  female  has 
commenced  to  incubate,  may  be  found  placed  irregularly 
(Plate  XIV.,  fig.  2). 

Incubation  begins  about  the  middle  of  April,  but  the 
birds  arrive  in  March  at  their  breeding-grounds,  where  they 
may  be  seen  flying  to  and  fro,  while  the  male,  at  repeated 
intervals,  utters  his  pleasing  love-call. 

At  the  beginning  of  incubation  the  female  sits  lightly, 
slipping  off  her  eggs  at  the  sight  of  an  intruder  two  hundred 
yards  away.  The  male  often  keeps  some  distance  off,  so 


1  At  Newcastle  beach,  co.  Wicklow,  I  found  a  nest  which  contained 
three  half-hatched  eggs  (I  presume  the  full  clutch,  unless  one  had 
been  abstracted),  abnormally  light  in  the  ground-colour,  more  streaked 
and  scrolled  than  usual,  more  elongated  in  shape  and  larger,  with  the 
narrow  ends  not  so  pointed  as  usual. 


218  CHAKADKIIDJE 

that  the  nest  may  appear  quite  deserted  of  its  owners. 
When  hatching  is  nearly  completed  the  female  sits  more 
closely  and  the  male  is  more  often  by  her  side.  When 
the  young  birds  are  running  about,  both  parents  watch  them 
most  anxiously  and  will  feign  lameness1  or  a  broken  wing 
to  decoy  an  enemy  from  their  little  ones.  Kinged  Plovers 
occasionally  make  the  mistake  of  laying  their  eggs  a  little 
below  high-water  mark  ;  indeed  I  have  seen  the  eggs  carried 
off  by  the  incoming  tide.  At  other  times  I  have  .observed 
them  deserted  and  half  buried  in  the  sand,  particularly  after 
a  storm. 


FIG.  30.— HEAD  OF   RINGED   PLOVER.     Nat.  size. 


Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Ringed  Plover 
nests  in  Temperate  and  Arctic  Europe,  including  Iceland. 
Eastward  it  may  be  traced  across  Siberia,  a  small  race 
occurring  in  Central  Asia,  and  North  Africa.  The  larger 
race  also  occurs  in  Greenland.  On  migration  in  autumn 
arid  winter  it  is  distributed  widely  over  the  rest  of  the 
European  and  the  greater  part  of  the  Asiatic  Continents, 
the  small  race  reaching  to  South  Africa  and  India. 


1  I  have  scores  of  times  seen  Ringed  Plovers  pretending  to  be 
wounded,  but  perhaps  the  most  interesting  observation  on  this  habit 
was  made  at  Ireland's  Eye,  on  June  17th,  1900.  Here,  over  a  rough 
stony  beach  I  saw  a  Ringed  Plover  tumbling  about  with  its  leg  and 
wing  trailing  until  it  reached  a  pool  into  which  it  fluttered  and  splashed. 
Thinking  it  might  be  really  disabled  I  gave  chase,  but  found  I  was 
deceived,  for,  emerging  from  the  far  side  of  the  pool,  the  bird  tumbled 
along  for  a  few  yards  and  then  new  off.  It  was  the  most  perfect  piece 
of  mimicry  I  have  ever  witnessed :  after  a  short  search  I  found  two 
young  ones,  still  in  the  down. 


RINGED  PLOVER  219 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — On  the  front  of  the 
head  is  a  black  band  extending  from  the  top  of  one  eye 
across  to  the  other  ;  in  front  of  this  is  a  shorter  white  band, 
limited  below  by  a  narrow  black  band  which  extends  from 
the  base  of  the  upper  segment  of  the  beak  backwards  under 
the  eye  to  the  ears  ;  above  this  a  white  stripe  extends  back- 
wards behind  the  eye  ;  rest  of  head,  and  back  of  neck, 
mouse-brown  ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  brown  ;  there  is 
a  narrow  white  alar  bar ;  primaries,  dark  brown,  the  shafts 
of  all  and  the  outer  webs  of  the  shorter  ones  marked  with 
white  ;  a  white  ring  encircles  the  upper  neck,  below  which 
is  a  black  ring,  broadest  in  front  at  the  upper  breast ; 
lower  breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  white ;  upper 
tail -coverts,  greyish  -  brown  ;  outer  pair  of  tail-feathers, 
white  ;  central  pair  almost  completely  brown,  tipped  with 
white,  this  colour  increasing  in  the  lateral  series,  the 
feathers  of  which  are  not  only  tipped  but  edged  along  their 
outer  webs  with  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage,  but 
the  black  band  on  the  breast  is  sometimes  narrower. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  black  markings  are 
duller  and  not  so  sharply  denned  as  in  the  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Differs  from  the  adult  in 
having  a  dull  brownish-black  neck-ring,  often  incomplete  in 
front  (cf.  Kentish  Plover)  ;  the  band  on  the  face  is  dusky, 
and  there  is  no  black  band  on  the  top  of  the  head. 

BEAK.     Short ;  basal  half,  yellow  ;  terminal  half,  black. 

FEET.     Rich  chrome-yellow. 

TRIBES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 7'75   in. 

WING         5-25    „ 

BEAK         ..  0'6      ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...  1         ,, 

EGG  1-4    X  1   in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — 2E.  semipal- 
mata,  with  semi -webbed  feet,  and  smaller  in  size,  is  the 
American  representative. 


220  CHAEADEIID.E 

LITTLE  RINGED  PLOVER.    Mgialitis  curonica  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures.—  Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,' vol.  iv,  pi. 
42  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  524;  Lilford 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  11. 

The  Little  Einged  Plover  has  a  wide  distribution  over 
the  European  Continent,  including  countries  not  far  off  our 
shores,  viz.,  Belgium,  Holland,  and  France.  Yet  it  is 
remarkable  that  this  bird  is  an  extremely  rare  visitor  to 
our  Isles,  there  being  few  authenticated  instances  of  its 
capture  on  British  soil.  A  careful  examination,  aided  by 
the  field-glass,  should  be  made  of  the  flocks  of  Einged 
Plovers  which  frequent  our  shores  and  lakes,  especially  of 
those  collected  to  migrate.  Among  these  there  is  always 
a  chance  of  finding  rare  species,  perhaps  the  Little  Einged 
Plover. 

Except  for  the  difference  in  size,  the  two  species  are 
difficult  to  identify  on  the  strand,  as  their  markings  are 
very  similar.  When  flying,  however,  the  common  bird  can 
be  recognised  by  its  conspicuous  white  wing-bar. 

The  Little  Einged  Plover  has  been  obtained  at  Shore- 
ham  in  Sussex  ;  in  Chichester  Harbour,  in  May ;  at  Tresco 
in  the  Scilly  Isles,  on  October  23rd,  1863  :  on  Kingsbury 
Eeservoir  in  Middlesex,  in  August,  1864  ;  and  at  Freshwater 
in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  in  August  (Saunders,  '  Manual  of 
British  Birds,'  2nd  Edition,  p.  541). 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Forehead,  white,  with 
a  black  patch  above  it ;  rest  of  head,  brown  ;  cheeks,  black  ; 
chin,  throat,  neck,  breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts, 
pure  white,  interrupted  by  a  black  collar  round  the  bottom 
of  the  neck ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  ash-brown  ; 
primaries,  dusky-brown,1  the  outer  ones  being  banded  with 
a  broad  white  mark  ;  tail,  brownish,  the  marginal  feathers 
tipped  with  white,  the  outermost  nearly  all  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  markings  are  less  defined 
and  the  black  and  white  head-bands  are  narrower  than 
those  of  the  male. 

Adult   winter,  male   and  female. — Similar  to   the   nup- 

1  Not  patched  with  white  like  those  of  the  common  species. 


KENTISH    PLOVER  221 

tial  plumage,  but  the  black  markings  are  duller  and  less 
denned. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  black  markings  of 
the  adult  plumage  are  replaced  by  brown  ;  the  feathers  of 
the  back  and  wings  are  margined  with  buff. 

The  down  of  the  nestling  is  -more  distinctly  buff  in  shade 
than  that  of  the  nestling  of  the  common  species. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Pale  flesh-colour  ;  nails,  black. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

EGGS.  Pale  stone-colour,  finely  spotted  and  streaked 
with  dark  brown  :  clutch,  four. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 6'5  in. 

WING    4-5  „ 

BEAK    0*5  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        0*9     ,, 

EGG  ...  1-15  X  '85  in. 


KENTISH  PLOVER.1     ^gialitis  cantiana  (Latham). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain/  vol.  iv,  pi. 
40 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  523 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  12. 

The  adult  male  Kentish  Plover  resembles  the  two 
preceding  species  in  colour,  but  can  be  identified  by  its 
incomplete  black  collar,  which  is  interrupted  in  front  by 
the  white  feathers  of  the  neck. 

Even  with  the  aid  of  a  powerful  binocular,  Hinged  and 
Kentish  Plovers  cannot  always  be  distinguished  from  one 
another,  as  they  patter  and  flit  about  on  the  sea-beach. 
A  profile  view  of  these  birds  makes  identification  very 
difficult,  as  the  black  collar  appears  unbroken  in  both 
species.  It  is  probable  that  the  Kentish  Plover  has  escaped 
the  observation  of  ornithologists  in  many  localities,  where 
it  is  apparently  unknown,  as  for  instance  along  the  exten- 
sive estuaries  and  mud-flats  of  the  eastern  sea-board  of 
Ireland. 


1  Named  by  Latham,  who  first  described  it  from  a  specimen  shot 
near  Sandwich  in  Kent. 


222  CHARADRIHXE 

This  species  is  a  summer-migrant  to  our  shores,  arriving 
in  April  and  departing  about  September.  It  has  a  limited 
distribution  along  the  east  coast  of  England  from  South 
Yorkshire  to  Sussex ;  in  the  latter  county  and  on  the 
coast  of  Kent,  it  used  to  breed  in  fair  numbers.  It  also 
visits  the  Channel  Isles,  and  has  been  obtained  in  Hamp- 
shire and  Cornwall.  Elsewhere  it  is  rare  as  a  British  bird. 
Four  or  five  instances  of  its  occurrence  in  Ireland  are  cited 
by  Mr.  Ussher,  but  the  only  specimen  known  to  exist  is 
one  preserved  in  the  National  Museum,  Dublin.  It  origin- 
ally formed  part  of  the  Montgomery  collection,  and  was 
obtained  on  the  North  Bull,  Dublin  Bay. 

There  are  no  records  from  Scotland. 

The  Kentish  "Plover,  though  more  maritime  in  its  habits 
than  the  Little  Einged  Plover,  sometimes  resorts  to  localities 
at  a  distance  from  the  coast. 

Food. — This  bird  eats  sand-hoppers,  insects,  and  small 
worms. 

Voice. — The  note  is  plaintive ;  when  alarmed  the  bird 
utters  a  shrill  whistle. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  a  hollow  scraped  in  the  sand,  or 
among  broken  shells  and  shingle.  The  eggs,  three  in 
number,  are  rough  in  texture,  and  of  a  dull  yellowish  colour, 
spotted  and  streaked  with  black.  They  are  often  placed 
almost  vertically  in  the  nest,  their  pointed  ends  being  buried 
in  the  sand.  Occasionally  the  eggs  are  deposited  on  heaps 
of  seaweed  thrown  up  by  the  high  tide  (H.  A.  Dombrain). 
Recently  Mr.  Hepburn  found  a  nest  of  the  Kentish  Plover 
with  three  eggs  in  it,  on  the  beach  at  Dungeness  (May  10th — 
14th,  1900).  The  eggs  were  most  difficult  to  distinguish  from 
their  surroundings.  "  The  hollow  in  the  shingle  in  which 
they  were  laid  was  8  in.  in  diameter,  and  f  in.  deep.  The 
pebbles  on  the  inside  of  the  nest  had  a  rather  worn  and 
stained  appearance,  from  the  birds  sitting  on  the  eggs  " 
('  Zoologist,'  1902,  p.  62). 

Incubation  begins  about  the  end  of  May.  The  parent- 
birds  attend  closely  to  their  young  and  use  much  strategy 
in  endeavouring  to  allure  an  intruder  away.  When  dis- 
turbed at  their  nesting-quarters,  they  will  fly  round  several 
times,  then  suddenly  alighting  on  the  ground,  will  crouch 
with  outspread  wings,  and  tail  fanned,  as  though  the  little 
malingerers  were  really  wounded. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  Plover  breeds  in 
considerable  numbers  in  Central  and  Southern  Europe, 


KENTISH  PLOVER  223 

extending  from  France  on  the  west  side,  across  to  the  Black 
Sea,  while  still  further  eastward  it  can  be  traced  over  a  large 
area  of  Temperate  and  Tropical  Asia  as  far  south  as  China. 
On  migration  in  the  cold  season  it  reaches  the  Malay 
Peninsula  and  India.  Its  northerly  migration-route  barely 
touches  the  Baltic. 

DESCRIPTIVE     CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Forehead,  white,  with 
a  black  patch  above  ifc ;  top  of  head  and  back  of  neck, 
brown,  tinged  with  rufous  ;  above  the  eye  there  is  a  white 
stripe  and  in  front  of  the  eye  a  black  stripe  ;  sides  and 
back  of  lower  neck,  patched  with  black  forming  an  incom- 
plete ring ;  breast  and  abdomen,  white  ;  back,  scapulars, 
wings,  and  inner  tail  -  feathers,  brown ;  primaries,  dark 
brown ;  outer  tail-feathers,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — No  black  on  the  forehead  ;  neck- 
collar,  brown  ;  rest  of  plumage  similar  to  the  male,  but 
duller  in  colour. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Differs  from  the 
nuptial  plumage  in  the  absence  of  rufous  tinge  on  top  of 
head,  and  the  black  markings  are  not  developed. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  winter 
plumage,  but  the  feathers  of  the  back  and  wings  are  mar- 
gined with  buff. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Black. 

IBIDES.  Brownish-black. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     6*75  in. 

WING   4-25  „ 

BEAK   0'5   „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS      0*9     „ 

EGG  ...  1-2  X  *9in. 


Allied  Species  and  Eepresentative  Forms. — M.  nivosa, 
with  white  feathers  in  front  of  the  eye,  is  the  American 
representative. 


224  CHARADRIID^E 

KILLDEER  PLOYER.     ^gialitis  vocifera  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  708  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  13. 

The  Killdeer  Plover  is  an  exceedingly  rare  wanderer 
from  America.  There  are  but  three  British  records  :— 

(a)  A  specimen  said  to  have  been  taken  in  Hampshire, 
(Christchurch),  April,  1859  (Sclater,  'Ibis,'  1862,  p.  276). 

(b)  A  bird  shot  at  Tresco,  in  the  Scilly  Isles,  on  January 
15th,  1885  ('  Zoologist,'  1835,  p.  113). 

(c)  In    '  Knowledge   and   Scientific   News '    for   August, 
1904,  vol.  i,  p.  187,  Mr.  W.  P.  Pycraft  writes  that  he  has 
found   in   University   Museum,   Aberdeen,    an   example   of 
Killdeer   Plover   (JEg.   voc.)   which    had    been   erroneously 
labelled  as  the  Kinged  Plover  (Mg.    Mat),   shot   at   Peter- 
head,  in  1867,  by  Mr.  Andrew  Murray.     This  is  the  third 
record  from  Britain. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Forehead,  white,  above 
which  is  a  black  band  ;  behind  the  eye  there  is  a  white  line  ; 
top  of  head,  cheeks,  hind-neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wing- 
coverts,  brown  ;  alar  bar,  white;  some  of  the  long  inner 
secondaries  margined  with  rufous  ;  primaries,  dark  brown, 
marked  with  white  ;  lower  back,  and  basal  portion  of  the  tail, 
reddish-brown;  terminal  part  of  the  tail  banded  with  black 
and  tipped  with  white  ;  throat,  breast,  and  abdomen,  white, 
interrupted  by  two  black  bands  across  the  base  of  the  neck. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage,  but  the  back  and  wings  are  darker  brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
plumage  except  that  the  feathers  of  the  back  and  wings 
are  margined  with  greyish-red. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Yellowish-grey. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

EGGS.  Creamy-white,  blotched  with  dark  purple-brown  : 
clutch,  four. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH      ...    ...  9*5  in. 

WING        ...  6-5  ,, 

BEAK        0'9  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS  ...  1'4  „ 

EGG  ...  1'6  X  I'l  in. 


GOLDEN  PLOVER 
GOLDEN  PLOVER.      Charadrius  pluvialis  (Linnaeus). 


225 


Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pis. 
38,  39;  Dresser.  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pis.  515,  518, 
519  ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  14. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  Golden  Plover  is  in 
great  request  for  table-use,  and  that  thousands  find  their 
way  into  the  city  markets,  yet  the  numbers  are  kept  up  by 
the  vast  stream  of  migrants  which  reach  our  shores  in 
autumn  and  early  winter.  Many  pairs  remain  to  breed,  but 
this  bird  is  much  better  known  and  more  widely  distributed 
as  a  spring  and  autumn  migrant.  It  frequents  the  uplands 
of  the  interior  as  well  as  the  slob-lands  of  our  tidal  estuaries. 
I  have  seen  hundreds  resting  in  fields,  miles  from  the  sea. 
In  the  month  of  August  I  have  noticed  a  few  adult  birds 


FIG.  31.— GOLDEN   PLOVERS. 


on  the  coast,  still  showing  some  of  the  black  markings  of 
the  nuptial  plumage.  These  are  followed  in  September 
by  vast  droves  of  immature  birds,  which,  on  their  arrival, 
are  generally  innocent  of  powder  and  shot,  and  so  quite 
tame.  At  this  season  I  have  watched  them  on  the  ooze- 
fiats  feeding  with  Dunlins  and  other  shore-birds.  The 
Golden  Plover  runs  in  the  same  peculiar  way  as  its  con- 
geners ;  it  is  not  so  active  on  the  ground  nor  so  sprightly- 
looking  as  the  Kinged  Plover.  Numbers  of  immature  birds, 
especially  those  which  arrive  early  in  the  autumn,  appear 
to  sojourn  but  a  few  days,  after 'which  they  move  south- 
ward ;  I  have  repeatedly  noticed  the  strand  deserted  during 
the  latter  part  of  September  and  the  beginning  of  October, 
15 


226  CHARADRIID^E 

though  the  birds  were  plentiful  in  the  middle  of  September. 
About  the  middle  of  October  the  numbers  are  again  greatly 
increased  by  the  arrival  of  adults  in  winter-plumage.  With 
reference  to  the  movements  of  Golden  Plovers,  Mr.  Walker 
informs  me  that  on  the  evening  of  September  18th,  1901, 
he  witnessed  a  flock,  at  a  great  height,  fly  round  many  times 
before  it  shot  vertically  downwards  and  rested  on  the  slob- 
lands  of  Dublin  Bay,  close  to  where  he  was  lying  in  ambush. 
The  birds  immediately  huddled  together,  and  sinking  their 
heads  between  their  shoulders,  assumed  a  tired  attitude. 
They  were  there  in  thousands,  all  very  tame,  and  reluctant 
to  use  their  wings  again.  He  watched  them  for  over  an 
hour  until  darkness  set  in.  All  the  time  they  remained 
motionless  without  feeding.  For  five  consecutive  days  Mr. 
Walker  explored  the  entire  stretch  of  slob-land  which  they 
had  frequented  and  found  no  sign  of  them.  It  is  likely 
that  the  flock  only  stopped  over  night  to  rest  before 
journeying  southward. 

Fresh  arrivals  of  adult  birds  begin  to  appear  about  the 
middle  of  October  and  remain  plentiful  on  the  sea-shore 
until  about  Christmas.  Mr.  Ussher  mentions  that  with 
continued  hard  frost  or  snowy  weather,  Golden  Plovers 
leave  Ireland  and  travel  southward.  The  appearance  of 
flocks  at  Dursey  Island  on  December  8th,  1882,  and  at 
Cork  and  Wexford  stations,  during  the  week  following,  all 
birds  travelling  in  a  southerly  or  south-westerly  direction, 
affords  strong  evidence  in  support  of  this  view  ('  Migration 
Report ').  However,  considerable  numbers  of  Golden  Plovers 
remain  in  Ireland,  and  are  proportionately  more  plentiful 
than  in  Great  Britain,  where  the  winters  are  usually  colder. 
It  is  most  interesting  to  watch  a  large  flock  of  these  birds, 
after  performing  a  series  of  fantastic  aerial  evolutions, 
coming  to  rest  on  the  waste  unreclaimed  pasturage  of  the 
lonely  hillside,  often  destitute  of  other  bird-life,  save  an 
occasional  Meadow-Pipit  or  Stonechat.  Simultaneously, 
and  with  marked  precision,  the  birds  alight,  and  there  they 
stand  motionless  like  a  lot  of  decoys,  harmonising  so  com- 
pletely with  the  surroundings  that  a  casual  observer  might 
pass  them  by,  or,  looking  at  them,  think  that  they  were 
a  number  of  loosely-scattered  stones.  After  a  little  time 
they  may  be  seen  to  run  towards  one  another,  forming  a 
dense  pack ;  then  they  grow  restless,  some  stretch  their 
wings  over  their  backs,  others  peer  anxiously  around ; 
presently  with  one  accord  they  rise  and  skim  away  in  a 


GOLDEN   PLOVEE  227 

compact  mass  towards  the  ebbing  tide.  I  have  repeatedly 
seen  flocks,  which  frequent  the  ooze-flats,  detach  them- 
selves into  small  parties  as  the  tide  rises  and  covers  their 
feeding-grounds,  and  again  congregate  into  immense  flocks 
as  the  sands  are  laid  bare. 

Flight. — On  the  wing  the  Golden  Plover  is  remarkably 
swift.  When  a  shot  is  fired  into  a  flock,  several  of  the 
birds  will  drop  vertically  as  though  struck,  and  then  con- 
tinue their  flight,  turning  and  twisting  with  wonderful 
adroitness,  at  no  great  height  from  the  ground. 

Food. — This  bird  seeks  its  food  by  night  as  well  as  by 
day.  Insects  of  different  kinds,  sand-hoppers,  worms,  slugs 
minute  snails,  and  other  shell-fish,  together  with  vegetable 
matter,  form  the  diet.  I  have  found  larvae,  3  inches  in 
length,  present  in  the  gizzard  :  grit  and  pebbles  are  fre- 
quently swallowed. 

Voice. — The  clear  and  not  unmusical  whistle,  syllabled 
clei-ivee,  del  -wee,  may  now  and  then  be  heard  at  night 
over  our  great  cities  ;  the  note  in  the  breeding-season  is 
described  as  tirr-pee-you  (A.  Chapman). 

Nest. — This  Plover  breeds  on  flat  bogs  as  well  as  on 
elevated  moor-lands,  frequently  on  the  summits  of  high 
mountains.  The  nest  is  a  depression  scraped  in  the 
ground,  lined  with  a  few  blades  of  dry  grass. 

The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  of  a  rather  light  buff  or 
stone-colour,  sometimes  of  a  rich  reddish-buff,  boldly  marked 
with  dark  brown  blotches  and  spots.  Incubation  begins 
about  the  end  of  April. 

The  Golden  Plover  breeds  freely  in  the  northern  counties 
of  England,  in  Scotland,  and  in  all  four  provinces  of  Ireland  ; 
it  nests  in  proportionately  fewer  numbers  in  Wales  and 
in  some  of  the  southern  counties  of  England,  but  in  the 
eastern  section  it  is  mainly  a  bird  of  double  passage. 

The  art  of  decoying  intruders  from  the  nest  and  young 
is  well  developed  in  the  Golden  Plover.  At  the  least  sus- 
picion of  danger,  the  female  will  leave  her  eggs,  and  running 
along  the  ground  for  a  short  distance,  take  flight  in  silence. 
Even  when  the  intruder  is  a  long  way  from  the  nest,  the 
male  may  be  heard  setting  up  his  plaintive  and  pleading 
cry  of  alarm  to  distract  attention  from  his  mate  while  she 
is  slipping  from  off  her  nest.  When  the  young  are  hatched, 
the  parents  will  flutter  and  tumble  and  assume  such  atti- 
tudes as  would  denote  that  they  were  suffering  from  a 
broken  leg  or  wing.  In  this  way  they  often  coax  an  enemy 


228  CHAKADEIID^ 

to  follow  them  several  hundred  yards  from  where  their 
little  downy  treasures  are  crouching  low. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  species  breeds 
in  Central  and  Northern  Europe,  including  Iceland,  while 
on  the  Asiatic  Continent  it  can  be  traced  to  Western  Siberia, 
the  true  Eastern  representative  being  the  Lesser  Golden 
Plover  (Asiatic  form). 

Our  Golden  Plover  also  breeds  in  Greenland,  but  in 
North  America  its  place  is  taken  by  the  Lesser  Golden 
Plover  (American  form). 

On  its  southern  migration  in  autumn  and  winter,  the 
Golden  Plover  is  distributed  over  the  European  Continent, 
as  well  as  over  South-west  Asia ;  wanderers  reach  South 
Africa. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Forehead  and  stripe 
over  the  eye,  white ;  top  of  head,  hind-neck,  back,  scapulars, 
and  wings,  beautifully  mottled  with  rich  golden-yellow  on 
a  blackish  ground  ;  primaries,  dark  brown  ;  axillaries,  white  ; 
tail,  barred  with  brown  and  yellow  ;  cheeks,  chin,  throat, 
front  of  neck,  breast,  and  abdomen,  black ;  flanks  and  side 
of  neck,  edged  with  a  white  line,  continuous  with  the  stripe 
over  the  eye. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
except  that  the  black  on  the  breast  and  abdomen  is  less 
developed,  and  is  broken  up  into  patches. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  black  feathers 
are  for  the  most  part  replaced  by  white,  but  the  cheeks, 
sides  of  neck,  and  breast,  are  mottled  brown  and  golden- 
yellow  ;  the  yellow  mottlings  of  the  head,  hind-neck,  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  are  more  marked  than  in  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  winter 
plumage,  but  the  ground-colour  of  the  top  of  the  head  is 
blacker  and  the  flanks  are  more  mottled  with  dusky-brown 
and  white,  while  the  rest  of  the  plumage,  except  in  the 
region  of  the  abdomen  and  throat,  is  profusely  speckled 
with  golden-yellow  spots  on  a  brown  ground-colour. 

BEAK.     Blackish-brown. 

FEET.     Blackish. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


LESSEE    GOLDEN   PLOVEK  229 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 


TOTAL  LENGTH    .  .  ...         ...  11       in. 

WING        ...  7'5     „ 

BEAK         ...         ...  ...  1        ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS  ...         ...  1*6    ' ,, 

EGG  2  X  1'4  in. 


LESSER  GOLDEN  PLOYER.     Charadrius  dominicus 
(P.  L.  S.  Miiller). 

Coloured    Figures. — Dresser,    '  Birds    of    Europe,'   vol.    vii,   pis. 
516,  517. 

There  are  two  varieties  of  this  Plover,  an  Eastern  or 
Asiatic,  and  a  Western  or  American.  The  latter  is  the 
larger  and  the  Jess  brilliant  in  colour. 

The  Lesser  Golden  Plover  is  a  very  rare  visitor  to  the 
British  Isles,  its  occurrences  being  as  follows : — 

(A]  Asiatic. 

One  found  in  December,  1874,  in  Leadenhall  Market1 
among  a  lot  of  Golden  Plovers  supposed  to  have  come  from 
Norfolk.  Another  obtained  in  the  flesh  from  Stennis  in 
Orkney  on  November  26th,  1887  (Millais,  '  The  Field,' 
December  10th,  1887). 

(B)  American. 

One  obtained  in  Leadenhall  Market  in  autumn,  1882 
(J.  H.  Gurney).  Another  recorded  from  Perthshire,  August 
3rd,  1883  (J.  G.  Millais,  '  Zoologist,'  1886,  p.  26). 

A  third  obtained  in  the  Dublin  Markets  on  September 
12tb,  1894,  among  a  lot  of  Golden  Plovers  which  had 
been  sent  direct  from  Belmullet,  co.  Mayo  (E.  Williams, 
'  Zoologist,'  1894,  p.  428,  also  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  vol.  iii, 
p.  224.) 


1  From  the  above  data  it  may  be  seen  that  the  majority  of  birds 
have  been  secured  in  game-dealers'  shops,  periodical  visits  to  which  will 
sooner  or  later  reward  the  ornithologist.  The  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  of 
Dublin  has  repeatedly  picked  up  rarities  in  this  way. 


230  CHAKADKIID^] 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS.1 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial — The  chief  difference  in 
the  plumage  of  this  and  our  bird  is  to  be  found  in  the 
axillary  feathers. 

In  the  Lesser  Golden  Plover  these  are  dark  smoke-grey 
shading  to  smoke-black;  in  the  Golden  Plover  they  are 
white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
except  that  the  black  is  less  developed  on  the  breast  and 
abdomen,  and  is  broken  up  into  patches. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  margins  of  the 
feathers  of  the  upper  plumage  are  lighter  in  the  Lesser 
Golden  Plover  than  in  the  common  species ;  in  fact  in 
winter-plumage  the  bird  more  closely  resembles  a  Grey 
than  a  Golden  Plover. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Upper  plumage  resembles 
that  of  the  adult  nuptial,  but  the  tail  is  plain  brown  spotted 
with  yellow  on  the  margins  (Seebohm).  The  under  plumage 
resembles  that  of  the  adult  in  winter. 

BEAK.     Dark  olive-brown. 

FEET.     Leaden-grey. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

EGGS.  Paler  in  ground-colour  than  those  of  the  Golden 
or  Grey  Plover  :  clutch,  four  (H.  L.  Popham). 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH,  Asiatic  race  ...  9      in. 

,,  ,,  American  race  9*5  ,, 

WING  Asiatic  race  ...  6*5  ,, 

,,  ,,  American  race  ...  6'75 ,, 

BEAK  Asiatic  race  ...  0'9  ,, 

„  ,,  American  race  ...  1  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS,  Asiatic  race  ...  1*5  ,, 

,,  ,,  American  race  ...  1*6  ,, 

EGG  2  x  1'33  in. 


1  The  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  draws  attention  to  the  much  longer 
'  tarsus,'  and  broad  white  band  over  the  eye  in  the  Lesser  Golden 
Plover,  as  compared  with  the  same  in  the  European  bird  ('  Irish 
Naturalist,'  vol.  iii,  p.  224). 


GKEY  PLOVER  231 

GREY  PLOYER.     Squatarola  helvetica  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pis. 
36,  37  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pis.  515,  517- 
519 ;  Lilford,  *  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  15. 

Comparatively  few  observers,  except  those  who  devote 
special  study  to  shore-birds,  are  familiar  with  the  Grey 
Plover.  The  ordinary  gunner  who  tramps  the  fields  and 
bog-lands  of  the  open  country  knows  but  two  species,  the 
Golden  and  the  Green  Plover.  In  Ireland  much  confusion 
has  arisen  through  calling  the  Golden  the  '  Grey,'  the  only 
other  Plover  generally  known  being  the  Lapwing,  Peewit, 
or  Green  Plover.  It  is  not  strange  that  the  Golden  Plover 
should  be  designated  '  grey  ' ;  there  is  nothing  striking  in 
its  plumage  comparable  to  the  brilliant  feathers  of  the 
Golden  Oriole,  the  Golden  Pheasant,  the  Goldfinch,  the 
Golden-crested  Wren,  and  of  many  other  species  too 
numerous  to  mention. 

The  immature  Grey  Plover  in  its  first  winter-plumage, 
is  speckled  finely  on  the  back  and  wings  with  pale  yellow, 
thus  closely  resembling  the  Golden  Plover,  and  making  dis- 
tinction between  the  two  species  difficult,  if  the  hind  toe  be 
not  noticed  (Plate  XV.,  fig.  1). 

Alike,  however,  as  the  two  species  may  be  in  markings, 
they  have  very  distinctive  habits.  In  autumn  and  winter 
the  Grey  Plover  is  essentially  a  shore-bird1,  and  is  only 
very  exceptionally  found  away  from  the  tide  ;  the  Golden, 
we  have  seen,  is  widely  distributed  over  mountain,  moor, 
and  slob-land. 

The  Grey  Plover  does  not  collect  into  closely-packed 
flocks ;  I  have,  however,  frequently  counted  as  many  as  fifty 
birds  on  a  salt-water  marsh  of  the  Dublin  coast,  but  they 
have  been  invariably  scattered  over  a  considerable  area. 

When  flying,  this  species  may  be  readily  detected  by 
its  noticeable  black  axillary  feathers.  On  examining  a 
specimen,  the  small  hind-toe,  which  is  absent  from  the 
foot  of  the  Golden  Plover,  is  a  distinctive  feature.  Though 
not  numerous  the  Grey  Plover  is  widely  distributed 
along  our  low-lying  coasts  in  autumn,  winter,  and  spring. 
The  majority  of  the  birds  arrive  about  the  middle  of 
September,  and  are  nearly  all  immature ;  the  adults  in 

1  Wilson  states  that  in  America,  Grey  Plovers  in  spring  and  summer, 
frequent  ploughed  fields  away  from  the  sea. 


232  CHAKADKIID^E 

winter-plumage  follow  in  October.  These  are  preceded, 
early  in  August,  by  a  few  birds  still  retaining  part  of 
their  nuptial  dress.1  As  winter  approaches  some  of  the 
birds  journey  to  more  southern  climes ;  many,  however, 
linger  on  our  coasts  until  spring,  and  have  been  observed 
passing  northward  as  late  as  the  month  of  June. 

Along  the  eastern  sea-board  of  Great  Britain  the  Grey 
Plover  becomes  more  abundant ;  it  is  altogether  rarer  in 
Ireland  than  in  England.  It  visited  the  former  country 
in  large  numbers  in  the  year  1887,  when  many  were  seen 
on  the  west  coast  by  Mr.  Warren,  who  writes: — "Late  in 
September  and  early  in  October  they  were  to  be  seen  every- 
where about  the  shores  of  the  estuary,  in  all  the  little  bays 
and  in  places  where  I  never  saw  one  before ;  from  their 
great  tameness  they  were  evidently  young  birds,  for  they 
took  no  notice  of  my  punt,  often  allowing  me  to  get  within 
fifteen  and  twenty  yards"  ('  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  256). 

With  reference  to  the  tameness  of  immature  birds  I  may 
add  that  on  October  22nd,  1900,  I  nearly  walked  over  a  pair 
of  these  Plovers  as  they  rested  on  the  wet  grass  which 
skirts  the  mud-flats  of  Dublin  Bay.  I  watched  them  for 
many  minutes  at  less  than  ten  yards'  distance.  Finding 
them  so  very  tame  I  made  an  attempt  to  cover  them  with 
my  cap,  as  a  school-boy  would  a  butterfly,  but  in  this 
procedure  I  need  hardly  say  that  I  was  unsuccessful.  As 
they  rose  and  flew  up  wind,  I  could  see  that  they  were 
strong  on  the  wing  and  therefore  not  in  any  way  disabled. 
No  doubt  they  had  only  just  arrived  and  were  suffering 
from  migratory  fatigue.  Later  in  the  season  this  species 
becomes  shy  and  restless,  and  can  seldom  be  approached 
within  range  of  the  gun. 

The  Grey  Plover  delights  to  rest  on  grassy  knolls  washed 
by  the  flowing  tide  ;  at  ebb,  the  ooze  and  sand-flats  may  be 
seen  studded  here  and  there  with  this  species,  busily  search- 
ing for  food.  In  its  movements  on  foot  it  resembles  its 
congeners.  I  have  seen  small  parties,  in  company  with 
Turnstones,  running  about  after  dusk  in  search  of  food 
on  the  dry  sands.  At  my  approach  they  trotted  in  front 


1  On  August  28th,  1898,  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  saw  a  Grey  Plover 
on  the  North  Bull,  Dublin  Bay,  in  full  nuptial-plumage.  Specimens 
have  been  obtained  from  the  same  locality  exhibiting  a  transition 
plumage  between  winter  and  nuptial,  many  black  feathers  being  still 
visible. 


GEEY  PLOVER  233 

of  me,  and  it  was  most  interesting  to  see  some  of  them 
suddenly  coming  to  a  standstill  right  in  the  middle  of  the 
bright  path  formed  by  the  moon's  rays,  which  were,  at  the 
time,  casting  a  gleam  over  the  boundless  shore  and  tide. 

In  my  experience  this  bird  is  tamer  at  night  than  in  the 
day,  though  I  have  little  doubt  that  it  can  discern  an 
intruder  at  some  distance.  Its  plaintive  cry  of  alarm  may 
be  heard  in  the  darkness  a  long  way  off,  yet  I  have 
approached  within  easy  shooting-range  by  simply  walking 
up  to  the  bird. 

Food. — The  food  consists  of  various  marine  insects, 
minute  shell-fish  and  vegetable  matter,  obtained  for  the  most 
part  on  the  strand,  but  sometimes  the  bird  will  enter  the 
water  and  swim  for  a  short  distance  in  pursuit  of  tiny  fish 
and  shrimps  ;  Mr.  A.  Williams  writes  me  that  he  has  noticed 
"  Grey  Plovers  walk  into  the  water  until  they  were  out  of 
their  depth  and  then  swim  a  distance  of  some  feet  from  the 
edge  of  the  strand,  apparently  seeking  food,  as  I  observed 
them  picking  at  some  objects  under  the  surface  ;  some  of 
them  would  take  flight  back  again  to  the  gravel,  rising 
heavily  out  of  the  water." 

Voice. — The  Grey  Plover  is  a  very  noisy  coast-bird.  Its 
cry  is  almost  as  incessant  as  that  of  the  Redshank  or 
Curlew.  On  the  slightest  provocation,  it  pours  forth  its 
wailing  whistle,  which  sounds  something  like  tlee-ih,  or 
chee-ee.  Not  conspicuous  on  the  ground,  it  soon  betrays  its 
presence  by  its  voice  to  the  shore-shooter  whom  it  cleverly 
evades  by  its  wariness,  comparatively  few  birds  falling 
victims  on  the  open  strand  to  the  ordinary  shoulder-gun. 

Flight. — On  the  wing  it  pursues  a  less  tortuous  path 
than  the  Golden  Plover,  but  the  flight  of  the  two  species 
is  equally  strong  and  swift. 

Nest — The  nest  is  a  mere  scraping  in  the  bare  ground, 
or  in  grassy  or  moor-land  soil.  The  eggs,  four  in  number, 
are  on  an  average  darker  in  ground-colour,  than  those  of 
the  Golden,  but  lighter  than  those  of  the  Green  Plover, 
and,  like  the  eggs  of  both  the  latter  species,  they  are  richly 
spotted  and  blotched  with  brownish-black  (Seebohm). 

Geographical  distribution. — The  breeding-range  covers 
a  vast  area  of  the  Arctic  regions  of  Eastern  Europe,  Asia, 
and  America,  but  to  Iceland,  Scandinavia,  and  Greenland, 
the  bird  is  a  rare  visitant.  Many  eggs  and  young  were 
taken  on  the  Tundras  of  the  Petchora  in  1875  by  Mr.  Harvie- 
Brown  and  the  late  Mr.  Seebohm  (Seebohm,  '  Siberia  in 


234  CHARADKIID^ 

Europe,'  1880).  On  its  southern  migration  in  autumn,  it 
visits  the  coast-lands  of  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  and  North 
America,  travelling  in  the  cold  season  as  far  as  India, 
Australia,  Madagascar,  and  Central  America.  On  passage, 
it  has  been  taken  along  the  shores  of  rivers  and  other 
inland  waters. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.1 — Forehead,  white,  this 
colour  extending  back  over  the  eye  as  a  streak ;  top  of 
head,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  chequered  and  barred 
with  dark  brown  and  white  ;  primaries,  dark  brown,  the 
shorter  ones  being  thinly  edged  with  white  ;  tail,  barred 
black  and  white  ;  cheeks,  throat,  neck,  and  breast,  black  ; 
abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts,  white  ;  axillaries,  black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
except  that  the  black  on  the  cheeks  and  under-parts  is  less 
developed  and  takes  the  form  of  irregular  patches ;  the 
back  and  wings  are  less  mottled  than  in  the  male  nuptial 
plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Forehead,  cheeks,  neck, 
throat,  and  breast,  washed  with  pale  greyish-white ;  abdomen 
and  under  tail-coverts,  white ;  back  and  wings,  chequered 
light  brown  and  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  shadings  on  the  top 
of  the  head,  hind-neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  are  pale 
straw-yellow,  and  the  ground-colour  of  brown  predominates 
(especially  on  the  head)  more  than  in  the  adult  winter- 
plumage.  Also,  in  the  immature  bird,  the  mottling  is 
carried  down  from  the  breast  to  the  lower  part  of  the 
abdomen  and  flanks  ;  axillaries,  smoky-brown  rather  than 
black. 

BEAK.     Blackish. 

FEET.     Dark  brown  ;  a  very  small  hind-toe. 

IKIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


1  Note.—  At  the  early  date  of  January  19th,  1900,  Mr.  F.  Walker  shot 
a  Grey  Plover  on  the  slob-lands  of  Dublin  Bay,  showing  signs  of  the 
nuptial  plumage,  in  the  form  of  a  few  small  black  patches  under  the 
throat,  and  on  the  breast. 

On  March  17th,  1900,  I  saw  two  beautiful  birds,  in  full  nuptial 
dress,  among  a  flock  of  fourteen,  in  ordinary  winter-plumage. 


PLATE   XV. 


H.  Brc 


Fig.  1.— GREY  PLOVER   (Immature  male). 
From  a  specimen  collected  and  mounted  by  the  author. 


Fig.  2.— SOCIABLE   PLOVER    (Immature  female). 

Photograph  of  specimen  shot  on  August  1st,  1899,  near  Navan,  co.  Meath, 

and  mounted  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 

The  only  Irish  specimen  known. 


SOCIABLE  PLOVER  235 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 11'5    in. 

WING         7'75  ,, 

BEAK         T25  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...  T75  ,, 

EGG  ...  1'9  X  1-4  in. 


SOCIABLE  PLOYER.     Vanellus  gregarius  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  528  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  7. 

The  Sociable  Plover  is  a  south-eastern  species,  which 
among  other  countries,  inhabits "  the  Steppes  of  the  Crimea 
and  of  the  district  between  the  Don,  the  Volga  and  the 
Caucasus,  as  well  as  the  Aralo-Caspian  area  and  Turkestan" 
(Saunders).  In  the  year  1860  an  immature  bird  wandered 
to  England,  and  was  shot  among  a  flock  of  Green  Plover, 
near  St.  Michael' s-on-Wyre,  in  Lancashire. 

After  a  lapse  of  thirty-nine  years,  a  female  in  the  second 
year's  plumage  was  secured  in  Ireland  (the  first  on  record 
in  that  country),  and  was  sent  to  Messrs.  Williams  and 
Son,  of  Dublin,  for  preservation  (Plate  XV.,  fig.  2).  It 
was  shot  on  August  1st,  1899,  near  Navan,  co.  Meath. 
Through  the  courtesy  of  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  I  was 
privileged  to  examine  this  Irish  rarity  in  the  flesh,  and  to 
make  several  measurements  before  it  was  mounted.2 

An  account  of  the  capture,  a  description  of  the  plumage, 
and  a  photograph  of  the  bird  itself,  are  embodied  in  an 
article  published  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  in  the  '  Irish 
Naturalist,'  vol.  viii.  1899,  p.  233. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Top  of  head,  glossy 
black ;  above  the  eye  is  a  broad  white  band  which  extends 

2  I  found  that  the  total  length  was          11-8    in. 

\Ving     8 

Tibio-tarsus      ...         ...         ...       2'5 

Tarso-metatarsus        2'75 

Hallux 0'25 

Beak  1-12 


236  CHAKADKIID^ 

from  the  base  of  the  beak  to  the  nape  of  the  neck,  and  a 
black  streak  extends  in  front  of  and  behind  the  eye  ;  chin, 
white  ;  cheeks,  buff-colour ;  neck  and  back,  pale  brown  ; 
wings,  barred  with  white ;  primaries,  black ;  axillaries, 
white ;  tail,  white,  banded  with  dark  brown,  except  the 
outer  feathers  on  either  side  ;  under  tail-coverts,  white ; 
breast  and  abdomen,  brown,  the  latter  of  a  deeper  shade  ; 
flanks  and  lower  abdomen,  rich  chestnut. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.— Closely  resembles  the 
nuptial  plumage,  but  "  it  is  probable  that  the  old  birds  have 
sandy-buff  margins  to  the  feathers  in  the  winter  plumage, 
as  would  appear  to  be  the  case  with  the  Common  Pewit " 
(K.  Bowdler  Sharpe,  Cat.  Birds,  Brit.  Mus.,  xxiv,  p.  176). 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  dark  brown  ; 
line  over  the  eye,  impure  white ;  cheeks  and  back  of  neck, 
dull  buff,  striped  with  brown  ;  breast,  streaked  with  grey ; 
abdomen,  impure  white,  exhibiting  near  the  tail  a  little 
chestnut  colouring  ;  two  outer  pairs  of  tail-feathers,  white. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Black. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

EGGS.  Somewhat  resemble  those  of  the  Lapwing,  but 
are  paler,  and  have  fewer  spots  :  clutch,  four. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 12       in. 

WING         ... 8 

BEAK         ...         .  1'12   „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS         2'75    ,, 

EGG  1-8  x  1-3  in. 


DESCRIPTION   OF    THE  PLUMAGE   OF  THE  SPECIMEN  SHOT 

IN  IRELAND. 

"  Top  of  head  very  dark  brown  dappled  with  light  buff; 
a  broad  light-coloured  band  extends  right  over  the  eye  from 
the  bill  to  the  back  of  the  head.  Back  ash-grey  with  a 
number  of  new  feathers  of  a  dark  brown  tint,  with  a  rufous 
edge  coming  out  all  over,  which  I  take  to  be  the  winter 
plumage.  Lower  part  of  breast  blackish,  with  a  band  of 
chestnut  not  very  clearly  defined  extending  right  across 
behind  the  legs.  Vent -and  lower  tail  coverts,  white;  upper 


LAPWING  237 

tail  coverts  snow  white.  Tail  consisting  of  twelve  feathers, 
two  other  ones  white,  the  rest  white  with  a  band  of  black 
near  the  end,  widest  in  the  middle  ones  and  narrowing 
as  it  approaches  the  sides  of  the  tail.  Primaries  black, 
secondaries  pure  white,  tertiaries  and  wing  coverts  ash  grey 
with  dark  feathers  coming  out  same  as  back"  (E.  Williams). 


LAPWING.     Vanellus  vulgaris  (Bechstein). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
33  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  531  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  16. 

The  Lapwing,  Green  Plover,  or  Peewit1,  is  familiar  to 
to  most  of  us.  Large  numbers  remain  to  breed  in  our  Isles, 
while  the  arrival  of  autumn  and  spring  migrants  makes  this 
species  still  more  abundant.  In  Ireland  and  Scotland, 
where  unreclaimed  moor-land  and  marsh  are  still  extensive, 
the  Lapwing  is  even  more  plentiful  than  in  England. 

In  the  latter  country,  the  resident  birds  are  prevented 
from  increasing  to  any  great  extent,  by  the  piactice  of 
systematically  robbing  their  eggs  for  table-use.  In  Ireland, 
on  the  contrary,  the  eggs  are  little  interfered  with,  while 
large  numbers  of  the  birds  are  netted  wholesale  for  the 
markets  :  netting,  however,  is  carried  on  chiefly  in  autumn 
and  winter,  so  that  many  of  the  victims  are  migrants  from 
the  north. 

Pasturage,  ploughed  fields,  the  shores  of  inland  lakes, 
the  banks  of  the  larger  rivers,  as  well  as  the  slob-lands  of 
our  tidal  estuaries,  all  afford  feeding-ground  for  this  widely- 
distributed  Plover. 

The  Lapwing  is  one  of  the  most  handsome  and  remark- 
able of  our  native  birds  ;  it  is  endowed  with  an  elegant  bead- 
crest  of  long  gently-curved  and  tapering  plumes,  and  with 
strongly-contrasted  plumage,  of  unsullied  white  and  satin- 
black  ;  this,  on  the  wings  and  back,  exhibits  in  the  reflected 
light  of  the  sunshine,  a  beautiful  play  of  iridescence,  which 
varies  from  deep  metallic-green  to  violet.  The  bird  should, 


1  These  three  are  not  merely  local  names,  but  are  so  well  known 
to  sportsmen  and  naturalists  that  when  speaking  or  writing  about  this 
Plover  they  may  be  used  indiscriminately. 


238  CHABADBIID.E 

however,  be  inspected  at  a  short  distance,  otherwise  it  might 
pass  un- noticed  as  it  stands  motionless  on  the  dark  fallowed 
soil,  for  much  of  its  white  flanks  and  breast  is  obscured  by 
the  large  over-lapping  wings.  But  the  instant  a  Lapwing 
rises  its  magpie-like  plumage  becomes  noticeable,  while  the 
expansive  rounded  wings,1  napping  up  and  down  with  steady 
beat,  are  unmistakable. 

Flight. — The  quiet  and  slow  flight  of  this  species  offers 
an  interesting  contrast  to  the  swift  movements  of  most 
shore-birds,  as  they  cleave  the  air.  In  autumn  and  winter 
Lapwings  congregate  into  great  flocks,  and  when  on  the 
wing  with  Golden  Plover  or  other  swift-flying  '  waders,' 
imitate  the  movements  of  the  latter.  I  have  seen  Lapwings 
increase  their  speed  very  considerably  at  times,  and  their 
powers  of  twisting  and  turning  sharply  on  the  wing  often 
save  them  from  the  clutch  of  the  Peregrine  Falcon ;  the 
terror  which  they  show  at  the  sight  of  the  latter  is  intense. 
Possessed  of  remarkable  powers  of  endurance  on  the  wing, 
they  may  be  seen  rising  to  an  immense  height  and  then 
circling  about  for  hours  before  coming  to  rest. 

This  species,  though  strong  on  the  wing,  is  not  hardy  in 
other  respects,  and  is  easily  overcome  by  stress  of  weather  ; 
in  severe  frost  and  snow  1  have  noticed  it  very  tame,  often 
frequenting  lawns  and  grass-plots  of  dwelling-houses. 

Food. — This  bird  partakes  of  a  mixed  diet.  When 
feeding  inland,  it  eats  worms,  insects,  seeds,  and  sometimes 
berries,  while  crabs,  small  shell-fish,  and  fragments  of 
seaweed,  are  consumed  along  the  sea-shore. 

Mr.  J.  E.  Harting  examined  the  stomachs  of  many 
Lapwings,  and  proved  that  those  which  had  frequented 
grass-land  upon  a  sandy  soil,  fed  chiefly  upon  small  beetles, 
which  were  mixed  with  minute  particles  of  grit  :  the 
stomachs  obtained  on  down-land  upon  a  chalky  soil  con- 
tained fragments  of  snails  (Helix  virgata  and  H.  caper ata). 

Voice. — The  name  of  Peewit  has  been  appropriately 
given  to  this  Plover  on  account  of  its  voice. 

1  In  the  '  Ibis,'  1904,  pp.  446-451,  Mr.  F.  W.  Frohawk  contributes  an 
interesting  paper  on  *  Sexual  variation  in  the  wing  of  the  Lapwing.'  In 
the  male  the  primaries  are  long  and  broad  and  give  a  curved  outline, 
while  the  secondaries,  being  considerably  shorter,  add  greatly  to  the 
rounded  appearance  of  the  expanded  wing.  In  the  female  the  margin  of 
the  expanded  wing  forms  a  continuous  line  ;  the  primaries  are  pro- 
portionately shorter  and  in  flight  the  wings  appear  narrower  and  less 
rounded. 


LAPWING  239 

It  is  particularly  vociferous  during  the  breeding-season, 
and  the  piteous  cry  of  pee-wlt,  or  pee-ivee,  is  (when  the  bird 
is  in  a  high  state  of  excitement  as  to  the  safety  of  its  young) 
often  preceded  by  a  round  and  full  note  which  sounds  like 
oi-e,  bi-e,  the  accent  being  well  thrown  on  the  diphthong. 

Nest. — The  Lapwing,  in  the  breeding-season,  resorts 
to  rough  pasturage,  moor-lands,  marshes,  the  shores  and 
islands  of  lakes,  as  well  as  to  the  coast.  I  have  found  the 
eggs  laid  on  dry,  sandy  soil,  on  stony  ground,  and  on  wet 
grass-covered  slob-lands. 

The  nest  is  a  hollow,  deeper  in  some  cases  than  in 
others.  It  would  appear  that  this  bird  usually  makes  a 
nest  for  itself  rather  than  deposits  its  eggs  in  a  ready-made 
depression  (i.e.,  the  foot-print  of  a  cow  or  horse).  This  is 
all  the  more  conclusive  when  we  find  the  scrapings  made 
by  the  beak  or  feet  against  the  wall  of  the  nest,  represented 
by  distinct  radiating  lines.  I  have  noticed,  however,  that 
several  nests  which  showed  the  scrapings  most  clearly 
did  not  contain  eggs,  being  presumably  '  hollows '  made  by 
the  male,  as  he  scratches  the  ground,  when  indulging  in 
his  courting  antics  before  his  mate.  I  have  further  observed 
that  some  nests,  deep  and  well-scraped,  were  not  lined, 
either  before  or  after  the  eggs  were  laid  (Plate  XVI.,  fig.  2). 
In  other  cases  I  have  discovered  the  nest  neatly  lined  with 
dry  grass  (Plate  XVI.,  fig.  1). 

In  localities  where  the  birds  are  much  disturbed  by 
intruders  and  the  eggs  often  plundered,  it  seems  likely  that 
many  Lapwings  may  lay  in  adventitious  hollows ;  under 
these  circumstances  I  have  found  eggs  deposited  on  the 
bare  level  soil.  This  species  has  many  enemies  besides 
man  :  Rooks,  Hooded  Crows,  Jackdaws  and  Gulls  purloin 
the  eggs  and  carry  them  some  distance  from  the  nest, 
while  rats  break  through  the  shells  and  rob  the  contents 
as  the  eggs  lie  in  situ.1 

The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  generally  arranged  so 
that  their  narrow  ends  point  to  the  centre  of  the  nest 


1  I  have  discovered  and  photographed  a  nest  containing  fragments 
of  broken  egg-shells  apparently  fresh  and  stained  with  yolk  ;  on  the 
soft  sandy  soil  round  the  nest  were  the  foot-prints  of  rats  extending 
as  a  track  for  several  yards'  distance.  A  little  further  on,  I  found 
another  nest,  containing  two  eggs,  each  of  which  had  an  elongated  hole 
punched  in  its  side  from  which  the  fresh  contents  were  exuding.  The 
eggs  were  probably  broken  by  Jackdaws  which  were  disturbed 


240 


CHAEADKIID^ 


(Plate  XVI.,  figs.  1  and  2).  But  when  the  clutch  is  incom- 
plete the  arrangement  of  the  eggs  is  often  quite  irregular, 
and  this  may  be  seen  even  when  the  full  clutch  is  freshly 
laid.  No  doubt  the  bird  arranges  the  eggs  by  the  sense  of 
touch,  e.g.,  with  her  feet,  or  beak,  as  she  sits  hatching. 
The  ground-colour  of  the  eggs,  ranges  from  warm  stone 
to  light  greenish-brown,  and  greenish-blue  shades  occur  in 
exceptional  cases,  while  the  dark  brown  markings  vary  from 


FIG.  32.— LAPWINGS  AND  NEST.    PARTRIDGE   INTRUDING. 


small  spots  to  large  and  confluent  blotchings,  and  even 
broad  zonular  bands.  In  Plate  XVI.,  fig.  1,  two  eggs  of 
the  clutch  are  seen  to  be  heavily  blotched. 

Incubation  begins  about  the  end  of  March,  but  the  birds 
may  be  seen   flying   about    the  breeding-grounds  a  month 

before  they  had  time  to  carry  away  their  booty,  for  fifty  yards  off  I  dis- 
covered two  Jackdaws  at  work,  each  on  an  egg.  On  seeing  me  the  birds 
flew  away  leaving  the  eggs  on  the  ground.  I  then  found  that  the  latter 
were  punched  in  the  same  way  as  the  two  I  saw  in  the  nest,  with 
which  they  corresponded  in  their  markings.  I  presume  all  these  eggs 
belonged  to  the  same  clutch.  This  is  only  one  of  many  instances  which 
I  have  noted  of  Plover's  eggs  being  plundered  by  other  birds. 


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CQ    .-S 


LAPWING  241 

earlier,  their  wild   cries   and  antics  in   the   air  expressing 
great  excitement  at  the  approach  of  an  intruder. 

When  laying  has  commenced,  the  male,  if  disturbed, 
rises  and  performs  a  series  of  fantastic  twists  and  turns  in 
the  air,  all  the  while  calling  loudly.  If  his  preserves  be 
invaded,  he  will  sweep  past,  or  dash  to  and  fro  overhead  ; 
these  performances  distract  attention  from  his  mate,  who, 
meanwhile,  hearing  the  alarm-note,  quietly  slips  off  her  nest 
and  flies  away  (fig.  32).  Should  one  begin  to  search  for  eggs, 
the  female  will  join  the  male  in  endeavouring  by  her  antics 
to  allure  the  collector  from  the  spot  where  the  eggs  lie. 
In  order  to  find  these,  the  movements  and  cries  of  the  male 
should  be  wholly  discarded,  while  the  spot  where  the  female 
is  first  seen  to  rise  should  be  carefully  marked ;  this 
is  usually  situated  a  few  yards  from  a  nest.  When  the 
young  are  hatched,  both  parents  become  bold  to  a  degree, 
and  will  brush  by  one's  face  so  closely  that  the  rush  of 
their  wings  sounds  like  a  gust  of  wind.  On  the  intruder 
standing  still  for  a  few  minutes,  the  birds  may  be  seen  to 
alight  some  forty  yards  off,  as  though  to  call  attention  to 
themselves  and  not  to  their  young.  If  on  the  renewal  of 
the  search  a  nestling  be  discovered  the  excitement  of  the 
parents  becomes  intense ;  they  tumble  and  twist  rapidly 
in  the  air,  at  the  same  uttering  incessantly  their  piteous 
cry  oi  pee-wee,  pee-wee,  pee-wee. 

Even  as  late  as  the  middle  of  August,  when  the  young 
are  strong  on  the  wing,  I  have  seen  the  parent-birds  evincing 
much  anxiety  for  their  offspring. 

Lapwings  will  remain  about  their  breeding-haunts  for 
several  days  after  all  their  eggs  have  been  collected,  after 
which  they  become  wary  and  silent.  When  the  eggs  are 
taken  late  in  the  season,  the  birds  soon  abandon  their  haunts 
without  further  laying. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Beyond  our  Isles,  the 
breeding-range  of  the  Lapwing  extends  from  the  Arctic 
circle  to  Southern  Europe ;  limited  numbers  nest  in  North 
Africa,  while  eastward  it  breeds  in  Northern  and  Central 
Asia,  reaching  India  in  the  winter. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Top  of  head  and 
elongated  crest,1  greenish-black  ;  hind-neck,  back,  scapulars, 

1  The  crest  is  composed  of  long  pointed  plumes,  which,  when  erected, 
curve  forwards  and  upwards. 
16 


242  CHABADKIID^] 

and  wings,  dark  lustrous-green,  reflecting  shades  of  bronze 
and  purple ;  primaries,  nearly  black  ;  tail,  white,  banded 
near  the  end  with  black  and  tipped  with  white ;  sides  of 
neck,  impure  white ;  cheeks,  throat,  front  of  neck,  and 
breast,  very  dark  blue-black  ;  abdomen,  white ;  upper  and 
under  tail-coverts,  bright  chestnut ;  axillaries,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage,  but 
with  a  shorter  crest. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Somewhat  similar  to 
the  nuptial  plumage,  except  that  the  throat  is  white,  the 
head  brown,  with  snorter  crest ;  broad  band  of  black  across 
the  fore-neck ;  feathers  of  the  back  and  wings,  margined 
with  fulvous-buff. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Crest,  quite  short,  sides  of 
face,  neck,  and  throat,  shaded  with  sandy-buff;  feathers  of 
the  back  and  wings,  edged  with  greyish-buff;  very  little 
lustre  on  the  scapulars. 

BEAK.     Blackish. 

FEET.     Dark  brown. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...         ..,  12*5    in. 

WING        8-75   „ 

BEAK         0*9     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        1'5     „ 

EGG  1-6  X  1-3  in. 


iTURNSTONE.     Strepsilas  interpres  (Linujeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  «  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
60 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  532 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  17. 

In  some  districts,  as  along  the  western  sea-board  of 
Ireland  and  on  the  Dublin  coast,  I  have  noticed  this  species 
every  month  in  the  year.  Even  in  July1  (though  the  nest 

1  The  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  shot  an  adult  female  Turnstone  on  July 
18th,  1900,  on  the  North  Bull,  Dublin  Bay,  and  kindly  submitted  it  to 
me  for  dissection.  The  ovary  was  fully  matured,  and  contained  several 


TURNSTONE  243 

has  not  yet  been  recorded  from  the  British  Isles)  small 
batches  of  immature  birds,  with  perhaps  a  few  adults 
among  them,  are  to  be  met  with  in  many  localities.  The 
Turnstone  is,  however,  better  known  as  a  bird  of  passage 
in  spring  and  autumn,  many  remaining  with  us  throughout 
the  winter. 

In  August  and  September  the  numbers  increase  con- 
siderably along  our  shores,  the  same  may  be  said  with 
regard  to  the  months  of  May  and  June.  At  these  seasons 
of  the  year  I  have  seen  groups  of  from  twenty  to  forty 
together,  but  in  winter1  small  wisps  of  two  or  three,  or  even 
single  birds,  are  more  common. 


FIG.  33.— HEAD  OF  TURNSTONE,    j-i  Nat.  size.    (Nuptial  plumage,  male.) 

The  Turnstone  is  essentially  a  shore-bird.  It  is  particu- 
larly partial  to  the  Fucus-covered  rocks  when  laid  bare  at 
ebb-tide  (Plate  XXVIII.).  On  these  rocks  small  parties  may 
be  seen,  often  in  company  with  Oyster-catchers,  Eedshanks, 
Purple  Sandpipers,  and  other  shore-birds.  Sand-banks  and 
ooze-flats  are  also  resorted  to,  chiefly  by  immature  birds, 
which  in  autumn  frequently  associate  with  Sanderlings. 
Turnstones  have  also  been  observed  on  the  banks  of  rivers 
and  inland  lakes. 


large-sized  ova.  On  June  4th  of  the  same  year  I  saw  a  flock  of  twenty- 
eight  birds  on  the  rocks  along  the  Dublin  coast,  and  on  July  5th  noticed 
forty  together  in  the  same  situation.  There  were  but  a  few  adults 
among  them. 

1  On  February  18th,  1900, 1  noted  as  many  as  twenty  together  on  the 
rocks  of  the  Dublin  coast,  and  on  March  30th  counted  thirty  in  a  similar 
locality. 


244  CHAKADBinXE 

The  adult  male  in  full  summer  plumage  is  easily  iden- 
tified. His  peculiar  variegated  and  blotched  plumage  of 
chestnut,  black,  and  white,  is  conspicuous  if  seen  close  on 
a  bright  day.  -But  the  small  wisps  which  occur  in  the 
autumn  are  composed  almost  entirely  of  birds  of  the  year, 
and  their  plumage  is  much  more  sombre  than  that  of  the 
adults.  When  in  company  with  other  small  wading-birds, 
they  may  be  recognised  by  their  larger  size.1  The  cheerful 
twitter  of  the  bird,  as  it  rises,  its  wide  expanse  of  wing,  its 
dark  back  and  white  breast,  are  characteristics  by  which 
it  may  be  known  as  it  flits  along  the  edge  of  the  breakers. 

The  Turnstone  is  a  hardy  and  an  energetic  bird.  In  all 
weathers  it  may  be  seen  trotting  backwards  and  forwards, 
busily  rumaging  for  food  in  the  sea- wrack  and  other  rubbish 


FIG.  34.— HEAD  OP  TURNSTONE.    -^  Nat.  size.    (Winter  plumage,  male.) 

cast  up  by  the  tide.  It  is  most  entertaining  to  watch  the 
manner  in  which  this  little  bird  will  knock  aside  small 
stones,  bits  of  seaweed,  cabbage-stalks,  corks,  and  such 
tidal  refuse,  occasionally  tossing  right  over  its  head  the 
smaller  and  lighter  obstacles.  I  have  seen  the  almost 
macerated  carcase  of  bird  or  beast,  long  since  washed  ashore, 
subjected  to  rough  treatment  from  the  vigorous  action  of 
the  Turnstone's  head. 

This  species  thrives  well  in  captivity,  when  fed  on  a 
mixture  of  chopped  meat,  millet-seeds,  and  bread.  If  one 
might  judge  from  watching  the  habits  of  a  few  of  these 
birds  in  captivity,  I  should  think  that  the  males  are  inclined 
to  be  pugnacious. 

1  The  Knot  is  of  a  somewhat  similar  size,  but  its  plumage  and  move- 
ments are  so  different  that  it  cannot  be  mistaken.  The  feet  of  the 
Kedshank  are  nearly  double  the  length  of  those  of  the  Turnstone. 


TUENSTONE  245 

Young  fledglings  should  not  be  reared  on  the  ground  in 
the  same  cage  with  Turnstones.  The  latter,  when  search- 
ing for  food,  may  peck  at  them  and  toss  them  about.  I 
knew  of  a  male  Turnstone  which  killed  three  newly-hatched 
Californian  Quails  by  turning  them  over  two  or  three  times 
a  day,  the  youngsters  surviving  this  treatment  barely  a 
week.  Perhaps  the  baby  Quails  were  mistaken  for  stones 
which  they  resemble  in  colour  as  they  crouch  motionless 
on  the  ground ! 

Food. — This  consists  of  small  crabs,  shrimps,  shell-fish, 
and  insects,  and  the  bird  seems  to  be  particularly  fond  of 
sand-hoppers.  When  it  discovers  a  spot  011  the  strand 
abounding  in  these  creatures  it  will  display  the  utmost 
activity  to  procure  a  big  meal.  I  have  examined  several 


FIG    35.-LEPT   FOOT  OF   TURNSTONE.    11  Nat.  size. 


gizzards  which  contained  mussels  with  the  shells  unbroken 
and  measuring  5x3  mm.,  together  with  other  bivalves, 
univalves,  shrimps,  and  fine  sand.  Other  gizzards,  void  of 
food-stuffs,  contained  quantities  of  broken,  dry,  white  shells, 
like  bits  of  porcelain,  swallowed  presumably  to  aid  digestion. 
Other  gizzards  contained  numbers  of  small  crabs,  measur- 
ing 5x5  mm.  Small,  pointed  sea-snails  appear  to  be  a 
favourite  food. 

Voice. — The  twittering  notes  sound  like  a  series  of 
chuckles,  and  seem  to  resemble  the  syllables  cliic-a  chic-a 
chlc-d  chee. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  rapid,  and  fairly  straight,  and  as 


246  CHAKADKIIDyE 

a  rule,  low.  Single  birds  may  often  be  seen  speeding  swiftly 
along  the  fringe  of  the  breakers. 

Nest. — The  Turnstone  breeds  on  the  sea-coast,  on  islands 
and  on  the  mainland,  though  in  some  localities  the  nest  has 
been  found  several  miles  inland.  A  slight  scraping  in  the 
ground,  thinly  lined  with  bits  of  withered  herbage,  repre- 
sents the  nest,  and  this  is  usually  concealed  from  view 
under  a  projecting  rock,  or  amid  vegetation.  The  eggs,  four 
in  number,  are  light  greenish-drab,  marked  with  irregular 
spots  and  streaks  of  different  shades  of  grey  and  brown. 
Incubation  begins  about  the  middle  of  June. 

From  repeated  observations  made  on  adult  birds  in  full 
nuptial  plumage  during  the  summer  months,  I  am  inclined 
to  think  that  at  least  a  small  percentage  of  Turnstones  may 
breed  off  the  Irish  coast,  though  the  nest  has  never  yet 
been  found.  Several  writers  are  of  the  opinion  that  this 
species  may  breed  on  the  islands  and  mainland  of  Scotland, 
particularly  in  the  north-western  section. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Turnstone  is  remark- 
able for  its  wide  breeding-distribution;  it  is  found  in 
Arctic  and  Northern  Europe,  Asia,  and  America.  In 
Europe,  the  Baltic  Sea  seems  to  be  its  southern  limit.  As 
a  bird  of  passage  in  autumn  and  winter  it  is  found  along 
the  coast-lands  of  all  the  Continents  of  the  Globe,  as 
well  as  in  Australia,  New  Zealand,  and  the  Polynesian 
Islands.  Smaller  numbers  visit  inland  waters  on  passage. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  streaked 
black  and  white  ;  forehead,  cheeks,  throat,  and  sides  of  neck, 
white,  circumscribed  by  broad  bands  of  black  which  become 
confluent  with  the  black  on  the  breast ;  back  and  wings, 
richly  variegated  with  chestnut-brown  and  black ;  lower 
back,  white  ;  upper  tail-coverts,  brownish  ;  primaries,  brown  ; 
terminal  half  of  tail-feathers,  brown ;  basal  half,  white ; 
outer  pair  of  tail-feathers,  chiefly  white ;  lower  breast, 
abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  pure  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  white  about  the  head  and 
neck  is  less  pure  than  in  the  male  plumage,  being  finely 
speckled  and  streaked  with  greyish-brown,  while  the  chest  - 
nut  markings  are  not  so  well  denned. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  chestnut  and  black 
markings  are  replaced  to  a  large  extent  by  dark  brown,  and 


£3  fej 
3  - — • 
O 


OYSTEE-CATCHEK  247 

the  white  about  the  head  and  neck  becomes  mottled  with  a 
similar  colour;  throat,  whitish. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Feathers  of  the  head, 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  brownish,  with  sandy-buff 
edgings ;  throat,  white  ;  neck-collar  and  upper  breast,  very 
dark  brown;  lower  breast  and  abdomen,  white. 

BEAK.  Blackish,  slightly  blunted  at  the  end,  and  with 
a  gentle  upward  curve. 

FEET.     Deep  orange. 

IBIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH        ...  9    in.     Female  a  little  larger. 

WING  6     „ 

BEAK  .  .  1     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS  1     ,. 

EGG  1-6  X  1-1  in. 


REFERENCE  TO  PLATE  XVII. 

TURNSTONES. 

A.  Adult  male  in  transitional  nuptial  to  winter-plumage. 

B.  E,  F  and  G.     Immature  birds  in  autumn-plumage. 

C.  Adult  female  in  nuptial  plumage. 

D.  Adult  male  in  nuptial  plumage. 


OYSTER-CATCHER.     Hamatopus  ostralegus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pi.  45;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe/  vol.  vii,  pi.  533; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  18. 

This  familiar  bird  (also  called  Sea-Pie  because  of  its  pied 
plumage)  frequents  the  sandy  as  well  as  the  rocky  portions 
of  our  coasts.  Small  detachments  of  immature  birds1,  to- 
gether with  those  adults  which  remain  to  breed,  may  be 

1  In  Belfast  Lough,  the  late  Sir  R.  Lloyd  Patterson  has  counted 
eighty  to  one  hundred  Oyster- catchers  in  June  and  July.  I  have  seen 
as  many  on  the  shores  of  Dublin  Bay,  but  these  flocks  are  very  small  in 
proportion  to  the  thousands  which  assemble  in  autumn  and  winter. 


248  CHABADKIIDJE 

seen  throughout  the  summer.  During  the  rest  of  the 
season,  owing  to  the  influx  of  migrants,  Oyster-catchers 
become  abundant  around  the  coasts  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  and  have  also  been  met  with  away  from  the  tide. 
These  birds  are  highly  gregarious  ;  at  high  water  they 
closely  pack  together  on  the  summit  of  a  reef,  occupying  all 
the  available  room.  Here  they  make  a  pretty  study  in  black 
and  white,  while  their  pink  legs  and  orange  beaks  brighten 
the  dark  rocky  pedestal  which  supports  them.  At  first  ebb 
they  fly  off,  and  alight  on  the  sand-banks  over  which  the 
shallow,  rippling  wavelets  still  flow.  As  the  tide  recedes, 


FIG.  36.— OYSTER-CATCHER. 

the  birds  scatter  themselves  over  extensive  stretches  of  sand 
and  ooze,  on  which  they  run  about  with  great  agility  in 
search  of  food.  Immense  numbers,  in  company  with  Gulls, 
may  be  observed  standing  far  out  at  the  edge  of  the  tide, 
sometimes  at  a  distance  of  seven  to  eight  hundred  yards 
from  high- water  mark.  These  birds  '  line  out '  in  a  long 
unbroken  flank,  reminding  one  of  a  regiment  of  infantry 
soldiers ;  to  the  unaided  eye  they  look  like  mere  specks, 
yet  the  chorus  produced  by  their  shrill  voices  carries  with 
remarkable  distinctness. 

As  the  tide  turns,  speedily  converting  the  flat  sandy 
beach  into  a  sheet  of  water,  Oyster-catchers,  generally 
accompanied  by  other  species,  may  be  seen  collecting 
together  on  sand-banks  yet  uncovered  by  the  inflowing 
tide.  I  have  several  times  watched  great  numbers  in  com- 


OYSTEB-CATCHEE  249 

party  with  Curlews,  drawing  close  together  on  the  highest 
part  of  a  bank,  as  the  rising  tide  more  and  more  curtailed 
their  foot-space.  Here  they  remain  until  almost  obliged 
to  swim,  when  the  leader  of  the  flock  suddenly  utters  a 
shrill  cry ;  at  that  moment  the  birds  fly  off.  The  Curlews 
sometimes  remain  a  while,  their  longer  legs  and  feet  allow- 
ing them  to  wade  in  deeper  water. 

Food. — The  Oyster-catcher  is  provided  with  a  peculiarly- 
constructed  beak,  laterally  compressed,  with  which  it  strikes 
limpets  off  the  rocks  when  they  are  crawling ;  it  is  blunted 
at  its  extremities,  so  that  no  slender  points  can  be 
nipped  or  broken  off  by  the  closing  action  of  the  valves 
of  shell-fish.  Such  a  beak  seems  admirably  adapted  for 
prizing  open  the  slightly  gaping  bivalve  and  robbing  it 
of  its  contents.  Even  in  its  first  year  the  Oyster-catcher 
has  apparently  strength  enough  to  open  the  shells  of  cockles 
and  mussels,  for  on  dissection  I  have  found  in  the  stomachs 
of  immature  birds  quantities  of  these  creatures,1  which  had 
been  swallowed  without  their  shells.  Univalves  are  also 
eaten,  such  as  whelks,  periwinkles,  and  limpets,  together 
with  crabs,  worms,2  and  small  fish.  I  have  found  in 
several  gizzards  small  bivalves  with  unbroken  shells  which 
measured  12  X  5  mm.,  also  the  '  opercula '  of  periwinkles 
measuring  12  mm.  in  diameter. 

I  have  known  several  Oyster-catchers  to  thrive  well  in 
captivity.  One  presented  to  the  Dublin  Zoological  Gardens 
in  1901  never  grew  very  tame,  but  it  lived  for  some  time  on 
chopped  meat  and  fish.  It  was  an  adult  bird,  and  retained 
its  winter-plumage  throughout  the  summer.  It  lived  in 
harmony  with  a  Turnstone,  a  Knot,  a  Bar-tailed  Godwit, 
and  a  Sanderling.  Two  others,  one  presented  by  Mr. 
Walker  and  one  by  myself,  became  quite  tame  in  a  month 
or  so  after  being  caged.  Both  these  birds  were  adults. 

Voice. — This  bird,  shy  and  watchful,  constantly  gives 
utterance  to  its  wild  cry  of  ke-heep,  ke-heep,  ke-heep,  both 
on  the  ground  and  on  the  wing.  The  alarm-note  heard  at 
the  breeding-haunts  sounds  like  quick,  quick,  quick. 

Flight.  —  The  flight,  though  well  -  sustained,  is  less 
buoyant,  and  slower  than  that  of  most  wading-birds.  The 


1  There  is  no  evidence  that  this  bird  feeds  on  oysters,  as  its  name 
would  seem  to  imply. 

2  I  have  often  found  the  stomach,  and  even  the  gullet  and  mouth  of 
this  species  packed  full  of  sea-worms. 


250  CHAEADEIID^E 

beats  of  the  wings  are  regular,  and  the  flight,  as  a  rule,  is 
very  straight. 

Nest. — The  nesting-sites  vary  considerably.  Thus,  while 
low-lying,  sandy  flats,  strewn  with  shingle  and  fine  gravel, 
form  one  resort,  rocky  shores  form  another.  This  species 
breeds  in  large  numbers  on  islands  round  our  coasts.  On 
the  Irish  sea-board  I  have  found  the  nest  built  on  grass- 
grown  reefs,1  or  on  rock  -  platforms  at  high  elevations. 

"  On  the  north  coast  of  Mayo  Mr.  Warren  has  found 
Oyster-catchers  nesting  in  the  fields  close  to  the  cliffs,  as 
well  as  on  the  rocks  and  islands"  (Ussher),  and  where 
islands  are  lofty  the  nests  are  often  placed  on  the  tops  of 
these,  where  ferns  and  grass  sprout  among  knobs  of  rock. 
In  Scotland,  especially  in  the  eastern  section,  this  bird 
breeds  not  only  on  the  coast,  but  also  along  the  margins 
of  large  rivers  at  some  distance  from  the  tide  ;  in  Ireland, 
after  several  searches  during  many  years,  I  have  failed  to 
find  the  nest  in  inland  situations.  The  nest  is  usually  a 
mere  hollow  in  the  rock  or  soil,  and  sometimes  contains 
pebbles  or  dry  rabbit-dung ;  blades  of  withered  grass  occa- 
sionally form  a  lining  when  the  nest  is  placed  in  fields, 
while  fragments  of  stems,  fern-fronds,  and  morsels  of  dry 
seaweeds  may  be  picked  from  the  general  surroundings. 
Or  again,  the  eggs  may  be  deposited  in  a  depression  in  a 
clump  of  growing  thrift,  which  is  pressed  under  the  sitting- 
bird  and  forms  a  lining  without  the  addition  of  any  loose 
material. 

The  eggs,  normally  three  in  number,  are  light  stone- 
colour  (though  I  have  seen  fresh  ones  of  a  warm  buff  shade), 
spotted  and  sometimes  streaked  in  an  irregular  or  a  zig-zag 
manner  with  light  and  dark  brown.  Incubation  begins  in 
most  districts  about  the  end  of  April. 

The  natural  timidity  of  the  Oyster- catcher  gives  place  to 
boldness  amounting  to  fearlessness  when  its  nesting-haunts 
are  intruded  upon.  Many  a  time  have  I  seen  a  pair  of  these 
birds  advance  towards  me  and  ere  I  came  within  two 
hundred  yards  of  their  downy  young,  scold  me  with  loud  and 
incessant  alarm-notes,  all  the  while  their  mouths  gaping 
widely,  as  they  fluttered  swiftly  to  and  fro  a  few  feet  above 
my  head. 


1  I  have  discovered  the  nest  in  this  situation  on  Ireland's  Eye,  one 
of  the  few  breeding-haunts  on  the  east  coast  of  Ireland. 


OYSTEK-CATCHEK  251 

In  many  districts  of  the  British  Isles  this  is  a  common 
breeding-species.  Thus  the  numerous  islands  which  stud 
the  Atlantic-facing  coasts  of  Scotland  and  Ireland,  are 
annually  tenanted  by  numbers.  On  the  mainland,  espe- 
cially that  of  Scotland,  the  bird  is  also  a  common  nesting- 
species,  but  along  the  southern  coasts  it  breeds  much  more 
sparingly. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  over  a  vast 
area  of  Temperate  and  Northern  Europe  and  Asia,  includ- 
ing large  inland  waters.  In  winter,  great  numbers  push 
southward,  reaching  Southern  and  Western  Asia,  and  North 
Africa. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.—  Middle  and  lower  back, 
breast,  abdomen,  and  a  small  spot  under  the  eye,  white  ; 
elongated  patch  on  the  wing,  white ;  rest  of  plumage,  black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  nuptial 
plumage  except  that  a  portion  of  the  throat  is  white  and 
there  is  a  broad  white  crescent  on  the  side  of  the  neck. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  feathers  of  the  back 
and  wings  are  edged  with  brown  ;  middle  of  throat  banded 
with  white. 

BEAK.  Reddish,  becoming  lighter  in  shade  towards 
the  tip ;  compressed  from  side  to  side  and  blunted  at  the 
extremity. 

FEET.     Deep  pink ;  thick  and  fleshy. 

IRIDES.  Crimson. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 16'5    in. 

WING         9'75  ,, 

BEAK         2'5     „ 

TARSOMETATARSUS         1/8     ,, 

EGG  2*2  x  1-5  in. 


Note. — "A  Sheathbill,  Chionis  alba,  of  Antarctic  America, 
obtained  in  Carlingford  Lough,  co.  Down,  on  December  2nd, 
1892,  is  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  E.  M.  Barrington.  Living 
examples  have  often  been  sent  from  the  Falkland  Islands  " 
(Saunders).  (Vide  ' Irish  Naturalist,'  1893,  pp.  151-155,  pi.  4.) 


252 


CHABADB1IDJ3 


AYOCET.     Recurvirostra  avocetta  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain/  vol.  iv,  pi. 
53;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,' vol.  vii,  pi.  534;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  19. 

At  the  present  time  the  Avocet  can  be  regarded  but  as 
a  scarce  and  rather  uncertain  summer-visitor  to  our  Isles, 
though  formerly  it  bred  annually  in  many  parts  of  England. 
Small  numbers  still  visit  the  flat  shores  of  Kent  and  Sussex, 
extending  along  the  east  coast  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the 
Humber.  On  the  opposite  coast  as  well  as  in  Wales,  Scot- 
land, and  Ireland,  it  is  rare.  Mr.  Ussher  mentions  thirteen 
instances  of  its  occurrence  in  Ireland,  the  following  counties 
having  been  visited: — Cork,  Waterford,  Wexford,  Dublin, 
Galway,  and  Mayo  ('  Birds  of  Ireland  '). 


FIG.  37.— AVOCET. 


This  is  a  handsome  and  remarkable-looking  bird,  of 
slender  build  and  very  graceful  bearing,  which  with  its  pied 
plumage  render  it  an  easily  identified  species  on  the  sea- 
shore. 

Its  "beak  is  unmistakable ;  it  is  of  considerable  length, 
tapers  to  a  sharp  point,  and  is  recurved  or  bent  upwards 


AVOCET  253 

like  a  surgeon's  needle.1  Its  legs  and  feet  are  long  and 
slender,  and  its  toes  are  partially  webbed  (figs.  37  and  39.) 

The  Avocet  is  a  bird  of  the  coast.  It  delights  to  probe  in 
the  soft  ooze  of  tidal  estuaries,  where  it  obtains  an  abundance 
of  food. 

Degland,  in  his  '  Ornithologie  Europeenne,'  points  out 
that  the  partial  webbing  of  the  foot  enables  this  bird  not 
only  to  swim,  but  even  to  support  itself  on  the  sinking  slimy 
marshes  which  it  traverses. 


The  swimming-powers  have  been  noticed  by  many 
authorities.  Mr.  E.  Warren  has  seen  it  swim  out  from 
shallow  water  to  the  open  sea,  with  the  wind  against  it, 
the  bird  all  the  while  rising  buoyantly  over  the  waves. 

Food.  —  Worms,  insects,  small  shell-fish,  crabs,  and 
shrimps,  form  the  staple  diet.  The  method  of  feeding  is 
peculiar  :  as  the  bird  paces  over  the  ooze,  it  applies  its 
beak  to  the  flat  muddy  surface,  and  rotates  it  from  side 
to  side.  This  leaves  a  zig-zag  track  behind  it,  a  useful 
means  of  detecting  the  bird's  whereabouts. 

Sir  K.  Payne-G-allwey  points  out  that  "the  flat  forma- 
tion of  the  edges  of  the  bill  and  its  recurving  shape  allow  it 
to  sweep  over  the  level  surface  of  the  mud.  The  food  is 
taken  in  where  the  bend  of  the  bill  touches  the  ground  " 
('Letters  to  Young  Shooters,'  Third  Series,  pp.  301-302). 


1  From  the  formation  of  its  beak  the  Avocet  has  been  called  the 
cobbler's-awl  duck,'  and  the  '  shoeing-horn.' 


254  CHAKADKIID^ 

_Voice.—The  note  is  clear  and  resembles  the  syllables 
klii-lt,  klu-e.  The  popular  names  of  '  yelper,'  '  barker,'  and 
'clinker,'  have  been  given,  in  connection  with  the  pecu- 
liar cry. 

Flight.— The  flight  is  swift  and  straight. 


FIG.  39.— LEFT   FOOT   OF   AVOCET.     «  Nat.  size. 

Nest. — The  Avocet  lays  its  eggs  in  a  slight  hollow  made 
in  dry,  muddy,  or  sandy  soil,  constructing  a  rude  nest  of 
withered  herbage  in  places  where  material  is  available.  The 
eggs,  three  to  four  in  number,  are  dark  stone-colour, 
blotched  and  speckled  with  black. 

This  species  is  known  to  have  bred  formerly  in  the 
following  counties  in  England  : — Lincoln,  Norfolk,  Suffolk, 


AVOCET  255 

Kent,  and  Sussex.  It  may  also  have  bred  in  Staffordshire  as 
long  ago  as  1686.  About  1824  a  large  breeding-colony  was 
annihilated  by  persons,  who,-  for  successive  years,  made  a 
wholesale  raid  on  the  eggs  which  they  used  for  cooking- 
purposes,  while  the  birds  themselves  were  victimised  for 
the  sake  of  their  feathers  which  were  used  for  '  flies '  for 
fishing.  Of  later  date  the  Avocet  was  little  known  as  a 
nesting-species  in  England,  though  Clarke  and  Roebuck  in 
the  '  Vertebrate  Fauna  of  Yorkshire  '  adduce  evidence  that 
this  species  bred  at  the  mouth  of  the  Trent  in  1840  (New- 
ton, Diet.  Birds,  p.  24). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  in  limited 
numbers  in  Holland,  Denmark,  Germany,  France,  and  more 
abundantly  in  Southern  and  South-eastern  Europe,  Tem- 
perate Asia,  and  in  Africa  down  to  the  Cape.  In  winter 
it  reaches  Southern  India  and  Ceylon,  and  is  also  found 
in  Madagascar.  About  the  basin  of  the  Mediterranean  it  is 
resident  to  some  extent  (Saunders). 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  upper 
part  of  cheeks,  hind-neck,  middle  of  the  back,  primaries,  and 
most  of  the  wing-coverts,  black  ;  rest  of  the  plumage,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  white  colouring 
becomes  greyish. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Chiefly  white,  with  brown 
markings,  which  are  edged  with  rufous,  instead  of  black  as 
in  the  adult. 

BEAK.  Black.  Flattened  and  rather  expanded  at  the 
base,  becoming  pointed  towards  the  extremity  ;  flexible  and 
upcurved. 

FEET.     Light  bluish-grey  ;  toes,  semi-webbed. 

IRIDES.  Beddish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 18   in. 

WING   8-5  „ 

BEAK   3'25  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS       3 

EGG  2  X  1'5  in. 


CHAKADKIID^ 

BLACK-WINGED  STILT.     Himantopus  candidus  (Bonnaterre). 

Coloured  Figures.— Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
34  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pis.  535,  536 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  20. 

This  species,  also  of  the  black  and  white  type  of  plu- 
mage, may  be  recognised  by  the  great  length  of  its  legs, 
from  which  it  derives  its  name.  Its  beak  is  not  curved  like 
that  of  the  Avocet. 


FIG.  40.— BLACK-WINGED   STILT. 

Mr.  Saunders,  in  his  '  Manual  of  British  Birds,'  2nd 
Edition,  p.  563,  mentions  that  Sir  Eobert  Sibbald  noticed 
the  occurrence  of  this  bird  in  Britain  as  long  ago  as  1684, 
and  described  two  examples  shot  at  a  lake  near  Dumfries. 

It  is  an  uncommon  visitant  to  the  British  Isles,  though 
it  has  been  recorded  from  most  of  the  southern  and  eastern 
counties  of  England,  and  less  frequently  from  the  midlands. 
Several  specimens  have  been  secured  from  Norfolk.  On  the 
west  side,  and  in  Wales,  it  is  of  very  rare  occurrence;  in 
1793  it  visited  Anglesea  (Montagu). 


BLACK-WINGED   STILT  257 

There  are  not  many  records  from  Scotland  : — Dumfries, 
Perthshire,  the  vicinity  of  the  Clyde  near  Glasgow,  Aber- 
deen, the  Orkneys  and  Shetlands,  have  yielded  specimens. 

There  are  six  records  from  Ireland,  none  of  recent  date. 

The  following  counties  have  been  visited  : — Kerry,  Cork, 
Westmeath,  Limerick,  Dublin,  and  Mayo.  The  earliest 
recorded  occurrence  took  place  in  Cork  in  the  winter  of 
1823  or  1824.  There  have  been  no  records  during  the  latter 
half  of  the  last  century. 

Food. — The  Black-winged  Stilt  feeds  largely  on  insects, 
chiefly  gnats  and  aquatic  beetles.  It  may  be  seen  standing 
in  water  (almost  sufficiently  deep  to  cover  its  long  legs  and 
feet),  watching  for  flies,  at  which  it  snaps  as  they  buzz 
around  (Jardine). 

Voice. — The  bird  utters  a  clear  note  resembling  the 
syllables  pee-pee-pee-pee.  In  the  breeding-season  it  may 
be  heard  in  the  vicinity  of  its  nest,  making  a  sound  like 
gnreet,  gnreet,  gnreet,  gnreet,  sharply  repeated  (Saunders). 

Nest. — This  species  usually  builds  by  the  margins  of 
pools  or  lakes.  The  nest,  in  some  instances,  is  a  simple 
structure  made  of  scanty  herbage,  and  placed  in  a  tuft  of 
rushes  or  grass,  but  on  wet,  muddy  soil  the  bird  banks  up 
its  nest  to  prevent  the  eggs  from  getting  damp.  These, 
four  in  number,  are  described  by  Mr.  Saunders  as  "  of 
a  warm  stone-colour  with  hieroglyphic-like  scrollings  and 
blotches  of  black." 

Geographical  distribution. — This  Stilt  breeds  sparingly 
in  Hungary,  and  abundantly  in  Southern  Spain,  in  Sicily, 
and  on  the  shores  of  the  Black,  Caspian,  and  Aral  Seas. 
Eastward  it  is  found  nesting  in  Temperate  and  Southern 
Asia  as  far  as  India  and  Ceylon.  In  parts  of  the  North 
of  Africa  it  is  also  a  common  breeding-species.  On  migra- 
tion in  winter  it  visits  Southern  Africa  and  Madagascar, 
while  stragglers  wander  northward  at  irregular  intervals 
to  many  countries  of  Central  Europe. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Back,  scapulars,  and 
wings,  rather  glossy  greenish-black ;  tail,  shaded  grey;  rest 
of  plumage,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
except  that  the  feathers  of  the  back  and  wings  are  dark 
dusky-brown. 

17 


258 


CHAKADRIID^] 


Adult  ivinter,1  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Back  of  head,  hind-neck, 
and  upper  back,  greyish  ;  rest  of  back  and  inner  secondaries, 
brown  ;  primaries,  dark  brown. 

BEAK.     Black  ;  straight  and  slender. 

FEET.     Warm  pink  ;  very  long ;  toes,  slightly  webbed. 

IRIDES.  Crimson. 


FIG.  41.— HEAD   OF   BLACK-WINGED    STILT.       l  Nat.  size. 


AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 


TOTAL  LENGTH  ... 

WING 

BEAK 

TARSO-METATARSUS 

EGG 


13'5  in. 
9-5    „ 


1-7  X  1-25  in. 


1  A  "  brown-backed  winter  plumage  "  may  be  assumed  (R.  Bowdler 
Sharpe,  Cat.  Birds  Brit.  Mus.,  vol.  xxiv,  p.  313). 


GKEY  PHALAROPE  259 

GREY  PHALAROPE.     Phalaropus  fulicarius  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pis.  81  and  82  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pis. 
538,  539,  fig.  1 ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
21 ;  Booth,  'Kough  Notes,'  vol.  ii,  pi.  32. 

This  beautiful  species  is  net  improbably  an  annual  British 
visitor  during  autumn  and  early  winter,  but  its  migratory 
movements  are  irregular  and  rather  spasmodic  in  character. 
It  is  of  less  frequent  occurrence  as  a  vernal  migrant  on  its 
passage  northward. 

In  England  it  occurs  most  often  in  the  southern  counties. 

In  Scotland  small  numbers  have  been  recorded  from 
Berwickshire  to  the  Orkneys  (Saunders).  Recently  several 
specimens  have  been  obtained  from  the  Outer  Hebrides. 
Mr.  Buckley  mentions  a  bird  taken  at  Lochmaddy 
about  October  20th,  1900;  this  appears  to  be  the  first 
record  of  this  species  occurring  in  these  islands.  In 
September,  1901,  Dr.  J.  M'B-ury  records  one  found  in 
Barra,  and  on  November  3rd  a  specimen,  the  wing  and 
leg  of  which  were  received  by  Mr.  Eagle  Clarke,  was 
obtained  at  Eilean  Ghlais  Lighthouse. 

In  Ireland  this  bird  is  uncommon,  though  it  probably 
occurs  annually.  Nearly  all  the  maritime  counties  have 
been  visited,  and  there  are  records  from  the  most  westerly 
points  of  Ulster,  Connaught,  and  Munster. 

A  great  invasion  of  Grey  Phalaropes  took  place  between 
August  20th  and  October  8th,  1866.  Upwards  of  500  were 
killed,  fully  half  of  which  were  obtained  in  Sussex  (J.  H. 
Gurney).  Three  years  later  large  numbers  again  appeared 
in  Britain.  In  1886  there  was  another  immigration  con- 
fined chiefly  to  the  south  of  England ;  this  was  followed  in 
1891  by  a  much  more  widely  spread  visitation,  many  of  the 
birds  extending  their  range  even  to  the  western  counties  of 
Ireland. 

The  habits  of  this  species  are  exceptionally  interesting. 
Like  other  shore-birds  (Limicolce)  it  is  active  both  on  foot 
and  on  the  wing,  but,  in  addition,  it  is  an  expert  swimmer, 
and  may  often  be  seen  far  out  at  sea,  resting  on  the  surface 
of  the  water  as  buoyantly  as  a  cork.  To  subserve  its  aquatic 
habits  it  has  acquired  a  much  denser  covering  of  feathers 
than  is  possessed  by  the  great  majority  of  wading-birds, 
and  its  skin  is  thickly  coated  with  down  like  that  of  a  Gull. 


260  CHAKADRIID^] 

The  foot  is  partially  webbed,  each  toe  being  fringed  with 
membranous  lobes. 

The  Grey  Phalarope  is  an  unsuspicious  little  creature. 
It  delights  to  paddle  in  small  pools  on  or  close  to  the  sea- 
coast  ;  less  frequently  it  resorts  to  inland  waters.  On 
November  19th,  1899,  'l  watched  one  of  these  birds  on  the 
beach  of  Dublin  Bay,  pattering  about  at  a  distance  of  only 
fifteen  yards,  and  quite  unconcerned  at  my  presence.  It 
several  times  rushed  into  the  water  and  out  again  with  amaz- 
ing agility,  and  spun  round  in  pursuit  of  aquatic  insects  with 
the  speed  of  a  feather  twisted  by  the  wind.  The  nodding 
movements  of  the  head,  described  by  many  writers,  were 
very  apparent.  Twice  the  bird  rose  vertically  from  the 
surface  of  the  water,  as  if  snapping  at  flies,  which  were 
buzzing  around.  I  continued  to  watch  it  until  darkness 
set  in,  and  with  the  last  glimmer  of  daylight  I  left  it 
swimming  contentedly  in  the  middle  of  its  favourite  pond. 
I  must  have  been  a  full  half-hour  making  observations, 
during  which  time  the  bird,  at  irregular  intervals,  quitted 
the  water,  but  never  wandered  far  from  the  edge  of  the 
pool. 

The  indifference  of  the  Grey  Phalarope  in  allowing  man 
to  approach  it  is  remarkable.  In  his  '  Letters  to  Young 
Shooters,'  Sir  E.  Payne-Gallwey  mentions  that  he  has  seen 
this  species  within  an  oar's  length  of  him,  swimming  tamely 
about  on  tidal  rivers  and  creeks,  and  resembling  a  miniature 
Gull  floating  on  the  surface. 

Watters  draws  attention  to  the  fact  that  in  America  the 
Phalarope  is  gregarious  in  winter.  He  states  that  Audubon 
observed  large  flocks  frequenting  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
Ohio  and  Arkansas  rivers ;  hundreds  were  also  to  be  seen 
far  out  at  sea,  assembling  on  the  banks  of  seaweed. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  very  swift  and  undulating  and  the 
beat  of  the  wing  is  rapid. 

Food.1 — Marine  animals  of  various  kinds  are  eaten,  such 
as  small  crabs,  shrimps,  insects,  and  worms ;  also  scraps  of 
seaweed.  In  search  of  food  the  Grey  Phalarope  may  be  met 


1  Dr.  B.  F.  Scharff  has  kindly  favoured  me  with  the  following  report 
on  the  contents  of  the  stomach  of  a  Grey  Phalarope  which  I  recently 
obtained  (November  20th,  1899)  on  Dublin  Bay.  "The  gizzard  of 
this  bird  contained  mostly  sand  with  small  sharp  stones,  the  largest 
measuring  one-sixth  of  an  inch  in  length.  As  for  the  food,  it  consisted 
entirely  of  two  species  of  Invertebrates.  The  last  meal  was  about  a 


GEEY  PHALAEOPE  261 

with  hundreds  of  miles  from  land ;  and  off  the  coasts  it  is 
"a  delightful  sight  to  watch  these  birds  gathering  their  food 
in  the  high-running  surf,  or  when  that  is  done  peacefully 
floating  outside  the  breakers  "  (Newton). 

This  bird  will  also  pick  the  parasites  off  the  backs  of 
whales  and  other  cetaceans  (Saunders). 

Voice. — The  voice  is  clear  and  sharp,  resembling  the 
syllable  tweet;  the  note  of  the  female,  sometimes  heard, 
may  be  syllabled  kluik-ink-ink. 

Nest. — The  Grey  Phalarope  nests  on  the  ground,  laying 
its  eggs  in  a  depression  scratched  in  soft,  moss-covered  soil. 
The  breeding-haunts  are  usually  near  water,  i.e.,  by  the 
margin  of  a  small  lake  or  pool.  The  eggs,  four  in  number, 
are  light  yellowish,  shading  to  greenish-brown,  well  marked 
with  blotches  and  spots  of  dark  brown.  It  is  a  rather 
singular  characteristic  of  Phalaropes,  that  while  the  male 
takes  the  task  of  incubation  and  of  rearing  the  young,  his 
spouse,  more  active  and  gaily  plumed,  carries  on  the  major 
part  of  the  courtship. 

When  hatching,  this  species  is  wonderfully  tame,  allow- 
itself  almost  to  be  handled. 

The  Grey  Phalarope  will  live  in  captivity,  and  birds,  even 
when  slightly  wounded  by  gunshot,  have  thriven  for  months 
and  years.  Thompson,  in  his  'Natural  History  of  Ireland,' 
mentions  an  instance  of  a  Phalarope  which  got  entangled  in 
fishing-nets  spread  out  to  dry.  A  few  hours  after  capture 
the  bird  fed  upon  fragments  of  fish  from  the  hands  of  its 
owner.  The  same  writer  also  states-,  "  A  Phalarope,  shot 
near  Belfast  as  long  ago  as  1818,  was  wounded  in  the  wing 
and  came  into  the  possession  of  Mr.  John  Sinclaire.  He 
kept  it  on  his  pond  for  several  months.  It  was  fed  on 
worms,  was  very  tame,  and  its  buoyancy  on  the  water  met 
with  the  highest  admiration."  , 

Geographical  distribution.  —  This  species  resorts  in 
the  nesting-season  to  the  high  Arctic  regions  of  Europe 
(viz.,  Spitzbergen),  Asia,  and  America.  On  its  winter 


dozen  '  maggots '  or  larvce  of  a  fly,  such  as  might  be  found  along  banks. 
They  were  very  slender  and  nearly  half  an  inch  long.  A  previous  meal 
consisted  of  about  the  same  quantity  of  a  small  gasteropod  shell,  prob- 
ably Hydrobia  ulvce,  which  occurs  abundantly  in  brackish  water  round 
the  coast  of  Ireland.  The  surfaces  of  the  shells  were  much  worn,  and 
must  have  been  in  the  gizzard  for  some  time,  while  the  maggots  were 
quite  fresh/' 


262  CHABADKinxaE 

wanderings  it  is  found  frequenting  the  seas  and  inland 
waters  of  all  the  great  Continents  of  the  Globe,  and  such 
remote  countries  as  Chile  and  New  Zealand. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  female1  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  dark 
brownish-black ;  hind-neck,  back,  and  scapulars,  dark 
brownish-black,  but  the  feathers  are  distinctly  edged  with 
light  reddish-brown ;  wing-coverts,  greyish,  with  white 
margins ;  primaries  and  tail,  greyish-black  ;  throat,  front  of 
neck,  breast,  and  abdomen,  warm  chestnut ;  cheeks,  chiefly 
white. 

Adult  male  nuptial. — The  pattern  of  the  plumage  is 
somewhat  similar  to  that  of  the  female,  but  the  markings 
are  decidedly  duller,  the  top  of  the  head  is  browner,  and  the 
chestnut  coloration  is  mixed  with  white. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  Head,  cheeks,  and 
throat,  chiefly  white,  with  some  dark  grey  feathers  on  the 
hind-neck  and  behind  the  eye ;  rest  of  neck,  throat,  breast, 
abdomen,  flanks,  and  under  tail-coverts,  white,  save  a  small 
patch  of  light  bluish-grey  on  the  sides  of  the  upper  breast ; 
back  and  scapulars,  '  french  '  or  '  pearl '  grey  ;  wing-coverts, 
chiefly  greyish-black  edged  with  white,  the  margins  of  the 
greater  wing-coverts  forming  a  white  alar  bar  ;  primaries 
and  tail,  greyish-black. 

Immature,  male  and  female.2 — Somewhat  similar  to  the 
adult  winter  plumage,  but  the  white  of  the  breast  is  suffused 
in  its  upper  part  with  yellowish-brown,  and  the  feathers  of 
the  back  and  wings  are  edged  with  sandy-buff. 

BEAK.  Yellow,  with  the  point  black ;  straight  and 
slender. 


1  The  brighter-coloured  plumage  of  the  female  Phalaropes  is  described 
before  that  of  the  male. 

2  Through  the  kindness  of  Dr.  Scharff,  I  have  been  able  to  examine 
a  series  of  specimens  of  the  Grey  Phalarope  taken  on  the  Irish  coast, 
the  majority  of  which  were   immature  birds  in  the  transition  autumn 
to  winter   plumage.     I    have    in    my   collection  a    good    specimen    (a 
male),  obtained  on  the  North  Bull,  Dublin   Bay,  on   November   20th, 
1899.     It  had  assumed  much  of  the  winter  plumage  but  some  dark  feathers 
were  still  visible  on  the  back.     The  bird,  which  I  examined  in  the  flesh 
and  subsequently  set  up,  was  in  very  poor  condition,  weighing  only  7| 
drachms — less  than  an  ounce.     As  I  proceeded  to  skin  it  I  noted  with 
interest  that  this  species  possesses  several  structural  characters  corre-  • 


KED-NECKED  PHALAEOPE  263 

FEET.  Yellow,  with  a  tinge  of  green.  The  webs  only 
connect  the  roots  of  the  toes,  the  tips  being  edged  with 
a  series  of  free  membranous  lobes.  (For  a  more  detailed 
description  of  the  foot,  vide  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  vol.  x, 
p.  67.) 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH       ...         ...  8*25  in.    Male  smaller. 

WING          4-9      „ 

BEAK  1         ,, 

TARSO-METATAESUS  ...  0'9     ,, 

EGG  1-25  X '88  in. 


RED-NECKED  PHALAROPE.     Phalaropus  hyperboreus 
(Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould, '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi.  83; 
Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pis.  537,  539,  fig.  2  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  22. 

The  Red-necked  Phalarope,  smaller  and  even  more 
elegant  in  form  than  the  preceding  species,  is  a  rare  and  an 
irregular  visitor  to  the  British  Isles.  It  is  for  the  most 
part  a  passing  migrant  in  spring  and  autumn,  although  a 
few  pairs  take  up  their  breeding-quarters  on  some  of  the 
Scotch  Islands,  viz.,  the  Shetlands,  Orkneys,  and  Outer 
Hebrides.  On  the  east  coast  of  Scotland  it  is  seldom 
met  with.  There  are  several  records  from  the  east  coast 
of  England,  and  of  recent  years  this  bird  has  been  observed 

lated  with  its  aquatic  habits.  The  body  is  densely  covered  with  feathers, 
especially  on  the  breast  and  abdomen.  The  latter  regions  are  also 
thickly  coated  with  down.  In  shape  the  breast  greatly  resembles  that 
of  the  Gulls.  It  is  full  and  rounded,  and  owes  its  contour,  not  to  any 
modification  in  the  form  of  the  pectoral  muscles  or  sternum,  as  compared 
with  the  same  in  a  typical  wading-bird,  but  to  the  more  pronounced 
curvature  of  the  feathers,  which  in  most  wading-birds  are  straighter.  in 
shape.  The  fat  in  the  region  of  the  breast  differs  from  the  soft,  creamy!, 
light-coloured,  oleaginous  fat  of  the  typical  Limicolce,  being  of  a  firmer 
consistency,  dark  yellow  in  colour,  closely  resembling  the  fattv  tissue  of 
Gulls. 


264  CHAEADKIID^ 

annually  about  the  north-east  of  Lincolnshire.  The  southern 
counties  and  some  of  the  midlands  have  also  been  visited. 
On  the  opposite  shores  (including  those  of  Wales)  it  is  very 
uncommon.  Recently  two  specimens  have  been  obtained 
in  Towyn,  Merioneth  ;  one  in  September,  1901,  the  other 
in  the  autumn  of  1902  (H.  E.  Forrest,  'Zoologist,'  1901, 
p.  428,  and  1904,  p.  461). 

The  history  of  the  Eed-necked  Phalarope  as  an  Irish 
bird  is  highly  interesting  and  deserves  special  notice.  It 
was  unknown  in  the  country  previous  to  November,  1891, 
when  after  a  great  gale,  a  single  specimen  was  shot  in  the 
co.  Armagh,  and  until  quite  recently  this  represented  the 
only  reliable  instance  from  Ireland.  It  is  not  strange, 
therefore,  that  in  that  country  this  species  was  looked 
upon  as  an  extremely  rare  and  accidental  visitor.  In  the 
summer  of  1902,  however,  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams,  of 
Dublin,  received  additional  specimens,  including  a  nestling  ; 
moreover  he  ascertained  by  correspondence  that  the  birds 
sent  to  him  were  breeding  in  the  locality  from  whence  they 
came.  I  examined  each  specimen  in  the  flesh  ;  they  were 
undoubtedly  adults,  the  male  in  full  nuptial  garb,  the  female 
showing  some  of  her  winter  feathers.  The  nestling  was 
very  young — recently  hatched — and  was  thickly  covered 
with  soft  woolly  down.  With  reference  to  this  important 
ornithological  discovery  I  quote  the  following  account  from 
a  paper  written  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams,  which  was 
published  in  the  '  Irish  Naturalist/  vol.  xii,  p.  41  :— 

"  The  Bed-necked  Phalarope  (Phalaropus  hyperboreus) 
was  unknown  as  an  Irish  bird  till  the  year  1891,  when, 
during  the  month  of  November,  a  great  gale  occurred  and 
a  quantity  of  Forktailed  Petrels  and  Common  Phalaropes 
were  blown  inland.  Among  the  specimens  I  received  were 
a  Wilson's  Petrel  and  a  Bed-necked  Phalarope,  both  new  to 
Ireland.  The  Phalarope  was  in  full  winter  plumage,  and 
was  shot  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Haire,  at  Loughgilly,  co.  Armagh. 
This  specimen  is  now  in  the  National  Museum. 

"  Nothing  more  was  heard  of  this  species  till  May,  1902, 
when  I  received  a  beautiful  specimen  in  full  summer 
plumage  from  Mr.  J.  A.  Sheridan ;  the  exact  locality  where 
he  obtained  the  bird  I  have  been  unable  to  ascertain.  It 
had  a  curiously  malformed  beak,  turned  up  at  the  end  like 
a  minature  Avocet,  and  it  showed  in  a  very  marked  degree 
the  beautiful  bay  colour  on  the  neck,  from  which  the  bird 
derives  its  name. 


KED-NECKED  PHALAKOPE  265 

"  Before  giving  an  account  of  the  discovery  of  this  bird 
as  a  breeding  species  in  Ireland,  I  may  say  that,  seeing  the 
sad  havoc  that  has  occurred  to  the  species  in  the  Orkneys 
and  Shetlands  by  egg  collectors  and  others,  I  have  resolved, 
in  consultation  with  a  few  leading  Irish  ornithologists,  not 
to  divulge  the  exact  locality  of  the  breeding  ground,  but  to 
say  in  a  general  way  '  the  West  of  Ireland.'  I  am  also  glad 
to  say  that  the  gentleman  on  whose  property  this  very  in- 
teresting discovery  has  been  made  shows  every  disposition 
to  have  the  birds  rigidly  protected. 

"  Early  in  the  month  of  July  last  this  gentleman  sent 
me  the  skin  of  a  Phalarope  which  had  been  rather  roughly 
handled,  but  thinking  that  he  had  been  on  a  yachting  cruise 
round  Scotland,  and  had  probably  obtained  a  specimen,  it 
did  not  interest  me  much.  In  acknowledging  the  receipt 
I  just  said,  '  Of  course  the  bird  is  not  Irish.'  Judge  of  my 
surprise  when  I  received  the  following  letter :  '  The  Red- 
necked Phalarope  which  I  sent  you  was,  of  course,  Irish, 
otherwise  I  would  not  have  sent  it  to  you.  I  now  send  two 
others  shot  to-day  within  a  mile  of  the  house.  The  birds 
breed  here,  and  have,  according  to  my  keeper,  done  so  for 
many  years ;  he  has  also  frequently  found  their  nests,  and 
on  my  questioning  him  he  gave  me  a  correct  description  of 
their  eggs,  colour,  &c.,  &c.  You  will  kindly  set  them  up  and 
give  them  on  loan  to  the  Natural  History  Museum  '  (where 
they  now  are). 

"In  my  reply  I  said  that  ornithologists  would  scarcely 
credit  such  a  thing  that  this,  a  polar-breeding  species,  should 
be  found  breeding  so  far  south,  and  begged  him  to  set 
matters  beyond  all  doubt  by  obtaining  either  an  egg  or 
young  bird  in  the  down.  To  my  great  delight,  on  1st  of 
August,  I  received  a  baby  Phalarope,  with  a  note,  in  which 
my  correspondent  said : — '  I  am  sorry  to  have  to  send  you 
an  uncontrovertible  proof  of  the  Red-necked  Phalarope's 
nesting  here.  This  is  one  of  their  chicks — I  saw  one  other. 
The  distress  of  the  two  old  birds  made  it  very  hard  to  kill 
this  little  thing.  During  my  tramp  through  the  bog  I 
counted  seventeen,  but  there  may  have  been  many  more  ; 
the  most  of  the  birds  I  saw  were  females.  The  tameness  of 
these  is  very  marked,  as  apparently  unconcernedly  they  are 
seeking  food  within  a  distance  of  a  few  feet.  It  is  my 
greatest  desire  that  these  birds  should  be  perfectly  protected 
and  unmolested.  I  am  surprised  that  these  little  chicks 
are  able  to  survive  their  many  enemies,  especially  as  there 
are  always  a  lot  of  Black-backed  and  other  Gulls  on  the  bog.' 


266  CHAKADEIID/E 

"  The  chick  weighed  96  grains;  plumage  like  a  downy 
Dunlin,  but  down  much  more  golden-yellow  about  head  and 
neck,  shading  into  white  on  lower  parts ;  two  well-marked 
white  stripes  on  a  black  surface  down  middle  of  back. 
Feet  inside  flesh  colour,  outer  parts  dark,  toes  black,  beak 
dark  flesh. 

"  The  male  bird,  which  is  much  more  obscure  in  the 
colour,  had  two  very  large  hatching  spots  on  the  breast, 
showing  that  he  assists  in  the  duty  of  incubation ;  he  is 
smaller  than  the  female,  and  weighed  589  grains.  The 
female  bird,  strange  to  say,  was  assuming  the  winter 
plumage  so  early  as  14th  July,  and  weighed  691  grains." 

Like  the  Grey  Phalarope,  this  species  is  little  heedful  of 
the  presence  of  man.  Many  naturalists  have  noticed  how 
unconcernedly  it  will  swim  about,  nodding  its  head  and 
constantly  dipping  its  beak  into  the  water  for  food  at  a  few 
yards  distance  from  the  observer.  The  Red-necked  Phala- 
rope, like  its  congener,  is  gregarious  in  winter  ;  it  swims 
with  the  same  ease  and  grace,  but  is  seldom  met  with  far 
out  at  sea. 

Food. — This  consists  largely  of  small  crabs,  shrimps, 
worms,  and  insects. 

Voice. — The  note  may  be  syllabled  pleep,  pleep,  or  wit, 
ivit,  wit  (Saunders). 

Flight. — The  flight  resembles  that  of  the  Grey  Phala- 
rope. 

Nest. — The  nest 1  is  generally  situated  in  marshy  ground 
arnid  rushes  and  other  aquatic  vegetation  ;  the  eggs,  four  in 
number,  somewhat  resemble  those  of  the  Grey  Phalarope, 
but  are  smaller  and  more  pointed.  Like  the  preceding 
species,  the  male  bird  incubates  and  is  courted  by  the 
female. 


1  I  am  much  indebted  to  Mr.  Barrington  for  the  following  account 
of  the  nesting-haunts  of  this  species,  as  observed  in  company  with  the 
late  Mr.  E.  Williams,  in  the  West  of  Ireland  in  1904.  Mr.  Barrington 
writes  :  "  No  nest  was  made,  it  was  merely  a  rounded  depression  on  a 
little  tuft  of  rushes,  which  was  raised  an  inch  or  two  (not  over  six 
inches)  above  the  level  of  a  very  wet  marsh.  The  young,  when  leaving 
the  nest,  would  walk  out  into  the  water  almost ;  at  any  rate,  the  place 
was  so  damp  that  the  water  would  rise  over  the  soles  of  one's  boots,  two 
feet  from  the  nest,  and  little  shallow  pools  were  everywhere  about,  the 
land  being  level  for  an  acre  or  two.  It  was  close  to  the  sea,  and  perhaps 
at  times  the  water  would  be  brackish  where  the  little  streams  overflowed 
the  land  and  sandy  flats  adjoining." 


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BED-NECKED   PHALAKOPE  267 

The  Ked-necked  Phalarope  breeds  sparingly  in  the 
Shetlands,  Orkneys,  and  Outer  Hebrides,  also  in  Perthshire, 
Inverness,  Sutherland,  and  in  the  West  of  Ireland. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  bird  breeds  in 
many  countries  of  Arctic  Europe  (including  Iceland  and 
the  Faroes,  where  it  is  plentiful),  Asia,  and  America.  In 
other  words,  it  has  practically  a  circumpolar  breeding- 
range.  On  migration  in  autumn  and  winter  it  reaches 
Southern  Asia,  eastward  to  Japan,  and  westward  to  lat. 
30°  N.  along  the  American  coast.  It  occurs  chiefly  as  a 
migrant  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  the  European 
Continent. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  female  nuptial. — Head,  hind-neck,  and 
upper  back,  dull  slate-grey ;  rest  of  back  and  scapulars, 
darker  grey,  some  of  the  feathers  of  the  latter  being  edged 
with  buff  ;  wing-coverts  and  secondaries,  edged  with  white, 
forming  an  alar  bar ;  primaries,  browrn  ;  tail,  light  brown, 
except  the  middle  feathers  which  are  of  a  darker  shade ; 
chin,  white  ;  sides  and  front  of  neck,  chestnut-brown  ; 
lower  neck  and  upper  breast,  dull  slate-grey ;  lower  breast 
and  abdomen,  white. 

Adult  male  nuptial. — Resembles  the  female  plumage  in 
pattern,  but  the  colours  of  the  head  and  neck  are  duller  and 
less  defined ;  the  chestnut-brown  is  much  less  extensive 
and  is  not  carried  across  the  front  of  the  lower  throat. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Front  and  top  of  head, 
white  ;  back  of  head,  eye-stripe,  and  hind-neck,  dark  brown  ; 
back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  greyish,  the  feathers  being 
margined  with  white  ;  cheeks,  throat,  breast,  and  abdomen, 
whitish. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
winter  plumage,  except  that  the  feathers  of  the  back  and 
wings  are  dark  greyish,  with  light  buff  edgings. 

BEAK.     Black  ;  straight  and  very  slender.1 

FEET.     Greenish. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


1  The  beak  is  a  characteristic  feature,  and  is  proportionately  longer 
and  much  more  slender  than  that  of  the  Grey  Phalarope. 


268  CHAKADRIID^ 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 7'5  in. 

WING    4-4  „ 

BEAK    ...  0'9  „ 

TAKSO-METATARSUS         0'8  „ 

EGG  1-15  x  -82  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — Pkalaropus 
wilsoni,  which  is  larger  than  either  of  the  preceding  birds, 
is  an  American  representative  of  this  genus. 


WOODCOCK.     Scolopax  rusticula  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
77  ;  Dresser,  «  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  540;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pis.  23,  24  ;  Booth,  '  Kough 
Notes/  vol.  ii,  pis.  23,  24. 

The  Woodcock,  so  named  because  it  rests  by  day  amidst 
the  shelter  of  wood  and  covert,  is  widely  distributed  over 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland  in  winter,  being  very  plentiful  in 
the  latter  Island.  A  large  and  increasing  number  remain  to 
breed,  and  in  October  and  November  these  are  augmented 
by  the  arrival  of  migrants  from  colder  countries. 

By  December  the  migration  has  practically  come  to  an 
end,  so  that  the  numbers  which  sometimes  appear  suddenly 
on  the  coast  during  severe  frost  and  snow  later  on  in  the 
winter,  represent  simply  a  mustering  together  of  the  birds, 
which  in  milder  weather  were  scattered  over  the  interior 
of  the  country. 

The  Woodcock  is  a  peculiar  bird.  In  its  habits  it  is 
strongly  nocturnal,  feeding  almost  exclusively  at  night,  and 
hence  it  is  difficult  to  observe.1 


1  In  the  summer  of  1890,  as  I  was  sitting  at  dusk  in  a  pine-grove  near 
Enniskerry,  co.  Wicklow,  trying  to  catch  sight  of  a  Blackcap  which  was 
warbling  exquisitely  in  a  tree  close  by,  I  suddenly  perceived  a  Woodcock 
standing  within  a  yard  or  so  of  me.  So  perfectly  did  its  rustic  colours 
harmonise  with  the  surrounding  withered  ferns,  leaves,  mosses,  stones, 


11 


WOODCOCK  269 

Flight. — Sportsmen  who  reside  in  the  districts  it  frequents 
are  familiar  with  the  aerial  movements  of  this  highly  prized 
game-bird.  When  evicted  by  dogs  or  beaters  from  its 
sleeping-quarters  in  the  quiet  glade,  it  springs  into  the  air 
impetuously,  and  in  most  cases  disappears  among  the  trees 
with  surprising  speed,  or  pitches  in  some  neighbouring 
herbage  outside.  But  if  undisturbed  during  the  day  it  does 
not  quit  the  wood  until  dusk. 

The  Woodcock  is  very  conservative  in  its  movements 
on  the  wing ;  it  usually  pursues  the  same  route  to  and  from 
its  feeding-grounds  during  an  entire  season.  I  have  seen 
several  of  these  birds  pass  along  the  outskirts  of  a  wood 
towards  a  swamp,  and  have  noticed,  in  the  fading  twilight, 
their  resemblance  to  owls  in  their  slow,  buoyant,  flapping 
flight,  though  sportive  whirling  manosuvres  are  also  indulged 
in  at  dusk.  Marshy,  low-lying  ground  is  much  resorted  to, 
and  there  seems  to  be  little  doubt  that  salt-water  slob-lands 
are  occasionally  visited.  In  severe  frost,  as  before  men- 
tioned, Woodcocks  undoubtedly  appear  near  the  sea ;  when 
unable  to  probe  the  frozen  ground  for  worms,  they  tem- 
porarily become  coast-frequenters,  and  marine  shell-fish  may 
be  found  in  their  stomachs.  In  the  '  Fowler  in  Ireland,'  Sir 
E.  Payne-Gallwey  writes  :  "  at  break  of  day,  in  a  frost,  I 
have  shot  Cock  amongst  rocks  and  seaweed  on  the  beach, 
especially  at  high  water,  when  it  would  seem,  they  were 
driven  shoreward  by  the  rising  tide." 

If  the  season  be  mild  the  Woodcock  lurks  about  the  open 
country  wherever  sufficient  cover  is  available,  and  being  a 
strong  and  sturdy  bird,  it  keeps  in  good  condition  even  in 
frost  and  snow ;  it  has  the  good  sense  to  shift  its  sleeping- 
quarters  according  to  the  severity  of  the  weather,  which  no 
doubt  tends  to  keep  it  sleek  and  plump.  Migration,  how- 
ever, appears  at  times  to  exhaust  it,  for  emaciated  birds 
have  been  captured  with  the  hand  about  sandhills  and 
drains  on  the  sea-coast. 

Food.  —  The  food,  consisting  mainly  of  worms  and 
insects,  is  easily  procurable  while  the  weather  is  mild,  and 
even  when  the  fresh-water  marshes  and  rivulets  are  frost- 


Ac.,  that  it  might  easily  pass  unnoticed,  were  it  not  for  its  great  black 
eyes,  which  gazed  anxiously  at  the  intruder  on  its  preserves.  Hiding 
behind  a  tree  I  remained  motionless,  and  presently  saw  the  bird  pace 
slowly  about  and  (as  far  as  the  light  permitted  me  to  judge)  pick  among 
the  dead  foliage  for  food. 


270  CHAEADEIID^E 

bound,  the  bird  can  remain  in  the  woods  and  search  among 
the  decaying  leaves  for  insects,  but  it  is  only  as  a  last 
resort  in  continued  hard  weather  that  it  visits  the  tidal 
slob-lands,  or  searches  among  the  rocks  and  seaweed  for 
shell-fish. 

Many  writers  have  observed  that  a  very  severe  frost 
and  snow  in  Britain  induces  a  strong  westerly  movement, 
the  birds  appearing  along  the  west  snores  of  Scotland  and 
Ireland  in  great  numbers.  Here  the  migrants  are  usually 
brought  to  a  halt,  some  which  ventured  further  having 
been  found  drowned  in  flocks  in  the  ocean. 

Voice. — In  winter  the  Woodcock  is  practically  voiceless, 
though  a  slight  sound  like  uk  ilk  uk  has  been  heard  from 
a  bird  when  flushed ;  but  from  February  onward  through 
the  breeding-season,  peculiar  notes  are  uttered  during  the 
evening  flight,  when  the  birds  proceed  and  return  along  an 
accustomed  course  over  the  woods.  The  sound  then  heard 
is  a  triple  croak,  usually  followed  by  a  hissing  whistle, 
the  latter  is  often  uttered  in  early  spring  before  the  croak 
is  taken  up. 

Nest. — This  species  breeds  in  timbered  situations,  making 
its  nest  on  the  ground.  In  some  instances  this  is  concealed 
from  view,  but  not  over-hung,  by  tall  herbs,  brackens,  and 
shrubby  undergrowth  (Plate  XX.),  but  in  other  cases  I 
have  seen  it  on  soft,  dry  ground  thinly  covered  with  stunted 
grasses  and  mosses.  The  eggs  are  sometimes  laid  in  a 
mere  hollow,  without  any  lining  ;  or  a  ring-fence  is  formed 
of  fir-needles  and  other  dead  material  round  the  nesting- 
hollow  ;  but  I  have  also  seen  well-formed  nests  made 
of  and  lined  with  dead  leaves,  to  which  bits  of  bracken 
and  stems  were  added.  I  have  found,  however,  that  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  remove  a  nest  and  retain  its  contour 
perfectly  intact,  without  digging  up  a  portion  of  the  sur- 
rounding soil.  The  eggs,  four  in  number,  vary  from  light 
to  dark  shades  of  buff  and  stone-brown,  blotched  and 
spotted  with  grey  and  brown.  The  female  sits  closely  on 
her  eggs,  especially  when  they  are  nearly  incubated.  The 
parent-birds  display  great  affection  and  care  for  their  brood, 
and  show  undoubted  courage  when  an  enemy  appears  on 
the  scene.  Mr.  Ussher  states  that  when  a  former  game- 
keeper of  his  was  "  walking  with  beagles  through  a  wood 
where  these  birds  were  breeding,  one  of  them  alighted  in 
front  of  a  dog  and,  running  forward,  flapped  its  wings  at 
the  animal  with  loud  cries  "  ('Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  274). 


PLATE   XX. 


J.  Woods,  Photo.] 

NEST  AND  EGGS  OF  WOODCOCK. 
Co.  Tyrone. 


WOODCOCK  271 

It  is  a  well-established  fact  that  the  female  often  bears 
away  her  chicks,  one  by  one  (held  between  her  legs  as  she 
flies),  from  the  locality  in  which  they  were  hatched.  I 
believe  the  young  are  thus  conveyed  to  damper  situations  to 
enable  them  to  learn  to  feed  for  themselves.  In  other 
words,  the  Woodcock  transports  its  offspring  to  the  haunts 
which  it  is  wont  to  visit  nightly  in  search  of  food.  For 
it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  is  primarily  a  wading 
and  marsh-frequenting  species,  which  resorts  to  the  drier 
cover  of  wooded  districts  simply  to  sleep  and  rest.  The 
young  are  also  carried  off  by  the  parent  on  the  approach  of 
danger,  even  when  they  are  considerably  grown.  Incuba- 
tion begins  in  April,  less  often  in  the  latter  end  of  March ; 
two  broods  are  usually  produced  in  the  season. 

Geographical  distribution. — Beyond  our  Isles  the  Wood- 
cock nests  over  the  greater  part  of  the  European  Continent, 
as  far  north  as  Scandinavia,  though  it  is  not  found  in  Ice- 
land. Eastward,  this  species  breeds  in  Temperate  and 
Northern  Asia,  also  in  parts  of  North  Africa  and  the 
adjoining  Islands.  Numbers  reach  India  in  the  winter. 
Stragglers  have  been  recorded  from  North  America. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — The  general  coloration 
of  the  plumage  may  be  described  as  a  handsome  variegated 
pattern  of  rich  chestnut-grey,  and  blackish  markings.  On 
the  top  of  the  head  and  on  the  hind-neck  the  black  takes 
the  form  of  broad  bands,  separated  by  narrow  light  grey 
stripes ;  tail-feathers,  chiefly  black,  notched  on  the  outer 
webs  with  rufous,  banded  on  their  upper  surface  with  dull 
silver-grey,  and  on  the  under  surface  with  white ;  primaries, 
barred  on  their  outer  webs  with  chestnut  and  black  ;  there 
is  a  considerable  amount  of  chestnut  and  black  about  the 
middle  of  the  back  and  on  the  scapulars  ;  cheeks  and  throat, 
whitish-grey,  a  dark  curved  line  stretches  from  the  eye  to 
the  gape  of  the  beak  ;  front  of  neck,  breast,  abdomen,  and 
flanks,  barred  alternately  with  light  and  dark  markings  ; 
under  tail-coverts,  chiefly  warm  buff,  with  dark  bro'wn 
'  arrow-headed '  centres. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 


272  CHABADBIID^E 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Kesembles  the  adult 
plumage  except  that  the  barring  on  the  outer  webs  of  the 
first  two  primaries  is  much  more  marked,  and  the  general 
shade  of  plumage  is  darker  ;  the  light-coloured  band  on  the 
tail-feathers  is  narrower  than  that  of  the  adult. 

BEAK.  Horn-colour  at  the  basal  part,  dark  brown 
towards  the  point ;  long  and  straight. 

FEET.     Brownish. 

IBIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 14'25  in. 

WING        7-25    ,, 

BEAK 2'75   ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...       1'5     ,, 

EGG  1-75  x  T3  in. 


GREAT  SNIPE.      Gallinago  major  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
78;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  541;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  25. 

The  Great  or  Solitary1  Snipe  is  a  visitant  to  the  British 
Isles  in  small  numbers.  In  the  eastern  and  southern 
counties  of  England  it  probably  appears  annually  in  autumn 
and  winter,  but  in  spring  it  is  very  rare.  Elsewhere  in 
England,  as  well  as  in  Scotland,  it  occurs  seldom  and 
irregularly.  From  the  latter  country  about  a  dozen  in- 
stances are  on  record ;  a  bird  obtained  in  Aberdeenshire, 
September  5th,  1905,  seems  to  be  the  most  recent  capture 
(Sim,  'Zoologist/  1905,  p.  466). 

In  Ireland,  it  is  very  rare,  and  of  the  several  reported 
instances  of  its  occurrence  few  have  been  authenticated. 
Specimens  have  been  taken  in  the  following  counties : — 
Cork,  Wexford,  Kildare,  Gal  way,  Mayo,  Leitrim,  and 
Tyrone.  A  bird  obtained  in  the  last-named  county  on 
September  8th,  1899,  appears  to  be  the  most  recent  capture 
known  (E.  Williams). 

1  The  name  '  Solitary'  is  applied  to  this  species  because  it  is  seldom, 
if  ever,  seen  in  '  wisps  '  like  the  Common  Snipe. 


GEEAT  SNIPE 


273 


Many  of  the  Great  Snipes,  which  have  been  obtained, 
have  been  flushed  from  dry  soil,  such  as  potato  and  clover- 
fields,  grass,  heath,  and  bracken,  and  not  from  marshy 
ground,  so  much  frequented  by  the  Common  Snipe  (A. 
Patterson,  '  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  101,  and  Caton  Haigh, 
'  Zoologist,'  1902,  p.  130).  In  this  respect  the  Great  Snipe 
somewhat  resembles  the  Woodcock  in  its  diurnal  habits. 


FIG.  42.—  HEAD  OF  GEEAT  SNIPE. 


Nat.  size. 


Flight. — This  species  may  be  distinguished1  on  the  wing 
from   the   Common    Snipe  by  its   superior   size,    straighter 


1  But  the  Great  Snipe  is  best  distinguished  by  its  plumage-markings. 
The  relative  sizes  of  the  two  birds  is  a  less  reliable  test,  especially 
if  both  are  not  at  hand  to  compare,  as  there  is  much  variation 
even  in  the  same  species.  I  have  in  my  collection  a  large  specimen 
of  a  Common  Snipe  which  in  the  flesh  weighed  6  ozs.  and  30  grs. 
(Plate  XXI.),  and  I  have  handled  several  Great  Snipe  weighing  only 
7£  to  8  ozs.  each,  so  that  a  novice,  were  he  to  judge  from  size  alone, 
might  mistake  the  two  birds.  The  Common  Snipe  has  only  fourteen 
feathers  in  the  tail,  the  Grc.xt  Snipe  has  sixteen.  But  in  the  latter, 
two  or  more  of  the  tail-feathers  may  be  missing  (shot  away),  when 
the  dead  bird  is  picked  up,  therefore  a  hasty  conclusion  as  to  the 
correct  species  should  not  be  arrived  at  by  this  method  alone.  The 
beak,  legs,  and  feet  of  the  Great  Snipe  are  relatively  shorter  than  those  of 
the  Common  Snipe,  but  here,  again,  it  is  necessary  to  examine  several 
of  the  latter  species  owing  to  the  large  amount  of  existing  variation  in 
the  length  of  these  parts. 

The  Great  Snipe,  be  it  a  large  or  small  example,  may  readily  be 
distinguished  by  the  presence  of  the  bold,  dark  barring  which  extends 
over  the  breast  and  abdomen,  almost  back  to  the  tail-feathers ;  in  the 
Common  Snipe  the  abdomen  is  white. 

18 


274  CHARADBim/E 

and  heavier  flight,  and  expanded  fan-like  tail ;  moreover,  it 
rises  without  uttering  an  alarm-note. 

Food. — The  food  consists  largely  of  insects  and  their 
larvae,  together  with  worms  and  slugs  ;  small  grit  is  also 
swallowed  (Collet). 

Voice. — In  spring  the  bird  gives  utterance  to  a  rather 
low,  hoarse  sound ;  in  autumn  and  winter  it  rises  and  wings 
its  way  in  silence. 

Nest. — The  Great  Snipe  nests  on  the  ground  "  often 
among  willow-bushes,  or  in  some  hillock  above  the  level  of 
a  morass  or  forest-swamp  "  (Saunders) .  The  eggs,  four  in 
number,  are  light  brownish-grey,  blotched  with  light  and 
dark  shades  of  rich  purple-red  and  brown. 

Incubation  takes  place  about  the  beginning  of  June. 

Geographical  Distribution.  —  The  European  breeding- 
haunts  of  this  species  are  in  Scandinavia,  Denmark,  Northern 
Germany,  Poland,  and  Eussia  southward  to  the  Black  Sea. 
Eastward  it  can  be  traced  over  Siberia. 

As  a  bird  of  passage,  it  visits  the  greater  part  of  Tem- 
perate Europe  (though  rarer  in  the  Western  Countries), 
Asia,  and  North  Africa.  In  winter,  numbers  migrate  to 
the  Mediterranean  basin,  South-western  Asia  and  South 
Africa. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — The  Great  Snipe  so 
closely  resembles  the  Common  Snipe  in  its  markings  that 
a  separate  description  seems  superfluous.  As  already  men- 
tioned, this  species  is  marked  with  conspicuous  bars  of 
brownish-black  across  the  abdomen,  and  there  is  much 
more  white  on  the  lateral  tail-feathers  than  on  those  of  the 
Common  Snipe. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage,  but  the  buff  markings  are  more  distinct. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  outer  tail-feathers  are 
barred  across  both  webs,  and  show  less  white,  and  the 
shading  of  the  plumage  is  lighter,  exhibiting  more  rufous 
than  in  the  adult.  The  markings  on  the  breast  and  abdo- 
men are  more  distinctly  '  arrow-  headed '  than  those  of  the 
mature  birds. 

BEAK.  Light  brown  at  the  basal  portion,  becoming  dark 
brownish-black  towards  the  point. 


GREAT  SNIPE 


275 


FEET.     Brownish-green ;    proportionately   shorter   than 
the  feet  of  the  Common  Snipe. 
IHTDES.  Blackish-brown. 


FIG.  43. -TAIL  OF  GREAT  SNIPE.     £  Nat.  size. 


TOTAL  LENGTH... 

WING 

BEAK 

TARSO-METATARSUS 

EGG 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

10-5    in. 


2'5  „ 
1-35  „ 
1-8  x  1-25  in. 


276  CHAKADKIID^] 

COMMON  SNIPE.     Gallinago  ccelestis  (Frenzel). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pi.  79;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pis.  542, 
543 ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pis.  26,  27  ; 
Booth,  '  Bough  Notes,'  vol.  ii,  pi.  25. 

This  familiar  game-bird  is  widely  distributed  over  our 
country  throughout  the  year,  becoming  quite  plentiful  in 
autumn  and  winter,  as  the  migrants  arrive  from  more 
northern  latitudes.  Most  of  the  birds  which  breed  in 
Britain  journey  south  in  August  :  in  hard  weather  a 
westerly  move  often  takes  place  from  Great  Britain  to 
Ireland.  In  September  migrants  having  just  arrived  are 
often  comparatively  tame,  and  may  be  seen  resting  on  the 
open  marshes  or  ooze-slobs.1  Snipe  have  been  repeatedly 
put  up  from  small,  isolated  clumps  of  rushes  along  the 
sea-beach  of  Dublin  Bay ;  many  of  the  birds  obtained  in 
that  locality  were  very  dark  in  colour  and  in  poor  condition. 

Restless  in  its  habits,  and  largely  influenced  in  its 
movements  by  the  state  of  the  weather,  it  is  not  surprising 
to  find  this  active  bird  in  varied  localities. 

It  is  often  met  with  amid  furze  and  heather,  on  dry 
hills  some  hundreds  of  feet  above  the  sea-level ;  Mr.  Harvie- 
Brown  has  found  it  on  the  summits  of  the  hills  of  the 
Outer  Hebrides,  while  Thompson  mentions  it  as  feeding  on 
Zostera-coveiced  banks  at  the  sea-level. 

^The  Snipe,  unlike  the  Woodcock,  avoids  woods  and 
thickets,  being  content  with  the  cover  of  rushes  and  grass, 
but,  like  the  Woodcock,  it  prefers  to  rest  or  lurk  about  in 
such  cover  by  day,  '  flighting '  by  night  to  its  feeding- 
grounds.  Hence  its  movements  are  difficult  to  follow 
except  when  it  is  flushed  from  the  swamp  and  forced  to 
take  wing.  I  have  crept  on  these  birds  unawares,  and, 
concealing  myself,  have  watched  how  they  wend  their  way 
slowly  through  rushes  or  tall  grass,  until  a  bare  patch  of 
mud  is  reached,  which  they  probe  energetically  in  search 
of  food ;  or,  if  suspicious  of  danger,  crouch  low  to  avoid 
observation.  This  species  has  been  known  to  perch  in 
trees ;  indeed,  many  allied  wading-birds,  such,  for  instance, 

1  Mr.  W.  J.  Williams  informs  me  that  on  September  29th,  1900,  he 
noted  a  '  wisp '  of  some  fifteen  birds  standing  on  a  bare  patch  of  sand 
at  Portmarnock  Point  on  the  Dublin  coast :  other  small  *  waders ' 
accompanied  them. 


COMMON  SNIPE  277 

as  the  Green  Sandpiper,  not  only  perch  on. trees,  but  breed 
in  them. 

The  Snipe  seems  to  depend  largely  on  the  light  reflected 
from  the  moon  to  guide  it  on  its  night-flights  to  and  from 
its  feeding-grounds.  With  a  full  moon  it  travels  far  and 
wide,  and  distributes  itself  about  the  swamps,  rivulets,  and 
bog-lands  of  hill  and  dale,  as  well  as  along  the  ooze  of  our 
tidal  estuaries,  and  if  moonlight  should  fail  before  morning, 
the  bird  will  often  remain  where  darkness  has  overtaken  it. 
In  hard,  frosty  weather,  many  betake  themselves  to  the 
sand-flats  of  our  coasts,  or  assemble  on  low-lying  bog-lands 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  sea.  '  Wisps,'  ranging  from  thirty 
to  one  hundred  birds,  are  not  uncommon  in  these  localities, 
but  it  must  not  be  inferred,  from  the  numbers  seen  together, 
that  a  migration  has  just  taken  place.  Indeed,  '  wisping  ' 
is  rather  uncommon  before  midwinter,  when  the  southern 
migratory  movement  has  come  to  a  standstill.  After  a 
bright  night,  and  in  stormy  weather  accompanied  by  a  heavy 
rainfall,  the  birds  sleep  on  comparatively  dry  ground,  such 
as  meadow-land,  islands,  and  shores  of  inland  lakes.  This 
habit  is  characteristic  of  Woodcocks  also. 

If  the  night  be  very  dark,  Snipe  seldom  wander  far  from 
their  nesting-haunts,  preferring,  in  the  absence  of  moonlight, 
to  feed  by  day  in  the  marshes  and  bog-lands. 

Food. — Small  worms,  insects,  slugs,  snails,  and  such 
small  creatures  as  are  found  in  soft  mud,  constitute  the  diet. 
When  feeding,  the  bird  walks  slowly  about,  with  its  head 
bent  low  and  the  point  of  its  beak  almost  scraping  the 
ground.  As  it  traverses  the  mud,  it  bores  in  all  directions, 
procuring  its  food  and  eating  it  before  withdrawing  the 
point  of  its  beak  from  the  soil.  The  Snipe  is  said  to  have  a 
keen  sense  of  hearing :  it  is  supposed  to  stand  and  listen  to 
the  movements  of  worms  underground,  and  it  may  be  seen 
suddenly  plunging  its  beak  into  the  mud,  at  the  spot  from 
whence  the  sound  proceeded,  and  seizing  its  food.  I  doubt 
this  theory ;  it  is  more  probable  that  the  worm  makes  the 
soil  move  and  the  bird  detects  this  by  the  eye. 

Voice. — When  flushed  from  cover,  a  rather  harsh  sound 
resembling  the  syllables,  skaisk,  skaisk,  or,  as  it  is  often 
syllabled,  scape,  scape,  is  uttered. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  remarkably  rapid,  and  few  of  us 
are  unacquainted  with  the  wonderful  impetus  with  which 
this  bird  launches  itself  into  the  air,  followed  by  the  extra- 
ordinary zig-zag  movements  performed  on  the  wing  imme- 


278  CHAKADRIID^E 

diately  after  it  has  been  '  flushed '  from  the  marsh  by  the 
sportsman's  dog.  I  have  seen  a  startled  Snipe  project  itself 
almost  vertically  upwards,  like  a  rocket,  from  a  bog  over 
which  a  Hen-Harrier  was  searching  for  its  prey. 

In  the  pairing-season,  the  flight  is  accompanied  by 
a  weird  sound,  called  '  drumming,'  which  resembles  the 
puffing  of  a  locomotive  engine,  heard  in  the  distance.  Most 
Snipe  commence  to  *  drum  '  about  the  end  of  March.  The 
sound,  which  first  draws  our  attention,  carries  a  great 
distance,  the  bird,  when  first  seen,  often  appearing  as  a 
little  speck  in  the  sky.  The  '  drumming '  grows  louder 
as  the  Snipe  shoots  downwards,  and  softens  oif  as  it  stays 
its  flight  before  again  ascending  to  repeat  this  interesting 
aerial  manoeuvre.  The  '  drumming '  is  generally  supposed 
to  be  produced  by  the  vibrations  of  those  wing-feathers 
which  are  directly  concerned  with  flight. 

Nest. — The  nest,  placed  on  the  ground,  is  generally  well 
concealed  from  view,  amid  rushes,  grass,  or  other  vegeta- 
tion ;  it  is  a  definite  and  well-scraped  hollow,  and,  as  a  rule, 
is  lined  with  withered  grass.  In  Ireland,  where  the  bird 
breeds  freely,  I  have  found  nests  both  on  low-lying  and  on 
elevated  marshes. 

The  eggs,  four  in  number,  vary  in  the  ground-colour 
from  very  light  olive  to  greenish-brown.  The  darker 
markings  consist  of  different  shades  of  brown  in  the  form 
of  blotches  and  streaks,  Which  in  some  cases  form  a  zone 
or  even  a  confluent  patch  at  the  larger  end  of  the  egg,  thus 
effacing  from  that  portion  the  lighter  ground-colour.  The 
eggs  of  all  the  Snipes  are  very  large  for  the  size  of  the 
birds. 

Incubation  begins  about  the  end  of  March,  and  two 
broods  are  most  likely  reared  in  the  season. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Snipe  breeds 
over  Northern  and  Temperate  Europe  and  Asia ;  in  winter 
it  reaches  North  Africa  and  Tropical  Asia,  as  far  as  the 
line  of  the  Equator. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  dark  brown, 
with  a  median  stripe  of  light  buff;  stripe  over  the  eye,  light 
buff;  cheeks,  light  buff,  minutely  speckled  with  black 
spots ;  from  the  gape  of  the  mouth  to  the  front  of  the  eye 
is  a  dark  brown  stripe ;  back  of  neck,  spotted  like  the 


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COMMON  SNIPE  279 

cheeks ;  feathers  of  the  middle  line  of  the  back,  rich  dark 
brown  chequered  with  yellowish-buff;  scapulars  and  inner 
secondaries,  marked  with  longitudinal  buff-coloured  stripes ; 
wing-coverts,  chequered  and  vermiculated  with  brownish- 
black,  buff,  and  dull  greyish-white  ;  primaries,  dusky-brown  ; 
basal  part  of  tail  nearly  black,  terminal  part,  warm  red-brick 
colour,  barred  near  the  end  with  dark  brown ;  outer  tail- 
feathers,  greyish-white  near  their  tips,  but  grey  above,  and 
barred  with  brown ;  throat  and  chin,  light  greyish-white; 
front  of  neck  and  breast,  greyish-brown  with  darker  spots  ; 
abdomen,  white ;  flanks,  barred  with  greyish-brown  and 
white ;  upper  and  under  tail-coverts,  warm  yellowish-brown 
with  darker  markings. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult 
plumage,  but  the  gloss  on  the  back  and  wings  is  only 
feebly  shown,  and  the  immature  birds  exhibit  more  rufous, 
especially  about  the  neck. 

BEAK.  Horn-colour  with  a  darker  point ;  long,  slender, 
and  straight. 

FEET.     Greenish-brown. 

IKIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ..          ...  10*75  in. 

WING        5 

BEAK         2'75  „ 

TABSO-METATARSUS        1'25  „ 

EGG  ...  1-6  x  1-1  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  large 
specimen,  alluded  to  on  p.  273,  exhibits  much  buff  shading 
and  belongs  to  the  form  known  as  G.  russata  (Plate  XXI.). 

The  dark  variety,  or  Sabine's  Snipe,  8.  sabini,  is  but  a 
melanic  type;  while  G.  brehmi,  with  longer  tail-feathers, 
is  also  only  a  variety. 

The  North  American  form,  S.  wilsoni,  possesses  six- 
teen tail-feathers ;  the  Australian,  G.  australis,  eighteen  ; 
and  the  Indian  form,  G.  sternura,  about  twenty-two  tail- 
feathers. 


280  CHAKADBIID.E 

JACK  SNIPE.     Gallinago  gallinula  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
80;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  544  ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  28. 

It  is  strange  that  so  many  still  adhere  to  the  erroneous 
idea  that  the  Jack  Snipe  is  the  male  of  the  preceding 
species,  for  the  two  birds  are  quite  distinct,  not  only  in 
size  and  plumage-markings,  but  also  in  several  habits. 

Unlike  its  larger  congener,  the  Jack  Snipe  is  only  a 
migrant  to  our  country,  although  it  is  noteworthy  that 
a  few  stragglers  and  immature  birds  have  been  observed 
during  the  breeding-months,  even  throughout  the  entire 
summer.  As  yet  there  is  no  record  of  the  discovery  of  the 
nest  in  the  British  Isles. 

The  vast  majority  of  birds  reach  us  during  October, 
some  earlier,  though  they  are  seldom  seen  before 
September. 

In  April  the  return  journey  northward  takes  place. 

Marshy  swamps,  wet  meadows,  tufts  of  rushes,  and 
less  frequently  ground  devoid  of  cover,  are  the  haunts  of 
this  bird,  and  though  far  less  numerous  than  the  Common 
Snipe,  it  is  on  the  whole  more  widely  distributed  over 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  In  some  of  the  northern 
districts  of  Donegal,  it  is  the  more  numerous  species 
(H.  C.  Hart). 

It  is  sometimes  found  in  close  proximity  to  the  tide. 
The  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  repeatedly  procured  specimens 
flushed  from  small  clumps  of  rushes  along  the  shores  of 
Dublin  Bay  :  such  birds  were  observed  generally  in  pairs. 

Mr.  F.  H.  Walker  informs  me  that  he  has  several  times 
seen  them  running  in  front  of  his  setter-dog,  and  he  has 
watched  the  birds  as  they  wended  their  way  through  rushes 
and  grasses  at  a  rapid  pace.  At  times  a  Jack  Snipe  will 
alight  on  the  open  ground  like  a  Sky-Lark,  and  then  run 
towards  a  tuft  of  rushes,  in  which  it  will  conceal  itself. 

Flight. — When  aroused  from  the  marsh  and  put  to  flight 
this  species  is  not  difficult  to  identify.  It  gets  up,  without 
a  note  of  warning,  and  pursues  its  flight  for  a  hundred 
yards  or  so,  when  it  suddenly  alights,  and  at  times 
returns  almost  to  the  spot  from  which  it  started.  Though 
sufficiently  fast  on  the  wing  to  test  the  aim  of  a  good 
marksman,  yet  it  does  not  twist  in  the  air  in  the  zig- 


JACK  SNIPE  281 

zag  manner  that  characterises  the  flight  of  the  preceding 
species. 

Voice. — In  Lapland  in  the  spring-season  the  drumming 
of  the  Jack  Snipe  has  been  compared  to  "the  cantering  of 
a  horse/^er  a  hard  road  "  (Wolley).  At  other  seasons, 
appears  to  be  remarkably  silent,  though  occa- 
/nally  it  gives  utterance  to  a  short  note  softly  produced, 
and  only  heard  at  very  close  quarters. 

Food. — Small  worms,  grubs,  caterpillars,  and  insects, 
form  the  staple  diet ;  particles  of  sand  are  also  swallowed. 
Like  its  congeners,  the  Jack  Snipe  frequently  changes  its 
quarters  for  feeding-purposes,  but  seems  to  depend  but  little 
on  the  light  from  the  moon  to  aid  it  on  its  nocturnal 
flights.  It  is  a  hardy  little  bird,  usually  plump  and  in 
good  condition,  even  during  severe  frosty  weather. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  built  on  or  near  marshy  ground, 
amid  grasses — of  which  it  is  largely  composed — and  other 
herbage.  The  eggs,  usually  four  in  number,  are  of  a  light 
olive  ground-colour,  marked  with  dark  brown  spots  and 
streaks,  and  are  very  large  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the 
bird. 

Incubation  takes  place  during  the  month  of  June. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Jack  Snipe  breeds  in 
Lapland,  Scandinavia,  Northern  and  Arctic  Kussia,  as 
well  as  in  Siberia.  On  migration  in  autumn  and  winter 
it  spreads  over  the  European  Continent  to  North  Africa, 
while  it  occurs  over  Temperate  and  Southern  Asia  and 
as  far  east  as  Japan. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  blackish- 
brown,  limited  on  either  side  by  a  conspicuous  light  buff 
line,  which  curves  from  the  base  of  the  beak  over  the  eye 
to  the  hind-neck  ;  immediately  above  the  eye  is  a  shorter 
dark  streak ;  face,  greyish,  marked  with  two  dark  lines, 
the  upper  extending  from  the  beak  to  the  front  of  the 
eye,  the  lower  from  the  beak  to  the  ear ;  throat,  neck, 
and  breast,  streaked  and  spotted  with  shades  of  grey  and 
brown  ;  flanks  and  under  tail-coverts,  striped  with  brown 
and  white;  abdomen  and  lower  breast,  white;  the  mark- 
ings on  the  back  and  wings  closely  resemble  those  of  the 
Common  Snipe,  but  in  the  Jack  Snipe  there  is  a  large 


282  CHAEADRIID^ 

amount  of  purple- green  gloss  in  the  feathers  ;  the  greater 
wing-coverts  and  long  inner  secondaries  are  handsomely 
variegated  with  rich  chestnut-brown,  black,  and  buff  ;  the 
warm  buff  stripes  of  the  scapulars  and  inner  secondaries 
are  even  more  noticeable  than  those  of  the  Common  Snipe  ; 
primaries,  greyish-brown;  tail-feathers  (twelve  in  number), 
chiefly  brownish,  with  lighter  margins ;  upper  tail-coverts, 
blackish-brown  with  buff  edgings. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
but  duller  in  colour. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  chestnut-brown  of 
the  back  and  wings  is  replaced  to  a  large  extent  by  dark 
ash-grey,  and  the  blackish  markings  on  the  hind-neck  are 
more  distinct  than  in  the  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
plumage,  but  the  metallic  gloss  on  the  back  and  wings  is 
not  so  well  marked. 

BEAK.  Brownish  ;  darker  towards  the  tip  ;  shorter  in 
proportion  than  that  of  the  Common  Snipe. 

FEET.     Yellowish-brown. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 7'5  in. 

WING    >.    ...        ...  4-25  ,, 

BEAK    1-5  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS         ...         ...  O8     ,, 

EGG  1*5  x  1  in. 


BROAD-BILLED  SANDPIPER.     Limicola  platyrhyncha 
(Temminck). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
75;  Dresser,  «  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  545;  Lilford, 
1  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  30. 

This  species  is  a  very  rare  British  visitor,  its  migration- 
route  being  eastward  of  our  Isles.  The  earliest  specimen 
recorded  was  taken  on  Breydon  Broad,  Norfolk,  on  May 
25th,  1836.  Other  examples  have  subsequently  come  from 


BEOAD-BILLED  SANDPIPEB 

the  same  locality  (A.  Patterson,  '  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  102). 
Several  birds  have  been  taken  in  Sussex,  especially  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Bye,  while  examples  have  also  occurred  in 
Yorkshire.  The  two  latest  recorded  captures  appear  to  be  as 
follows: — One,  an  immature  female,  taken  near  Littlestone- 
on-Sea,  Kent,  on  August  31st,  1901  (L.  A.  Curtis  Edwards, 
'Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  390);  the  other,  an  immature  male, 
taken  near  Bexhill,  in  Sussex,  on  September  14th  of  the 
same  year  (W.  Buskin  Butterfield,  '  Zoologist,'  1901,  p. 
390). 

From  Ireland,  but  one  specimen  has  been  recorded, 
namely,  a  bird  shot  on  Belfast  Lough,  co.  Antrim,  on 
October  4th,  1844  (Thompson,  Nat.  Hist.  IreL,  p.  282). 

There  are  no  records  of  its  occurrence  in  Scotland. 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Top  of  head,  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  dark  brown,  mixed  with  white  and 
buff;  throat,  breast,  and  flanks,  white,  tinged  with  rufous 
and  speckled  with  brown  ;  abdomen,  white ;  primaries  and 
central  tail-feathers,  blackish ;  outer  tail-feathers,  pale  brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
except  that  the  back  is  paler  in  colour,  and  the  spotting  is 
less  profuse  on  the  breast  and  abdomen. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Back  and  wings,  ash- 
grey  ;  there  is  a  narrow  white  wing-bar  and  some  white 
on  the  upper  tail-coverts. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Besembles  the  adult 
nuptial  plumage,  but  the  feathers  of  the  back  and  wings  are 
more  broadly  margined  with  dull  white. 

BEAK.  Dusky  greenish- black  ;  thick  at  the  base,  flat 
and  wide,  and  decurved  near  the  tip. 

FEET.     Dark  olive-colour. 

IEIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

EGGS.  Greenish-brown,  mottled  with  umber :  clutch, 
four. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...    ...    ...  6'5  in. 

WING    4-25  „ 

BEAK    1'2  „ 

TARSO-METATAKSUS         ...         ...  0*75    ,, 

EGG  ...  1-2  X  0'9  in. 


284  CHAKADKIID.E 

AMERICAN  PECTORAL  SANDPIPER.     Tringa  maculata 

(Vieillot). 

Coloured  Figures.— Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
67;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  546;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pis.  31,  32. 

This  New  World  species,  of  rare  occurrence  along  our 
shores,  has  been  recorded  from  the  eastern  and  southern 
sea-board  of  England  more  often  than  elsewhere  in  the 
British  Isles.  The  first  authenticated  British-taken  speci- 
men, a  female,  was  obtained  at  Breydon,  Norfolk,  on 
October  17th,  1830 ;  from  the  same  county  several  others 
have  since  been  procured  (Macgillivray,  '  British  Birds,' 
p.  69). 

Examples  have  also  been  obtained  in  Suffolk,  Yorkshire, 
Durham,  Northumberland,  Sussex,  Kent,  Devon,  Cornwall, 
and  the  Scilly  Isles.  Among  recent  captures  may,  be  men- 
tioned a  specimen  obtained  in  Suffolk  on  September  13th, 
1900  (E.  C.  Arnold,  'Zoologist,'  1900,  p.  521),  and  another 
obtained  in  Norfolk  on  September  2nd,  1904  (J.  H.  Gurney, 
'  Zoologist,'  1905,  p.  96). 

Three  examples  have  been  obtained  in  Scotland,  the 
data  being  as  follows : — One  from  Aberdeenshire,  October 
2nd,  1867  (Gray,  '  Birds  of  the  West  of  Scotland ') ;  another 
from  Dumbartonshire,  November  24th,  1882  (Harting, '  Zoo- 
logist,' 1883) ;  the  third  from  Westray,  Orkney,  August 
26th,  1889  (Ogilvie,  '  Zoologist,'  1889). 

From  the  Atlantic-facing  shores  of  Ireland  a  few  birds 
have  been  procured ;  one  was  picked  up  by  the  late  Mr. 
E.  Williams  in  the  Dublin  game-markets  from  among  a 
number  of  Snipe.  The  specimen,  which  was  very  fat,  was 
taken  at  Portumna,  Galway,  in  October,  1888  (E.  Williams, 
'  Zoologist,'  1889)  ;  two  specimens  were  obtained  in  Bel- 
mullet,  co.  Mayo ;  one  an  immature  female,  in  October, 
1900  ;  now  in  the  Dublin  Museum,  having  been  lent  by 
Mr.  T.  H.  Hugo ;  the  other  in  September,  1902,  now  in 
the  possession  of  Mr.  E.  R.  Leeper,  of  Dublin,  who  shot  it. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  data  that  the  counties 
touched  upon  by  this  American  bird  are  maritime,  and  that 
the  visits  took  place  generally  in  autumn  and  winter. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  strong  and  very  swift,  and  during 
the  breeding-season  ''the  male  may  be  seen  taking  short, 
low  flights,  with  the  wings  held  high  and  beaten  stiffly  " 
(Saunders). 


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AMEKICAN  PECTORAL  SANDPIPER         285 

Food.  —  The  food  consists  of  worms,  small  shell-fish, 
insects,  and  seaweeds.  In  the  gizzard  of  the  immature 
female  bird,  mentioned  above  as  taken  in  Belmullet,  co. 
Mayo,  in  October,  1900,  I  found  the  legs  and  wing-cases 
of  small  lustrous-green  beetles,  an  entire  light  brown- 
coloured  larva  half  an  inch  in  length,  pebbles,  some 
measuring  2  mm.  in  size,  and  some  fine  sand. 

Voice.  —  The  note,  heard  in  the  pairing-season,  is  a 
muffled  hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo  (Saunders). 

Nest. — The  nest  is  built  in  dry  situations  amidst  grasses. 
The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  drab  or  greenish,  blotched 
with  umber-brown.  In  the  breeding-season  this  species 
has  the  power  of  inflating  the  lower  part  of  its  throat,  so 
that  its  breast  appears  unduly  distended ;  hence  the  name 
'  Pectoral '  Sandpiper. 

Geographical  distribution. — This  Sandpiper  is  distributed 
in  the  breeding-season  over  the  greater  part  of  Northern 
and  Sub-arctic  Canada.  On  migration  southward  in 
autumn,  it  is  widely  distributed  over  the  Temperate  regions 
of  the  American  Continent,  and  the  great  Island-Groups, 
its  winter-range  extending  to  lat.  40°  S.  in  South  America. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  and  back, 
dark  brown  with  rufous  margins  ;  wings,  thinly  barred  with 
white ;  upper  and  under  tail-coverts,  dusky-brown ;  central 
tail-feathers,  very  dark  brown,  lateral  tail-feathers,  lighter 
brown ;  cheeks  and  throat,  dull  white  striped  with  brown ; 
breast,  buff -coloured,  streaked  with  brown  ;  abdomen, 
white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage  but  there  is  less  rufous  on  the  back  and  wings,  and 
the  general  shade  is  browner. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  stripes  on  the  breast 
are  somewhat  less  marked  than  in  the  adult,  and  there  is 
more  rufous  on  the  back  and  wings  ;  scapulars  and  inner 
secondaries,  margined  with  white. 

BEAK.     Greenish-black. 

FEET.     Dull  yellowish-brown. 

IRIDES.  Dark-brown. 


286  CHARADBIID2E 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  8  in. 

WING    5-3  „ 

BEAK    1-1  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS          1      „ 

EGG  1-5  x  I'l  in. 


SIBERIAN  PECTORAL  SANDPIPER.     Tringa  acuminate 

(Horsfield). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,   '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  712 ; 
Seebohm,  'Ibis,'  1893,  pi.  5. 

Breydon,  in  Norfolk,  has  yielded  a  specimen  of  the  Old 
World,  or  Siberian  Pectoral  Sandpiper.  The  bird,  an  adult, 
was  shot  on  August  29th,  1892  ('  Ibis,'  1893,  pp.  181-185, 
plate  5).  A  specimen,  said  to  have  been  obtained  in 
Yarmouth  in  September,  1848,  is  preserved  in  the  Norwich 
Museum. 

This  species  breeds  in  Eastern  Siberia,  and  on  migration 
in  autumn  passes  along  the  eastern  side  of  the  Asiatic 
Continent  and  the  Malay  Archipelago,  reaching  as  far  as 
Australia,  and  New  Zealand. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — The  adult  male  nup- 
tial plumage  resembles  that  of  the  American  bird,  but  in 
the  Siberian  form  there  is  more  rufous  about  the  head, 
back,  and  breast,  and  the  markings  on  the  abdomen  are 
1  arrow-shaped '  and  extend  to  the  flanks. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  The  adult  winter 
plumage  is  much  browner  than  in  the  last  species,  with 
no  rufous  except  a  tinge  near  the  head  ;  lower  breast  and 
abdomen,  white  ;  upper  breast  and  throat,  yellowish- 
brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — More  rufous  on  the  hind- 
neck,  back,  and  wings,  than  in  the  adult  nuptial  plumage  ; 
the  feathers  of  the  back  blacker  and  the  margins  of  the 
scapulars  and  inner  secondaries  lighter  in  the  immature 
birds ;  wing-coverts  broadly  edged  with  reddish-buff ;  chin , 
breast,  and  abdomen,  white ;  fore-neck,  sides  of  breast,  and 


BONAPAKTE'S  SANDPIPEK  287 

lower  throat,  warm  buff;  latter  streaked  with  black.  The 
stripes  on  the  breast  of  the  immature  birds  are  not  well 
marked  as  in  the  American  form. 

BEAK.     Blackish-brown. 

FEET.     Yellowish-ochre,  tinged  with  olive. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    7*4  in. 

WING      ...  5-25  „ 

BEAK 1  ., 

TARSO-METATARSUS  ...  1*2 


BONAPARTE'S  SANDPIPER.     Tringa  fuscicollis  (Vieillot). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
71;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  547  ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  33. 

This  is  another  American  species  which  on  rare  occasions 
has  found  its  way  to  the  British  Isles. 

The  earliest  recorded  specimen  was  obtained  in  Shrop- 
shire, prior  to  1839  (Yarrell,  Hist.  Brit.  Birds).  Subse- 
quently about  a  dozen  birds  have  been  captured  from  counties 
in  the  south  of  England,  the  data  being  as  follows  : — 

Cornwall ;  two  obtained  on  October  13th,  1846  (Eodd, 
'  Zoologist,'  1846). 

North  Devon ;  four  obtained  in  November,  1870  (C. 
Smith,  '  Zoologist,'  1870). 

Sussex  ;  one  obtained  on  October  8th,  1857  (Kent, 
'  Zoologist,'  1859) ;  another  obtained  on  November  12th, 
1870  (Bates,  '  Zoologist,'  1871). 

Middlesex ;  one  obtained  in  1856  (Harting,  '  Birds  of 
Middlesex '). 

Scilly  Isles  ;  one  obtained  in  October,  1854  (Kodd, 
'  Zoologist;  1854)  ;  two  obtained  in  October,  1870  (Kodd, 
'  Zoologist,'  1870). 

One  specimen  has  been  recorded  from  Ireland ;  this  is 
supposed,  on  circumstantial  evidence,  to  have  been  taken 
on  Belfast  Lough,  before  April  15th,  1836  (Thompson, 
Nat.  Hist.  Irel.,  vol.  ii,  p.  297). 

There  appear  to  be  no  records  as  yet  from  Scotland. 


288  CHABADBIID^ 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  back  of  neck, 
back,  and  wings,  brown,  with  dark  centres  to  the  feathers 
and  rufous  edgings  ;  primaries,  dusky-brown  ;  tail,  brownish, 
the  central  feathers  being  longer  and  darker  than  the  lateral 
series;  upper  tail-coverts,  chiefly  white,  forming  a  conspi- 
cuous patch  ;  cheeks,  neck,  breast,  and  flanks,  greyish-white, 
speckled  with  brown ;  chin,  axillaries,  abdomen,  and  under 
tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — More  richly  coloured  than  the 
male  plumage  which  it  closely  resembles. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Back,  brownish-grey; 
breast  and  flanks,  faintly  streaked. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  feathers  of  the  back 
are  spotted  with  white  and  rufous ;  the  throat  and  breast 
are  distinctly  shaded  with  buff ;  otherwise  there  is  a  general 
resemblance  to  the  adult  nuptial  plumage. 

BEAK.     Black  ;  short  and  straight. 

FEET.     Dark  olive. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

EGGS.  Ground-colour,  rufous-drab,  boldly  blotched  with 
dark  brown,  especially  at  the  larger  end  :  clutch,  four 
(Saunders). 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 7 '25  in. 

WING    4-75  „ 

BEAK    0'9  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        0*9     „ 

EGG  1-35  x  '95  in. 


DUNLIN.     Tringa  alpina  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pis. 
69,  70;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  548; 
Lilford,  *  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  34. 

Multitudes  of  Dunlins,  journeying  southward,  appear  in 
late  summer  and  in  autumn,  about  our  low-lying  coastlands, 
returning  again  in  spring,  as  they  push  northward  to  their 


DUNLIN  289 

breeding-quarters.  At  no  time  of  the  year  is  this  species 
absent  from  our  shores.  Large  numbers  remain  throughout 
the  winter,  and  even  in  midsummer  1  wisps  of  considerable 
sizes,  of  non-breeding  birds  may  be  noticed.  The  Dunlin 
is  by  far  the  most  abundant  of  the  so-called  '  Sand-Larks.' 
Its  presence,  in  almost  countless  numbers,  enlivens  the 
dreary  expanses  of  ooze  and  mud-flat  which  are  exposed  at 
low  water. 

So  plentifully  and  widely  distributed  are  the  flocks 
on  the  beach,  that  the  most  casual  observer  cannot  fail 
to  acquaint  himself  with  these  active  and  dainty  little 
creatures  as  they  run  hither  and  thither  in  search  of  food. 
They  are  nearly  always  on  the  move.  At  one  time  we  find 
them  clustered  in  a  great  assemblage  on  the  dry  sand,  above 
high- water  mark  ;  at  other  times  we  see  them  darting  about 
with  lowered  heads,  probing  their  beaks  intently  in  the  soft 
estuarine  mud.  Again,  they  may  be  observed  '  lining  out ' 
along  the  fringe  of  the  breakers  ;  a  few,  more  venturesome 
than  the  rest,  wade  so  deeply  that  they  are  almost  taken 
off  their  feet,  while  others  flit  into  the  air  to  avoid  the 
splash  of  the  approaching  wave. 

Dunlins  are  sociable  and  comparatively  unsuspicious  in 
their  habits,  especially  the  immature  birds  in  autumn.2 
They  can  often  be  approached  close  enough  to  detect,  with 


1  I  have  noticed  flocks,  varying  in  numbers  from  thirty  to  several 
hundreds,  remain  throughout  the  summer  along  different  parts  of  the 
British  coast.     On  July  25th,  1900,  I  saw  a  gigantic  flock  feeding  on 
the  slob-lands  of  the  Dublin  coast.     All  the  birds  were  in  nuptial  dress, 
with  conspicuous  black  breasts,  and  were  very  tame. 

2  In  the  early  part  of  the  season,  viz.,  between  the  latter  part  of  July 
and  the  beginning  of   September,   I  have  observed  immature  Dunlins 
so  tame  as  to  allow  me  to  get  within  five  yards  of  them. 

As  late  as  November  llth,  1900,  I  have  come  across  a  flock  of  newly 
arrived  migrants,  all  very  tame.  On  April  29th,  1900,  I  watched  thou- 
sands of  tame  Dunlins  (nearly  all  in  full  nuptial  dress),  on  the  ooze-flats 
of  Dublin  Bay.  As  I  lay  flat  on  my  chest,  partly  concealed  by  a  tuft 
of  rushes,  I  could  see  the  birds  flitting  hither  and  thither  all  round  me, 
some  of  them  flying  for  a  short  distance  out  to  sea,  to  return  to  the  same 
resting- spot  again. 

Concerning  the  tameness  of  these  birds  on  certain  occasions,  Mr.  A. 
Williams  writes  :— "  On  October  31st,  1867,  at  6  o'clock  a.m.,  I  walked 
quietly  over  the  ooze-flats  of  Dublin  Bay.  In  the  dim  morning  light  I 
discerned  a  large  flock  of  Dunlins,  the  out- standing  birds  allowing  me  to 
approach  within  three  yards  of  them.  For  several  minutes  I  rested  and 
admired  the  little  creatures  assiduously  probing  in  the  mud  and  running 
about  almost  around  my  feet." 

19 


290  CHAEADKIID^E 

the  unaided  eye,  other  shore-birds,  such  as  Ringed-Plovers, 
Stints,  and  Sanderlings,  among  their  numbers.  But  later  in 
the  season,  when  gunners  appear  on  the  scene,  these  little 
birds  become  shy  and  restless.  In  some  districts  it  is 
interesting  to  contrast  the  wary  birds  which  frequent  our 
shores  in  March  with  the  comparatively  tame  birds  which 
appear  in  April,  and  later  on  in  the  spring.  The  former 
represent  those  which  have  remained  with  us  throughout 
the  winter,  and  were  probably  much  persecuted  by  the 
shore-shooter;  the  latter  represent  migrants  which  have 
travelled  from  the  far  south,  where  they  were  unmolested 
by  powder  and  shot. 

When  the  ooze  is  covered  by  the  inflowing  tide,  Dunlins 
often  crowd  together  on  sand-banks  ;  I  have  also  seen  them 
rest  on  rocks,  and  grass-covered  hillocks ;  or  hide  in  drains 
and  ditches  adjacent  to  the  sea. 

Flight. — At  first  ebb  the  birds  rise,  and  after  wisping, 
muster  into  large  flocks  and  fly  towards  their  feeding- 
grounds.  This  is  the  time  to  witness  their  marvellous 
flight.  The  aerial  gyrations  performed  by  a  great  company 
of  these  birds  almost  surpass  description.  On  p.  216  a  flight 
of  Dunlins  in  company  with  Ringed  Plovers,  has  been 
described.  It  is  now  only  necessary  to  refer  to  the  extra- 
ordinary way  in  which  each  member  of  the  flock  is  actuated 
to  turn  precisely  at  the  same  moment,  displaying  simul- 
taneously the  white  under-parts,  which  glitter  in  the 
distance  like  a  shower  of  silver  coins.  The  movement  is 
most  wonderful  and  full  of  variety.  At  one  moment  the 
flock  spreads  itself  horizontally  in  a  sheet-like  mass,  suddenly 
it  lifts  itself  and  speeds  vertically  along  like  a  great  sail ; 
the  next  instant  all  the  birds  are  clustered  together,  appear- 
ing for  a  second  like  a  moving  bunch  of  grapes  which  shoots 
up  and  down  through  the  air  with  remarkable  speed.  As 
they  pass  by  with  a  mighty  rush  of  wings,  the  pleasing 
chatter  and  purr  from  their  voices  can  be  heard  distinctly. 
Now  they  seem  to  vanish  suddenly  from  sight  as  they  turn 
their  shaded  backs,  and  finally,  as  they  disappear  in  the 
distance,  they  resemble  a  puff  of  smoke  or  a  little  dark  cloud 
which  becomes  lost  to  view  as  it  passes  along  the  horizon. 
Many  a  time  have  I  watched  the  precision  with  which  an 
immense  flock  of  Dunlins  will  suddenly  split  up  into  smaller 
companies,  which  then  separate  widely  from  one  another. 
This  movement  of  numbers  in  concert  drew  the  remark  of 
the  old  Irish  sailor,  "  Sorra  one  bit  ot  use  in  drilling,  for  they 
are  the  best  soldiers  on  the  strand." 


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DUNLIN  291 

The  Dunlin  is  subject  to  considerable  variation  in  size, 
length  of  bill,  and  shade  of  plumage.  The  Arctic-breeding 
species  are  duller  in  colour  and  larger  than  those  that  nest 
in  more  temperate  climes.  The  North  American  form  is 
large  and  possesses  a  long  beak,  while  in  the  nuptial  plumage 
the  back  and  scapulars  are  tipped  with  light  rufous  edgings. 
The  smaller  race,  described  by  Brehm,  in  1822,  as  T.  schinzi, 
has  usually  a  short  and  straight  beak.  This  form  breeds  on 
the  Outer  Hebrides,  in  Tiree,  and  other  parts  of  West  and 
North  Scotland,  and  in  many  parts  of  England  and  Ireland. 
I  possess  a  specimen  with  a  beak  barely  one  inch  in  length 
and  almost  perfectly  straight  (Plate  XXIV.,  fig.  1),  I  ob- 
tained it  from  one  of  the  midland  counties  of  Ireland  in 
the  breeding-season.  According  to  Cordeaux  the  short- 
billed  Dunlin  is  often  tame,  and  resorts  "  to  the  borders  of 
the  marsh-drains,  or  to  the  '  fittie-land '  adjoining  the 
'muds/  in  preference  to  the  flats"  (Backhouse,  '  Zoologist,' 
1901,  p.  91).  I  have  noted  several  Dunlins  distinctly  partial 
to  salt-water  drains  about  Dublin  Bay,  and  have  seen  them, 
when  disturbed,  run  along  the  edge,  now  and  then  peeping 
up  to  see  if  they  were  being  approached  too  closely.  Such 
birds  are  usually  tame  and  slow  to  rise,  often  eluding  obser- 
vation by  retracing  their  steps,  or  by  following  the  course 
of  a  tortuous  channel.  If  they  rise  the  flight  is  short,  gener- 
ally to  the  nearest  drain.  I  have  examined  many  of  these 
'  drain  Dunlin '  in  the  flesh  and  have  found  both  long-  and 
short-billed  forms  among  them.1 

Food. — -The  Dunlin  feeds  by  day  and  night.  I  have 
heard  hundreds  of  very  tame  birds  uttering  their  gentle 
purring  note  at  dusk  in  the  winter,  while  pattering  over 
the  soft  ooze,  all  the  while  probing  in  search  of  food,  close 
to  where  I  was  standing.  They  frequently  feed  in  company 
with  Stints,  Turnstones,  and  other  '  waders.' 

Small  shrimps,  sand-hoppers,  various  insects,  marine 
worms,  and  minute  shell-fish,  form  the  diet.  I  have  gener- 
ally found  fine  sand  present  in  the  gizzard. 

Voice. — A  clear  note,  often  produced  when  soaring,  may 
be  heard  during  the  pairing-season.  It  sounds  something 
like  dwee-dwee ;  but  at  all  seasons  when  in  company,  the 
birds  purr  or  chatter  to  one  another,  making  their  presence 
known  by  their  trilling  chorus.  The  several  voices  uttered 
successively  and  in  unison  produce  a  subdued  chanting, 

1  Vide  also  «  Zoologist,'  1901,  pp.  91,  156,  185,  187. 


292  CHARADRIID^] 

which  falls  pleasantly  on  the  ear  of  the  listener.  A  startled 
Dunlin,  as  it  rises,  gives  forth  a  prolonged  plaintive  single 
note  like  queeze  or  wheeze. 

This  species  is  easily  tamed  and  at  the  proper  season 
will  assume  the  nuptial  plumage  (Newton,  '  Dictionary  of 
Birds,'  p.  172). 

Nest. — In  spring  the  greater  numbers  of  British-breeding 
Dunlins  quit  the  sea-coast,  resorting  to  marshy  grounds  and 
moor-lands,  in  both  flat  and  mountainous  districts.  Indeed 
this  species  frequently  resorts  to  considerable  elevations 
above  the  sea-level.  I  have  found  the  bird  breeding  along 
the  shores  of  inland  lakes,  notably  on  Lough  Sheelin,  co. 
Cavan.  In  1901,  Dr.  E.  Blake  Knox  discovered  several 
pairs  nesting  on  the  shores  of  one  of  the  Westmeath  lakes  : 
the  nests  were  built  in  very  short  grass  and  at  some  twenty 
paces  from  the  lake  shore  ('Irish  Naturalist,'  1901,  p.  147). 
Mr.  Campbell  found  nests  in  rather  similar  situations,  i.e., 
in  short  grass  on  the  slob-lands  at  Inch,  Lough  Swilly 
('Irish  Naturalist,'  1901,  p.  175).  According  to  Mr.  Ussher's 
observations  the  nest  "  is  made  in  long  coarse  grass,  some- 
times beside  lakes  and  rivers  in  the  heart  of  the  country,  as 
in  Westmeath ;  sometimes  by  the  coast,  in  marshes  adjoin- 
ing the  sand-hills  or  on  reclaimed  slob-lands,  as  in  Donegal. 
It  has  been  found  by  Mr.  Ellison  on  the  top  of  the  Wicklow 
mountains,  1,700  feet  above  the  sea,  where  the  moor  was 
covered  with  moss,  stunted  heather  and  patches  of  cotton- 
grass,  and  studded  with  small  ponds  of  peaty  water.  This 
nest  was  a  tiny  cup-shaped  hollow,  without  cover,  in  a  patch 
of  grey  moss,  surrounded  with  a  few  wiry  bents  and  scraps 
of  heather,  and  neatly  lined  with  shreds  of  lichen,  and  a  few 
scraps  of  heather  and  dry  bents.  In  low  lands  the  tussock 
of  coarse  grass  in  which  the  nest  is  placed  usually  over- 
hangs the  eggs,  and  the  cup  is  comfortably  lined  with  dry 
grass,  but  a  small  isolated  bank  in  a  northern  lake  con- 
tained two  nests  of  Redshanks,  one  of  Common  Sandpiper 
and  one  of  Dunlin  among  the  green  grass  which  was  not 
long  enough  to  cover  the  eggs  "  ('  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  284). 

The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  pear-shaped,  and  prettily 
marked  with  blotches  and  large  specks  of  rich  reddish- 
brown,  on  a  light  greenish-grey  ground-colour.  Incubation 
begins  early  in  June,  and  the  young  are  affectionately  cared 
for  by  the  parents  ;  the  latter  will  tumble  and  drag  them- 
selves with  outspread  tail  and  wings  in  front  of  an  intruder 
to  decoy  him  from  their  hiding  chicks.  When  incubation 


DUNLIN  293 

is  far  advanced,  the  female  sits  so  closely  that  she  will 
almost  suffer  herself  to  be  trod  upon  rather  than  leave  her 
nest. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  pairing-season  I  have  seen 
two  birds  fly  to  a  great  height  in  the  air,  and  then  shoot 
downwards  with  remarkable  velocity.  This  habit  is  also 
practised  by  the  male  when  his  mate  is  hatching. 

In  the  northern  section  of  England,  as  far  south  as 
Yorkshire,  the  Dunlin  breeds  in  scattered  numbers  over 
the  moors,  while  on  the  east  side  its  eggs  have  been  taken 
from  Lincolnshire.  It  is  a  rare  breeding-species  in  the 
south,  but  the  nest  has  been  found  in  Cornwall  and  in 
Devon,  while  Mr.  Saunders  has  seen  the  young  (at  an 
age  when  they  were  hardly  able  to  fly)  on  Exmoor,  in 
Somerset. 

In  Wales,  this  species  has  been  found  breeding  in 
Cardiganshire  and  Merioneth. 

In  Scotland  it  nests  not  only  on  the  mainland,  but  also 
on  many  of  the  Western  and  Northern  Island-Groups. 

In  Ireland,  the  eggs  have  been  recorded  from  the  follow- 
ing counties  :  —  Wicklow,  Mayo,  Donegal,  Londonderry, 
Fermanagh,  Koscommon,  and  Westmeath. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Dunlin  breeds 
in  Arctic  and  Temperate  Europe,  its  eggs  having  been 
obtained  as  far  south  as  Denmark,  Holland,  Germany, 
Spain,  and  North  Italy  (Saunders).  Eastward,  it  ranges 
over  Siberia;  westward,  over  a  large  tract  of  the  North 
American  Continent,  including  Greenland.  On  migration, 
in  autumn  and  winter,  it  is  distributed  chiefly  along  the 
flat  sea-coasts  (but  also,  in  less  numbers,  on  the  inland 
waters)  of  the  European  Continent,  reaching  to  Tropical 
Africa  and  Asia,  and  westward  to  Central  America. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Feathers  of  the  top  of 
head,  hind-neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  long  inner  secondaries, 
blackish,  with  warm  rufous  edgings  and  spots;  outer 
secondaries,  brownish,  showing  white  on  the  inner  webs ; 
wing-coverts,  greyish-brown  ;  primaries,  dull  mouse-brown  ; 
tail,  greyish-brown,  except  the  longer  central  feathers 
which  are  blackish  with  buff  edgings ;  cheeks,  throat,  and 
sides  of  neck,  greyish-white,  with  brownish-black  streaks ; 
chin,  whitish ;  breast,  black,  showing  in  some  specimens  an 


294  CHARADRIID^E 

admixture  of  indistinct  fine  white  streaks ;  abdomen,  flanks, 
and  under  tail-coverts,  white,  with  a  few  dark  streaks.  In 
late  summer,  before  moulting  into  winter-dress,  much  of 
the  buff  disappears  from  the  back  and  wings  ;  in  fact,  I 
have  in  my  collection,  specimens  with  the  back  nearly  as 
black  as  the  breast. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
except  that  the  black  on  the  breast  is  sometimes  less 
developed. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  Top  of  head,  face 
(excepting  a  dull  white  stripe  over  the  eye),  hind-neck,  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  chiefly  ash-grey  ;  wings  crossed  by  a 
narrow  white  bar ;  primaries,  dark  brown  ;  chin,  breast, 
and  abdomen,  pure  white ;  front  of  neck,  ash-grey,  with 
darker  streaks. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Feathers  of  the  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  resemble  those  of  the  adult  nuptial 
plumage,  except  that  the  buff  edgings  are  lighter,  thinner, 
and  duller  in  colour ;  cheeks,  tawny-brown  ;  breast  and 
neck,  tawny-brown,  with  darker  streaks ;  the  white  of  the 
abdomen  and  flanks,  interspersed  with  brownish  spots. 

BEAK.  Black,  and  varying  considerably  in  length  ;  the 
longer  beaks  show  a  tendency  to  a  slight  downward  curve 
like  that  of  the  Curlew-Sandpiper,  whereas  the  shorter 
beaks  are  straighter,  like  that  of  the  Little  Stint  (Plate 
XXIV.,  fig.  1,  and  Plate  XXVII.,  fig.  2). 

FEET.     Black. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...         ...       7*5    in. 

WING         4-5     ,, 

BEAK         ...       T25    „ 

(Extremes,  from  0*9  in.  to  1'5  in.). 

TARSO-METATARSUS         1  in. 

EGG  ...  1-35  x  '95  in. 


PLATE   XXIV. 


H.  Brooke,  Photo.] 

Fig.    1. 

HEAD   OF   DUNLIN.      Natural  size. 

Beak  short  and  straight  like  that  of  the  Little  Stint. 

From  a  specimen  collected  and  mounted  by  the  author. 


H.  Brooke,  Pholo.] 

Fig.  2. 

HEAD  OF  LITTLE   STINT      Natural  size. 
From  a  specimen  collected  by  the  author  and  mounted  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 


LITTLE  STINT  295 

LITTLE  STINT.     Tringa  minuta  (Leisler). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pi.  72 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  549, 
550,  fig.  1,  552,  fig.  1 ;  Lilford,  «  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  35. 

The  Little  Stint,  one  of  the  smallest  and  most  attractive 
of  shore-birds,  visits  the  eastern  coasts  of  England  on  its 
spring  and  autumn  migrations.  Though  nowhere  plentiful, 
it  is  not  uncommon  about  the  mud-flats  of  Norfolk.  The 
great  majority  of  the  birds,  however,  pass  east  of  our  shores, 
thus  only  the  westerly  edge  of  the  line  of  migrants  reaches 
us.  The  Little  Stint  visits  the  east  side  of  Scotland 
regularly  in  the  autumn,  and  has  been  frequently  observed 
in  the  Orkneys  and  Shetlands  (Saxby)  ;  on  the  southern 
and  western  sides  of  Great  Britain  it  is  rarer  and  more 
irregular  in  its  visits.  It  probably  occurs  every  autumn 
along  the  northern  and  eastern  sides  of  Ireland,  but  in 
varying  and  limited  numbers.  Along  the  rest  of  the  Irish 
coast  it  is  rare,  and  has  been  recorded  only  once  as  a  spring 
migrant  (Thompson).  The  visits  of  the  Little  Stint  to  our 
shores  are  of  brief  duration  ;  there  seem  to  be  no  records 
of  it  remaining  throughout  the  winter  or  summer  months. 
Immature  birds  generally  appear  between  the  end  of  August 
and  October,1  and  I  have  seen  more  birds  early  in  September 
than  in  any  other  month  of  the  year.  On  September  7th, 
1892,  numbers  appeared  on  the  slob-lands  of  Dublin  Bay ; 
I  saw  quite  sixty  birds,2  an  unusual  sight  on  the  Irish 
coast.  They  consorted  for  the  most  part  with  small  flocks 
of  Dunlins  on  the  ooze,  but  some  kept  company  with 
Sanderlings  and  Turnstones  on  the  hard,  ribbed  sand  by  the 
edge  of  the  tide.  Their  activity  was  really  amazing.  They 
ran  to  and  fro,  flitting  about  like  sprites,  several  times  out- 
stripping their  larger  companions  in  the  race  along  the 
beach.  It  was  amusing  to  see  half-a-dozen  of  these  tiny 
shore-birds  scampering  after  a  Turnstone  which  was  assidu- 
ously foraging  on  the  broken  line  of  dead  sea- wrack ;  so 


1  The  latest  date  at  which  I  have  observed  this  species  was  October 
7th  ('  Irish  Naturalist,'  1899,  p.  254). 

2  Two  to  four  are  the  usual  numbers  that  I  have  seen  together  ; 
Thompson  met  with  nine  together,  the  largest  group  he  had  ever  seen 
(Nat.  Hist.  Irel.). 


296  CHAKADKIID.E 

distinctly  did  the  two  species  contrast  in  size  that  one  was 
reminded  of  a  clutch  of  chickens  racing  after  the  mother. 
On  the  same  day  I  also  observed  parties  of  Stints,  each 
consisting  of  some  fifteen  to  twenty  individuals.  All  the 
above-mentioned  remained  but  a  few  days  on  the  coast, 
for  on  September  12th  every  one  of  them  had  departed. 

On  September  9th,  1897,  I  observed  a  pair  of  immature 
Little  Stints  running  about  on  a  grass-bank  on  the  Dublin 
coast.  Several  Pied  Wagtails  accompanied  them.  The 
Stints  were  so  tame  that  they  little  heeded  a  woman  when 
she  wheeled  a  perambulator  (in  which  sat  a  noisy  and 
fidgety  infant)  within  a  few  paces  of  where  they  were  feed- 
ing. With  the  aid  of  a  field-glass  I  have,  on  different 
occasions,  detected  one  or  two  Stints  in  a  great  assemblage 
of  Dunlins.1  It  is  then  often  difficult  to  secure  a  specimen 
of  the  former  without  sacrificing  many  lives  of  the  latter.2 
Two  Stints  observed  by  Walter  appeared  very  diminutive 
when  contrasted  with  a  "  lordly  Black-backed  Gull,  which, 
with  head  embedded  in  its  shoulders,  stood  majestically 
in  repose,  its  dignity  not  unbending  to  admit  even  a  look 
at  those  little  elf-like  birds  running  about,  apparently  in 
pursuit  of  sand-flies."  The  '  thousands  of  Stints  '  we  some- 
times hear  of  as  frequenting  our  shores  are  doubtless  large 
flocks  of  Dunlins,  which  are  hopelessly  confounded  with 
Tringa  minuta  by  ornithologists  of  limited  experience. 

The  flesh  differs  but  little  from  that  of  the  Dunlin  and 
other  small  sea-side  'waders.'  The  few  specimens  which 
I  have  tasted  had  a  rather  fishy  flavour.  English  epicures, 
however,  formerly  esteemed  the  flesh  of  several  kinds  of 
shore-birds  a  delicacy  ;  thus  we  read  :— 

"  The  puet,  godwit,  stynt,3 
The  pallat  that  allure 
The  miser,  and  doth  make 
A  fearful  epicure." 


1  Large  flocks  of  Dunlins  should  be  examined  most  carefully  with  a 
binocular,  for  rare  species  often  associate  with  them. 

2  Once  I  obtained  a  good  specimen  of  a  Little  Stint  by  firing  a  charge 
of  fine  shot  into  a  flock  of  Dunlins  as  they  flew  past  me,  eleven  of  the 
latter  also  falling  to  my  gun.     This  method  of  securing  a  specimen  I  do 
not  advocate  ;  indeed  I  would  not  have  pulled  trigger  at  all  had  I  not 
seen  previously  quite  a  number  of  Stints  among  the  flock  of  Dunlins  on 
the  strand,  i.e.,  before  they  took  wing  and  flew  past  me. 

3  Dunlins  in  all  likelihood. 


PLATE   XXV. 


H.  Brooke,  Photo. 

LITTLE    STINTS. 

From  specimens  collected  by  the  author. 

Bird  on  the  left  mounted  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  ; 
that  on  the  right  mounted  by  the  author. 


LITTLE  STINT  297 

Flight. — On  the  wing  the  Little  Stint  moves  with  re- 
markable velocity,  cleaving  the  air  often  in  a  rather  straight 
course,  and  reminding  one  not  a  little  of  a  Sand-Martin  in 
rapid  flight.  I  have  seen  this  bird  ascend  to  a  consider- 
able height,  fly  out  to  sea,  descend  suddenly,  and  then 
skim  so  close  to  the  breakers,  that  with  each  downstroke 
the  wings  almost  touched  the  surface  of  the  water. 

Food. — Small  crabs,  worms,  shrimps,  insects  (including 
flies),  tiny  shell-fish,  and  the  seeds  of  plants,  are  eaten. 

Voice. — The  voice,  heard  on  the  wing,  sounds  as  a 
highly  pitched  delicate  twitter,  resembling  the  syllables 
twicky-twick,  twicky-twick.  In  autumn,  when  the  birds 
are  in  flocks,  their  call-note  resembles  the  confused  chirp- 
ing of  grasshoppers  (Saunders). 

Nest.  —  The  Little  Stint  breeds  on  wild  moor-lands, 
depositing  its  eggs  in  a  slight  depression  in  the  soil,  lined 
with  a  few  fragments  of  withered  herbage.  The  four  eggs 
resemble  those  of  the  Dunlin  in  ground-colour  and  mark- 
ings, but  are  smaller.  Incubation  begins  about  the  middle 
of  June.  Like  the  Dunlin  this  species  sits  closely  on  its 
eggs,  and  when  the  young  are  running  about,  it  will  pretend 
to  be  wounded  to  attract  attention. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Little  Stint  breeds  in 
Northern  and  Arctic  Europe  and  Asia.  Middendorff  found 
it  nesting  in  1843  along  the  Taimyr  River  in  Siberia,  and 
this  is  the  first  record  known  of  the  discovery  of  its 
breeding-haunts  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc.,  1861,  p.  398).  However, 
"in  July  1875  Messrs.  Harvie-Brown  and  Seebohm  were 
the  first  to  take  the  eggs  in  Europe,  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Petchora"  (Saunders).  On  migration  in  spring  and 
autumn  this  bird  visits  the  coasts  of  Europe  and  Temperate 
Asia,  reaching  South  Africa  and  Southern  Asia  in  the  cold 
months.  Numbers  sojourn  during  the  winter  in  North 
Africa,  and,  to  a  less  extent,  in  Southern  Europe. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  hind-neck, 
back,  scapulars,  and  inner  secondaries,  black,  the  feathers 
being  edged  and  spotted  with  buff;  outer  secondaries  and 
wing-coverts,  chiefly  brownish  with  white  edgings ;  primaries, 
dusky-brown  ;  tail,  greyish,  the  central  feathers  being  darker 
than  the  outer  ones,  like  those  of  the  Dunlin ;  upper  tail- 
coverts,  chiefly  dark  brown ;  wing,  crossed  by  a  white  bar ; 


298  CHAKADKIID^ 

throat,  white  ;  front  of  neck  and  upper  breast,  washed  with 
reddish-buff,  and  speckled  with  dark  brown  ;  lower  breast, 
abdomen,  flanks,  and  under  tail-coverts,  white  ;  face,  greyish, 
with  fine  streaks  of  a  darker  colour ;  over  the  eye  is  an  in- 
distinct white  stripe. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage,  but 
the  spots  on  the  breast  are  less  distinct. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  back  and  wings  are 
ash-brown,  and  the  upper  breast  and  throat  nearly  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Closely  resembles  the  adult 
nuptial  plumage,  but  the  buff  edgings  of  the  feathers  are 
lighter  in  shade  ;  hind-neck,  ashy  ;  no  spots  on  the  fore-neck 
and  chest,  which  are  washed  with  isabelline-buff. 

BEAK.     Blackish  and  straight. 

FEET.     Blackish. 

IRIDES.  Blackish- brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH      ...         ...         ...       6      in. 

WING         3-55  „ 

BEAK1  0'8       „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS         ...         ...       1        ,, 

EGGS  1  X  '75  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — T.  ruficollis, 
the  breast  and  neck  of  which  are  rich  red  in  the  nuptial 
garb,  is  found  in  Eastern  Siberia. 


AMERICAN  STINT.     .Tringa  minutilla  (Vieillot). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  552, 
figs.  2,  3  ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v.  pi.  37. 

This  species,  the  smallest  of  all  the  Stints,  common  and 
widely  distributed  over  the  American  Continent,  is  a  very 


1 1  have  examined  several  Little  Stints,  and  have  not  found  anything 
like  the  range  of  variation  in  the  length  of  the  beak  that  there  is  in  that 
of  the  Dunlin. 


AMEKICAN  STINT  299 

rare  wanderer  to  the  British  Isles.  It  has  been  obtained  on 
three  occasions,  and  twice  from  the  same  locality,  several 
years  having  elapsed  between  the  dates  of  the  two  captures. 

The  first  bird  was  procured  at  Mount's  Bay,  Cornwall, 
on  October  10th,  1853,  by  W.  S.  Vingoe  (E.  H.  Kodd, 
'  Zoologist,'  p.  4297). 

The  second  and  third  specimens  were  taken  near  Bide- 
ford  in  Devon,  by  Mr.  Eickards,  September,  1869  (Harting, 
'Handbook  of  British  Birds,'  p.  143),  and  Mr.  Broughton 
Hawley,  August  22nd,  1892  (Saunders,  Proc.  Zool.  Soc., 
1893,  p.  178). 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Feathers  of  the  head 
and  back,  blackish,  thinly  margined  with  rufous  ;  back  of 
neck,  greyish,  splashed  with  rufous  ;  wing-coverts,  ash-grey, 
margined  with  buff  and  white,  the  latter  forming  an  indistinct 
wing-bar  ;  primaries,  brown,  darker  at  their  extremities ; 
lower  back  and  rump,  black ;  tail-feathers,  pale  grey,  except 
the  longer  middle  pair  which  are  blackish ;  cheeks  and 
throat,  whitish ;  breast,  ash  -  coloured,  mottled  with  dark 
brown;  abdomen,  white;  under  wing  -  coverts,  whitish, 
some  of  the  lower  ones  being  mottled  with  brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Back  and  wings, 
ash-grey,  with  the  centres  of  some  of  the  feathers  dark 
purplish-brown,  and  the  margins  white  ;  lower  back  and 
rump,  blackish. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Closely  resembles  the  adult 
nuptial  plumage,  but  the  feathers  of  the  back  and  wings 
have  white  margins,  and  the  lower  throat  and  fore-neck  are 
washed  with  buff  and  exhibit  no  spots. 

BEAK.     Blackish-brown. 

FEET.     Dusky  olive-brown. 

IBIDES.  Dark  hazel. 

EGGS.  Creamy-yellow,  blotched  and  dotted  with  dark 
brown,  especially  at  the  blunt  end  :  clutch,  four. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 5'25  in. 

WING         3'5      ,, 

BEAK         ...         1-7      „ 

TAKSO-METATAESUS        0'75    ,, 

EGG  1  x  0'8  in. 


300  CHAKADBIID^E 

TEMMINCK'S  STINT.     Tringa  temmincki  (Leisler). 

Coloured  Figures.  — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pi.  73 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  550, 
fig.  2,  551 ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures/  vol.  v,  pi.  36. 

Temminck's  Stint  is  a  scarce  and  an  irregular  migrant  to 
the  British  Isles  in  autumn  and  winter.  Most  records  have 
been  made  from  the  south-eastern  side  of  England,  extend- 
ing to  Cornwall  and  the  Channel  Isles.  Not  a  few  birds 
have  visited  Breydon  in  Norfolk,  especially  in  autumn 
(Stevenson,  'Birds  of  Norfolk,'  vol.  ii,  pp.  363-366). 
North  of  Norfolk  this  species  is  much  rarer.  It  has 
also  visited  the  following  inland  counties : — Middlesex, 
Cambridgeshire,  Nottinghamshire,  and  Lancashire.  Along 
the  entire  western  coast  of  Britain  it  is  a  very  rare  visitant. 
Since  1832  only  six  examples  have  been  recorded  between 
the  Sol  way  district  and  the  estuary  of  the  Dee  (Saunders). 

In  Scotland  it  has  been  recorded  on  a  few  occasions 
from  Aberdeenshire,  Banffshire,  and  Caithness. 

In  Ireland,  a  single  specimen  was  obtained,  in  January, 
1848,  the  only  one  that  has  been  secured  in  midwinter  in 
the  British  Isles.  It  was  shot  on  a  fresh-water  pool  near 
Tralee,  co.  Kerry.  Though  recorded  by  Thompson  in  his 
'Natural  History  of  Ireland,'  yet  the  writer  did  not 
appear  to  have  seen  the  bird,  which  was  procured  by 
Chute.  However,  Mr.  Ussher  inspected  the  Chute  collec- 
tion in  Tralee  in  1893,  and  there  discovered  a  Temminck's 
Stint  in  winter-plumage,  most  likely  the  same  bird. 

This  species,  in  winter -plumage,  may  be  distinguished 
from  the  Little  Stint  by  the  great  preponderance  of  uniform 
greyish-brown  colour  of  the  back  and  wings.  The  former 
is  like  a  miniature  Common  Sandpiper,  whereas  the  Little 
Stint  strongly  resembles  a  small  Dunlin  in  nuptial  plumage 
except  for  the  black  breast. 

Temminck's  Stint  resorts  chiefly  to  the  slob-lands  of 
tidal  estuaries  ;  less  frequently  it  visits  inland  shores. 

Flight.— The  flight  resembles  that  of  the  Little  Stint. 

Food. — Various  kinds  of  insects,  grubs,  and  worms,  form 
the  chief  diet ;  these  are  often  found  mixed  with  small  frag- 
ments of  grit. 

Voice.  —  In  the  breeding  season  a  pleasing  twittering 
or  warbling  note  is  uttered  by  both  sexes,  as  the  birds  flit 
to  and  fro.  The  call-note  in  autumn  is  a  sharp  ptirr,  often 
sounded  as  the  bird  ascends  high  in  the  air. 


TEMMINCK'S  STINT  301 

Nest. — The  nest,  usually  situated  near  water,  is  a  depres- 
sion, scantily  lined  with  sedges,  grasses,  or  rushes.  The 
eggs,  four  in  number,  are  pale  buff  shading  to  greenish-grey, 
blotched  with  several  shades  of  brown.  The  males  have 
been  obtained  with  large  incubation  patches  on  the  breast 
(Collet),  but  females  have  been  taken  off  the  nest. 
(Popham). 

Geographical  distribution. — This  Stint  breeds  in  Nor- 
thern Europe,  viz.,  in  Norway,  Sweden,  and  North  Russia ; 
also  in  Siberia.  It  nests  somewhat  locally  to  the  north  of 
the  Gulf  of  Bothnia  (Wolley). 

Its  migration  in  autumn  extends  over  the  European 
Continent  to  the  basin  of  the  Mediterranean ;  eastward 
it  may  be  traced  over  Tropical  Africa  and  Asia,  as  far 
south  as  India. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Head,  neck,  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  greyish -brown,  with  darker  stripes, 
especially  on  the  back ;  primaries,  brownish,  except  the 
outer  one  on  each  side,  which  is  nearly  white  ;  wing,  barred 
with  a  narrow  white  line ;  tail,  brownish,  except  the  two 
outer  pairs  of  feathers  on  either  side,  which  are  white ; 
throat  and  breast,  buff-brown,  with  darker  streaks;  abdo- 
men, white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Closely  resembles  the 
winter-plumage  of  the  Common  Sandpiper  (vide  p.  330). 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Feathers  of  the  back  and 
wings  tipped  with  grey ;  fore-neck  tinged  with  fulvous- 
grey,  but  no  brownish  streaks  as  in  the  adults ;  outer  tail- 
feathers  not  as  pure  white  as  those  of  the  adult. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Greenish-grey. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 5*75   in. 

WING        3-8     „ 

BEAK         0'6     „ 

TAESO-METATABSUS        0*6 

EGG  1-1   x  0'8  in. 


302  CHABAPEHDJS 

CURLEW-SANDPIPER.     Tringa  subarquata  (Giildenstadt). 

Coloured  Figures.— Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pi.  68;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  558; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  38. 

Small  flocks  of  Curlew-Sandpipers  sojourn  for  a  short 
period  on  our  shores  during  the  spring  and  autumn  migra- 
tion. Like  the  Little  Stint  this  species  is  exceedingly  rare 
in  midwinter  and  midsummer.  Its  numbers  seem  to  vary 
annually ;  in  some  districts  it  is  decidedly  scarce  one  year 
and  almost  plentiful  the  next.  The  eastern  and  southern 
coasts  of  Great  Britain  are  much  more  frequented  than  the 
opposite  shores.  As  a  visitant  to  the  north  of  Scotland  this 
bird  is  not  constant ;  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  Orkneys 
and  Shetlands.  Curlew-Sandpipers  touch  upon  the  east  and 
north  coasts  of  Ireland  probably  every  year,  but  in  varying 
numbers.1  Specimens  have  also  been  recorded  from  Mayo, 
(Warren),  Achill  Island  (Sheridan),  Cork,  and  other  parts  of 
Southern  Ireland  (Ussher).  I  am  not  aware  of  any  instance 
from  Ireland  during  the  vernal  migration,  but  in  England 
this  species  has  been  noted  as  early  as  March  19th,  and 
birds  in  nuptial  plumage  passing  north,  occur  along  the  east 
coast  until  June  (Saunders). 

The  Curlew-Sandpiper  is  one  of  the  most  graceful  of 
small  wading-birds.  It  resembles  a  miniature  Curlew, 
beautifully  proportioned,  with  long  slender  legs  and  beak, 
the  latter  being  gently  decurved  near  its  extremity.  In 
the  autumn2  (usually  in  early  September),  immature  birds, 
generally  in  small  flocks,  may  be  seen  probing  for  food  on 
the  soft  ooze,  apart  from  or  in  company  with  other  small 
'  waders.'  On  the  strand  this  species  bears  a  close  resemblance 
to  the  Dunlin,  but  may  be  distinguished  by  its  superior  size, 
longer  and  more  slender  neck,  by  the  more  elegantly  arched 
outline  of  its  back,  and  when  flying  by  its  conspicuous 
white  upper  tail-coverts3  (Plate  XXVI.,  fig.  C). 

1  Though  far  less  abundant  than  the  Dunlin,  yet  flocks  of  consider- 
able size  may  be  seen  sometimes  in  autumn.     The  late  Mr.  E.  Williams 
has  noticed  as  many  as  two  to  three  hundred  together  on  the  Dublin 
coast,  and  I  have  several  times  seen  over  one  hundred  in  a  flock  about 
the  same  locality. 

2  Few  remain  on  our  shores  after  October. 

3  In  the  early  part  of  the  migration- season,  I  have  observed  small 
wisps  of  immature  Dunlins  squatting  on  the  ooze  or  grass-flats.     In  the 
bright  summer  sunshine  the  feathers  of  their  backs  and  wings  appear 


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CUBLEW-SANDPIPEB  303 

When  immature  Curlew- Sandpipers  first  reach  our 
shores  in  early  autumn,  they,  like  many  other  Arctic-breed- 
ing birds,  show  little  fear  of  the  presence  of  man.  For 
instance,  on  September  4th,  1900,  I  approached  close  to  a 
party  of  ten  of  them  and  watched  them  gently  '  pick-axing  ' 
with  their  curved  beaks  in  the  muddy  ooze.  A  few,  tired 
after  their  long  journey,  were  sleeping,  their  beaks  buried 
in  the  feathers  of  the  wings.  The  active  members  of 
the  party  kept  up  a  soft  and  rather  musical  chatter. 

I  have  known  a  solitary  Curlew-Sandpiper,  when  feeding 
with  a  flock  of  immature  Dunlins,  to  allow  me  almost  within 
grasping-range  of  it.  Approaching  closer,  it  was  highly 
amusing  to  see  its  tall  figure,  hastily  retreat  with  stretched 
legs  and  neck,  through  the  flock  of  more  dumpy  Dunlin, 
just  as  a  big  policeman  would  wend  his  way  through  a  crowd 
of  excited  civilians. 

This  bird  has  frequently  been  taken  inland,  viz.,  from 
the  shores  of  lakes,  rivers,  and  even  from  the  drier  pas- 
turage of  the  hillside.1  In  August,  1902,  I  obtained  a 
specimen  from  among  a  flock  which  were  feeding  on  the 
muddy  banks  of  the  River  Maine,  co.  Kerry,  some  miles 
from  the  coast.  I  noted  a  few  more  of  the  same  species 
searching  for  food  over  wet  meadow-land. 

Flight — The  flight  is  very  powerful ;  it  is  somewhat 
more  undulating,  though  less  twisting,  than  that  of  the 
Dunlin,  and  equally  swift.  I  have  seen  Curlew- Sand  pipers 
ascend  to  a  great  height  in  the  air  when  disturbed  by  the 
presence  of  a  hawk. 

Voice. — The  alarm-note,  heard  in  autumn,  is  not  unlike 
that  of  the  Dunlin,  but  is  shorter,  less  plaintive,  and  often 
distinctly  two-syllabled ;  sounding  like  tweety-tweety-tweety, 
tweet-tweet.  Sometimes  it  is  a  long  drawn  one-syllabled 
note  like  tweeze.  A  chattering  is  kept  up  as  the  birds  feed 
together. 

Food. — The  food  consists  of  marine  insects,  small  crabs, 
worms,  and  shell -fish,  which  are  sought  for  by  day  and 
night.  I  have  frequently  found  small  glistening  pebbles  in 
the  gizzard  of  this  species. 

Nest. — The  nesting-haunts  of  the  Curlew- Sandpiper  were 

light  and  almost  uniform  in  colour,  so  that  several  times  I  have  mistaken 
the  birds  for  Curlew- Sandpipers.  Putting  them  to  flight,  however,  settled 
the  question,  for  I  then  noted  the  absence  of  white  over  the  tail,  so 
plainly  discernible  as  the  Curlew- Sandpiper  takes  wing. 

1  Eight  Curlew- Sandpipers  were  shot  out  of  a  flock  on  the  Dublin 
mountains  in  September,  1879  (Ussher,  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  287). 


304  CHAKADBIID^ 

almost  unknown  until  July  3rd,  1897,  when  Mr.  H.  L. 
Popham  obtained  a  nest  with  four  eggs  near  the  mouth  of 
the  River  Yenesei.  The  eggs  were  identified  as  the  female 
was  shot  on  her  nest.  This  nest  "  was  a  rather  deep  hollow 
in  a  ridge  of  the  Tundra ;  the  four  eggs  resemble  some  of 
those  of  the  Common  Snipe,  though  smaller  "  (Saunders). 

Dr.  Walter,  in  his  researches  on  the  Taimyr  Peninsula, 
noted  that  this  species  "  arrived  on  the  10  T  ay  and  nested 

lo  June 

numerously  in  the  district.  Early  in  June  they  chased 
each  other  in  threes  and  fours  over  the  Tundra.  The 
nests  were  placed  in  grassy  places,  and  consisted  of  shallow 
depressions  lined  with  a  few  dry  straws  and  a  white 
tangle.  In  the  middle  of  June  the  nests  contained  full 
clutches  of  eggs.  On  the  approach  of  a  person  the  sitting 
bird,  warned  by  its  mate,  leaves  the  nest  quickly,  and  both 
birds  remain  very  passive  and  unobtrusive.  Usually  the 
observer  has  to  wait  long  before  the  female  decides  to  return 
to  her  nest  and  thus  betray  its  position,  and  often  he  has  to 
wait  in  vain.  Some  individuals  of  this  species  also  wander 
about  in  small  flocks  during  the  breeding-season,  while  later 
both  old  and  young  collect  in  large  flocks  and  remain  until 
late  in  the  autumn." 

The  eggs  were  "  Blunt  pyriform,  fine  grained  with  a 
faint  gloss.  Ground-colour  pale  yellowish-white  with  a 
greenish  tinge,  with  large  and  small  brown  to  blackish- 
brown  spots,  which  are  more  confluent,  and  to  some  extent 
quite  confluent  at  the  thick  end,  and  a  few  washed-out  pale 
violet-grey  spots."  Average  measurements  ranged  from  34'6 
by  25-1  mm.  to  39'6  by  25'6  mm.  (H.  E.  Dresser,  '  Ibis,' 
1904,  p.  231,  from  translated  notes  of  Walter's  paper 
on  "  Ornithologische  Beobachtungen  an  der  westlichen 
Taimyrhalbinsel,  vom  September,  1900  bis  August,  1901," 
published  in  the  '  Annuaire  du  Musee  Zool.  de  1'Acad.  Imp. 
des  Sciences  de  St.  Petersbourg  '). 

Geographical  distribution. — From  observations  made  on 
this  interesting  species  by  various  Arctic  travellers,  it  appears 
that  its  breeding-grounds  are  in  Eastern  Arctic  Siberia 
and  the  adjoining  Islands  still  further  north.  Its  breed- 
ing-range probably  extends  to  Behring  Straits.  On  the 
southern  migration  in  autumn,  the  birds  spread  far  and 
wide,1  visiting  the  European  coast-lands,  as  far  west  as 

1  It  is  wonderful  to  think  that  an  immature  bird  some  three  months 
old  can  travel  such  an  immense  distance  as  from  Lena  Delta  to  Australia, 
and  no  doubt  some  Curlew- Sandpipers  do. 


CUKLEW-SANDPIPER  305 

the  Atlantic-facing  sides  of  Scotland  and  Ireland,  though 
along  the  American  coast  they  are  far  from  common.  The 
fly-lines  become  very  extensive  as  the  cold  season  advances, 
for  in  winter  this  bird  is  found  in  South  America,  South 
Africa,  India,  and  other  parts  of  Southern  Asia,  also  in  such 
remote  lands  as  Australia  and  Tasmania.  On  the  return 
passage  northward  in  spring  the  Curlew  -  Sandpiper  is 
common  in  many  countries  of  Europe  and  Asia. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  back,  and 
greater  portion  of  wings,  blackish,  with  variegated  markings 
of  chestnut  and  grey ;  wing-coverts,  chiefly  greyish-brown  ; 
primaries  and  tail,  ash-grey;  upper  tail-coverts,  whitish, 
shaded  with  light  buff  and  barred  with  black  ;  throat,  sides 
and  front  of  neck,  breast  and  abdomen,  rich  chestnut,  thinly 
striped  with  brown  about  the  abdomen  and  flanks. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
but  duller  in  shade. 

Adult  male  and  female. — The  front  of  the  neck,  breast, 
and  abdomen  are  white,  and  the  chestnut  shading  of  the 
nuptial  plumage  disappears  from  the  back  and  wings,  which 
in  winter  are  greyish-brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  hind-neck, 
back,  scapulars,  wings,  and  tail,  dusky  greyish-brown,  with 
very  pale  buff  edgings  ;  upper  tail-coverts  form  a  noticeable 
white  patch ;  cheeks,  sides  and  front  of  neck,  and  upper 
breast,  greyish- buff,  finely  streaked  with  dull  brown  ;  throat, 
lower  breast,  abdomen,  under  tail-coverts,  and  flanks,  white  ; 
over  the  eye  is  an  ill-defined  white  stripe. 

BEAK.     Blackish  ;  slightly  decurved  near  the  point. 

FEET.     Dark  brownish-black. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         8     in. 

WING        5-1  ,, 

BEAK  1-5  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        1'2    ,, 

EGG          1-45x1  in. 


20 


306  CHABADEIID^E 

REFERENCE   TO   PLATE   XXVI. 

(A)  Little  Stint.     Autumn  plumage  (Immature). 

(B)  Dunlin.     Nuptial  plumage  (Mature). 

The  bird  in  this  figure  belongs  to  the  short  and  straight-billed  form.  Its 
head,  and  that  of  the  Little  Stint,  are  figured,  natural  size,  on  Plate  XXIV. 

(C)  Curlew-Sandpiper.     Autumn  plumage  (Immature). 

(D)  Dunlin.     Winter  plumage  (Immature). 

The  bird  in  this  figure  belongs  to  the  long  and  slightly  decurved-billed 
form.  Its  head,  and  that  of  the  Curlew- Sandpiper,  are  figured,  natural  size, 
on  Plate  XXVII. 


PURPLE    SANDPIPER.     Tringa  striata  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pi.  74  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  554  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  39. 

Every  autumn,  during  September  and  October,  the 
Purple  Sandpiper  migrates  to  our  shores,  many  remaining 
until  the  following  spring.  It  is  widely  distributed,  yet  not 
seen  in  flocks  along  our  coast-lands,  but  that  it  is  gregarious 
is  shown  by  the  fact  that  great  numbers  assemble  together 
in  other  countries,  for  instance,  in  Norway  (Collet).  Unlike 
most  small  wading-birds,  this  hardy  species  shows  a  marked 
preference  for  rocky  coasts,  often  wild  and  rugged  (Plate 
XXVIII.).  Thus  we  find  it  common  along  the  western 
shores  of  Ireland,  even  in  districts  exposed  to  the  full  force 
of  the  Atlantic  gales,  and,  according  to  several  observers, 
this  species  is  more  often  met  with  there  than  elsewhere 
in  the  British  Isles.  Adult  birds  in  nuptial  plumage  have 
been  observed,  in  the  middle  of  June,  in  many  of  the  Island- 
Groups  of  Scotland  (i.e.,  Outer  Hebrides  and  Shetlands), 
where  they  may  possibly  nest.1  In  Ireland,  the  Purple 
Sandpiper  remains  until  the  end  of  May,  and  even  into 
June.  Mr.  Ussher  mentions  birds  seen  on  May  30th, 
which,  on  examination,  proved  to  be  in  full  nuptial 
plumage,  with  reproductive  organs  in  a  ripe  condition.  I 
have  frequently  seen  this  species  in  nuptial  plumage  on 

1  Specimens  examined  from  Mingulay,  in  the  Outer  Hebrides,  by 
Mr.  Harvie-Brown  and  Col.  Feilden,  were  far  advanced  in  nuptial  garb, 
and  two  showed  bare  hatching- spots  on  the  feathers  of  the  breast 
(Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist ,  1902-3). 


PLATE   XXVII. 


//.  Brooke,  Photo.] 

Fig.  1. 

HEAD   OF   CURLEW-SANDPIPER. 

Natural  size. 
From  a  specimen  collected  and  mounted  by  the  author. 


H.  Brooke,  Photo.] 

Fig.  2. 

HEAD   OF   DUNLIN. 

Natural  size. 

Beak  long  and  slightly  decurved  like  that  of  a  Curlew-Sandpiper. 
From  a  specimen  collected  by  the  author,  and  mounted  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 


PUKPLE  SANDPIPEK  307 

the  Dublin  coast  as  late  as  the  middle  of  May.1  When 
traversing  the  seaweed-covered  rocks  at  low  water,  small 
parties  of  from  three  to  five  Purple  Sandpipers  may  often 
be  met  with.  They  are  unsuspicious  little  birds,  and  will 
admit  of  near  approach  and  close  inspection.  When  feed- 
ing, they  dart  to  and  fro,  foraging  in  the  seaweeds.  One 
or  two  may  disappear  in  a  crevice  ;  others  may  be  seen 
running  to  the  summit  of  a  boulder  with  the  nimbleness  of 
a  rat.  Their  hunger  being  satisfied,  they  remain  on  the 
rocks,  enjoying  the  drenching  spray  as  though  it  were  but 
a  salt-water  shower-bath.  I  have  observed  small  parties  of 
Purple  Sandpipers  sticking  to  their  slippery  platform  during 
a  severe  gale,  when  the  spitting  foam  of  the  angry  breakers 
fell  all  around.  Indeed,  these  birds  are  often  quite  reluc- 
tant to  quit  a  favourite  rock,  and  will  return  to  it  after 
having  been  repeatedly  frightened  away.  The  late  Mr.  E. 
Williams  has  noted  that  in  rough  weather  they  will  huddle 
close  together  on  the  top  of  a  rock,  where  they  will  remain 
quiet,  almost  motionless,  for  a  very  considerable  time. 
They  frequently  associate  with  Turnstones,  less  often  with 
Redshanks  and  Ringed  Plovers.  Even  then  they  are  none 
the  less  confiding,  and,  at  the  approach  of  an  intruder, 
seldom  accompany  their  more  wary  companions  on  the 
wing.  The  Purple  Sandpiper  may  exceptionally  be  met 
with  away  from  the  tide.  It  is  a  good  swimmer,  and  will 
cross  deep  rock-pools  of  its  own  accord.  However,  it  does 
not  appear  to  settle  down  on  the  open  sea. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  much  straighter  than  that  of 
other  small  shore-birds,  and  this  species  is  generally  to  be 
seen  flying  low  and  rapidly  from  rock  to  rock. 

Voice. — The  Purple  Sandpiper  is  a  comparatively  silent 
bird  along  our  shores.  It  utters  a  feeble  note  which  may 
be  syllabled  weet-wit  or  tec-wit. 

Food. — Small  crabs  and  shell -fish,  which  are  found 
amidst  seaweeds  growing  on  rocks,  also  sand-hoppers,  form 
the  diet,  while  in  the  nesting-season  insects  are  mainly 
eaten.  I  have  frequently  found  coarse  sand  and  pebbles, 
the  latter  measuring  5  x  4  mm.,  in  the  gizzard. 

Nest.— In  the  high  Arctic  regions,  the  Purple  Sandpiper 
has  been  observed  nesting  in  the  vicinity  of  the  sea-coast, 


1  On  May  13th,  1900,  I  saw  four  on  the  Dublin  coast,  in  transition 
plumage:  one  which  I  obtained  showed  on  dissection  that  it  was  a 
mature  bird  with  large  ova. 


308  CHARADKIID^ 

but  in  the  Faroes,  Wolley  and  Col.  Feilden  have  found 
the  breeding-haunts  on  the  Fells  (Saunders).  The  nest 
is  a  depression,  scraped  in  the  ground  amid  grass  and  such 
herbage,  and  lined  with  dry  leaves.  The  eggs  are  dull 
greenish-olive,  or  greenish-brown  and  buff,  blotched  with 
reddish-brown  and  rather  faint  purplish  markings.  Four 
constitute  the  clutch. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Purple  Sandpiper  breeds 
in  Northern  and  Arctic  Europe,  Asia,  and  America,  numbers 
resorting  to  the  Faroes  and  Iceland.  On  migration  it  visits 
the  coast-lands  of  Europe,  North  Africa,  and  North  America. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  greyish- 
brown,  thinly  striped  with  dull,  light  buff;  hind-neck,  dusky- 
brown  ;  back,  scapulars,  and  inner  secondaries,  glossy-black, 
reflecting  purplish  shades,  the  feathers  being  margined 
with  rich  buff  and  dull  white ;  rump  and  central  tail- 
feathers,  dark  brownish-black  ;  lateral  tail-feathers  (shorter 
than  the  central  pair),  ash-brown ;  primaries,  blackish ; 
outer  secondaries,  chiefly  white,  noticeable  in  flight ;  front 
of  neck,  white,  striped  with  dull  light  brown ;  rest  of  neck 
and  breast,  greyish,  marked  with  short,  dusky  streaks  ; 
abdomen,  whitish  ;  flanks,  spotted  with  brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Head  and  neck,  dull 
greyish-black ;  back,  scapulars,  and  inner  secondaries,  dark 
glossy  purplish-black,  the  feathers  being  edged  with  dull 
leaden- grey;  wing-coverts,  nearly  black,  with  dull  white 
margins ;  chin,  greyish- white ;  front  of  neck  and  breast, 
dark  grey,  with  indistinct  lighter  mottlings ;  abdomen, 
whitish  ;  flanks,  boldly  striped  with  dark  grey. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Back,  scapulars,  wings,  and 
breast,  dusky,  the  feathers  being  margined  with  dull  white. 

BEAK.  Dull  yellowish-brown  near  the  base,  darker 
towards  the  tip. 

FEET.     Dull  naples-yellow. 

IHIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...  8*75  in.     Female  larger. 

WING         5 

BEAK        ...         ...         ...  1'2     „ 

TAESO-METATABSUS        ...  1        ,, 

EGG  1'45  X  1  in. 


KNOT  309 

Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms.— The  Western 
American  species,  found  about  Behring  Sea  and  Alaska, 
is  T.  couesi,  while  T.  ptilocnemis  is  found  inhabiting  the 
Pribilof  Islands  (Saunders). 


KNOT.1 — Triuga  canutus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.— Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
65  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  555,  556  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pis.  40,  41. 

In  autumn  (as  early  as  the  first  week  in  August),  con- 
siderable numbers  of  immature  Knots  arrive  from  northern 
latitudes  on  our  shores.  Adults  appear  later,  and  by  October 
the  species  is  plentifully  distributed  along  tidal  estuaries 
and  those  parts  of  the  coast  where  large  sand-  and  ooze- 
tracts  are  prevalent.  In  winter  a  diminution  in  numbers 
is  perceptible  in  some  places,  and  except  at  midsummer 
the  Knot  is  common  over  the  greater  part  of  the  British 
coast.  Along  the  west  of  Scotland  and  in  the  Hebrides  its 
numbers  are  rather  limited. 

In  spring,  migrants  travelling  northward  touch  upon 
our  shores.  During  the  month  of  May,  birds  in  nuptial 
plumage  may  be  seen  on  the  east  coast  of  England  ;  but 
on  the  Irish  coast,  though  many  appear  in  spring,  they  are 
very  exceptionally  obtained,2  or  even  observed,  in  nuptial 
garb.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Mr.  K.  Warren  has 
observed  several  as  late  as  June  on  the  Mayo  coast,  but 
as  they  were  not  in  nuptial  plumage  it  is  more  than  prob- 
able that  they  were  immature.  The  Knot  is  essentially  a 
shore-bird  ;  in  exceptional  cases  specimens  have  been  taken 


1  It  seems  doubtful  as  to  how  the  Knot  received  its  name.  Cainden, 
as  long  ago  as  1607,  and  Drayton,  in  1622,  connected  the  name  with  that 
of  King  Canute  (the  abbreviated  form  being  Cnut),  it  being  supposed 
that  this  bird  was  a  favourite  dish  in  the  time  of  the  Royal  Dane,  or 
from  the  bird's  habit  of  treading  the  margin  of  the  water,  this  being 
connected  with  the  legend  of  Canute  placing  himself  at  the  water's 
edge  and  commanding  the  tide  not  to  advance.  The  other  and  more 
probable  origin  is  from  the  bird's  call-note,  which  resembles  the  word 
Knot,  repeatedly  uttered. 

-  Mr.  R.  R.  Leeper  writes  me  that  he  obtained  a  fine  specimen  in  full 
nuptial  plumage  in  May,  1902,  from  co.  Mayo. 


310  CHARADRIID^ 

inland.  Like  most  other  Arctic-bred  '  waders,'  the  immature 
birds,  on  their  first  arrival,  are  almost  regardless  of  man's 
presence.  They  are  very  gregarious,  and  a  gathering  of 
several  hundreds  on  the  slob-lands  is  a  most  interesting 
sight.  Viewing  them  from  a  few  yards  I  have  noted  how, 
at  one  time,  they  will  all  stand  motionless,  supporting  them- 
selves each  on  one  leg,  with  their  heads  so  sunk  between 
their  shoulders  as  to  give  them  the  appearance  of  a  number 
of  scattered  grey  stones.  I  have  observed  the  newly  arrived 
and  fatigued  birds  sleeping  in  the  bright  sunshine  of  the 
noon-day,  their  beaks  buried  in  their  soft  and  puffed-out 
feathers.  Drawing  closer  I  have  so  disturbed  their  slumbers 
that  numbers  have  hopped  away  from  me  (each  on  one  leg) 
preparatory  to  taking  flight.  Suddenly  they  rise,  and 
winging  their  way,  appear  to  go  off,  but  not  so  ;  they  circle 
round  and  return  to  the  self-same  spot,  and  having  alighted 
commence  to  feed  actively  on  the  slimy  ooze.  It  is  well- 
known  that  immature  Knots,  even  when  repeatedly  shot  at, 
will  return  to  the  ground  from  which  they  have  been  driven, 
a  fact  that  the  greedy  and  heartless  shore-shooter  only  too 
readily  avails  himself  of,  when  indulging  in  the  wholesale 
slaughter  of  these  innocent  shore-birds. 

At  high  water  they  collect  into  great  compact  masses 
and  rest  on  sand-banks  or  patches  of  grass,  uncovered  by 
the  tide.  Oyster-catchers,  Ringed  Plovers,  and  other 
'  waders  '  frequently  accompany  them.  From  Dunlins,  San- 
derlings,  and  other  small  grey  shore-birds,  they  may  be  dis- 
tinguished by  their  larger  size :  the  Redshank  has  much 
longer  legs  and  feet. 

Flight. — The  Knot  exhibits  great  power  and  velocity  on 
the  wing.  Its  long,  pointed  pinions  are  admirably  adapted 
for  the  immense  distances  covered  on  migration.  The 
'  swishing '  or  '  rushing '  sound  of  several  hundred  wings 
as  the  birds  pass  overhead  is  as  audible  at  eighty  yards 
distance  as  the  hissing  of  steam  escaping  from  a  loco- 
motive. Beautiful  aerial  evolutions,  comparable  to  those 
performed  by  the  Dunlin,  may  be  witnessed,  especially  in 
the  spring,  when  the  birds  are  massing  together  preparatory 
to  moving  northward. 

Food. — The  food,  sought  for  by  day  as  well  as  by  night, 
consists  largely  of  small  shell-fish,  especially  gasteropods 
with  pointed  spiral  shells  ;  these  I  have  found  in  abundance 
in  several  stomachs  examined.  Some  of  the  shells  measured 
6  mm.  in  length.  Worms,  insects,  and  seaweeds,  are  also 


H     3 
O    ^ 


KNOT  311 

eaten.      In    summer    this   species   has  been  found  feeding 
on  Saxifraga  oppositifolia  (Col.  Feilden). 

Though  often  sluggish  on  foot,  yet  when  searching  for 
food  the  Knot  displays  as  great  activity  as  many  other 
wading-birds.  Large  nocks  usually  gather  along  the  edge 
of  the  ebbing  tide  where  the  birds  may  be  seen  running 
to  and  fro  in  search  of  food,  some  members  of  the  flock, 
now  and  again,  taking  short  flights  along  the  strand. 
Concerning  the  habits  when  feeding  the  late  Mr.  E. 
Williams  writes  :— "  I  observed  a  very  tame  immature 
Knot  on  August  12th,  1900,  on  the  Dublin  coast.  I  crept 
so  near  it  that  I  could  plainly  see  its  buff-coloured  breast 
and  upper  feathers  edged  with  golden-yellow.  The  bird, 
which  was  alone,  was  exceedingly  active,  advancing  and 
retreating  as  the  wavelets  broke  on  the  silvery  beach. 
Sometimes  it  hurried  into  the  water,  wading  up  to  its 
breast,  quickly  darting  back  again  to  the  beach  to  catch  flies 
which  swarmed  on  the  decaying  seaweed.  I  was  surprised 
at  the  activity  of  the  bird  on  foot." 

Voice.— A  soft  and  rather  muffled  grunt,  sounding  like 
the  syllables  kmct  or  knot,  may  be  heard  in  autumn  and 
winter,  both  when  the  birds  are  on  the  wing  and  when 
feeding  on  the  beach. 

Nest. — Until  recently  little  was  known  about  the  nest 
and  eggs  of  the  Knot.  Its  breeding-haunts,  in  the  far  north 
of  Greenland  and  Arctic  America,  have  been  reached  by 
several  explorers,  but  from  these  countries  specimens  of  the 
eggs  do  not  appear  to  have  been  secured.  "  The  earlier 
explorers,"  says  Mr.  Saunders,  "  found  birds  on  Melville 
Peninsula,  and  abundantly  on  Melville  Island,  one  of  the 
North  Georgian  or  Parry  group ;  but  no  eggs  are  known  to 
have  been  brought  back.  On  July  30th,  1876,  Col.  Feilden, 
naturalist  to  H.M.8.  '  Alert,'  obtained  a  male  and  three 
nestlings  near  a  small  lake  on  Grinnell  Land  in  lat. 
82°  83'  N.,  while  Mr.  Chichester  Hart,  naturalist  to  H.M.S. 
'  Discovery,'  had  captured  a  brood  of  four  in  lat.  81°  44'  on 
the  llth,  and  three  more  were  taken  next  day :  a  beautiful 
group  of  the  old  and  young  being  in  the  British  Museum. 
A  bird  obtained  by  Gen.  Greely  near  Discovery  Harbour 
contained  a  hard- shelled  egg  ;  the  Peary  Expedition  of  1892 
found  the  species  evidently  breeding  ;  and  a  female  "  with 
full-sized  yolks "  was  shot  at  Point  Barrow,  Alaska,  on 
July  llth." 

In  the  Taimyr  Peninsula,  Walter  found  the  Knot  "  by  no 


312  CHAKADKIID.E 

means  a  rare  breeding-bird  in  the  district.     From  the 

9  June, 

its  loud  whistle  was  to  be  heard  and  its  pretty  nuptial  flight 
observed.  It  executed,  now  with  a  trembling  motion  of  the 
wings,  now  with  motionless  wings  gliding  high  in  the  air, 
wide  circles,  continually  uttering  its  varied  whistle.  On 
the  9/22  June,  the  17/30  June,  and  g^°ye  nests,  each  con- 
taining a  single  fresh  egg,  were  taken  (we  were  compelled  by 
circumstances  to  satisfy  ourselves  with  incomplete  clutches), 

and  on  the  j  .  •  a  nest  was  found  with  three  slightly  incu- 
bated eggs.  The  eggs  vary  greatly  in  form,  size  and  colora- 
tion. The  nests  were  placed  in  grassy  places  on  the  Tundra, 
and  consisted  of  a  shallow  depression  lined  with  a  few  dry 
grass-bents  and  a  white  tangle.  At  the  end  of  June  and  in 
the  middle  of  July  we  secured  three  lots  each  of  four  young 
in  down.  The  nests  were  all  found  by  accident,  for  the  incu- 
bating male  or  female  did  not  leave  the  nest  until  almost 
trodden  on,  when  they  puffed  out  their  feathers  until  they 
appeared  almost  double  their  normal  size.  They  practised 
the  usual  wiles  to  get  the  intruder  away,  and  one  female 
even  let  herself  be  caught  by  a  dog.  The  male  was  always 
most  careful  of  the  young,  whereas  the  female,  when  in  the 
vicinity,  has  the  appearance  of  an  uninterested  spectator. 
Of  this  species  also,  during  the  breeding-season,  small  flocks 
wandered  about.  They  joined  the  young  birds  later  on  and 
formed  large  flocks,  which  remained  until  late  in  the 
autumn."  The  description  of  one  fresh  egg  was  "  slightly 
defined  pyriform,  fine  in  grain,  slightly  glossy.  Ground- 
colour pale  clay,  marked  with  some  large  and  a  few  small 
dirty-brown  spots  and  a  few  small  washed-out  pale  violet- 
grey  spots."  Measurements,  44'5  X  30'5  mm. 

Another  egg  of  a  different  clutch,  also  fresh,  was 
"  slightly  defined  pyriform.  Ground-colour  pale  yellowish- 
white  with  a  greenish  tinge,  sparingly  marked  with  tolerably 
large  and  smaller  dirty-brown  to  blackish-brown  and  washed- 
out  pale  violet-grey  spots,  which  are  closer  together  at  the 
blunt  end."  Measurements.  49'8  X  33'8  mm.  Another 
egg  of  another  clutch,  also  fresh,  was  marked  similarly  to 
last  but  smaller  in  size,  viz.,  42'2  X  31'6  mm.  The  clutch 
of  three  slightly  incubated  eggs  were  "  of  the  usual  oviform 
shape.  Ground-colour  pale  green,  closely  marked  with 
small  yellowish-brown  to  blackish- brown  spots,  which  are 
chiefly  drawn  on  the  long  axis  of  the  egg,  and  are  collected 


KNOT  318 

€loser,  and  to  some  extent  confluent,  at  the  blunt  end. 
Measurements,  42'3  x  29'1  mm.,  41'7  x  29*2  mm., 
44-3  x  29'7  mm. 

(H.  E.  Dresser,  '  Ibis,'  1904,  pp.  232-233,  from  translated 
notes  of  Walter's  paper  on  "  Ornithologische  Beobachtungen 
an  der  westlichen  Taimyrhalbinsel,  vom  September,  1900 
bis  August,  1901,"  published  in  the  '  Annuaire  du  Musee 
Zool.  de  1'Acad.  Imp.  des  Sciences  de  St.  Petersbourg.') 

Geographical  distribution. — On  migration  the  Knot  is 
widely  distributed  and  undertakes  tremendously  long  aerial 
voyages.  On  the  Atlantic  shores  of  Europe  and  America  it 
is  abundant,  while  hundreds  cross  the  Equator-line  by  way 
of  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  and  others  find  their  way  to 
Central  America  and  the  West  Indies.  Smaller  numbers 
take  a  more  south-easterly  line  of  flight,  visiting  China, 
Japan,  Australia,  and  New  Zealand. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  hind- 
neck,  reddish-brown  with  blackish  streaks  ;  back,  scapulars, 
and  inner  secondaries,  blackish,  the  feathers  being  spotted  and 
barred  with  rich  buff,  and  edged  with  dull  white ;  wing-coverts, 
brownish ;  outer  secondaries,  brownish  with  white  margins 
on  outer  web  ;  primaries,  greyish-black  ;  rump  and  upper  tail- 
coverts,  whitish,  barred  and  chequered  with  brownish-black  ; 
tail,  brown  ;  cheeks,  throat,  neck,  and  breast,  warm  chestnut ; 
abdomen,  chestnut;  flanks  and  under  tail-coverts,  whitish, 
with  dark  brownish-black  markings ;  axillaries,  white,  freckled 
with  black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
but  the  chestnut  shading  is  less  developed,  and  the  axillaries 
are  regularly  barred  with  black. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  back, 
hind-neck,  and  most  of  the  wing-feathers,  light  ash-grey ; 
tail,  light  ash-grey;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts,  white, 
variegated  with  black  ;  primaries,  greyish -black  ;  cheeks, 
throat,  front  of  neck,  upper  breast,  and  flanks,  streaked  and 
spotted  with  dark  greyish-brown ;  lower  breast,  abdomen, 
and  under  tail-coverts,  white,  the  latter  showing  thin  hair- 
like  lines  of  black  ;  chin,  whitish  ;  eye-stripe,  greyish-white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  hind-neck, 
back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  ash-grey,  the  feathers  being 
edged  with  blackish  and  buff;  breast  and  abdomen,  suffused 


CHARADRIID.E 

with  light  yellow-buff ;  throat  and  front  of  the  neck  also 
show  a  buff  ground-colour,  streaked  with  greyish-brown  ; 
chin,  whitish  ;  tail  and  primaries  resemble  those  of  the 
adult. 

BEAK.     Black  ;  straight. 

FEET.     Dull  olive-green. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 10   in. 

WING    v.    ...    6'5   ,, 

BEAK    1'25  „ 

TAKSOMETATABSUS         ...         ...       1'25    ,, 

EGG  1-75  x  1-2  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — T.  crassi- 
rostris,  which  has  a  black  breast  and  abdomen  in  the  nuptial 
plumage,  is  the  Eastern  representative  and  is  found  in 
Arctic  Siberia ;  this  bird  migrates  across  the  Asiatic  Conti- 
nent to  India  and  other  parts  of  Southern  Asia  in  winter, 
where  it  meets  our  own  species. 

Note. — I  have  known  several  Knots  to  live  very  well  in 
captivity  in  company  with  other  shore-birds.  They  can 
accustom  themselves  to  eat  chopped  meat,  softened  grain 
and  morsels  of  vegetable  matter. 


SANDERLING.     Calidris  arenaria  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pi.  66;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  559, 
560  ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  42. 

This  pretty  little  shore-bird  is  tolerably  common  on  our 
sandy  coasts,  being  absent  only  for  a  short  time  in  summer 
during  the  breeding-season.  The  migratory  move  begins 
early  in  August,1  or  even  at  the  latter  end  of  July,  but  the 

1  As  early  as  August  5th,  I  have  seen  for  many  successive  seasons, 
flocks  of  Sanderlings  on  the  Dublin  coast,  numbering  upwards  of  one 
hundred  birds.  Many  which  I  examined  in  the  flesh,  were  mature, 
though  it  is  not  likely  that  they  had  returned  from  breeding.  These 


HANDSELING  315 

majority  of  birds  do  not  reach  us  until  a  few  weeks  later. 
The  Sanderling  is  fairly  plentiful  in  suitable  localities  in 
September  and  October,  the  flocks  consisting  chiefly  of 
immature  birds.  In  midwinter  a  general  decrease  in 
numbers  on  our  shores  is  apparent,  but  even  then  this 
species  is  far  from  being  uncommon.  During  spring  1  the 
numbers  are  again  increased  by  the  influx  of  migrants  from 
more  southern  countries,  many  of  which  appear  in  full 
nuptial  plumage  on  the  Irish,  as  well  as  on  the  English 
coast. 

Firm,  clean  stretches  of  sand,2  uncovered  by  sea\veed, 
are  the  chief  resorts  of  this  species  (Plate  XXX.).  In  this 
respect  it  differs  markedly  from  the  Dunlin,  Knot,  Redshank, 
and  other  wading-birds,  which  are  equally  partial  to  the 
soft,  slimy,  ooze-covered  tracts  in  proximity  to  our  tidal 
estuaries.  Only  in  exceptional  cases  are  the  shores  of 
inland  lakes  and  rivers  frequented. 

Flocks  of  Sanderlings  in  full  winter  plumage3,  feeding  on 
the  strand,  afford  an  interesting  and  attractive  sight.  They 
run  nimbly  to  and  fro,  moving  like  little  white  dots  over 
the  sombre,  grey  sands.  In  storm  or  calm  they  are  alike  in 
activity.  Away  they  go,  pattering  over  the  sands,  until  the 


early  '  non-breeders,'  which  always  preceded  the  advent  of  the  immature 
birds,  quitted  the  strand  after  "resting  a  few  days.  Mr.  A.  Williams 
writes  me  that  on  several  different  occasions  during  the  month  of  July 
of  the  present  year,  he  observed  Sanderlings  on  the  Dublin  coast,  some 
of  the  flocks  numbering  up  to  fifty  birds.  On  August  llth,  1906,  at 
12.30  p.m.,  I  observed  a  Sanderling  fly  round  and  finally  alight  on  the 
s.s.  "  Southwark  "  on  which  I  was  a  passenger.  I  was  able  to  approach 
within  two  yards  of  the  bird,  though  I  was  unsuccessful  in  capturing  it. 
It  was  an  adult  in  nuptial  plumage,  and  judging  from  its  flight  it  was 
fairly  exhausted.  It  left  the  vessel  and  I  did  not  see  it  again.  When 
it  first  appeared  we  were  490  miles  from  Liverpool,  outward  bound  for 
Montreal;  lat.  56°  20"  N.,  long.  18°  W.,  North  Atlantic. 

1  Though  less  plentiful  in  some  districts  in  spring  than  in  autumn, 
yet  on  many  parts  of  the  Irish  coast  I  have  seen  larger  numbers  in  May 
than  in  September. 

2  On  the   western    shores    of    Ireland,    where    there   are    immense 
stretches  of  sand,   this  species  is  more  plentiful  than   on   the  eastern 
(Ussher). 

3  In  this  species  the  winter  plumage  is  often  assumed  as  early  as 
September,  and  retained  until  June.     I  have  examined  Sanderlings  shot 
on  the  east  coast  of  Ireland  on  September  loth  and  24th,  in  full  winter 
plumage.     On  the  coast  of  Yorkshire  I  have  seen  Sanderlings  still  in 
winter  plumage,  as  late  as  June  1st,  while  in  the  same  flocks  were  birds 
in  summer  and  transition  dress. 


316 

wind  catching  them  sideways  blows  them  along  the  beach, 
often  knocking  them  head  over  heels,  and  even  whirling 
them  on  to  the  fringe  of  the  breakers.  Then,  only,  do  they 
fly  away  to  seek  shelter  in  calmer  quarters.  Although 
frequently  seen  by  themselves,  these  birds  are  sociable,  and 
will  hunt  for  food  over  acres  of  beach,  in  the  company  of 
other  '  waders,'  especially  Ringed  Plovers  and  Turnstones. 
From  the  latter  two  species  the  Sanderling  is  easily  distin- 
guished by  the  light  '  pearl '  or  '  french '  grey  colour  of  its 
back  and  wings,  which  no  other  small  '  wader,'  save  the 
Grey  Phalarope  exhibits.  The  reddish-brown  nuptial  dress 
is  much  less  noticeable,  and  during  the  spring  and  summer 
months  a  Sanderling  might  easily  be  mistaken  on  the  shore 
for  a  Dunlin ;  the  black  breast  of  the  latter  is,  however,  a 
most  distinguishing  mark.  Small  parties  of  Sanderlings, 
numbering  from  four  to  eight,  frequently  associate  with 
more  than  double  the  number  of  Einged  Plovers  and 
Turnstones.1  It  is  easy  to  pick  out  the  Sanderlings  apart 
from  the  distinction  of  their  characteristic  plumage ;  they 
run  much  faster  and  are  altogether  more  active. 

It  is  most  interesting  to  watch  the  little  creatures  lightly 
tripping  along  the  water's  edge,  some  halting  to  indulge  in 
the  luxury  of  a  splashing  and  hurried  bath,  others  racing 
into  the  water  and  out  again,  with  all  speed,  to  escape  a 
drenching  from  the  breaking  waves.  One  or  two  drop  out 
of  the  ranks  in  order  to  secure  a  shrimp  or  worm.  Away 
they  race  after  their  companions  for  fully  thirty  yards 
without  stopping,  as  if  suddenly  propelled  by  clockwork, 
and  now  having  joined  company,  the  merry  party  move 
rapidly  onward  until  they  can  be  discerned  in  the  distance 
only  as  tiny  moving  specks. 

Immature  birds  are  very  tame  in  autumn ;  indeed 
throughout  winter  and  spring,  unless  persistently  molested, 
they  are  not  particularly  wary.2  Dense  flocks  are  not 
common  :  even  when  numbers  are  quietly  resting  on  the 
dry  shingle,  during  high  water,  they  are  generally  scattered 
fairly  wide  apart. 

Flight. — This  species  is  swift  and  strong  on  the  wing ; 


J  A  common  sight  in  winter  is  about  forty  Kinged-Plovers,  a  dozen  or 
more  Turnstones  and  about  lialf  a  dozen  Sanderlings  feeding  together 
on  the  strand. 

2  Most  of  the  birds  which  remain  on  our  coasts  during  winter  are 
immature. 


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SANDERLING  317 

the  flight  is  comparatively  straight,  so  that  a  passing  flock 
will  not  display  the  same  fantastic  aerial  patterns  as  are 
exhibited  by  many  other  shore-birds,  notably  by  Dunlins. 
In  winter  the  Sanderling  is  easily  recognised  on  the  wing 
by  the  general  white  colour,  not  only  of  its  under,  but  also 
of  its  upper  parts.  Hence,  in  sunshine,  a  flock  displays 
a  constant  brilliant  or  glittering  appearance  in  the  air  as 
long  as  the  birds  are  visible,  differing  from  Dunlins,  which 
seem  almost  to  disappear  for  an  instant  when  they  turn 
their  darker  backs. 

Voice. — When  unsuspicious  of  danger,  the  Sanderling 
is  a  rather  silent  little  bird.  In  spring  I  have  heard  a  gentle 
twitter  going  on  at  intervals  among  the  feeding  flocks. 
When  alarmed  a  single  sharp  and  shrill  note  is  uttered 
which  sounds  like  wick,  or  sicink,  swink.  It  may  be  com- 
pared to  a  somewhat  subdued  alarm-note  of  a  Chaffinch. 


FIG.  44.-LEFT   FOOT   OF   SANDERLING.     Nat,  size. 

Food. — In  autumn,  winter,  and  spring,  the  food  consists 
of  minute  shrimps,  shell-fish,  and  worms.  In  the  gizzards 
of  several  birds  I  found  sand  coarser  than  that  usually 
swallowed  by  the  Dunlin.  Many  minute  bivalved  shell-fish, 
unbroken,  and  measuring  4  mm.  in  their  greatest  diameter, 
were  also  present.  I  have  also  detected  quantities  of 
sand-hoppers  and  nothing  else  ;  and  in  other  gizzards  the 
remains  of  small  black-beetles  in  a  fine  state  of  division. 

At  its  breeding-grounds  this  species  has  been  found 
feeding  largely  on  Saxifraga  oppositifolia  (Col.  Feilden). 


318  CHARADKim/E 

An  adult  Sander! ing  which  I  presented  to  the  Dublin 
Zoological  Gardens  soon  became  very  tame  and  grew  fat 
on  softened  bread,  minute  seeds,  and  chopped  meat.  It 
enjoyed  the  society  of  a  Knot  and  a  couple  of  Turnstones, 
which  occupied  the  same  aviary.  After  feeding  it  would 
stand  with  one  leg  gathered  up  among  the  breast-feathers. 
It  often  remained  an  hour  in  this  attitude,  and  when  dis- 
turbed would  at  first  lazily  hop  about  on  one  leg  as,  if  lame, 
a  common  habit  of  many  wading-birds. 

It  did  not  assume  its  full  winter-plumage  until  early 
in  February,  and  retained  it  until  the  middle  of  May.  It 
was  deposited  in  the  aviary  on  August  7th,  1900,  its 
plumage  then  being  in  a  transition  stage  from  nuptial  to 
winter ;  it  was  accidentally  killed  on  July  2nd,  1901,  having 
half  moulted  into  nuptial  dress. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  a  depression,  usually  scraped  in  the 
barren  soil  of  the  high  Arctic  regions.  The  eggs,  four  in 
number,  are  olivaceous  in  ground-colour,  blotched  and 
spotted  with  various  shades  of  brown. 

Dr.  Walter  observed  that  the  Sanderlmg  appeared  on  the 

Taimyr  Peninsula  "  about   the  ^j^~  and  in    the  middle 

of  June  one  could  observe  its  breeding-evolutions.  The 
male  rises  with  quivering  wings  about  ten  feet  above  the 
ground,  at  the  same  time  uttering  a  harsh  note,  trrr- 
trrr-trrr,  and  then  descends.  The  nests,  found  late  in 
June  and  early  July,  contained  four  eggs  each  in  three 
cases,  and  three  eggs  in  one  case.  The  nest  was  placed, 
unlike  that  of  the  other  waders,  which  affected  the  grass- 
covered  portions  of  the  Tundra,  between  bare  clay  lumps 
on  moss,  and  consisted  of  a  shallow  depression  lined  with 
a  few  dry  straws  and  a  white  tangle.  In  two  cases  the 
male,  and  in  two  the  female,  was  incubating.  On  the 
16/29  July,  when  the  young  in  down  were  taken,  the  male 
showed  anxiety,  but  the  female  was  not  seen.  During  the 
breeding-season  some  of  these  birds  wandered  about  in 
small  flocks.  This  species  remained  until  the  end  of 
August." 

The  eggs  were  "Blunt  pyriform,  fine-grained,  with  a 
faint  gloss.  Ground-colour,  pale  yellowish-white,  with  a 
very  pale  greenish  tinge,  and  somewhat  marked  with  small 
yellowish-brown  and  dark  brown  spots  ;  a  few  indistinct 
light  violet-grey  markings ;  at  the  larger  end  a  few  blackish 
dots  and  streaks."  Average  measurement  ranged  from  33'1 
by  24'4  mm.  to  3S'2  by  24'7  mm. 


SANDEKLING  319 

(H.  E.  Dresser,  '  Ibis,'  1904,  pp.  229-230,  from  translated 
notes  of  Walter's  paper  on  "  Ornithologische  Beobachtungen 
an  der  westlichen  Taimyrhalbinsel,  vom  September,  1900 
bis  August,  1901,"  published  in  the  '  Annuaire  du  Musee 
Zool.  de  1'Acad.  Imp.  des  Sciences  de  St.  Petersbourg.') 

Geographical  distribution.  -  -  The  Sanderling  has  also 
been  found  nesting,  and  the  eggs  have  been  obtained  by 
several  travellers  on  many  of  the  Island-Groups  in  the  far 
north  of  Arctic  America,  Asia,  and  Europe  ;  in  fact  it  has 
almost  a  circumpolar  distribution  in  summer.  It  appears 
to  have  bred  in  some  districts  of  Iceland  as  well  as  in 
Greenland.  On  migration  in  autumn,  it  is  widely  distributed 
over  the  coast-lands  of  Temperate  Europe,  Asia,  and  America ; 
while  as  the  season  advances  towards  winter,  hundreds 
journey  to  the  Southern  Hemisphere,  ultimately  finding 
suitable  quarters  in  Southern  Asia,  Africa,  and  America, 
as  well  as  in  Australia  and  many  of  the  Island-Groups  in 
the  Southern  Pacific  and  Atlantic  Oceans.1  Like  the  Knot 
no  doubt  this  bird  undertakes  vast  journeys  on  the  wing 
in  spring  and  autumn.  It  probably  breeds  in  great  numbers 
in  Polar  regions  hitherto  unexplored  by  man. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back, 
scapulars,  inner  secondaries,  and  wing-coverts,  variegated 
with  black,2  warm  chestnut,3  and  grey ;  rest  of  head,  neck, 
and  upper  breast,  of  similar  shades,  but  the  dark  markings 
are  in  the  form  of  spots,  exhibiting  a  finely  freckled  appear- 
ance ;  primaries,  dull  brown,  the  shorter  ones  showing  some 
white  near  their  bases ;  secondaries,  brownish,  marked  with 
a  considerable  amount  of  white  ;  tail,  light  ash-grey,  except 
the  central  feathers,  which  are  blackish  ;  central  upper  tail- 


1  Yet  many  remain  in  latitudes  even  north  of  Great  Britain  during 
winter. 

2  I  have  shot  adult  Sanderlings  in  early  August,  in  which  the  rich 
chestnut  shade   had   disappeared    to    such    an   extent,    that  the   back 
exhibited  almost  a  uniform  black  colour. 

3  I  have  shot  and  examined  Sanderlings  in  spring,  in  full   nuptial 
plumage,  in  which  the  chestnut  shade  predominated  so  much  that  the 
back,  head,  and  breast,  displayed  chiefly  a  rich  brick-red  colour ;  other 
specimens  (usually  females)  obtained  at  the  same  time  of  year  also  in 
full  nuptial  garb,  displayed  a  predominance  of  grey  and  black,  the  chest- 
nut colour  being  much  subdued. 


820  CHAKADKI1D./E 

coverts,  variegated  like  those  of  the  back ;  lateral  ones, 
white  ;  lower  breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  pure 
white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
except  that  the  rufous  shading  is  duller,  the  fore-neck  being 
marked  with  blackish  streaks. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female} — Top  of  head  and  hind- 
neck,  light  bluish-grey  finely  pencilled  with  black  lines  ; 
back,  scapulars,  and  inner  secondaries,  light  bluish-grey, 
with  indistinct  darker  streaks ;  wing-coverts,  barred  with 
black  and  white  ;  primaries,  blackish,  the  shorter  ones  show- 
ing white  near  their  bases  ;  secondaries,  chiefly  white  ;  tail, 
greyish-white,  the  central  feathers  darker ;  forehead,  cheeks, 
throat,  rest  of  neck,  breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts, 
pure  white ;  there  is  also  an  indistinct  white  line  over  the 
eye,  and  there  are  a  few  grey  feathers  along  the  sides  of 
the  breast ;  birds  in  their  first  year's  winter  dress  are  some- 
what darker  in  shade  in  the  upper  parts  and  the  inner 
secondaries  are  variegated  with  black  and  white,  and  are 
shorter  in  length. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  hind-neck, 
back,  scapulars,  and  inner  secondaries,  variegated  with  black 
and  whitish-buff ;  wing-coverts,  greyish,  barred  with  white, 
and  spotted  with  black  ;  cheeks,  throat,  breast,  abdomen, 
and  under  tail-coverts,  white ;  the  breast  and  cheeks  being 
washed  with  pale  yellow-buff;  over  the  eye  is  an  indistinct 
whitish  stripe ;  tail  and  primaries  resemble  those  of  the 
adult. 

BEAK.  Blackish ;  straight,  and  varying  but  little  in 
length. 

FEET.     Black  ;  hind-toe  absent,  a  noticeable  feature. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...    ...    ...   8  in. 

WING    4-7  „ 

BEAK    ...  ...   1 

TABSO-  METATARSUS  1 

EGG  1*4  x  1  in. 

1  I  have  specimens  in  my  collection  in  almost  full  winter-plumage 
shot  in  the  month  of  August. 


BUFF  321 

RUFF.     Machetes  pugnax  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
61 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  557,  558  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pis.  53,  54. 

As  a  British  bird  this  remarkable  species  is  much  rarer 
than  it  was  some  fifty  years  ago.  It  formerly  bred  about 
the  fen-districts  of  England  in  considerable  numbers,  and 
was  captured  and  fattened  for  table-use.  Collectors  have 
greatly  reduced  the  numbers  by  systematically  destroying 
the  breeding-birds,  while  drainage  of  the  swampy  districts 
so  much  resorted  to,  has  resulted  in  further  diminution  in 
numbers.  The  Buff  is  better  known  at  the  present  day  as 
a  passing  migrant,  more  abundant  in  autumn  than  in  spring. 
Not  a  few  birds  have  been  obtained  in  late  autumn, 
and  even  in  midwinter.1  It  is  much  rarer  along  the 
west  side  of  Great  Britain  (including  Wales)  than  on  the 
east  coast,  albeit  single  birds  have  been  obtained  from 
time  to  time  in  the  Outer  Hebrides  (Harvie-Brown),  as 
well  as  along  the  western  shores  and  islands  of  Ireland. 
I  have  several  autumnal  records,  from  the  Dublin  coasts, 
which  go  to  show  that  this  species  is  a  more  regular  visi- 
tant to  that  locality  than  was  formerly  supposed  ('  Irish 
Naturalist,'  vols.  viii.  and  ix.). 

Though  generally  scarce  in  Ireland,  yet  this  bird  has 
been  recorded  from  at  least  eighteen  counties,  having  been 
taken  inland  as  well  as  on  the  coast  (Ussher). 

The  majority  which  visit  us  in  autumn  are  chiefly 
immature,  occurring  in  pairs,  and  frequenting  low-lying 
coast-lands.  The  late  Mr.  E.  Williams,  who  obtained  a 
pair  of  Kuffs  on  August  28th,  1898,  on  the  Dublin  coast, 
noted  their  superficial  resemblance,  when  flying,  to  Bar- 
tailed  Godwits,  the  latter  often  going  in  pairs  when  they 
first  migrate  to  our  shores. 

As  a  vernal  migrant  in  nuptial  plumage,  the  Kuff  is 
now  very  seldom  seen  in  our  Isles. 

It   is  not  altogether  a   bird  of   the  coast.     Away  from 


i  On  October  llth,  1889,  I  received  from  Mr.  F.  H.  Walker  a  fine 
male  specimen  (immature),  obtained  on  the  Dublin  coast.  The  bird, 
now  in  my  collection,  is  of  particular  interest,  as  it  is  in  full  winter- 
plumage. 

Mr.  K.  M.  Barrington  has  kindly  shown  me  a  Kuff  in  his  collection, 
which  was  obtained  in  the  Cork  markets  in  February,  1896. 

21 


322  CHARADRIID.E 

the  tide  it  is  partial  to  swamps  and  bog-land  frequented  by 
Snipe  and  other  game-birds ;  moreover,  it  has  been  re- 
peatedly observed  on  moor  and  hill,  and  has  several  times 
fallen  to  the  gun  of  the  grouse-shooter. 

It  is  a  rather  conservative  bird,  associating  principally 
with  its  own  kind,  though  at  times  it  accompanies  other 
'  waders  '  on  the  sea-shore. 

Flight. — The  Ruff  usually  flies  low  and  swiftly,  but  like 
other  shore-birds  it  may  be  seen  ascending  to  a  considerable 
height. 

Food. — -The  food  consists  largely  of  insects,  worms,  and 
vegetable  matter.  I  have  generally  found  fine  gravel 
present  in  the  gizzard.  Dr.  Scharff  detected  bits  of  the 
shells  of  sea-snails,  vegetable  substance  like  marine  sea- 
weed, minute  seeds  of  plants,  and  the  bristles  (seta)  of 
marine  worms,  in  the  stomachs  of  several  Ruffs  which  he 
kindly  examined  for  me.  Gravel  (the  largest  pebbles  of 
which  measured  4  mm.,  the  average  being  2  mm.),  and 
sand  were  also  present.  Buffs  in  captivity  have  been 
fattened  on  boiled  wheat  or  bread  and  milk  (Saunders). 

It  is  considered  a  very  edible  bird.  It  may  be  more 
palatable  than  some  shore-birds,  but  judging  from  the 
immature  specimens  which  I  have  tasted,  I  must  confess 
that  I  should  prefer  to  eat  bird-flesh  with  a  less  pro- 
nounced flavour  of  brine  and  fish. 

Voice. — In  the  breeding-season,  a  low  croak  may  be 
heard,  uttered  as  the  birds  pass  back  and  forwards  to  their 
nesting-grounds. 

In  autumn  the  immature  birds  utter  a  rather  feeble 
tu-whit,  tu-whit. 

Nest. — At  the  onset  of  the  nesting-season,  the  male 
ardently  courts  the  female,  prostrating  himself  before  her 
with  lowered  head  and  quivering  plumes,  and  apparently 
in  a  state  of  intense  excitement  and  amour.  With  his  own 
sex  he  is  notoriously  pugnacious,  fighting  seemingly  as 
furiously  as  a  game-cock,  yet  the  combatants  seldom  injure 
each  other  seriously.  Polygamous  by  nature,  he  tries  to 
gain  the  possession  of  several  females,  which,  when  incu- 
bation has  commenced,  he  completely  deserts.  In  fact,  the 
females  alone  appear  to  construct  their  simple  nests  in  tufts 
of  grass,  in  low-lying  and  swampy  situations.  The  eggs, 
four  in  number,  are  olive,  shading  to  greyish-buff,  spotted 
and  blotched  with  reddish-brown.  Incubation  begins  about 
the  end  of  May.  All  the  time  that  the  female  is  hatching 


•3  .-SI-2" 


BUFF  323 

and  rearing  her  brood  her  spouse  is  leading  a  bachelor  life 
with  other  males  of  his  own  species,  with  which,  on  the 
least  provocation,  he  spars  furiously. 

Formerly  the  Ruff  bred  in  Somerset,  Cambridgeshire, 
Huntingdonshire,  Norfolk,  Lincoln,  and  Lancashire.  Re- 
cently, viz.,  June  28th,  1889,  two  nests  with  eggs  were 
found  in  Norfolk  (Gurney,  '  Zoologist,'  1889) ;  while  in  1897 
a  nest  was  found  near  Hoveton  Broad,  by  Mr.  Marchant 
(Harting).  Norfolk  and  Lincolnshire  appear  to  have  been 
the  headquarters  of  this  species  ;  in  the  latter  county  Mr. 
Gurney  gives  the  following  calculation  of  the  number  of 
nests  recorded  during  the  past  forty  years  : — 1858,  about 
fourteen;  1868,  about  five;  1878,  about  two;  1888,  about 
one  ;  1898,  no  nests  (A.  Patterson,  '  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  103). 
At  the  present  day  it  is  a  rare  breeding-species  in  England. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Ruff  breeds  as 
far  south  as  the  North  of  France,  also  in  Belgium,  Germany, 
and  Holland.  In  Northern  Europe  it  finds  suitable  nesting- 
haunts  in  Scandinavia  and  Russia,  while  eastward  it  can  be 
traced  through  Northern  Siberia.  On  migration  it  visits 
the  European,  Asiatic,  and  African  Continents,  travelling 
southward  to  Cape  Colony,  India,  China,  and  Japan. 
Stragglers  have  been  taken  in  North  America. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS.1 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — About  the  end  of  April 
or  the  beginning  of  May  the  male  assumes  his  remark- 
able 'ruff'  or  'neck-frill,'  together  with  a  tuft  of  wavy 
feathers,  which  spring  from  the  back  of  the  head.  This 
plumage  is  retained  until  about  the  end  of  June.  It  is 
altogether  peculiar  to  the  adult  male  bird.  It  is  interesting 
to  note  that  the  '  ruff'  varies  considerably  in  colour,  the  chief 
types  being : — black,  barred  with  white ;  rich  reddish- 
brown,  variegated  with  black  ;  white,  interspersed  with 
black  feathers.  The  reddish-brown  'ruff'  appears  to  be 
the  most  usual  colour,  the  pure  white  the  rarest  (Payne- 
Gallwey).  I  have  in  my  collection  a  specimen  with  light 
cinnamon-coloured  head  and  tufts,  while  the  '  frill  '  is 

1  The  difference  in  size  in  the  sexes  is  so  marked  in  this  species  that 
it  may  be  also  well  to  include  the  relative  weights  as  follows  : — 

Male 6  oz.         Extreme  (heavy)        ...     10  oz. 

Female  4   „  „         (light)         ...       3  „ 


324 

chiefly  white  with  a  few  yellow  feathers  interspersed  (Plate 
XXXIII.  B.)  I  have  another  with  glossy  greenish-black 
head-tufts  and  a  black  and  white  'ruff'  (Plate  XXXIII.  A). 
In  birds  in  which  black  predominates  there  is  generally 
more  gloss  about  the  plumage.  As  a  rule  the  colour  of 
the  '  frill '  is  repeated  on  the  feathers  of  the  back,  scapulars, 
upper  breast,  central  tail-feathers,  inner  secondaries,  and 
wing-coverts;  the  primaries,  however,  and  outer  tail- 
feathers  do  not  vary,  being  dull  brown  with  white  shafts  ; 
the  secondaries  are  brownish  with  whitish  edgings ;  the 
lower  breast  and  under  tail-coverts  are  usually  whitish 
(Plate  XXXII.  A). 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  female  does  not  assume 
the  '  frill.'  The  head  and  neck  are  greyish-brown  speckled 
with  black;  feathers  of  the  back,  scapulars,  and  wings, 
blackish,  margined  with  buff,  except  the  outer  secondaries 
and  primaries,  which  resemble  those  of  the  male ;  tail, 
greyish-brown,  barred  with  chestnut  and  black ;  front  of 
neck,  breast,  and  flanks,  black,  the  feathers  being  edged 
with  white ;  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts,  whitish  (Plate 
XXXII.  B). 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Feathers  of  top  of  head, 
hind-neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  dark  ash-grey  with 
paler  margins  ;  primaries,  dull  brown ;  lateral  upper  tail- 
coverts,  white  ;  central  ones,  greyish-brown  ;  tail,  chiefly 
greyish-brown,  barred  slightly  near  the  end  with  darker 
greyish-brown  and  white  ;  rest  of  head  and  throat,  light 
greyish-white ;  front  of  neck  and  upper  breast,  ash-grey, 
washed  with  brown  markings ;  lower  breast,  abdomen,  and 
under  tail-coverts,  whitish. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  sexes  are  practically 
similar  in  plumage  (for  minor  details  of  difference  in  the 
plumages  of  the  sexes,  vide  '  Irish  Naturalist,  vol.  ix,  p.  189). 
Top  of  head  streaked  with  black  and  dark  buff ;  hind-neck, 
mouse-colour ;  feathers  of  back,  scapulars,  and  wings, 
blackish,  edged  with  buff ;  primaries,  brownish ;  throat, 
front  and  sides  of  neck,  and  breast,  dull  buff ;  abdomen  and 
under  tail-coverts,  white  ;  tail,  chiefly  greyish-brown,  edged 
with  brownish-black  and  buff  ;  chin,  whitish. 

BEAK.     Blackish. 

FEET.     Dull  orange. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


II 


1 


I. 


as  1 


I 


BUFF-BKEASTED  SANDPIPER  325 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...     12*5   in.     Female,  10     in. 

WING          7'25  „  „  6       „ 

BEAK  ..,  1*5     ,,  ,,  1*3    ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS          ...      2       ,,  „  1*75 ,, 

EGG..  1-8  x  1-2  in. 


BUFF-BREASTED  SANDPIPER.     Tringites  rufescens  (Vieillot). 

Cofaired  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
64  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,"  vol.  viii,  pi.  561 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  43. 

The  Buff-breasted  Sandpiper  is  an  American  species,  of 
very  rare  occurrence  in  Britain.  Like  many  other  Trans- 
atlantic wanderers,  it  has  been  secured  most  often  on  the 
east  sides  of  England  and  Ireland,  and  chiefly  in  autumn. 
The  first  British  specimen  appears  to  be  one  taken  at 
Melbourne,  near  Cambridge,  in  1826.  Subsequently  this 
species  has  been  secured  in  Norfolk,1  Sussex,  Cornwall, 
the  Scilly  Isles,  Lundy  Isle,  and  Cumberland.  A  specimen 
is  said  to  have  been  taken  at  Formby,  in  Lancashire,  in 
May,  1829. 

"  As  regards  a  supposed  Caithness  specimen  mentioned 
by  K.  Gray,  Messrs.  Harvie-Brown  and  Buckley  merely 
remark  that  the  species  is  on  Dr.  Sinclair's  list  "  (Saunders). 
In  Ireland  two  examples  have  been  taken,  both  on  the  east 
coast.  One  on  Dublin  Bay  (Keport,  Dub.  Nat.  Hist.  Soc., 
1844-45).  This  specimen  is  preserved  in  the  Dublin 
Museum.  Another  was  obtained  near  Belfast,  about 
October,  1864  ('  Zoologist,'  1866,  pp.  389  and  457).  This 
bird  is  preserved  in  the  Belfast  Museum. 


1  In  the  '  Zoologist '  for  1900,  p.  110,  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney  states  that 
a  beautiful  young  male  Buff-breasted  Sandpiper  was  shot  on  the  shingle 
at  Cley,  Norfolk,  by  Mr.  Arnold,  on  September  8th,  1899.  "  Its  nicely 
mottled  upper  parts  are  very  different  from  the  dark  back  of  our  old 
Museum  specimen,  said  to  have  been  shot  in  July,  a  few  miles  east  of 
where  the  present  one  was  procured."  This  appears  to  be  the  most 
recent  capture  recorded. 


326  CHAKADKIID^E 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male. — Head,  neck,  and  back,  buffish- 
brown,  mottled  with  black ;  throat  and  sides  of  breast, 
spotted  black;  front  of  breast  and  abdomen,  reddish-buff; 
wings,  including  primaries  and  under  wing-coverts,  con- 
spicuously '  marbled  '  with  black  ;  tips  of  primaries  and 
central  tail-feathers  of  a  greenish  tinge  ;  outer  tail-feathers, 
barred  with  brownish-black  towards  their  extremities. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage,  but 
black  '  marblings  '  on  the  inner  web  of  the  primaries  not  so 
distinct. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — It  wrould  appear  that 
the  adult  winter  plumage  has  not  been  described. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Head,  neck,  and  back, 
brownish,  the  feathers  being  broadly  edged  with  dull  white ; 
breast  and  abdomen,  paler,  and  spots  smaller  than  in  the 
adult ;  '  marblings  '  on  the  wing-feathers  somewhat  indistinct. 

BEAK.     Dull  olive-green,  shading  to  greenish-black. 

FEET.     Dull  yellowish-green. 

IRIDES.  Hazel-brown. 

EGGS.  Pale  buff  or  olive,  marked  with  bluish-grey  and 
blotches  of  reddish-brown  and  black  (the  markings  vary 
considerably)  :  clutch,  four. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 8   in. 

WING    5-25  „ 

BEAK    0'9  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        1-25  ,, 

EGG  1-45  x  1  in. 


BARTRAM'S  SANDPIPER.     Bartramia  longicauda  (Bechstein). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
63  ;  Dresser,  «  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  562  ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  44. 

This  Sandpiper  is  another  American  species  which  very 
rarely  reaches  our  shores.  It  has  occurred  chiefly  during 
the  autumn  migration.  A  specimen  shot  near  Warwick  in 


BARTRAM'S  SANDPIPER  327 

October,  1851,  appears  to  be  the  first  authenticated  instance. 
It  has  also  been  obtained  in  the  following  counties  : — 

Cambridgeshire  ;  one  obtained,  December  12th,  1854 
(Yarrell)  ;  this  bird  is  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney. 

Somerset ;  one  obtained  previous  to  1859  (Matthew, 
'  Zoologist,'  1877)  ;  the  specimen  is  preserved  in  the 
Taunton  Museum. 

Cornwall  ;  one  taken,  November  13th,  1865  (Rodd, 
'  Birds  of  Cornwall,'  p.  96) ;  another  procured  from  the 
same  county,  October,  1883  (Cornish,  '  Zoologist,'  1883). 

Northumberland  ;  one  taken,  November  21st,  1879 
(Bolan,  '  Field,'  December  20th,  1879). 

Lincolnshire  ;  one  obtained,  October  27th,  1880  (Hart- 
ing,  '  Zoologist,'  1880). 

Two  specimens  have  been  procured  in  Ireland,  namely, 
one  in  co.  Galway,  autumn,  1855  ;  now  in  the  Dublin 
Museum ;  examined  by  the  late  A.  G.  More ;  the  other  in 
co.  Cork,  September  4th,  1894,  and  now  in  the  collection 
of  Mr.  Barrington. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  blackish, 
with  a  middle  stripe  of  buff;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings, 
barred  with  black  and  edged  with  buff;  lower  back  and 
rump,  black ;  inner  web  of  first  primary,  chiefly  white 
with  brownish  bars;  tail,  pale  buff,  barred  with  black  and 
edged  with  a  broad  band  of  white,  except  the  central  pair 
of  feathers,  which  are  ash-brown ;  thighs  and  under  tail- 
coverts,  isabelline-buff  ;  neck  and  breast,  buff;  lower  breast, 
marked  with  blackish  '  arrow-heads ' ;  chin  and  abdomen, 
white ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries,  white,  barred 
with  light  brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — In  winter  the  plumage 
displays  a  general  dull  yellowish-buff  tint. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  feathers  of  the  head, 
back,  and  wings,  are  more  deeply  margined  with  reddish- 
buff,  and  the  streaks  on  the  front  of  the  neck  are  less  distinct 
than  in  the  adult. 

BEAK.    Yellowish-green  ;  tip,  dusky. 

FEET.    Light  yellowish-grey. 

IRIDES.  Dark  hazel. 

EGGS.  Pinkish-yellow,  blotched  with  purple  and  reddish- 
brown  :  clutch,  four. 


328  CHAEADKIID^] 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...  11-5  in.    Female  slightly  larger. 

WING         6-6    „ 

BEAK         1-2     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS    1'75  „ 

EGG  1-8  x  1-35  in. 


COMMON  SANDPIPER.     Totanus  hypoleucus  (Linnseus). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pi.  58 ;  Dresser,  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  563 ; 
Lilford,  *  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  45. 

This  sprightly  little  creature  is  familiar  to  many  as  the 
'  Summer  Snipe.'  It  usually  arrives  about  the  middle  of 
April,  and  during  the  summer  distributes  itself  widely  over 
the  British  Isles  as  a  breeding-species.  About  the  south- 
east of  England  it  occurs  chiefly  on  migration,  but  it  breeds 
freely  throughout  Scotland,  including  the  Western  Islands, 
the  Orkneys,  and  Shetlands,  and  in  most  parts  of  Ireland. 
In  September  old  and  young  betake  themselves  to  more 
southern  climes,  save  a  few  stragglers  which  may  linger 
until  November.  In  midwinter  it  is  rare  in  our  country. 

This  little  '  wader '  is  not  a  bird  of  the  sea-coast,  although 
in  July  and  August,  when  the  young  are  strong  on  the  wing, 
family  parties,  and  even  small  flocks  of  fifteen  to  twenty 
birds,  may  be  seen  foraging  amidst  the  pebbles  and  seaweeds 
of  our  tidal  estuaries.  I  have  noticed  Common  Sandpipers 
along  several  parts  of  the  sea-coasts  prior  to  their  departure 
in  autumn. 

This  species  delights  in  the  quietude  of  clear  running 
brooks,  the  shores  of  which  are  fringed  with  clean  gravel 
and  sand.  Its  haunts  are  little  intruded  upon  save  by  the 
trout-angler,  with  whom  it  is  a  great  favourite  on  account 
of  its  dainty  form  and  attractive  movements.  Like  others 
of  its  genus  (Totanus)  it  is  a  rather  shy,  yet  a  demonstrative 
little  bird ;  it  is  seldom  quiet  for  an  instant,  and  may  be 
seen  on  the  ground,  darting  to  and  fro,  ever  and  anon 
jerking  its  tail  up  and  down,  at  the  same  time  protruding 
and  retracting  its  neck. 

The  Common   Sandpiper  is  not  gregarious.     In  spring 


COMMON  SANDPIPEK  329 

it  is  generally  to  be  met  with,  singly  or  in  pairs.  It 
occasionally  consorts  with  the  lively  Dipper  ;  indeed,  I  have 
startled  the  two  birds  from  the  same  rock,  and  have  watched 
them  fly  together  for  a  short  distance  down  mid-stream. 

The  shores  of  inland  lakes,  both  large  and  small,  are  also 
much  frequented.  In  places  where  there  is  more  or  less 
constant  traffic,  this  bird  undoubtedly  appears  to  tolerate 
man's  presence  in  a  marked  degree.  I  have  noted  its 
comparative  tameness  along  several  of  the  larger  inland 
lakes  of  Ireland,  where  fishermen  are  constantly  moving 
about  on  the  shores,  spreading  their  nets. 

In  woody  districts  the  Common  Sandpiper  often  alights 
on  the  branches  of  trees ;  I  have  frequently  seen  it  resting 
on  the  tops  of  palings,  and  on  stone  walls. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  strong  and  swift,  but  the  bird  also 
flits  leisurely  from  rock  to  rock,  or  skims  along  the  river 
with  down-bent  and  quivering  pinions. 

Voice. — The  well-known  piping  cry  of  whee-whee-wheet, 
whee-wliee-wheet,  is  generally  heard  just  as  the  startled  bird 
takes  wing ;  in  the  nesting-season  a  pleasing  song-like  trill 
is  poured  forth  during  the  ascending  flight. 

Food. — The  food  consists  mainly  of  worms  and  insects, 
in  pursuit  of  which  the  Common  Sandpiper,  like  many  of  its 
allies,  can  dive  and  swim  admirably. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  generally  hidden  in  grass,  soft  moss, 
and  other  vegetation.  A  favourite  site  is  a  bank  of  a  river, 
or  an  island  in  a  lake  not  far  from  the  water.  Where 
vegetation  is  scanty  the  Common  Sandpiper  may  be  found 
building  on  the  gravelly  or  pebble-strewn  shore,  or  in  nooks 
between  loose  boulders.  Less  frequently  trees  are  resorted 
to  ;  a  hollow  in  the  decayed  trunk  or  the  shelter  of  branches 
sweeping  the  ground  being  utilised.  In  some  districts  this 
species  breeds  on  marine  as  well  as  on  inland  islands.  The 
nest  is  chiefly  composed  of  grasses,  and  is  lined  with  dead 
leaves.  The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  usually  of  a  warm 
buff  ground-colour,  well  spotted  and  blotched — in  some 
instances  also  streaked — with  faded  grey  and  rich  brown 
markings.  I  have  found  eggs  light  cream  in  ground-colour 
and  with  only  a  'few  large  dark  blotches,  while  white 
examples  have  occurred. 

Incubation  commences  about  the  middle  of  May. 

The  powers  of  feigning  lameness  and  performing  other 
antics  in  order  to  distract  the  attention  of  an  intruder  from 
her  brood,  are  well  developed  in  the  mother-bird. 


330  CHAKADKIID.E 

The  Common  Sandpiper  is  widely  distributed  as  a  nest- 
ing-species over  the  British  Isles,  except  in  the  north- 
eastern section,  which  is  less  suitable  to  its  habits,  and 
where  it  occurs  chiefly  on  migration ;  it  is  also  rather  scarce 
as  a  breeding-species  in  South-east  Ireland  (Ussher). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  over  the 
greater  part  of  Northern  and  Temperate  Europe,  down  to 
the  Mediterranean,  while  eastward  it  is  found  breeding 
over  Northern  and  Temperate  Asia,  also  in  the  Canary 
Isles.  In  winter  its  migration-range  extends  to  Southern 
Asia,  Africa,  and  as  far  south  as  Australia. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  hind- 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  wings,  rump,  and  central  tail-feathers, 
dusky  greyish-brown,  with  darker  streaks  ;  the  feathers 
on  the  back  reflecting  greenish  and  bronze-like  tints ; 
secondaries,  barred  and  edged  with  white,  conspicuous  when 
the  bird  is  flying ;  primaries,  brown  ;  outer  tail-feathers, 
tipped  and  barred  with  brown  and  white  ;  narrow  whitish 
stripe  over  eye ;  cheeks,  greyish  ;  chin,  whitish ;  throat, 
front  of  neck,  and  breast,  greyish,  thinly  streaked  with 
brown ;  lower  breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts, 
white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
but  the  markings  are  less  pronounced. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  back,  scapulars, 
and  wings,  are  nearly  uniform  greyish- brown,  and  the 
streaks  on  the  throat  are  less  distinct  than  in  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  feathers  of  the  back 
and  wings  are  finely  edged  with  dark  brown  and  bronze- 
buff,  and  are  not  so  glossy  as  in  the  adult.  The  stripes 
on  the  throat  are  faintly  marked,  otherwise  the  plumage 
generally  resembles  that  of  the  adult. 

IRIDES.  Black. 

BEAK.     Brownish. 

FEET.     Dark  greyish-green. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH        ...  8       in.  Female  a  little  larger. 

WING  ...         .,.  4-25  „ 

BEAK T5     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS...  1       ,, 

EGG    .  1*45  x  1  in. 


S     "5  ° 

8   I  I 

-  I 

o  o 

bo  o 


3    a 

'E,     o 


SPOTTED  SANDPIPEK  331 

SPOTTED  SANDPIPER.     Totanus  macularius  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,    *  Birds  of  Great   Britain,'    vol.  iv, 
pi.  59 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  713. 

Until  quite  recently  this  New-World  species  could  not 
be  claimed  with  certainty  as  a  visitor  to  the  British  Isles. 
Only  one  well-authenticated  specimen  has  been  procured, 
and  that  in  Ireland.  Concerning  this  highly  interesting 
addition  to  the  British-List  of  American  Sandpipers,  it 
is  stated  in  the  '  Bulletin  '  of  the  British  Ornithologists' 
Club,  No.  LX.,  that  at  their  meeting  on  February  15th, 
1899,  "Mr.  F.  Curtis  exhibited  a  specimen  of  the  Spotted 
Sandpiper,  which  had  been  shot  on  the  2nd  of  February,  at 
Finnea,  co.  Longford,  by  Mr.  Frank  Eoberts.  The  bird, 
which  proved  to  be  a  female,  was  very  tame,  and  was 
feeding  at  the  time  in  a  meadow  much  trodden  by  cattle 
by  the  side  of  the  River  Finnea,  within  a  short  distance 
of  the  village." 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Resembles  the  adult 
male  nuptial  plumage  of  the  Common  Sandpiper,  but 
the  back  and  wings  are  much  more  strongly  barred 
with  blackish-brown,  while  the  throat  and  breast  are  thickly 
spotted  with  black  ;  there  is  less  white  on  the  inner 
secondaries  than  in  the  Common  Sandpiper. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  bronze  tint  of  the 
back  and  wings,  in  the  nuptial  plumage,  is  replaced  to  a 
large  extent  by  an  olive-brown  shade  ;  greater  part  of 
breast  and  abdomen,  pure  white  ;  sides  of  the  upper  breast 
and  lower  neck,  ashy-brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  immature 
and  winter  plumages  of  the  Common  Sandpiper,  and 
showing  more  olive-brown  shading  than  in  the  adults  ; 
the  back  and  wings  are  barred  transversely  with  reddish- 
brown  and  brownish-black  ;  black  spots  on  the  breast  and 
throat,  absent. 

The  immature  of  this  species  has1  "the  broad  sub- 
terminal  band  continuous  throughout  the  secondaries, 

1  E.  Bowdler  Sharpe,  Cat.  Birds  Brit.  Mus.,  xxiv.,  p.  471. 


332  CHAEADBIIDJS 

instead  of  having  the  inner  secondaries  for  the  most  part 
white,"  as  they  are  in  the  Common  Sandpiper. 

BEAK.  Upper  segment,  greenish  ;  lower  segment,  dull 
yellow. 

FEET.     Yellowish-pink. 

IRIDES.  Hazel. 

EGGS.  Light  yellowish-brown,  with  dark  brown  and 
greyish  blotches  :  clutch,  four. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 7   in. 

WING    4'2  ,, 

BEAK    1   ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...  0'75  ,, 

EGG  1-3  x  0-95  in. 


WOOD-SANDPIPER.     Totanus  glareola  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv, 
pi.  57;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  565; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  47. 

The  distribution  of  the  Wood- Sandpiper  in  our  Isles  is 
chiefly  along  the  east  and  south  coast  of  England,  where 
single  individuals  or  small  parties  annually  migrate  in 
autumn,  and  more  sparingly  in  spring.  It  has  also  been 
observed  about  inland  marshy  districts,  but  is  seldom  met 
with  along  the  west  side  of  England  or  in  Wales.  In  spring, 
this  Sandpiper  has  reached  the  shores  of  Cornwall  as  early 
as  April  loth. 

In  Scotland,  it  has  visited  Mid-  and  East  Lothian, 
Aberdeenshire,  as  well  as  the  west  side,  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Clyde  and  Loch  Lomond  (Saunders). 

In  Ireland,  it  is  very  rare,  having  occurred  only  on  a  few 
occasions  as  an  autumn-migrant.  The  first  record  is  that 
of  a  bird  shot  on  Calary  Bog,  co.  Wicklow,  by  Mr.  Smith 
Cregan,  on  August  23rd,  1885,  and  presented  to  the  Dublin 
Museum  by  the  Kev.  Dr.  Benson  (Ussher,  '  Birds  of  Ire- 
land,' p.  296).  On  August  1st,  1896,  Dr.  E.  Blake  Knox 
noticed  three  on  the  same  bog,  one  of  which  he  procured 
(fig.  45,  p.  333):  two  days  later  (August  3rd),  he  shot  a 


WOOD-SANDPIPEE 


338 


second  specimen  (E.  Blake  Knox,  'Irish  Naturalist,'  1896, 
p.  275).  On  September  5th,  1898,  a  specimen  was  obtained 
two  miles  from  Lough  Cullin,  co.  Mayo,  by  Mr.  Drury ; 
(Ussher,  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  296) ;  and  on  August  25th, 
1899,  another,  shot  near  Tramore  Bay,  co.  Waterford,  by 
Mr.  J.  F.  Knox,  was  identified  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams 
(E.  Williams,  *  Irish  Naturalist,'  1899,  p.  231).  On  August 
19th,  1901,  Mr.  W.  J.  Williams  obtained  a  Wood-Sand- 
piper, in  immature  plumage,  near  Sutton,  co.  Dublin  (W. 
J.  Williams,  '  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  390). 


FIG.  45.—  WOOD-SANDPIPER. 

Photograph  of  the  second  specimen  obtained  in  Ireland ;  shot  by  Dr  E 
Blake-Knox,  on  Calary  Bog,  co.  Wicklow,  August  1st,  1896,  and  mounted 
by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 


The  Wood-Sandpiper  is  a  very  elegantly-shaped  bird, 
with  neatly  spotted  plumage  ;  it  resembles  the  Green-Sand- 
piper in  many  of  its  habits,  perching  on  bushes,  fences,  and 
walls.  It  is  less  shy  of  man's  presence,  and  in  inland 
districts  it  often  seeks  less  secluded  retreats,  than  the 
Green-Sandpiper. 

Flight.— The   flight   is    swift    and    rather    twisting    in 


334  CHAKADBIIDJE 

character,  especially  when  the  bird  first  rises  from  the 
marsh.  It  springs  up  with  great  velocity  and  goes  off  after 
the  fashion  of  a  flushed  Snipe. 

Food. — Insects  and  their  grubs,  worms,  and  small  shell- 
fish, constitute  the  diet.  The  flesh  is  not  palatable  and  has 
a  rather  musky  odour. 

Voice. — The  alarm-note  uttered  when  the  bird  first  takes 
wing,  is  sharp  and  clear,  and  may  be  syllabled  gikk,  giff. 
During  courtship,  a  tremulous  leero,  leero,  may  be  heard. 

Nest. — The  Wood-Sandpiper  breeds  both  on  the  ground 
and  in  trees.  In  the  former  situation  the  nest  is  generally 
built  among  grasses,  heather,  and  other  coarse  vegetation 
sufficiently  tall  to  conceal  the  sitting-bird,  and  generally  at 
no  great  distance  from  water.  When  breeding  in  trees,  the 
nests  of  other  species  are  utilised,  thus  on  the  Yenesei  Mr. 
Popham  found  the  eggs  in  old  nests  of  the  Fieldfare 
('  Ibis,'  1897,  p.  104).  The  eggs,  four  in  number,  vary  in 
ground-colour  from  a  light  buff  to  a  pale  green  tint,  spotted 
and  blotched  with  reddish-brown.  Incubation  begins  about 
the  middle  of  May. 

This  bird  has  nested  on  very  exceptional  occasions  in  the 
British  Isles.  The  following  instances  are  on  record  : — A 
nestling  found  at  Beechamwell,  Norfolk  (Gurney  and  Fisher, 
'  Zoologist,'  1846) ;  a  nest  and  eggs  found  on  Prestwick  Car, 
Northumberland,  in  1853  (Hewitson,  '  Eggs  of  British 
Birds/  3rd  Edition,  vol.  ii.,  p.  332) ;  another  nest  found  in 
Elginshire  on  May  23rd,  1853  (Evans,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat. 
Hist.,  1899,  p.  14). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad  the  Wood-Sandpiper 
breeds  over  a  great  area  of  the  European  and  Asiatic 
Continents,  while  on  migration  in  autumn  and  winter  it 
reaches  as  far  as  South  Africa,  India,  the  adjoining  Islands, 
and  Australia. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Top  of  head,  hind- 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  streaked  with  greenish- 
brown  and  spotted  with  white  ;  primaries,  dull  brown,  the 
outermost  with  white  shafts  (vide  Green  Sandpiper)  ;  upper 
tail-coverts,  white,  with  their  centres  dark ;  outer  tail- 
feathers,  white,  the  outer  web  being  barred  with  brown  ; 
remaining  tail-feathers,  entirely  barred  with  brown  and 
white  ;  neck,  throat,  and  breast,  impure  white  with  fine 
streaks  of  ash-brown ;  ilanks,  barred  similarly ;  abdomen 


GEEEN    SANDPIPER  335 

and  under  tail-coverts,  white  ;  axillaries,  white,  with  small 
brown  marks. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Somewhat  resembles 
the  nuptial  plumage,  but  the  feathers  are  much  less  spotted 
and  streaked  in  winter. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  spots  on  the  back 
and  wings  are  larger  and  more  denned  than  in  the  adult, 
and  the  axillaries  are  almost  pure  white;  the  outer  tail- 
feathers,  which  are  white,  are  barred  on  both  webs  ;  other- 
wise the  plumage  resembles  that  of  the  adult. 

BEAK.     Dark  brown. 

FEET.     Bright  olive  colour. 

IBIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...  ...  8'5  in. 

WING        ...         5       „ 

BEAK         ri    ,, 

TARSO-METATAESUS         1-5   ,, 

EGG  1*5  X  1  in. 


GREEN  SANDPIPER.1     Totanus  ochropus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.— Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
56;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  564  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  46. 

Though  nowhere  numerous,  yet  the  Green  Sandpiper  is 
more  common  than  the  preceding  species  as  a  migrant  to  the 
British  Isles.  It  is  most  often  seen  in  spring  and  autumn, 
but  has  been  met  with  in  midwinter  and  midsummer. 
It  is  likely  that  the  birds  which  remain  with  us  during  June 
and  July  are  immature,  as  there  is  no  proof  that  the  nest  has 
ever  been  procured  in  our  country. 

To  the  north  and  west  of  Scotland,  this  species  is  a  rare 
visitor.  Records  from  the  Hebrides,  the  Orkneys,  Shetlands, 

1  "  The  Green  Sandpiper  has  only  one  large  notch  on  each  side  of  the 
posterior  margin  of  the  sternum,  and  was  therefore  placed  in  a  separate 
genus,  Helodromas,  by  Kaup,  who  further  created  Rhyacophilus  for  the 
Wood- Sandpiper  "  (Saunders). 


336  CHABADKIID^ 

and  other  Scottish  Islands,  are  quite  exceptional  ;  a 
specimen  was  received  from  South  Uist  on  October  31st, 
1901  (Harvie-Brown,  '  Avi-fauna  Of  The  Outer  Hebrides,' 
1888-1902,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1902-3). 

Mr.  Eagle  Clarke  records  the  appearance  of  "  one, 
perhaps  two,"  between  September  2nd  and  8th,  1905,  on 
Fair  Isle.  This  appears  to  be  the  first  record  from  the 
Shetlands  ('  The  Birds  of  Fair  Isle,  Native  and  Migratory,' 
Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1906,  pp.  76-77). 

In  Ireland,  the  Green  Sandpiper  occurs  chiefly  as  an 
autumn- visitor,  but  quite  a  number  of  birds  remain  during 
winter.  As  a  spring  or  early  summer-migrant  it  is  very 
rare;  a  specimen  shot  011  June  30th,  1903,  in  co.  Mayo 
(Godfrey  Knox,  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1903,  p.  248),  and  another 
at  Malahide1  on  the  coast  of  co.  Dublin,  on  April  28th,  1906, 
appear  to  be  the  only  instances  recorded. 

Lonely  and  well-wooded  rivulets,  skirted  with  stones 
and  sandy  banks,  sheltered  ponds,  swamps,  and  less  fre- 
quently flooded  pasturage,  are  the  haunts  selected  by  this 
shy  and  restless  bird.  Solitary  individuals  are  most  fre- 
quently met  with,  less  often  pairs,  and  occasionally  small 
family  groups. 

I  know  of  no  Sandpiper  more  difficult  to  approach ; 
once  observed,  even  at  a  distance,  it  takes  wing,  shooting 
up  in  a  zig-zag  manner  without  a  moment's  hesitation, 
and  soon  disappearing  out  of  sight.  Yet  it  is  a  common 
habit  of  this  species  to  return,  after  a  long  flight,  to  the 
same  spot,  where  the  observer,  if  he  remain  concealed  and 
absolutely  quiet,  can  continue  to  make  observations  for  a 
considerable  time.  In  this  way  I  have  repeatedly  watched 
the  movements  of  the  Green  Sandpiper.  During  the  spring 
of  1903,  between  May  3rd  and  June  14th,  I  made  a  series 
of  observations  of  a  pair  of  these  birds,  concealing  myself 
amidst  the  foliage  of  a  sheltered  stream,  a  few  miles 
outside  the  city  of  Sheffield.  After  feeding,  the  birds  fre- 
quently flitted  on  to  a  stone  wall  where,  for  a  little  time, 
they  remained  motionless.  At  intervals  they  suddenly  shot 
up  into  the  air  for  a  short  distance,  darting  down  again  to 
the  same  stone  with  astonishing  speed.  On  the  wing,  they 


1  Mr.  W.  J.  Williams  who  received  this  specimen,  very  kindly 
offered  me  the  opportunity  of  examining  it.  It  is  a  female  in  nuptial 
plumage. 


GREEN  SANDPIPER  337 

displayed  great  activity  and  adroitness,  the  female  twisting 
and  turning  to  escape  the  addresses  of  the  male. 

This  bird  often  takes  up  its  abode  in  the  same  locality 
for  weeks  and  months,  although  at  other  times,  as 
pointed  oat  by  Mr.  Saunders,  it  frequently  shifts  its 
feeding-grounds  for  no  special  reason.  The  late  Mr,  E. 
Williams  kept  it  under  close  observation  in  the  same 
locality  along  the  River  Dodder,  co.  Dublin,  between 
August  and  December,  1889  and  1893.  He  observed  it 


_  m 


FIG.  4G.— GREEN  SANDPIPEE. 

wade  without  any  apparent  reason,  and  when  beyond  its 
depth,  swim  like  a  Water-hen  to  a  shallower  spot.  On  dry 
land  it  often  stood  motionless  for  a  long  time,  waking  up 
suddenly  and  starting  to  feed. 

Mr.  Warren  has  met  with  it  on  the  same  little  pond  in 
co.  Sligo,  during  three  different  years,  and  Mr.  Caton  Haigh 
has  made  similar  observations  in  North-east  Lincolnshire 
('Zoologist,'  1900,  1901). 

The  Green  Sandpiper  is  not  a  coast-loving  bird,  though 
often  resorting  to  maritime  counties ;  on  its  first  arrival  it 
may  tarry  a  few  days  on  the  sea-shore.  Watters  records 
a  specimen  which  was  obtained  on  the  slob-lands  of  the 
Dublin  coast,  when  consorting  with  a  number  of  Dunlins 
and  Knots. 
22 


338  CHARADRIID.E 

Flight. — The  flight  is  remarkably  swift  and  powerful. 
The  strong  angular  shoulders  are  seen  to  great  advantage  as 
the  bird,  with  a  twisting  motion,  cuts  or  glances  through 
the  air,  alternately  ascending  and  descending.  The  white 
feathers  of  the  rump  are  very  noticeable  in  flight. 

Food. — This  consists  of  various  kinds  of  insects,  worms, 
and  fresh-water  shell-fish.  Mr.  R.  Patterson  found  fresh- 
water snails  and  shells  in  the  stomach  of  an  adult  female. 

Like  that  of  the  preceding  species,  the  flesh  has  an 
objectionable  musky  smell. 

Voice. — The  alarm-note  resembles  in  tone  that  of  the 
Common  Sandpiper,  but  is  fuller,  often  doubled,  and  more 
song-like.  It  may  be  syllabled  tul-tul-tin-tui-tui.  Mr. 
Ussher  compares  the  voice,  heard  at  a  distance,  to  the 
sound  produced  when  a  person  blows  on  a  piped  key. 

Nest. — The  Green  Sandpiper  breeds  in  quiet  unfrequented 
districts  in  the  vicinity  of  marshes,  pools,  or  rivers.  It  is 
still  more  arboreal  in  its  habits  than  the  preceding  species, 
only  a  small  proportion  of  birds  nesting  on  the  ground ;  the 
disused  nests  of  the  Thrush,  the  Blackbird,  the  Ring-dove, 
or  the  Squirrel's  drey,  may  be  appropriated  for  breeding- 
purposes.  The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  light  greenish-grey 
in  colour,  spotted  with  purple-brown. 

It  has  been  inferred  that  as  the  Green  Sandpiper  occurs 
not  only  singly,  but  in  pairs  in  some  districts  in  England 
during  the  entire  breeding-season,  a  few  birds  may  breed  in 
our  Isles ;  proof,  however,  is  still  wanting. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  species  breeds 
in  Northern  and  Central  Europe,  as  far  south  as  Germany, 
but  in  the  more  western  countries  it  occurs  chiefly  on 
migration.  Eastward  it  is  found  nesting  over  Northern  and 
Temperate  Asia,  while  in  winter  it  visits  India  and  other 
parts  of  Southern  Asia,  as  well  as  the  adjoining  Islands. 
Its  lines  of  migration  along  the  African  Continent  extend  to 
Cape  Colony  on  the  east  side,  though  not  much  further  than 
Central  Africa  on  the  west  side. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  --  Top  of  head  and 
hind-neck,  dark  greyish-brown ;  back,  scapulars,  and 
wings,  glossy  greenish -brown,  speckled  with  white ;  rump 
and  upper  tail-coverts,  chiefly  white,  the  latter  con- 
spicuous when  the  bird  flies  ;  primaries,  blackish,  shaft  of 


PLATE   XXXV. 


GREEN   SANDPIPER. 

Showing  the  angular  white  bars  or  the  dark  axillaries. 
From  a  specimen  in  the  flesh  kindly  lent  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 


SOLITAKY   SANDPIPEK  339 


the  outer  one,  dusky  (cf.  that  of  the  Wood-Sand[ 
axillaries,  smoke-black,  with  narrow  angular  lines  of  white 
(Plate  XXXV.)  ;  central  tail-feathers,  white  at  their  basal 
portions,  and  broadly  barred  with  black  near  their  ends ; 
lateral  tail-feathers,  tipped  with  a  few  black  spots,  the  outer 
pair  being  pure  white ;  cheek,  sides  of  neck,  and  middle 
of  upper  breast,  whitish  with  brownish  streaks ;  sides  of 
breast,  greyish-brown  ;  chin,  front  of  neck,  abdomen,  and 
under  tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage,  but 
the  markings  are  less  pronounced. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  back  and  wings 
are  more  finely  spotted  with  white,  and  the  neck  is  much 
whiter  than  in  the  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage,  but  the  feathers  of  the  back,  the 
scapulars,  and  wing-coverts  exhibit  only  a  faint  gloss,  are 
not  so  spotted  as  in  the  adult,  and  are  margined  with 
light  yellowish-bronze. 

BEAK.     Blackish-brown. 

FEET.     Dull  green. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 9'5   in. 

WING        5'5    „ 

BEAK         1-2    „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...  1*25  ,, 

EGG  1-55  X  11  in. 


SOLITARY   SANDPIPER.     Totanus  solitarius  (Wilson). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  714 ; 
Lilford,  «  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  48. 

There  are  but  three  British  occurrences  recorded  of  this 
very  rare  American  visitor.  One  from  Scotland,  a  bird 
taken  on  the  banks  of  the  Clyde,  "  some  years  ago  "  (E. 
Gray,  'Ibis/  1870,  p.  292);  another  from  the  SciJly  Isles, 
obtained  September  21st,  1882 ;  the  third  was  procured 


340  CHARADRIIDJE 

near   Marazion,  in   Cornwall,    October,   1884   (T.    Cornish, 
'Zoologist,'  1882,  p.  432,  and  1885,  p.  113). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
male  nuptial  plumage  of  the  Green  Sandpiper,  but  the 
rump  and  middle  upper  tail-coverts  are  blackish-brown  ;  tail 
and  lateral  upper  tail  coverts,  white,  broadly  barred  with 
black  ;  oblique  white  bars  on  the  axillaries,  broader  than  in 
the  Green  Sandpiper. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  winter 
plumage  of  the  Green  Sandpiper ;  very  few  spots  on  the 
back  and  wings ;  head,  brownish  ;  front  and  sides  of  neck, 
light  brown,  sparsely  speckled  with  dark  brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  winter 
plumage,  but  the  feathers  of  the  back  and  wings  are 
margined  with  light  reddish-brown;  front  of  neck  and 
upper  breast,  brownish  without  spots ;  lower  breast  and 
abdomen,  white. 

BEAK.     Greenish-black. 

FEET.     Greenish-grey. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

EGGS.     Not  definitely  known. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...  8*25  in. 

WING    5-2  „ 

BEAK    1-2  „ 

TARSOMETATARSUS  1*2 


YELLOWSHANK.     Totanus  flavipes  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures.— Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  715; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  50. 

Another  American  species  of  great  rarity  in  Britain.  It 
has  twice  been  recorded.  One  specimen  was  obtained  at 
Misson,  in  Nottinghamshire,  in  the  winter  of  1854-55 
(Yarrell,  Hist.  Brit.  Birds,  3rd  Edit.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  637)  ;  it  is 
preserved  in  the  Leeds  Museum.  The  second  bird  was 


COMMON  KEDSHANK  341 

•s 

obtained   near  Marazion,  in  Cornwall,    by    E.   Vingoe,    on 
September  12th,  1871  (Rodd,  '  Birds  of  Cornwall,'  p.  93). 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back 
of  neck,  greyish-white,  striped  with  black ;  back  and  wings, 
light  brown,  with  blotches  and  transverse  bars  of  black  on 
the  scapulars  and  secondaries ;  tail-feathers,  white  with 
several  light  brown  bands,  which  are  broadest  on  the  central 
pairs ;  upper  tail-coverts,  white  with  dusky-brown  bars ; 
chin,  breast,  and  abdomen,  white  ;  neck,  also  white,  thickly 
striped  with  light  brown ;  axillaries,  white,  barred  with 
ash-brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 
Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — General  colour  of  the 
top  of  the  head,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  light  greyish- 
brown  ;  neck  and  throat,  whitish,  the  streaks  being  scarcely 
visible. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Eesembles  the  adult  winter- 
plumage,  but  the  feathers  of  the  back,  scapulars,  and  wings, 
are  tinged  with  brownish-white. 
BEAK.     Black,  and  slender. 
FEET.     Bright  yellow. 
IBIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

EGGS.  Pale  buff,  blotched  with  dark  and  light  brown : 
clutch,  four. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 
TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...         ...     10*75  in. 

WING        6-4     „ 

BEAK         1-4     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        2       ,, 

EGG  1-65  X  I'l  in. 


COMMON   REDSHANK.1     Totanus  calidris  (Linnams). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
54 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  567  fig.  1, 
568  fig.  1,  569  fig.  2 ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  49. 

The   Common   Kedshank  is  the   most  plentiful,  widely 
distributed,  and  familiar  of  the  true  Sandpipers  (Totanus), 

1  Casual   observers   often  misapply  the  name   'Kedshank'  to    the 
Black-headed  Gull,  which  also  has  red  legs. 


342  CHARADBIIDJE 

which  frequent  the  British  Isles.  From  our  low-lying  coasts, 
especially  in  those  districts  where  there  is  an  abundance 
of  slob-land  and  ooze,  this  '  wader  '  is  seldom  absent,  and 
small  numbers  of  non-breeding  birds  remain  after  the 
majority  have  gone  inland  to  their  nesting-sites.  '  Wisps  '  of 
immature  birds  may  be  noticed  along  our  shores  as  early  as 
the  middle  of  July ; l  these,  which  are  chiefly  home-bred, 
are  joined  later  on,  about  the  middle  of  August,  by  large 
gatherings  of  migrants  which  descend  from  higher  latitudes. 

In  some  districts  the  numbers  diminish  at  the  onset  of 
severe  weather,  many  birds  passing  southward ;  in  other 
places,  for  example,  on  the  Dublin  coast,  the  Eedshank  is 
numerous  throughout  the  winter.2 

Along  the  Scottish  mainland,  this  species  is  abundant, 
though  less  so  on  the  Island-Groups.  In  fact,  in  the  Outer 
Hebrides,  it  is  mainly  known  as  an  autumn-migrant. 

This  bird  delights  to  probe  in  soft,  estuarine  mud, 
and  is  usually  abundant  about  the  mouths  of  large  city-rivers, 
the  muddy  beds  of  which  are  laid  partially  bare  at  low  water. 
But  it  may  be  said  that  there  is  hardly  a  spot  on  the  coast 
unfrequented  by  this  noisy  and  restless  species.  Its  incessant 
and  piping  cry  may  be  heard  over  the  low,  flat  sands,  far  out 
at  the  edge  of  the  breakers,  about  the  seaweed-covered  rocks 
of  both  island 3  and  mainland,  in  channels  and  drains  of  salt 
and  brackish  water,  and  even  up  rivers  some  miles  from 
the  coast. 

Wary  in  its  habits,  it  is  a  difficult  matter  to  approach 
this  bird  (except  when  immature)  on  the  open  strand,  even 
within  gunshot.  Yet  it  is  possible  to  study  its  movements, 
without  much  difficulty  from  the  cover  of  a  large  rock,  or  the 
scanty  vegetation  of  the  sand-hills.  Sociable  and  very 
active,  '  wisps '  and  small  flocks  may  be  seen  constantly  flit- 
ting to  and  fro  over  the  sands,  some  alighting  among 

1  During  the  entire  month  of  July,  and  even  in  the  first  week  in 
August,  I  have  over  and  over  again  heard  adult  Redshanks   screech- 
ing  loudly  as   though  their  nesting-haunts  were  being  intruded  upon, 
the  birds  at  the  same  time  flying  round  my  head  in  a  most  menacing 
manner.      The  immature  birds,  which  were  feeding  on  the  ooze,  were 
not   at  all   times  close  by.      The  habit   is  of   interest,    as   the  parent- 
birds  were  miles  away  from  their  breeding-haunts. 

2  I  have  shot  Redshanks   in   full  winter-plumage  as  early  as    Sep- 
tember 6th. 

3  In  August,  1897,  I  observed  quite  a  large  gathering  of  Redshanks 
resting  on  a  small  rock-island  of  the  Blasket  Group,  off  the  coast  of  Kerry. 


COMMON  REDSHANK  343 

Dunlins,  Knots,  Ringed  Plovers,  and  other  small  wading- 
birds,  while  others  prefer  the  companionship  of  the  more 
sturdy  Curlews,  Godwits,  and  Sea-Pies.  But  nowhere  does 
the  Redshank  mass  into  large  flocks,  though  numbers  may 
be  seen  scattered  widely  over  the  sands  and  ooze.  It  is 
amusing  to  watch  a  party  of  these  birds  standing  along  the 
edge  of  the  tide,  jerking  their  tails  and  nodding  their  heads 
in  true  sandpiper- fash  ion,  and  from  some  unknown  motive. 
Presently  one  of  them  will  wade  into  a  channel  until  its 
feet  and  legs  are  quite  covered.  In  this  position — half 
swimming,  half  wading — it  will  boldly  plunge  its  head  and 
slender  neck  under  the  water  in  search  of  food,  until  finally, 
by  the  force  of  the  current,  it  is  taken  off  its  feet  and  obliged 
to  swim.  This  the  Redshank  can  do  with  ease;  indeed,  I 
have  seen  it  cross  a  deep  salt-water  creek  of  considerable 
width,  and  have  observed  wrounded  birds  dive  courageously 
to  escape  capture.  At  high  water  this,  like  many  other 
shore-birds,  rests  on  rocks,  shingle,  and  tufts  of  grass, 
deserting  these  at  ebb-tide  for  the  ooze-flats.  Occasionally 
it  retires  inland  for  other  than  breeding-purposes,  and  in 
sheltered  and  wooded  districts  it  not  infrequently  perches 
on  trees. 

Some  sportsmen  dislike  the  sight  of  this  bird  on  the 
coast  because  of  its  incessant,  noisy  cry,  which  comes  as 
a  warning  to  other  wildfowl  to  keep  clear  of  the  gunner's 
range.  But  to  the  true  lover  of  birds  the  plaintive  piping 
of  this  favourite  shore-bird  is  a  welcome  and  an  agreeable 
sound.  The  tuneful  melody,  short  and  simple,  consisting 
of  but  a  few  bars,  fully  expresses  that  it  is  rendered  by  an 
emotional  and  a  timid  creature.  If  the  piping  of  the  Red- 
shank and  the  mournful  whistle  of  the  Curlew  should  cease 
to  be  heard  over  the  sands  and  shallows  of  the  ebbing  tide, 
how  greatly  should  we  miss  those  enlivening  sounds ! 

Voice. — The  alarm-cry  resembles  the  syllables  thu-whoo- 
tchu,  thii-ivh66-whd,  the  accent  being  thrown  well  on  the 
first  syllable.  I  have  also  heard  a  single  tuneful  cry,  as 
though  the  three  syllables  were  fused  into  one  note.  It  is 
frequently  uttered  when  the  bird  is  on  the  wing.  The  love- 
song  of  the  male  in  spring  has  a  peculiar  sound  like  leero, 
leero.  It  is  uttered  during  courtship,  when  the  male,  with 
nodding  head,  runs  about  in  front  of  his  spouse. 

Flight. — The  Redshank  is  very  swift  on  the  wing,  and 
cuts  through  the  air,  often  pursuing  an  irregular  and  even  a 
zig-zag  route.  The  white  of  the  Secondaries  is  very  notice- 
able as  the  bird  skims  over  the  dark  sands. 


344 

Food.- — Small  crabs,  shrimps,  sand-hoppers,  sea-worms, 
and  shell-fish,  are  sought  for  along  the  coast,  while  at  the 
breeding-haunts  berries,  insects,  and  earth-worms,  form  the 
main  diet. 

Nest. — The  Eedshank  breeds  on  the  ground  in  marshy 
situations,  the  majority  of  the  birds  resorting  to  inland  dis- 
tricts far  from  the  coast,  while  others  nest  close  to  the  sea- 
beach  where  marshes  and  dykes  contain  brackish  waters.  A 
spot  fairly  rich  in  grasses,  rushes,  and  coarse  vegetation,  tall 
enough  to  afford  concealment  to  the  sitting-bird,  is  usually 
selected.  I  have  generally  found  the  nest  in  the  middle 
of  a  tuft  of  long  grass  and  often  on  the  islands  of  fresh- 
water lakes.  It  is  made  of  dry  grass,  the  same  material 
being  used  for  the  lining.  Sometimes,  however,  in  a  secure 
and  isolated  spot,  the  surrounding  herbage  is  so  stunted  that 
the  nest  is  quite  open  to  view.  Several  pairs  of  birds  may 
be  found  breeding  about  the  same  locality,  yet  hardly  close 
enough  and  in  sufficient  numbers  to  form  colonies.  The 
eggs,  four  in  number,  are  of  a  warm  buff  or  stone-colour, 
marked  with  numerous  blotches  and  spots  of  a  rich  dark, 
reddish -brown.  Some  eggs  bear  a  close  resemblance  to  those 
of  the  Lapwing,  others  are  coloured  not  unlike  those  of  the 
Common  Tern,  but  the  ground-colour  of  the  Kedshank's 
egg  is  usually  lighter  and  clearer  than  either,  and  its  pear- 
shape  at  once  distinguishes  it  from  the  latter. 

Incubation  commences  about  the  middle  of  April,  this 
species  breeding  somewhat  earlier  than  most  wading-birds. 

At  the  approach  of  an  intruder  the  birds  become  noisy 
and  wildly  excited,  endeavouring  to  distract  attention  from 
their  brood  by  their  erratic  ascending  and  descending  move- 
ments through  the  air. 

The  Redshank  breeds  in  several  counties  in  England, 
also  in  Wales,  while  in  Scotland  and  Ireland  it  is  more 
widely  distributed  as  a  nesting-species,  and  in  a  few 
favourite  breeding-haunts  is  even  numerous. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  over  a 
large  area  of  Northern  and  Temperate  Europe  and  Asia, 
also  in  Northern  Africa.  The  migration-range,  in  autumn 
and  winter,  extends  along  the  European  sea-board,  south- 
ward to  Cape  Colony,  and  eastward  over  the  Asiatic  Con- 
tinent to  India,  China,  Japan,  and  the  adjoining  Islands. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  hind- 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wing-coverts,  chequered  with 


SPOTTED  REDSHANK  345 

shades  of  brown  ;  primaries,  dark  brown,  the  shorter  inner 
ones  being  variegated  with  white ;  secondaries,  chiefly 
white,  giving  the  extended  wings  the  appearance  of  having 
their  hinder  portions  white  ;  lower  back  and  rump,  white ; 
tail  and  upper  tail-coverts,  transversely  barred  with  blackish- 
brown  and  white ;  chin,  whitish ;  throat,  front  of  neck, 
breast,  and  abdomen,  streaked  with  light  brown ;  flanks  and 
axillaries,  barred  with  brown  ;  under  tail-coverts,  white, 
with  dark  streaks  and  spots. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage,  but 
the  markings  are  less  pronounced. 

Adult  'winter,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  hind-neck, 
back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  dull  ash-colour ;  front  of  neck 
and  breast,  whitish  with  some  streaks  of  ash-brown ;  throat 
and  abdomen,  white  ;  axillaries,  pure  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  hind-neck, 
back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  greyish-brown,  edged  and 
chequered  with  buff;  cheeks,  rest  of  neck,  throat,  and  breast, 
greyish,  with  darker  streaks ;  flanks  and  under  tail-coverts, 
white,  slightly  streaked  with  greyish  -  brown  ;  abdomen, 
white  ;  tail,  marked  similarly  to  that  of  the  adult. 

BEAK.     Deep  orange  at  the  base  ;  point,  blackish-brown. 

FEET.     Orange-red. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...  11       in.  Female  slightly  larger. 

WING 6"25  ,, 

BEAK          1-8     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS      1'9     ,, 

EGG  1-75  X  1'2  in. 


SPOTTED   REDSHANK.     Totanus  foiscus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
55  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  567  figs.  2, 
568  figs.  2,  3,  569  fig.  1  ;  Lilford,  « Coloured  Figures,' 
vol.  v,  pi.  51. 

This  beautiful    Sandpiper   alights    on    oar  shores  as  an 
occasional  visitor  during  the  spring  and  autumn  migration. 


346  CHARADBIIDJE 

During  some  seasons  it  is  not  infrequent,  especially  in  the 
south-eastern  counties  of  England. 

In  Scotland  it  has  been  procured  in  Haddingtonshire, 
Banffshire,  Aberdeenshire,  Elginshire,  in  the  Solway  district, 
and  also  in  the  Orkneys. 

The  Spotted  Redshank  is  rare  in  Ireland.  About  eight 
examples  have  been  taken,  and  it  has  probably  been 
observed  some  twenty-six l  times.  It  has  visited  the 
counties  of  Cork,  Dublin,  Kildare,  Sligo,  Mayo,  and  Down 
(E.  Warren,  'Birds  of  Ireland,'  pp.  300-301).  The  first 
recorded  specimen  was  obtained  by  Thompson,  on  August 
22nd,  1823,  at  Holywood,  Belfast  Bay  ('Natural  History 
of  Ireland,'  vol.  ii.,  p.  200).  Several  have  been  recorded 
of  recent  years  on  the  shores  of  Dublin  Bay  by  the  late 
Mr.  E.  Williams,  as  follows : — September,  1888,  two  seen ; 
September  24th,  1891,  one  obtained;  October  3rd,  1892, 
one  seen ;  September  7th,  1894,  one  seen.  The  last- 
mentioned  bird  I  had  the  pleasure  of  observing  when  in 
the  company  of  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams;  it  flew  past 
us  at  no  great  distance  from  the  ground,  uttering  a  peculiar 
note,  quite  unlike  that  of  the  common  species.  But  the 
most  distinguishing  feature  was  the  absence  of  white  on 
the  hinder  portions  of  the  wings,  so  well  seen  on  the 
Common  Eedshank  when  in  flight. 

In  their  habits,  this  and  the  preceding  species  are  not 
unlike,  especially  with  regard  to  the  nature  of  their 
feeding-grounds,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  freely 
associate  with  other  shore-birds.  The  Spotted  Eedshank 
is,  on  the  whole,  more  partial  to  fresh  or  brackish  waters, 
though  it  is  noteworthy  that  of  all  the  records  made  by 
Mr.  Warren  only  two  are  from  inland  localities.  This 
bird,  with  its  remarkably  long  legs  and  feet  (much  longer 
than  those  of  the  Common  Eedshank),  is  able  to  wade  to 
a  considerable  depth,  and  has  been  seen  standing,  like 
the  Avocet,  up  to  its  middle  in  a  pond  of  water,  pecking 
at  the  insects  as  they  rose  from  the  surface  (Degland, 
'  Ornithologie  Europeenne  '). 

Flight. — On  the  wing,  this  bird  is  strong  and  swift, 
and,  like  a  flushed  Snipe,  will  ascend  to  a  great  height 
when  startled,  soon  disappearing  out  of  sight. 

Voice. — The  late  Mr.  E.  Williams  describes  the  alarm- 

1  Of  these,  some  sixteen  occurrences  have  been  recorded  by  Mr.  K. 
Warren,  from  cos.  Mayo  and  Sligo. 


SPOTTED  REDSHANK  347 

note  as  "  a  peculiar  twitter,  quite  unlike  the  bold  whistle 
of  the  common  species"  ('Irish  Naturalist,'  1894,  p.  221). 
The  note  may  be  syllabled  tu-whee-te,  tu-whee-te,  often 
repeated.  A  two- syllabled  call-note  is  also  uttered. 

Food. — This  consists  of  insects  (including  beetles,  wrhich 
are  largely  consumed),  shell-fish,  and  worms. 

Nest. — According  to  the  observations  of  Wolley,  the 
Spotted  Bed  shank,  when  nesting,  resorts  to  rather  dry 
situations  in  well-timbered  districts,  sometimes  hilly  and 
at  a  considerable  distance  from  water.  The  nest  is  a 
shallow  depression  in  dark,  rough  soil,  "  often  where  the 
forest  has  been  burned"  (Saunders).  The  eggs,  four  in 
number,  vary  from  pale  brown  to  pale  green  in  ground- 
colour, blotched  and  spotted  with  brown  and  black. 
Incubation  begins  about  the  end  of  May. 

Geographical  distribution.  -  -  The  Spotted  Redshank 
breeds  in  Arctic  and  Northern  Europe  and  Asia,  journey- 
ing in  autumn  and  winter  over  Europe  to  South  Africa, 
while  its  eastern  migration  extends  to  Southern  Asia  and 
Japan. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  General  plumage, 
black,  spotted  with  white ;  lower  back  and  upper  tail- 
coverts,  white,  transversely  barred  with  black ;  tail-feathers, 
barred  white  and  brownish ;  primaries,  blackish. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Resembles  the  male  nuptial 
plumage,  sometimes  the  breast  and  abdomen  are  brownish- 
black,  and  more  thickly  spotted  with  white  than  in  the 
male  ;  the  chin  is  often  white  (Saunders). 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  hind- 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  ash-grey,  with  white 
mottlings ;  tail-feathers,  dusky,  the  central  ones  without 
black  and  white  barring;  (cf.  tail-feathers  of  Common  Red- 
shank) ;  secondaries,  thickly  barred  with  white  and  dusky 
greyish-brown  ;  front  and  sides  of  neck,  greyish  ;  breast  and 
abdomen,  greyish-white  ;  axillaries,  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Back,  scapulars,  and 
wings,  brownish-grey,  spotted  with  white ;  throat,  breast, 
and  abdomen,  washed  with  ash-grey  on  a  white  ground  ; 
the  immature  plumage  bears  a  general  resemblance  to  the 
winter  adult  plumage. 

BEAK.  Blackish,  the  base  of  the  lower  segment  being 
reddish. 


348  CHARADKIHXE 

FEET.     Deep  red ;  much  longer  than  those  of  the  Com 
mon  Kedshank. 

IBIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 13   in. 

WING    6-25  ,, 

BEAK    2-25  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        2'2     ,, 

EGG  1-85  x  1-25  in. 


GREENSHANK.     Totauus  canescens  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
53  ;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  570  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  52. 

The  Greenshank  is  the  largest  of  our  British  Sandpipers 
(Totanus),  being  hardly  inferior  in  size  to  the  Bar-tailed 
Godwit.  It  is  tolerably  common  on  the  coast  during 
migration  in  autumn,  and  again  on  the  return  journey  in 
spring. 

In  winter,  large  numbers  pass  southward,  though  this 
species  may  be  seen  on  our  shores  at  almost  all  seasons  of 
the  year.  The  observations  of  Mr.  Warren1  show  that  this 
wading-bird  is  one  of  the  earliest  to  return  from  its  breeding- 
haunts,  appearing  occasionally  on  the  Mayo  coast  at  the 
end  of  June,  or  early  in  July. 

From  the  Kedshank  it  may  readily  be  distinguished  by 
its  superior  size,  longer  legs  and  feet  of  a  totally  different 
colour,  and  by  the  greater  display  of  white 2  on  the  throat, 
breast,  and  abdomen  (Plate  XXXVI.).  Nor  is  the  Green- 


1  A  flock  of  fourteen  was  observed  on  the  Mayo  coast  on  June  19th, 
1878,  by  Mr.  Warren,  and   I   have   frequently    seen   small   gatherings 
during  June  and  July,  on  the  slob- lands  of  the  Dublin  coast. 

2  A  recently  shot  adult  Greenshank  in  full  winter -plumage  with  its 
unsullied  white  breast  and  abdomen,  and   richly  chequered   grey  back 
and  wings,  is  a  strikingly  beautiful  creature,  as  it   lies  with   extended 
wings  and  tail  on  the  dark  slimy  ooze. 


w 


CO       --- 

^ 


ft 

*     5 

~ 


-7  § 


GREENSHANK  349 

shank  so  incessant  in  its  cry,  though  its  piping  alarm-note 
may  be  heard  if  it  detects  an  enemy  on  the  open  strand, 
even  at  a  distance  of  two  or  three  hundred  yards.  Young 
birds  are  naturally  less  wary,  but  even  they  are  very  timid. 
I  have  seen  them  take  flight  at  the  sound  of  a  train, 
an  electric  car,  or  other  vehicle,  passing  along  the  coast, 
while  many  wading-birds,  even  the  restless  Redshanks,  con- 
tinued to  feed  unconcernedly  on  the  ooze. 

It  is,  in  fact,  an  exceedingly  timid  and  wary  bird,  most 
difficult  of  approach,  though  outwardly  it  appears  less  excit- 
able than  many  other  Sandpipers.  The  peculiar  habit,  so 
constant  in  the  group  of  Totanus,  of  nodding  the  head 
and  flirting  the  tail  is  not  marked  to  such  an  extent  as  in 
many  other  species.  The  numbers  which  consort  together 
seldom  exceed  half-a-dozen.  When  these  birds  first  arrive 
in  early  autumn,  old  and  young  may  be  seen  together, 
forming  family  parties,  though  when  feeding,  they  usually 
scatter  widely  on  the  ooze.  At  the  slightest  provocation 
the  parent-birds  take  wing,  warning  the  young  by  their 
loud  piping  cries.  The  latter  instantly  follow  suit,  and 
joining  their  parents,  flit  across  the  sands  in  search  of 
another  feeding-ground. 

This  species  is  rather  fond  of  gullies  and  drains,  the  beds 
of  which  are  composed  of  slimy,  sinking  ooze,  often  black 
and  foul-smelling.  Such  places  are  difficult  and  dangerous 
to  traverse.  I  have  a  vivid  recollection  of  once  sinking  up 
to  my  middle  in  an  ooze-flat  when  endeavouring  to  pursue 
a  wounded  Greenshank,  which,  despite  all  my  efforts  to 
secure  it,  floated  down  the  channel  and  was  carried  to  sea 
by  the  ebbing  tide. 

But  like  the  Redshank  the  Greenshank  does  not  confine 
itself  to  such  localities.  It  may  be  met  with  wading  along 
the  edge  of  a  clear  fresh-water  rivulet  near  the  sea ;  rocky 
coasts  are  less  frequently  resorted  to,  though  I  have  dis- 
turbed a  pair  of  Greenshanks  from  a  ledge  on  the  face  of 
a  high  precipitous  cliff  on  the  Donegal  coast.  Groups  of 
these  birds  often  cross  over  from  the  mainland  to  adjacent 
islands,  especially  at  high  water  when  the  sands  and  ooze- 
flats  are  covered. 

This  bird  can  both  swim  and  dive.  It  has  been  known, 
during  flight,  to  plunge  repeatedly  under  the  surface  of 
the  water  to  escape  the  talons  of  the  Falcon  (Warren). 
Like  other  Sandpipers  it  occasionally  perches  on  trees. 

Flight. — Though  very  rapid  and  buoyant  on  the  wing, 


350  CHAKADRIID^ 

especially  when  suddenly  frightened,  yet  from  ambush  I 
have  seen  Greenshanks  skimming  over  the  surface  of  the 
water  with  slow  and  steady  strokes  of  the  wing. 

Voice.—  If  the  nesting-grounds  are  too  closely  approached 
this  bird  utters  a  harsh  scolding  cry,  syllabled  chee-ioeet, 
chee-weet.  The  alarm-note,  heard  over  the  slob-lands  by 
night  as  well  as  day,  consists  of  a  succession  of  piping  cries, 
rather  monotone  in  character,  and  resembling  the  syllables 
chu-chu-chu-chii-chu-chu,  each  note  being  strongly  and  evenly 
accented. 


Food. — The  mixed  diet  consists  of  crabs,  shrimps,  sand- 
eels,  and  other  little  fishes1  found  in  shallow  waters.  Shell- 
fish, worms,  and  insects,  are  also  eaten,  the  last  being 
sometimes  obtained  at  a  little  distance  from  the  beach. 

Nest. — The  site  selected  for  breeding-purposes  is  usually 
not  far  from  the  edge  of  a  fresh- water  lake,  a  pond,  or  a  river, 
and  the  nest  is  generally  built  amid  coarse  grasses  and  other 
vegetation.  The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  rich  buff-colour, 
blotched  and  spotted  with  brown  and  purple-grey,  and  are 
among  the  most  beautiful  eggs  belonging  to  the  Order 
Limicolce. 

Heretofore  the  Greenshank  has  not  been  discovered 
breeding  in  England,  Wales,  or  Ireland,  but  in  Scotland  it 
is  known  to  nest  in  the  following  counties : — Perthshire, 
Inverness-shire,  Koss,  Argyll,  Sutherland,  and  Caithness.  It 
also  breeds  in  both  the  Outer  and  Inner  Hebrides,  but  not 


1  I  have  found  the  remains  of  small  fishes  in  several  gizzards  of  this 
species  and  of  the  Redshank. 


GREENSHANK  351 

in  the  Shetlands  or  Orkneys  (Buckley  and  Harvie-Brown, 
*  Vertebrate  Fauna  of  Sutherland  and  Caithness  '). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  over  a  vast 
area  of  Northern  Europe  and  Asia,  migrating  in  winter 
over  these  Continents,  and  reaching  as  far  as  Australia. 
According  to  Mr.  Saunders,  considerable  numbers  do  not 
travel  further  in  winter  than  the  Mediterranean  basin  and 
the  Canaries. 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  hind- 
neck,  greyish-white  streaked  with  dark  brown ;  back, 
scapulars,  wing-coverts,  and  secondaries,  blackish,  edged 
with  grey;  primaries,  blackish -bro wn ;  lower  back  and 
upper  tail-coverts,  white  ;  tail,  white,  splashed  and  barred 
with  brown ;  throat,  front  and  sides  of  neck,  cheeks,  breast, 
and  flanks,  streaked  and  spotted  with  pale  brown  on  a  white 
ground  ;  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  top  of  the  head, 
back,  and  sides  of  the  neck  have  lighter  streaks,  and  the 
variegated  markings  on  the  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  also 
exhibit  lighter  shades  of  grey  than  in  the  nuptial  plumage ; 
in  fact  the  upper  plumage  of  the  Greenshank  in  winter 
may  be  shortly  described  as  a  '  chequered  tweed-grey ' ; 
chin,  throat,  front  of  neck,  breast,  (save  a  small  portion 
of  the  sides),  abdomen,  under  tail-coverts,  and  flanks,  pure 
white  ;  a  white  stripe  extends  from  the  base  of  the  beak 
to  the  front  of  the  eye ;  central  tail-feathers,  greyish-white, 
barred  with  light  brown;  lateral  tail-feathers,  chiefly  white, 
spotted  on  their  outer  webs  with  greyish-brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Somewhat  resembles  the 
adult  winter-plumage,  but  the  feathers  of  the  back,  scapulars, 
and  wings,  are  edged  with  dark  buff,  and  the  neck,  breast, 
and  flanks,  are  finely  streaked  with  dark  greyish-brown. 

BEAK.     Blackish;  very  slightly  recurved. 

FEET.     Dull  greenish  ;  long  and  slender. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE    MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH         ...         ...  12       in. 

WING 7'25  „ 

BEAK 2'25  ,, 

TARSO-METATAESUS 2*25  ,, 

EGG      ...  1-9  x  1-3  in. 


352  CHAKADKIID^ 

RED-BREASTED  SNIPE.     Macrorhamphus  grise'us 
(J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
76;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  571;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  29. 

The  first  British  specimen  of  this  rare  American  bird 
was  taken  about  October,  1801,  in  Devon.  It  was  described 
and  figured  by  Montagu  as  the  'Brown  Snipe'  (Ornith. 
Diet.).  This  specimen  is  preserved  in  the  British  Museum. 
The  above  county  is  credited  with  yielding  three  more 
examples,  while  the  bird  has  also  been  recorded  from  :— 

England: — Middlesex,  Norfolk,  Lincolnshire,  Lancashire, 
Cumberland,  and  the  Scilly  Isles. 

Scotland:  —  There  appear  to  be  but  three  records, 
namely,  one  obtained  in  Fifeshire,  September,  1867  (Gray, 
'Birds  of  West  of  Scotland');  this  bird  is  preserved 
in  the  Edinburgh  Museum.  Another  obtained  in  Lanark- 
shire (Gray,  'Ibis,'  1870).  The  third  was  procured  in 
Argyll,  September  2nd,  1891  (Malcolm,  'Zoologist,'  1891). 

Ireland:  —  Until  1893,  this  species  wras  unknown  in 
Ireland.  During  the  autumn  of  that  year  two  examples 
were  obtained,  the  data  being  as  follows: — A  female  bird, 
in  immature  plumage,  received  in  Dublin  on  September 
29th,  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams.  This  specimen  was 
sent  up  with  a  consignment  of  Snipe  from  Queen's 
County  (E.  Williams,  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1893,  p.  302)  ;  it 
is  now  preserved  in  the  Science  and  Art  Museum,  Dublin. 

An  adult  female,  received  in  Birmingham,  on  October 
llth,  by  Mr.  F.  Coburn.  This  specimen  was  also  found 
among  a  number  of  Snipe,  sent  from  the  co.  Tipperary. 
It  was  sent  to  Professor  Newton,  who  is  of  the  opinion  that 
it  belonged  to  the  western  variety  (Macrorliampus  griseus, 
var.  scolopaceus)  (G.  E.  H.  Barrett-Hamilton,  '  Irish  Natura- 
list,' 1893,  pp.  323-4). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  blackish, 
mottled  with  brown  ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  blackish, 
with  yellowish  edgings  ;  shaft  of  first  primary,  white ;  tail 
and  its  upper  coverts,  white  and  rufous,  barred  with  black  ; 
abdomen,  reddish-brown  ;  throat  and  breast,  reddish-brown, 


BAK-TAILED  GODWIT  353 

sparsely  spotted  with  black ;  axillaries,  white,  barred  with 
black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — General  colour  ash-grey, 
with  whitish  under-parts. 

Immature,  male  and  female.1 — Besembles  the  adult  winter- 
plumage,  but  the  shade  is  greyer ;  the  feathers  of  the  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  being  only  thinly  edged  with  rufous. 

BEAK.     Dark  olive. 

FEET.     Pale  olive. 

IRIDES.  Dark  reddish-brown. 

EGGS.  Greenish-grey  or  brownish-olive,  blotched  with 
dark  umber  :  clutch,  four. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...  10      in.   Female  smaller. 

WING         5-5   „ 

BEAK         2'2   „ 

TARSO-METATAESUS         ...       1\5   ,, 

EGG  1-75  x  1'22  in. 


BAR-TAILED  GODWIT.     Limosa  lapponica  (Linnaeus;. 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
51  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  573  figs. 
1,  2,  574  fig.  2;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  56. 

Of  the  two  species  of  Godwits  which  frequent  our  shores, 
the  Bar-tailed  is  by  far  the  most  numerous.  It  occurs  in 
considerable  numbers  every  year,  being  abundant  when 
migrating  in  spring  and  autumn.  A  decrease  in  numbers 
during  the  winter  is  probably  most  marked  on  the  southern 
shores  of  England  ;  but  here,  large  numbers  in  nuptial 
plumage  reappear  in  spring.  Along  the  western  coasts  of 
Great  Britain  it  occurs  mainly  as  an  autumn  and  early 
winter-visitor. 


1  I  noticed  that  the  immature  female  specimen  from  Queen's  Co., 
presented  to  the  Museum  of  Science  and  Art,  Dublin,  has  the  head  and 
neck  of  a  mouse-brown  colour ;  the  back  showing  distinct  rufous  edgings. 

23 


354  CHAEADRIID^E 

It  is  widely  distributed  over  the  shores  of  Scotland, 
though  rare  in  the  Orkneys. 

The  Bar-tailed  Godwit  is  common  on  many  parts  of  the 
Irish  coasts.  Immature  birds,  at  first  quite  tame,  generally 
appear  about  the  middle  of  August.  They  can  often  be 
approached  so  closely  that  the  rich  buff  colour  of  their 
breasts  is  discernible.  I  have  observed  flocks  of  several 
hundreds  in  midwinter  on  the  Dublin  coast,  and  these, 
in  spring,  are  reinforced  by  migrants  journeying  from 
southern  latitudes.  Many  of  the  latter  remain  with  us  until 
the  beginning  of  June.1  Like  the  Knot,  this  bird  very 
seldom  appears  on  the  Irish  coast  in  nuptial  plumage.  It 
would  seem  that  a  large  proportion  are  immature,  and  many 
such  remain  throughout  the  breeding-season. 

This  species  delights  to  wander  over  ooze-flats  and 
stretches  of  soft  sand,  into  which  it  can  probe  its  long 
beak  in  search  of  food  :  it  often  follows  the  bed  of  a  salt- 
water drain  or  creek.  , 

I  have  seen  large  flocks  resting  on  the  bare  sands  at 
ebb-tide,  some  of  the  birds  apparently  asleep,  with  their 
beaks  buried  in  the  feathers  of  the  shoulders,  and  supporting 
themselves  each  on  one  leg.2  But  at  high  water  they 
appear  to  take  most  rest,  when,  scattered  into  pairs  and 
small  parties,  they  stand  motionless  on  rocks,  shingle,  or 
marshy  grass-tufts. 

This  bird  seldom  attempts  to  swim  except  when 
wounded,  but  it  will  frequently  stand  still  for  a  considerable 
time  while  its  feet  and  legs  are  being  washed  by  the  ripplets 
of  the  inflowing  tide. 

1  On  June  7th,  1899,  I  descried  an  unusually  large  flock  consisting 
of   several   hundreds   of  Bar-tailed   Godwits,  on  the  Dublin   coast ;    I 
scanned  them  carefully  with  my  field-glass,  but  failed  to  recognise  any 
nuptial-plumaged  birds  among  them. 

2  I   made   the    following    observations    on    a   fine,  adult  Bar-tailed 
Godwit  which  was  presented  by  Mr.  Warren  to  the  Royal  Zoological 
Society  of  Ireland.     The  bird  had  a  habit  of  standing  for  a  considerable 
time  on  one  leg,  with  its  feathers  puffed  out.     When  walking  or  standing, 
the  beak  was   generally  carried  horizontally.      Though  normally  of   a 
calm  and  contented  nature,  yet  fits  of  excitement  sometimes  manifested 
themselves,  especially  in  early  autumn.      At  such   times   the   captive 
would  fly  round  and  round  its  cage,  battering  itself  against  the  bars,  as 
though  trying  to  escape.     Indeed,  it  seemed  almost  suggestive  that  the 
bird  was  possessed  of  a  strong  migratory  desire.     When  eating,  it  would 
bury  its  long  beak  in  its  food,  which  consisted  of  bread  softened  in  milk, 
chopped  meat,   and  vegetables.     It   repeatedly   sounded   the   syllables 
cak-caTe-caTc,  when  resting  and  walking.     Its  expression  of  eye  was  soft, 
and  with  the  other  feathered  inmates  it  was  most  friendly. 


BAK-T  AILED    GOD  WIT 

Flight. — The  Bar-tailed  Godwit  rises  from  the  slob  with 
a  comparatively  slow  and  measured  flight,  which  contrasts 
with  that  of  many  other  Limicoline  birds,  but  when  well 
on  the  wing  it  travels  with  remarkable  speed.  I  have  seen 
a  flock  perform  magnificent  aerial  gyrations,  and  the- 
velocity  with  which  the  birds  can  shoot  almost  vertically* 
downwards  from  an  immense  height  to  their  feeding- 
grounds  is  astonishing. 

Voice. — Mr.  Harting  compares  the  note  to  the  syllables 
lou-ey,  lou-eij.  But  the  curious  barking  sound  heard  from 
flocks  when  on  the  wing  in  autumn  and  winter,  seems  to 
resemble  the  syllables  dk-dk,  dk-dk. 

Food.  —  Small  crabs,  shrimps,  sand-hoppers,  marine 
insects,  and  shell-fish,  constitute  the  staple  diet.  The  flesh 
of  the  immature  bird  is  considered  edible,  but,  like  that  of 
many  other  shore-birds,  it  has  a  tendency  towards  a  fishy 
flavour. 

Nest. — This  species  breeds  in  marshy  situations,  scrap- 
ing a  hollow  in  the  ground  for  a  nest.  The  eggs,  four  in 
number,  are  pale  olive-green,  blotched  and  streaked  with 
brown. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  breeding-range  appears 
to  extend  across  Arctic  Europe  and  Asia,  from  Lapland 
eastward  to  the  Kiver  Yenesei.  On  migration,  in  autumn 
and  winter,  the  bird  occurs  in  great  numbers  over  the 
sea-board  of  the  European  Continent,  and  as  far  south  as 
the  coast-lands  of  Equatorial  Africa.  Eastward  it  migrates 
over  the  Asiatic  Continent,  as  far  south  as  Northern  India. 
Numbers  of  birds,  apparently  immature,  remain  through- 
out the  summer  months  in  many  districts  of  the  British 
Isles,  but  there  is  no  evidence  that  this  species  has  nested 
with  us. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  back  of  neck, 
and  sides  of  breast,  reddish-brown,  streaked  with  black ; 
back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  marked  irregularly  with  brown 
and  black ;  some  of  the  wing-coverts  are  margined  with 
white ;  primaries,  brownish-black ;  rump  and  upper  tail- 
coverts,  white,  streaked  with  brown  ;  tail,  broadly  barred 
with  light  buff  and  dark  brown  ;  chin,  throat,  front  of  neck% 
breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  rich  chestnut-red. 

Adult  female  nuptial — Eesembles  the  male  nuptial 
plumage,  but  the  chestnut  colour  is  less  pronounced. 


356  CHARADKIID.E 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Breast  and  abdomen, 
greyish-white ;  front  of  neck  and  upper  breast,  thinly 
streaked  with  brown ;  top  of  head,  hind-neck,  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  ashy-grey,  streaked  with  greyish- 
brown  ;  tail,  ash-brown,  without  any  barring ;  upper  tail- 
coverts,  barred  with  brown  and  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Top  of  head,  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  variegated  with  brown  and  buff ; 
cheeks,  neck,  and  breast,  dull  greyish-buff,  indistinctly 
streaked  with  brown ;  abdomen,  yellowish-buff  without 
streaks ;  under  tail-coverts,  whitish ;  tail,  broadly  barred 
with  huffish-white  and  dark-brown  ;  rump  and  upper  tail- 
coverts,  white ;  over  the  eye  is  an  ill-defined  bufh'sh-white 
stripe  ;  the  immature  plumage  bears  a  general  resemblance 
to  the  adult  winter-plumage,  but  there  is  more  fulvous 
shading  in  the  former. 

BEAK.     Brownish  ;  slightly  recurved  near  the  tip. 

FEET.     Brownish. 

IRIDES.  Blackish -brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 15*5  in. 

WING         8 

BEAK         ...  3*5    ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        2*5    ,, 

EGG  ...  2-1  X  1-45  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  Eastern 
Siberian  form  which  ranges  to  Alaska,  and  migrates  over 
Asia  to  China  and  Japan,  reaching  Australia  and  New 
Zealand,  is  larger,  with  duller  chestnut-red  markings,  and 
browner  about  the  rump  (Saunders). 


BLACK-TAILED  GODWIT.     Limosa  belgica  (J.  P.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
50;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  573  fig.  3, 
574  fig.  1 ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  55. 

.This  fine  bird  is  a  somewhat  scarce  visitor  to  our  coasts. 
Formerly  it  was  more  abundant  and  bred  in  some  of  the 


BLACK-TAILED   GODWIT  357 

south-eastern  counties  of  England.  Nowadays  it  appears 
but  as  a  passing  migrant  in  spring  and  autumn,  a  few 
stragglers  remaining  until  the  winter.1  It  occurs  most 
often  during  the  southern  migration  in  August  and  September, 
and  again  in  April  and  May,  on  its  passage  northward  to 
breed.  North  of  the  coast  of  Yorkshire,  its  visits  become 
scanty  and  irregular. 

In  Scotland  it  is  seldom  observed.  Kecently,  September 
12th,  1905,  a  specimen  was  obtained  at  the  Ythan  estuary, 
Aberdeenshire  (G.  Sim,  '  Zoologist,'  1905,  p.  466).  Mr. 
Saunders  mentions  one  obtained  at  Loch  Spynie  in  the 
autumn  of  1878,  and  another  on  Westray,  Orkneys,  on 
September  27th,  1894 ;  Tiree,  in  the  Inner  Hebrides,  is 
visited  sometimes  in  spring.  Mr.  Harvie-Brown  mentions 
one  or  perhaps  two  recently  obtained  in  the  Outer  Hebrides 
('  Avifauna  Of  The  Outer  Hebrides,'  1888-1902.  Ann.  Scot. 
Nat.  Hist.,  1902-1903). 

Ireland  is  probably  visited  by  small  numbers  of  this 
species  annually  in  autumn.  At  other  seasons  of  the  year 
records  are  exceptional.  Mr.  Ussher  mentions  one  taken 
in  June  on  the  Moy  estuary,  co.  Mayo,  and  a  pair  in  July 
in  co.  Longford.  Mr.  Warren  records  a  few  specimens  seen 
or  obtained  in  nuptial  plumage  on  the  Mayo  coast  ('  Birds 
of  Ireland/  p.  307,  also  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1903,  p.  112).  In 
the  «  Zoologist'  for  1902,  p.  316,  Mr.  F.  Coburn  states  that 
he  received  a  female  in  full  winter-plumage  from  Limerick. 

This  is  the  larger  and  more  elegantly  shaped  of  the  two 
species  of  Godwits.  In  its  general  habits  it  resembles  its 
congener. 

Flight.  —  On  the  wing  it  displays  great  power  and 
velocity,  indulging  in  aerial  evolutions  no  less  wonderful 
than  those  performed  by  the  last  species.  The  broad  white 
band  on  the  tail  is  very  evident  as  the  bird  flies  low  over 
the  dark  sands. 

Voice. — The  alarm-cry,  heard  in  autumn  on  the  coast,  is 
of  a  somewhat  musical  and  whistling  character ;  it  may 
be  syllabled  chu-tte-chuo,  chu-tee-chuo. 

Food. — This  consists  mainly  of  marine  worms,  insects, 
and  small  shell-fish. 


1  In  the  'Zoologist,'  1905,  p.  70,  the  Rev.  Julian  Tuck  mentions  that  he 
procured  a  female  specimen  "  in  almost  complete  winter  plumage,"  from 
a  game-dealer's  shop  in  Bury ;  the  bird  was  obtained  from  Lynn. 


358  CHAKADKIID^ 

Nest. — The  nest  is  generally  situated  in  marshes,  and 
near  water ;  it  consists  of  a  rather  shallow  hollow,  scantily 
lined  with  dry  grasses  and  other  vegetation.  The  eggs, 
four  in  number,  are  pale  brownish-green,  spotted  with 
brown.  Before  the  fens  and  marshes  of  some  of  the  eastern 
counties  of  England  were  reclaimed,  the  Black-tailed  God- 
wit  was  known  to  breed  with  us.  It  formerly  nested  in 
Norfolk,  Lincoln,  Cambridgeshire,  Huntingdon,  and  South 
Yorkshire.  In  Norfolk,  according  to  Stevenson,  it  bred 
annually  until  about  1830,  though  for  many  years  after- 
wards, odd  pairs  probably  nested  in  that  county.  "  The 
last  nest  heard  of  was  one  containing  three  eggs,  taken  at 
Reedham,  Norfolk,  in  1857.  These  eggs  were  sold  at 
Stevens's,  March  23,  1858,  and  two  of  them  are  in  the 
collection  of  Professor  Newton  "  (Harting).  It  bred  in  the 
other  counties  named  until  the  beginning  of  the  last  century. 

Large  numbers  were  formerly  netted  for  table-use  (this 
species  being  considered  a  very  great  delicacy),  which 
thinned  out  the  numbers  of  nesting-birds  very  considerably. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  The  Black-tailed  Godwit 
breeds  in  several  countries  of  Temperate  and  Northern 
Europe,  notably  Belgium,  Denmark,  Holland,  North  Ger- 
many, Scandinavia,  and  Russia;  also  in  Iceland.  It  is 
found  breeding  in  the  western  section  of  Temperate  and 
Northern  Asia,  e.g.,  Siberia.  On  migration  in  autumn  and 
winter,  it  visits  the  sea-board  of  Europe,  Northern  Africa, 
and  Southern  Asia,  as  far  as  India  and  Ceylon.  Many 
birds  spend  the  winter  about  the  Mediterranean  basin. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  and  hind- 
neck,  reddish  brown,  with  dark  brown  markings ;  back 
and  scapulars,  brownish,  mottled  with  black;  wings,  chiefly 
brownish,  with  a  noticeable  bar  of  white  ;  primaries,  dusky  ; 
rump  and  upper  tail-coverts,  white ;  tail-feathers,  blackish, 
with  broad  white  bases  and  thinly  margined  with  white; 
cheeks,  throat,  neck,  and  breast,  reddish-brown,  the  lower 
part  of  the  breast  being  barred  with  black ;  abdomen, 
greyish- white,  with  brown  bars  ;  chin  and  under  tail-coverts, 
white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage,  but 
the  reddish-brown  shadings  are  duller. 


CUKLEW  359 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  hind-neck, 
back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  light  ash-brown  ;  throat,  front 
of  neck,  breast,  and  upper  part  of  abdomen,  light  greyish  ; 
lower  part  of  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts,  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Somewhat  resembles  the 
adult  winter-plumage,  but  exhibits  a  warm  reddish-buff 
shading  about  the  neck  and  upper  breast,  and  the  back  and 
wings  are  darker  brown. 

BEAK.     Brownish  ;  slightly  upcurved  towards  the  tip. 

FEET.     Olivaceous-green. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH      .c.  16     in.    Female  a  trifle  larger. 

WING          8      „ 

BEAK  3'7  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS  3*5  ,, 

EGG..  2-2  X  1'5  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  Eastern 
bird  is  larger  than  our  own,  but  is  not  a  distinct  species, 
while  L.  hudsonica,  a  smaller  species,  with  smoky-brown 
axillaries  (which  in  our  bird  are  white),  inhabits  North 
America. 


CURLEW.     Namemus  arquata  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi. 
48;  Dresser,  *  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  578  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  57. 

The  Curlew  is  one  of  the  most  plentiful  of  shore-birds. 
Vast  numbers,  mainly  migrants  from  higher  latitudes,  con- 
gregate on  our  large  estuarine  mud-flats  in  autumn  (Sep- 
tember to  November),  many  remaining  until  the  following 
spring.  Of  these,  a  large  proportion  are  immature,  and  as 
they  do  not  breed  until  the  completion  of  their  second  year, 


360  CHAKADKIID^ 

they  remain  on  the  coast  throughout  the  summer.  An 
influx  of  birds,  migrating  northward,  takes  place  in  spring 
(March  and  April),  when  the  loud  cries  of  thousands  may 
be  heard  in  the  darkness  of  the  night  at  a  considerable 
altitude.1  When  these  travellers  sojourn  on  our  coasts  for 
a  short  time,  they  mass  into  great  throngs  which  are  main- 
tained as  they  continue  their  journey  northward.  But  in 
addition,  many  are  resident,  or  at  least  breed  in  the  British 
Isles.  These  usually  retire  inland  to  their  nesting-sites, 
some  weeks  before  the  spring-migrants  arrive,  and  return 
to  the  coast  about  the  middle  of  July. 

Partial  though  this  species  may  be  to  low-lying  and 
sandy  coasts,  it  also  searches  among  the  fucus-covered  rocks 
and  shingle  for  food.  In  fact,  few  localities  come  amiss  to 
its  adaptable  habits,  provided  that  human  traffic  is  not  too 
great. 

The  Curlew  is  eagerly  sought  for  by  the  gunner,  being 
a  bird  of  considerable  size,  and  fit  for  table-use.'2  It 
is  exceptionally  wary  and  restless,  and  can  seldom  be 
approached  within  gunshot-range  on  open  ground.  I  have 
watched  numbers  (from  behind  a  large  rock)  alight  at 
their  feeding-grounds,  often  only  forty  yards  from  me.  I 
have  noted  how  hundreds,  congregated  on  the  remote 
Atlantic-facing  shores  of  Western  Kerry,  would  quit  the 
beach  as  the  tide  advanced,  and  fly  over  the  cliffs,  several 
hundred  feet  high,  to  the  ploughed  fields  in  search  of  earth- 
worms,3 a  favourite  meal. 

On  one  occasion,  I  observed  a  Curlew  alight  on  a  small 
ledge  on  the  face  of  a  cliff  in  the  co.  Galway,  where  it 
crouched  with  a  flock  of  clamorous  Jackdaws  and  Kitti- 
wakes,  to  escape  the  notice  of  a  Peregrine  that  was  lurking 
overhead. 

Curlews  frequently  disperse  themselves  over  the  shores 
and  islands  of  inland  lakes  and  rivers,  occasionally  perching 
on  tree-stumps,  and  even  among  the  higher  branches. 
Though  active  night-feeders,  it  is  remarkable  how  feebly 


1  On  these  great  migration-nights,  the  cries  of  several  familiar 
species,  e.g.,  Kedshanks,  Pee-wits,  Ringed  Plovers,  and  others,  may  be 
heard  mingled  with  the  more  powerful  Curlew's  whistle. 

-  The  flesh  of  old  Curlews  which  have  inhabited  the  sea-beach  for 
several  successive  seasons,  is  liable  to  be  fishy  and  unpalatable. 

3  I  have  shot  many  Curlews  in  ploughed  fields  with  their  mouths 
and  gullets  packed  with  wriggling  earth-worms. 


CUKLEW  361 

they  can  see  in  the  dark.  I  have  a  vivid  recollection  of  an 
experience  with  these  birds  along  the  shores  of  a  small 
freshwater  lake,  in  the  co.  Clare.  My  friend,  the  Eev.  S. 
W.  King,  accompanied  me,  and  as  we  seated  ourselves  on 
a  boulder  to  rest  after  a  hard  day's  shooting,  hundreds  of 
Curlews  alighted  close  to  our  feet.  The  dusk  of  evening  had 
already  set  in,  and  as  the  birds  continued  to  alight,  one 
after  the  other,  there  was  a  constant  *  swish  '  of  wings  which 
went  on  for  fully  half  an  hour  after  we  arrived.  Greater 
and  greater  grew  the  flock,  until  presently  we  listened  with 
rapt  attention  to  the  chattering  of  scores  of  voices,  and  the 
scraping  of  many  beaks,  amid  the  loose  stones  which  sur- 
rounded us.  After  a  while  the  moon — more  than  half  full — 
peeped  from  behind  a  great  white  rolling  cloud,  and,  casting 
her  beams  earthward,  revealed  to  us  that  we  were  surrounded 
by  thousands  of  Curlews  all  unconscious  of  our  presence. 
After  a  few  minutes  more  had  elapsed  we  singled  out  two 
birds  somewhat  apart  from  the  others,  and  firing  simul- 
taneously, shot  them.  At  the  report,  a  gigantic  flock  arose 
with  almost  deafening  cries,  but  strange  to  say,  the  birds 
did  not  appear  to  see  us  or  to  know  from  whence  the  shot 
came,  for,  to  our  surprise,  they  wheeled  round  our  heads 
and  alighted  again  in  the  same  spot.  Here  we  left  them 
feeding  busily  as  before. 

In  frosty  weather,  Curlews  often  scatter  themselves  over 
the  country,  frequenting  fallowed  fields,  ditches,  and  wet 
meadows.  If  the  weather  be  exceptionally  severe  the  weakly 
ones  perish  from  hunger,  the  ground  becoming  too  hard  for 
their  long  and  slender  beaks  to  penetrate.  I  have  been 
informed  that  Curlews  have  been  captured  when  endeavour- 
ing to  extricate  their  beaks  from  frost-bound  and  stony  soil. 
That  such  ill-fate  may  overtake  these  birds  is  not  altogether 
improbable  as  the  beak  is  very  long  and  distinctly  decurved 
in  shape,  and  in  all  likelihood  it  cannot  be  withdrawn  from 
the  ground  as  easily  as  the  straight  beak  of  the  Woodcock 
or  Snipe. 

The  Curlew  has  been  observed  at  lightships,  and  on 
lonely  rock-islands,  some  distance  from  the  mainland,  for  at 
times  it  will  wander  many  miles  out  to  sea.  I  have  seen 
flat-topped  islands,  elevated  sand-banks,  and  rocks,  crowded 
with  these  birds  waiting  patiently  for  the  fall  of  the 
tide.  In  some  districts  they  will  fly  several  miles  inland, 
returning  precisely  as  the  tide  begins  to  ebb.  Their 
watchfulness  when  feeding,  especially  on  the  ooze-flats 


362  CHARADKIID^E 

devoid  of  cover,  is  well  known  to  every  observer  of  shore- 
birds.  Each  member  of  the  Hock  grows  uneasy  and 
suspicious  should  it  see  an  observer  watching  it  even  from 
a  distance.  Presently  a  shrill  whistle  is  given  forth  from  a 
wary  veteran,  then  from  a  few  more  birds,  soon  a  dozen 
or\  more  voices  are  heard  as  the  outlying  members  wing 
their  way  towards  the  densest  p.art  of  the  flock.  The  alarm 
rapidly  spreads  among  the  ranks,  until,  with  one  accord,  an 
immense  mass  of  birds  is  seen  taking  wing,  accompanied  by 
a  babel  of  whistles  of  Curlews  and  other  shore-birds.  For 
the  warning  has  by  this  time  reached  far  and  wide,  so  that 
Redshanks,  Plovers,  and  other  species,  growing  anxious, 
also  relinquish  their  feeding-grounds.  The  Curlew7  is  an 
unduly  timid  bird,  and  will  leave  the  shore  at  the  sight  of 
a  man  even  though  far  beyond  gunshot-range.  Most  wild- 
fowl rather  shun  the  society  of  the  Curlew  when  they 
can,  as  its  constant  note  of  alarm,  sounded  unnecessarily 


FIG.  48.— HEAD  OF  CURLEW.     1  Nat.  size. 


often,  becomes  a  source  of  worry  and  uneasiness.  But  in 
foggy  weather  Curlew  can  be  approached  closer  on  the  open 
strand,  and  it  is  extraordinary  how  much  magnified  they 
appear  as  they  stand  along  the  edge  of  the  tranquil  tide. 
In  thick  weather  I  have  been  almost  startled  as  one  or 
two  of  these  great  birds,  looming  out  of  the  fog,  uttered  a 
piercing  screech  immediately  over  my  head,  at  the  same 
time  swerving  sharply  in  its  flight  the  instant  that  it 
saw  me. 

Flight. — The  flight,  though  much  less  cleaving  and 
twisting  than  that  of  the  smaller  shore-birds,  is  neverthe- 
less rapid  and  sustained.  The  steady  up-and-down  wing- 
strokes  remind  one  of  the  hurried  flight  of  a  Gull.  When 
travelling  long  distances  the  birds  of  a  flock  may  be  seen 
to  arrange  themselves  in  a  V- shape,  or  less  often  in  a  rather 


CUKLEW  363 

irregular  line ;  just  before  alighting  they  usually  cluster 
close  together. 

Voice. — The  whistle  of  a  startled  Curlew,  so  piercing 
when  uttered  close  by,  is  rendered  clear  and  melodious 
when  heard  in  the  distance.  It  appeals  at  once  to  our  love 
of  wild  natural  scenes  ;  with  it  we  associate  the  drear  and 
lonely  slob-lands,  where  the  hardy  feathered  denizens  brave 
the  terrors  of  wind  and  wave.  The  mournful  cry  of  the 
Curlew  brings  back  to  our  memory  the  long  cold  nights  of 
winter,  when  we  seek  refuge  in  our  cosy  homes,  artificially 
warmed  and  lighted,  while  the  Curlew  and  its  companions 
.are  risking  the  perils  of  a  vast  migratory  flight  over  land 
and  sea. 

No  shore-bird  possesses  a  voice  so  pathetic,  and  at  the 
same  time  so  markedly  characteristic.  The  two  syllables 
sound  QiSCoi'tr-lee  or  cour-lii,  from  which  this  species  has  aptly 
derived  its  name.1  But  in  addition  the  Curlew  produces 
another  note,  rather  harsh  and  croaking,  and  yet  not 
altogether  unpleasant.  It  is  generally  heard  w7hen  the 
flocks  are  feeding  or  taking  short  flights,  and  seems  to 
denote  satisfaction  rather  than  alarm. 

Food. — On  the  beach,  sand-worms,  crabs,  shrimps,  and 
small  shell-fish,  are  largely  eaten ;  worms,  insects,  and 
berries,  form  the  diet  at  the  breeding-grounds.  The  late 
Mr.  E.  Williams  has  shown  me  dissections  of  the  mouth 
and  gullet  stained  with  blackberry  juice,  and  the  late  Mr. 
Glennon,  of  Dublin,  found  the  stomach  of  a  Curlew  filled 
with  blackberries,  the  juice  of  which  stained  the  intestine 
(Waiters,  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  144).  Sir  E.  Payne-Gallwey 
has  detected  cockles  swallowed  whole,  as  well  as  a  small 
heath-snail  (Helix  ericetorum).  I  have  found  fine  grass- 
blades  and  roots  in  the  gizzard  of  immature  birds  shot  in 
September. 

Nest. — During  March  and  early  April,  pairs  of  Curlews 
may  be  met  with  at  their  nesting-quarters  on  exten- 
sive bogs  and  elevated  moor-lands  in  our  Isles.  For  some 
weeks  later  in  the  spring,  flocks  of  considerable  size, 
pushing  further  north  to  breed,  may  be  seen  passing  along 
our  sea-board.  The  nest,  which  is  nothing  more  than  a 
slight  hollow  scraped  in  the  ground,  is  frequently  situated 
on  the  grass-covered  portions  of  bog-lands  or  on  the  hill- 


1  There  is  a   peculiar  turn  in  the  Curlew's  whistle,  which  very  few 
persons  can  properly  imitate. 


364 


CHAKADEIID^ 


side,  where  it  may  be  found  amid  the  shelter  of  a  heather- 
tuft.  I  have  discovered  it  on  the  bare  ground  on  a 
mountain  in  co.  Mayo.  In  some  instances  the  nest  is 
sparsely  lined  with  small  bits  of  sticks  and  withered  grass. 
On  bog-lands  in  Ireland,  as  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Ussher, 
many  pairs  breed  in  close  proximity,  though  not  assembling 
in  colonies.  The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  olive-green, 
thickly  spotted  and  blotched  with  brown.  Incubation 
begins  towards  the  end  of  April. 

When  the  breeding-haunts  are  intruded  upon,  especially 


FIG.  49.-LEFT  FOOT  OF  CURLEW.     1  Nat.  size. 


when  the  young  are  running  about,  the  parent-birds  are 
bold  to  a  degree,  and  will  brush  past  the  head  of  an 
intruder,  at  the  same  time  uttering  shrill,  menacing  cries. 

The  Curlew  breeds  in  many  counties  in  England,  most 
numerously  in  the  north,  also  in  some  of  the  midlands, 
and  more  sparingly  in  the  south-western  section.  In  the 


CUELEW  365 

south-east  of  England  it  occurs  chiefly  on  migration.  In 
Scotland  and  Ireland  it  nests  freely  on  the  great  bogs  and 
mountain-ranges. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  species  breeds 
over  the  greater  part  of  Northern  Europe  (omitting  Iceland 
and  the  Faroes,  where  its  near  ally  the  Whimbrel  breeds 
numerously),  also  in  Germany,  Denmark,  Holland,  Poland, 
and  Northern  France.  Eastward,  with  slight  racial  differ- 
ences, it  is  found  nesting  in  the  western  section  of  Northern 
and  Temperate  Asia. 

During  the  southern  migration  in  autumn  and  winter, 
the  Curlew  is  common  over  the  European  Continent,  reach- 
ing South  Africa  and  the  Islands  off  the  west  coast.  East- 
ward it  visits  India  in  winter. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.1  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  nape  and 
sides  of  neck,  back,  scapulars,  wings,  and  breast,  barred  and 
variegated  with  dusky-brown  and  light  yellowish-brown ; 
lower  back,  white,  sparsely  streaked  with  black ;  upper 
tail-coverts,  also  white,  marked  with  dark  streaks  ;  tail, 
transversely  barred  with  dark  brown  and  yellowish- white ; 
primaries,  blackish-brown,  with  light  shafts,  and  whitish 
markings  on  the  inner  webs ;  chin  and  throat,  whitish  ; 
cheeks  and  front  of  neck,  pale  greyish-brown  with  darker 
streaks  ;  abdomen,  white  ;  under  tail-coverts,  white,  thinly 
streaked  with  dark  brown  ;  flanks,  variegated  like  the  breast ; 
over  the  eye  is  an  ill-defined  greyish  stripe. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage,  but  the  throat,  neck,  breast,  and  abdomen,  are 
much  whiter,  and  the  striping  and  spotting  are  less  pro- 
nounced. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Like  the  Whimbrel,  the 
plumage  of  the  immature  bird  is  more  tawny  in  shade  and 
more  chequered  and  variegated  in  appearance  than  that  of 
the  adult,  which  it  otherwise  resembles.  The  tail-feathers 
are  beautifully  and  evenly  barred  with  blackish-brown  and 
dull  white. 


Several  partial  and  entire  albinos  are  on  record. 


CHAKADKIID^E 

BEAK.     Brownish,  darker   towards   the  point ;     slender 
and  decurved. 

FEET.     Dark  greyish-green. 
IEIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...          ...     23     in.     Female  larger. 

WING         12      „ 

BEAK         5'5  ,, 

(Extremes,  from  4  in.  to  7  in.). 
TARSO-METATARSUS         ...       4  in. 
EGG  2-7  x  1-9  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  Western 
Asiatic  race  mentioned  above  is  not  a  true  species,  but 
shows  more  white  on  the  lower  back  and  axillaries  than 
the  European  bird. 

N.  cyanopus,  with  the  lower  back  and  upper  tail-coverts 
broadly  barred,  is  the  true  Eastern  species  ;  it  visits  Aus- 
tralia in  winter. 

N.  longirostris,  with  the  axillaries  reddish,  is  the 
American  representative  ;  it  is  larger  than  our  Curlew. 

N.  tenuirostrisj  a  smaller  species,  chiefly  inhabits 
Southern  Europe. 


WHIMBREL.     Numenius  phceopus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  iv,  pi.  49  ; 
Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  576 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  58. 

The  regularity  with  which  this  species  appears  along 
our  shores  early  in  the  month  of  May  has  gained  for  it  the 
popular  name  of  'May-bird.'  The  Whimbrel,  like  most 
other  '  waders,'  is  a  bird  of  double  passage.  It  is  most 
abundant  in  our  Isles  when  migrating  northward  in  spring, 
distributing  itself  widely  along  low-lying  as  well  as  rocky 
parts  of  the  coasts  ;  it  also  occurs  in  considerable  numbers 
on  remote  islands  and  on  inland  bogs.  In  several  locali- 
ties immature  birds  remain  on  our  coasts  throughout  the 


WHIMBBBL  367 

summer  ; l  towards  the  end  of  July  these  are  joined  by 
migrants  journeying  from  more  northern  latitudes.  During 
August,  the  birds  continue  to  increase  in  numbers,  and  by 
September  they  are  plentiful  on  many  parts  of  the  British 
coast.  The  autumnal  passage  is  of  brief  duration,  indeed 
in  October  the  numbers  have  considerably  diminished.  A 
month  later  the  great  majority  have  travelled  southward, 
and  between  December  and  May  this  species  rarely  occurs 
on  the  British  coast. 

In  its  general  habits  it  rather  resembles  the  Curlew. 
It  is,  however,  less  suspicious  of  danger,  and  may  be  seen 
feeding  leisurely  on  the  strand  after  flocks  of  Curlews, 
sounding  the  signal  of  alarm,  have  taken  flight.  Hence  the 
popular  notion  that  this  more  innocent  species  is  the  young 
of  the  Curlew. 

In  spring,  Whimbrels  usually  keep  to  themselves  when 
feeding,  and  are  then  fairly  tame.  Soon  after  their  arrival 
in  May,  large  flocks  can,  as  a  rule,  be  closely  approached 
on  the  open  strand.  Their  dull  brownish-grey  plumage 
harmonises  so  closely  with  the  dark  ooze  and  broken  rocks 
that  many  of  them  may  be  overlooked. 

In  autumn  they  are  usually  gregarious,  consorting  on 
the  shores  with  Bed  shanks,  Godwits,  Curlews,  and  many 
of  the  smaller  wading- birds.2 

I  have  observed  this  species  flying  high  in  the  air  over 
grouse-moors  and  inland  marshes,  apparently  migrating. 
In  accordance  with  this  observation,  Mr.  Ussher  has  noted 
that  the  Whimbrel  migrates  along  the  great  Irish  lakes  in 
spring,  distributing  itself  widely  over  the  midland  bogs.  Even 
during  its  short  stay  on  our  shores  in  spring  and  autumn,  this 
bird  is  not  safe  from  the  attacks  of  the  Peregrine  Falcon, 
especially  if  the  eyrie  of  the  latter  is  not  far  off  and  contains 


1  During  successive  seasons  I  have  noticed  small  numbers  of  Whim- 
brels throughout  June  and  July  on  the  slob-lands  of  Dublin  Ba3\  From 
the  middle  of  July  they  rapidly  increase  in  numbers,  and  in  this  locality 
they  are  fairly  plentiful  until  the  first  week  in  October. 

In  the  Outer  Hebrides  a  solitary  bird  remained  from  the  summer  of 
1889  continuously  through  the  seasons  to  1893  (Dr.  M'Kury,  Ann.  Scot. 
Nat.  Hist.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  116).  As  suggested  by  Mr.  Harvie-Brown,  it  may 
have  been  slightly  wounded. 

-'  At  low  water  I  have  seen  Whimbrels  resting  on  seaweed-covered 
rocks  with  Turnstones,  Purple  Sandpipers,  Kedshanks,  Curlews,  and 
Oyster-catchers,  the  group  being  occasionally  accompanied  by  a  Cor- 
morant or  Heron. 


368 


CHABADBIIDJE 


young.  I  have  on  different  occasions  seen  an  exciting  chase, 
and  on  May  4th,  1900,  I  suddenly  surprised  a  large  female 
Peregrine  as  she  was  standing  on  a  sand-hill,  hut  seeing 
me,  she  flew  off,  leaving  behind  her  some  picked  bones  and 
the  feathers  of  a  Whimbrel. 

Flight.  —  The  flight  is  steady  and  well  sustained  ;  it 
resembles  that  of  the  Curlew,  and  the  two  species,  except 
for  the  difference  in  size,  might  easily  be  confounded  on  the 
wing. 


FIG.  50.— WHIMBREL. 


Voice.—  When  the  nesting-grounds  are  intruded  upon, 
the  birds,  darting  to  and  fro,  utter  a  very  excitable  double- 
syllabled  note,  wThich  is  rapidly  repeated.  It  sounds  like 
tetty-yetty-yetty-tetty-yeity-tet.  The  familiar  alarm- whistle, 
heard  in  autumn  on  the  slob-lands,  also  when  the  birds  pass 
high  overhead  on  migration,  may  be  syllabled  whee-whee- 
wkee-whee-iohee-whee-whee-ivhit.  Each  syllable  is  repeated 
rapidly  and  receives  equal  accentuation. 

Food. — Small  crabs,  sand-hoppers,  shrimps,  worms,  and 
shell-fish,  obtained  along  the  sea-shore,  are  consumed  in 
autumn  and  spring  ;  away  from  the  tide  the  Whimbrel  eats 


WHIMBREL  369 

bilberries  and  earth-worms.  In  the  gizzards  of  female 
Whimbrels  obtained  on  Achill  Island,  co.  Mayo,  in  May, 
1900,  I  found  remains  of  numerous  beetles,  the  heads  of 
which  measured  5x4  mm. ;  also  smooth  brown  larvae  2 
cm.  in  length,  and  pebbles  measuring  4x4  mm. 

.ZVgs^.— Like  the  Curlew,  the  Whimbrel  makes  for  its 
nest  a  shallow  hollow  in  the  ground,  as  a  rule  amid  coarse 
herbage.  The  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  rather  similar  to 
those  of  the  Curlew,  but  smaller.  Incubation  begins  about 
the  end  of  May. 

The  pugnacity  evinced  when  an  intruder  appears  at 
the  breeding-haunts  is  very  marked.  Mr.  Coburn  tells  me 
that,  when  in  Iceland,  he  saw  this  species  mob  an  Iceland 
Falcon ;  while  Mr.  Saunders  has  seen  it  attack  an  Arctic 
Skua. 

The  Whimbrel  is  not  known  to  breed  with  certainty  on 
the  mainland  of  Great  Britain,  but  a  few  pairs  do  so  on 
some  of  the  Orkneys,  and  larger  numbers  on  the  Shetlands. 
North  Eona,  in  the  Outer  Hebrides,  also  bears  records  of 
it  as  a  nesting-species. 

Geographical  Distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  numerously 
in  Iceland  and  the  Faroes,  also  in  the  Arctic  and  Sub-arctic 
regions  of  Norway  and  Sweden ;  more  sparingly  in  North 
Russia  and  Western  Siberia.  The  autumn  and  winter 
migration  extends  over  the  European  Continent,  across  the 
Mediterranean,  along  the  African  sea-board  to  the  Cape. 
Westward  this  species  visits  the  Canaries  and  Azores,  east- 
ward, India  and  other  parts  of  Southern  and  South-western 
Asia,  meeting  with  N.  variegatus,  the  Eastern  represen- 
tative (vide  infra). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  The  Whimbrel  so 
closely  resembles  the  Curlew  in  the  greyish  and  chequered 
pattern  of  the  plumage-markings  that  it  is  quite  unnecessary 
to  give  a  detailed  description  of  the  former  species.  The 
chief  points  of  difference  are  to  be  seen  on  the  top  of  the 
head.  Here,  in  the  Whimbrel,  two  broad  brown  bands 
pass  from  the  front  to  the  back,  separated  by  a  median 
stripe  of  huffish-white  (Fig.  50).  These  markings  are 
present  in  both  adult  and  immature  birds,  and  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year.  The  back  and  wings  of  the  adult 
Whimbrel  are  rather  less  chequered  than  the  same  parts 
of  the  adult  Curlew. 

24 


370  CHAKADKIIDJS 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage,  except  that  the  throat,  neck,  breast,  and  abdomen, 
show  more  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  upper  plumage  of  the 
immature  Whimbrel  is  even  more  finely  chequered — giving 
it  a  more  spotted  appearance — than  that  of  the  immature 
Curlew. 

BEAK.  Proportionately  shorter  than  that  of  the  Curlew, 
but  remarkably  similar  in  the  curvature  and  colour. 

FEET.     Brownish-green. 

IBIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...  17'5  in.     Female  larger. 

WING         10       „ 

BEAK         3*4    ,,      Longer  in  the  female. 

TARSO-METATAESUS      2'5    ,, 

EGG  2-4  x  T55  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — N.  variegatus, 
with  the  lower  back  more  streaked  in  the  adult  than  in  the 
young,  is  the  true  Eastern  representative.  It  inhabits  the 
greater  part  of  Siberia  where  it  breeds,  migrating  over  the 
Asiatic  Continent  and  as  far  south  as  Australia. 

N.  liudsonicus,  with  the  axillaries  rich  buff,  is  the 
American  representative,  but  has  been  obtained  in  Iceland 
and  once  in  Spain,  whereas  our  own  bird,  as  a  wanderer,  has 
been  recorded  from  Greenland  (Saunders). 


ESKIMO  CURLEW.     Numenius  borealis  (R.  J.  Forster). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  575  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  54. 

During  the  autumnal  migration  this  small  American 
species  has,  on  a  few  occasions,  deviated  from  its  usual  line 
of  migration  and  touched  upon  our  shores. 


ESKIMO  CUELEW  371 

It  has  been  recorded  from  four  maritime  counties,  which, 
with  one  exception,  are  on  the  east  side  of  Great  Britain. 
The  earliest  occurrence  on  record  appears  to  be  that  of  two 
specimens  obtained  in  Suffolk,  November,  1852  ;  another 
is  said  to  have  been  procured  in  the  same  county  prior  to 
1870  (Babington,  'Birds  of  Suffolk').  The  only  other 
record  from  England  appears  to  be  that  of  a  bird  cap- 
tured at  Tresco  in  the  Scilly  Isles,  September  10th,  1887, 
(Cornish,  '  Zoologist,'  1887). 

From  Scotland  there  are  three  records : — One,  a  bird 
obtained  from  Kincardineshire,  September  6th,  1855  (Yar- 
rell,  'History  of  British  Birds');  another  from  the  same 
county  was  taken  on  September  21st,  1880  (Harvie-Brown, 
'  Zoologist,'  1880) ;  a  third  example  was  secured  in  Aber- 
deenshire,  September  29th,  1879  (Harting,  'Zoologist,'  1879). 

The  only  Irish  specimen  hitherto  recorded  is  one  "  said 
to  have  been  shot  in  Sligo  "  (More,  'List  of  Irish  Birds'). 
It  was  obtained  in  a  poulterer's  shop  in  William  Street, 
Dublin,  in  October,  1870,  where,  according  to  Mr.  Ussher, 
it  was  seen  on  the  21st  and  not  purchased  until  the  28th  of 
that  month.  It  was  presented  to  the  Dublin  Museum  by 
the  late  Sir  Victor  Brooke. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Eesembles  the  adult 
male  nuptial  plumages  of  the  last  two  species,  but  differing 
in  that  there  is  no  white  over  the  tail,  and  the  feathers  of  the 
breast  and  abdomen  are  buff-coloured  with  '  arrow-headed ' 
markings ;  the  axillaries  are  light  brown,  barred  with  a 
darker  shade ;  the  feathers  of  the  top  of  the  head  are  very 
similar  to  those  of  the  Whiinbrel,  being  dark  brownish-grey, 
interrupted  by  a  pale  central  stripe. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Kesembles  the  nuptial 
plumage,  but  the  breast  and  abdomen  are  less  strongly 
marked. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Back  and  wings,  brown, 
thickly  spotted  with  reddish-buff;  throat  and  neck  profusely 
streaked  ;  '  arrow-headed'  markings  on  sides  of  neck,  breast, 
and  abdomen,  dusky-brown. 

BEAK.      Brownish-black. 

FEET.      Greyish-blue. 

IRIDES.    Dark  brownish-black. 


372  CHAKADEIID^ 

EGGS.      "  Olive-drab    or  light  ash-green,  blotched  with 
various  shades  of  brown  "  (Saunders) :  clutch,  four. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 14     in. 

WING       8-55  „ 

BEAK       ...  2'5    „ 

TARSO- METATARSUS      ...         ...  1*75  ,, 

EGG  2  x  1-5  in. 


373 


Order  GAVLE. 


Family 
Sub-Family  STERNIN^. 

BLACK  TERN.     Hydrochelidon  nigra  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,1  vol.  v,  pi. 
75  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  592  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  1. 

Less  than  a  century  ago  the  Black  Tern  was  quite  a 
common  summer-migrant  to  the  south-eastern  counties  of 
England,  where  it  bred  in  large  numbers;  but  as  in  the 
case  of  the  Ruff  and  other  species,  drainage  has  wrought 
such  changes  that  no  longer  are  these  districts  used  as 
nesting-sites. 

In  April  and  early  May,1  small  numbers  make  their 
appearance,  not  only  on  the  coast,  but  about  rivers,  lakes, 
and  marshes. 

In  the  northern  and  western  counties  of  England,  this 
species  is  comparatively  rare,  but  it  is  met  with  in  many 
parts  of  the  low-lands  of  Scotland.  In  the  Hebrides  and 
Orkneys  it  is  not  known. 

Its  visits  to  Ireland  are  irregular.  Examples  have 
been  recorded  from  the  following  counties,  chiefly  during 
the  autumn  :  —  Kerry,  Cork,  Waterford,  Tipperary,  Louth, 
Mayo,  Leitrim,  Antrim,  Down,  Londonderry,  Donegal,  and 
Dublin.  In  the  last-named  county  specimens  have  been 
most  frequently  obtained. 

Of   the  birds  which  appear  in  August  on  the  southern 


1  In  the  '  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  105,  Mr.  A.  Patterson  mentions  that  on 
May  8th,  1895,  he  saw  forty-two  of  this  species  on  the  mud-flats  of 
Breydon,  in  company  with  Gulls.  On  the  same  date  of  the  previous 
year  a  flock  of  thirty  was  observed. 


374 

migration,  the  majority  are  immature,  and  with  the  excep- 
tion of  an  occasional  straggler,  they  move  on  in  October. 
Like  most  of  its  race,  the  Black  Tern  is  a  fearless,  unsuspect- 
ing little  bird,  and  can  be  observed  from  close  quarters. 

Flight. — This  species  spends  most  of  its  time  on  the 
wing,  and  its  flight  is  remarkably  buoyant  and  graceful. 
When  '  hawking '  for  insects,  it  can  swerve  adroitly  and 
swoop  to  the  ground  with  great  speed. 

Food. — Various  insects,  including  dragon-flies,  are  cap- 
tured on  the  wing,  and  grasshoppers,  beetles,  and  other 
insects,  are  picked  off  the  ground.  This  Tern  also  alights 
on  the  water,  after  the  manner  of  Gulls,  feeding  on  sub- 
stances floating  on  the  surface  (Farran).  Small  fish  and 
aquatic  worms  are  also  snatched  up. 

Voice. — The  note,  which  is  frequently  uttered,  is  shrill 
and  powerful  for  the  size  of  the  bird.  It  sounds  like 
creek-crick. 

Nest. — This  species  is  gregarious  at  its  breeding-haunts. 
It  resorts  to  marshy  ground,  making  a  nest  of  grasses, 
rushes,  and  odd  bits  of  aquatic  herbage,  but  on  some  swamps 
the  nest  may  be  found  almost,  if  not  entirely,  surrounded 
by  shallow  water.  The  eggs,  three  in  number,  are  dull 
olive-green  or  brownish-green  in  colour,  marked  with  large 
blotches  and  spots  of  dark  brown. 

As  a  breeding-species  in  the  British  Isles,  the  Black 
Tern  has  not  been  recorded  since  1858,  at  which  date  the 
eggs  were  taken  in  Norfolk,  a  county  where  the  bird  bred 
in  considerable  numbers  fifty  years  previously.  In  1855 
it  is  believed  to  have  bred  on  the  marshes  of  Solway 
(Saunders). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  nests  numerously 
in  Central  and  Southern  Europe,  also  in  North  Africa ; 
northward  its  range  extends  to  the  Baltic ;  eastward  to 
Turkestan.  On  migration  in  autumn  and  winter  it  has 
been  traced  along  both  sides  of  Equatorial  Africa. 

Its  geographical  distribution  is  more  restricted  than  that 
of  the  next  species. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back 
of  neck,  black ;  rest  of  head  and  neck,  dark  greyish-black ; 
back,  wings,  and  tail,  dull  bluish-grey ;  tail,  slightly  forked; 
under  wing-coverts,  light  grey  ;  throat,  breast,  and  abdomen, 
dark  slate-grey  ;  under  tail-coverts,  white. 


f 

• 

WHITE-WINGED   BLACK   TEEN  375 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male, 
except  that  the  breast  and  abdomen  are  somewhat  paler 
in  colour. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Back  of  neck,  forehead, 
throat,  breast,  and  abdomen,  white,  showing  some  greyish 
barring. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  back  of  neck, 
back,  and  wings,  greyish,  splashed  with  brown  ;  tail  faintly 
mottled  with  brown  ;  otherwise  the  plumage  resembles  that 
of  the  adult  in  winter. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Eeddish-brown ;  toes  only  half- webbed. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...    ...    ...  9'6  in. 

WING   8-5  „ 

BEAK    1*25,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        0'6    ,, 

EGG  ...  1'45  X  1  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — H.  surina- 
mensis,  of  blacker  hue,  and  displaying  white  on  the  edge  of 
the  wing,  is  the  American  representative. 


WHITE-WINGED  BLACK  TERN.      Hydrochelidon  leucoptem 

(Schinz). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
76 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  590,  591 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  2. 

The  south-eastern  counties  of  England  yield  the  most 
records  of  this  scarce  and  irregular  visitor.  It  is  generally 
met  with  when  migrating  northward  in  May  and  June, 
though  a  few  birds  have  been  obtained  in  autumn  and  early 
winter. 

The  WThite-winged  Black  Tern  has  visited  Norfolk, 
Sussex,  Hants,  Dorset,  Devon,  Cornwall,  the  Scilly  Isles, 
Yorkshire,  Durham,  and  Warwick. 


376  LAKID.E 

It  has  been  recorded  six  times  from  Ireland,  having 
visited  the  following  counties : — Dublin,  Limerick,  Tip- 
perary,  Waterford,  and  Clare. 

The  first  British-taken  specimen  was  shot  in  Dublin 
Bay  in  October,  1841  (Thompson,  Nat.  Hist.  Irel.,  vol.  iii, 
p.  307).  Another  autumnal  record  is  that  of  a  bird  killed 
at  Ilfracombe,  North  Devon,  early  in  November,  1870 
(Saunders). 

Three  of  the  Irish  specimens  were  obtained  in  the  years 
1874-75  (Ussher).  More  recently,  i.e.,  in  1893,  another 
example  was  secured  near  Newmarket-on-Fergus,  co.  Clare, 
"  where  it  was  engaged  in  hawking  for  flies  over  a  small 
lake  "  (Williams,  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1893,  p.  253). 

Flight. — In  its  general  habits  this  bird  resembles  the 
preceding  species.  It  chases  and  captures  insects  on  the 
wing,  and  its  flight  is  even  more  rapid  and  buoyant  than 
that  of  the  Black  Tern. 

Food. — Dragon-flies  are  consumed  in  considerable  quan- 
tities, likewise  aquatic  insects,  worms,  and  minute  fish. 

Voice. — Its  cry  is  harsh  and  rather  scolding  in  character, 
resembling  the  syllables  crick-creik. 

Nest. — :This  species,  which  is  gregarious  in  the  breeding- 
season  has  been  found  nesting  in  company  with  the  Black 
Tern.  Marshy  grounds  are  usually  resorted  to,  and  the 
eggs,  laid  in  May  or  June,  are  often  deposited  on  floating 
vegetation.  The  nest  is  rudely  constructed  ;  it  contains 
three  eggs,  coloured  and  marked  not  unlike  those  of  the 
Black  Tern. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  The  White-winged  Black 
Tern  breeds  in  Central  and  South-eastern  Europe,  and  in 
Temperate  countries  of  Asia.  On  its  southern  migration 
it  reaches  South  Africa  and  Tropical  Asia,  and  many  birds 
travel  to  Australia.  Exceptionally,  it  has  been  procured  in 
New  Zealand  and  in  North  America. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  and  back, 
glossy-black  ;  wings,  chiefly  greyish  ;  feathers  covering  the 
fold  of  the  wing  (carpal  joint),  pure  white;  primaries,  frosted 
with  '  pearl '  grey  on  a  ground-colour  of  black ;  tail  and  upper 
tail-coverts,  pure  white;  tail,  slightly  forked;  breast  and 
abdomen,  black,  the  latter  tinged  with  brown ;  under  tail- 
coverts,  white  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries,  black. 


WHISKEBED   TEKN  377 

Adult  female  nuptial.— Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  Head,  neck,  breast, 
wing-coverts,  and  abdomen,  white ;  back,  scapulars,  and 
tail,  grey. 

Immature,  male  and  female.1  —  Eesembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage,  except  that  the  back  and  wings  are  mottled 
with  brown. 

BEAK.     Livid  red. 

FEET.     Orange-red  ;  toes  only  half- webbed. 

IKIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...         ...  9'3    in. 

WING         8-25    „ 

BEAK         ...  1 

TABSO-METATAKSUS         0'75   „ 

EGG  1*35  X  1  in. 


WHISKERED   TERN.     Hydrochelidon  hybrida  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
77;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  588,  589; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  v,  pi.  3. 

The  Whiskered  Tern  is  a  very  rare  and  an  uncertain 
visitor  which  on  migration  has  wandered  to  the  British 
Isles.  Like  the  preceding  species  it  has  been  obtained  most 
often  in  the  south-eastern  section  of  England.  The  earliest 
known  capture  is  that  of  a  bird  taken  at  Lyme  in  Dorset, 
about  the  end  of  August,  1836  (Yarrell,  Hist.  Brit.  Birds, 
3rd  Edition).  Three  years  later  (September,  1839),  one  was 
obtained  at  the  mouth  of  the  Eiver  Liffey,  Dublin.  This 
bird  is  preserved  in  the  Dublin  Museum,  arid  is  the  only  Irish 
specimen  at  present  in  existence  (Thomson,  Ann.  Nat.  Hist, 
vol.  xx,  p.  170).  Since  then,  specimens  have  been  secured 

1  This  species  may  be  distinguished  from  the  immature  Black  Tern 
by  its  shorter  beak,  longer  toes,  and  more  deeply  incised  webs  ;  the 
rump  and  tail  are  paler,  and  the  wedge  of  white  on  the  inner  web  of  each 
primary  is  better  marked  ;  tail  and  the  feathers  covering  the  carpal 
joint  do  not  become  pure  white  until  the  third  year  (Saunders). 


378 


from  :— Yorkshire,  one,  1842  (Saunders,  Man.  Brit.  Birds, 
2nd  Edition)  ;  Norfolk,  one,  June  17th,  1847  (Stevenson, 
'  Birds  of  Norfolk,'  vol.  iii)  ;  the  Scilly  Isles,  one,  August, 
1851  (Rodd,  '  Birds  of  Cornwall)  ' ;  Devonshire,  one,  May, 
1865  (D'Urban  and  Matthew,  'Birds  of  Devon');  Hamp- 
shire, one,  June,  1875  (Saunders,  Man.  Brit.  Birds,  2nd 
Edition);  Norfolk,  one,  October,  1890  (Southwell,  Trans. 
Norf.  Nat.  Soc.,  vol.  v,  p.  205).  The  most  recent  record 
appears  to  be  that  of  an  adult  male,  shot  at  Nithsdale,  in 
Dumfriesshire,  on  May  28th,  1894.  This,  the  only  Scotch 
specimen,  is  preserved  in  the  Edinburgh  Museum. 


-FiG.  51.— TAIL  OF  WHISKERED  TERN.     £  Nat.  size. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back  of 
neck,  black  ;  a  broad  white  stripe  extends  from  the  gape  of 
the  mouth  to  the  back  of  the  neck,  this  is  the  '  whisker,' 
after  which  the  bird  is  named ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings, 
slate-grey,  darker  on  the  shoulders  and  on  the  primaries, 
the  frosting  on  the  latter  being  *  pearl '  grey ;  chin  and  throat, 
greyish- white ;  breast,  light  slate-colour ;  abdomen  and 
flanks,  dark  greyish-black ;  under  wing-coverts,  white ; 
axillaries,  greyish-white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male, 
but  a  little  paler  in  tint. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Forehead,  breast,  and 
abdomen,  white ;  top  of  head  and  back  of  neck,  thinly 
streaked  with  black  ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  paler  than 
in  the  nuptial  plumage. 


GULL-BILLED   TEEN 


379 


Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head  and  back  of 
neck,  blackish-brown  ;  back  and  wings,  mottled  with  brown  ; 
tail,  sparsely  speckled  and  margined  with  light  brown. 

BEAK.     Blood-red. 

FEET.     Vermilion-red;  webs  deeply  incised  (Fig.  52). 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

EGGS.  Pale  green  in  ground-colour,  varying  to  stone- 
grey,  blotched  with  brown  and  black  :  clutch,  three. 


FIG.  52.— LEFT  FOOT  OF  WHISKERED  TERN.     Nat.  size. 


TOTAL  LENGTH   ... 

WING        

BEAK        

TARSOMETATARSUS 
EGG 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

11 


n. 


0-9    „ 

1-55  x  1-15  in. 


GULL-BILLED   TERN.     Sterna  anglica  (Montagu). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
74 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  585  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  4. 

Montagu  first  identified  this  rare  British  visitor  from  a 
specimen  taken  in  Sussex.     Subsequently  several  have  been 


380  LAEID^E 

secured,  chiefly  from  the  south  and  east  of  England,  and 
nearly  always  in  spring  and  summer.  The  Gull-billed  Tern 
has  been  recorded  from  the  following  counties  : — Norfolk,1 
Kent,  Sussex,  Hants,  Devon,  Cornwall,  and  the  Scilly  Isles, 
while  a  few  birds  travelling  further  north,  have  been  taken 
in  Yorkshire  and  in  Lancashire. 

As  yet  this  species  has  not  been  substantially  recorded 
from  either  Scotland  or  Ireland.  The  bird  mentioned  in  the 
'  Zoologist '  for  1887  (p.  433),  as  a  Gull-billed  Tern  (Sterna 
anglica]  shot  in  Belfast  Lough,  was  afterwards  examined 
by  Mr.  Howard  Saunders,  and  proved  to  be  an  immature 
male  Arctic  Tern. 

Flight. — The  "  flight  is  graceful  but  not  very  rapid,  the 
long  wings  being  plied  with  steady,  measured  strokes  " 
(Saunders). 

Food. — This  species  takes  its  food  by  pursuing  insects  on 
the  wing,  pouncing  on  beetles  and  grasshoppers,  while  in 
the  vicinity  of  water  it  picks  up  small  fish,  shrimps,  and 
crabs. 

Voice. — The  breeding-note  resembles  the  syllables  che-dh; 
the  ordinary  cry  of  alarm  sounds  like  af-af-af  (Saunders). 

Nest. — The  nest  is  usually  scraped  out  in  sandy  soil,  and 
is  but  a  shallow  hollow,  lined  with  bits  of  dry  seaweeds  and 
grasses.  The  eggs,  three  of  which  constitute  the  clutch, 
vary  in  ground-colour  from  buff  to  greenish,  and  are 
blotched  with  different  shades  of  brown. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Gull-billed  Tern  breeds 
in  many  countries  of  Southern  Europe,  from  Spain  east- 
ward to  the  Black  Sea,  also  in  Denmark.  It  nests  over 
a  wide  area  in  Temperate  Asia,  North  Africa,  North  and 
Central  America,  including  the  West  Indies.  On  migration 
in  autumn  it  wanders  to  the  southern  limits  of  Asia  and 
America,  in  the  latter  country  to  lat.  48°  S. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back 
of  neck,  jet-black  ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  '  pearl '  grey  ; 


1  In  the  *  Zoologist '  for  1901,  p.  105,  Mr.  Patterson,  writing  on  the 
'  Birds  of  Great  Yarmouth,'  states,  that  of  ten  examples  of  Gull-billed 
Terns  recorded  from  Norfolk,  nine  were  obtained  on  Breydon,  the 
earliest  of  which  was  captured  on  April  14th,  1849,  the  most  recent  on 
September  5th,  1896. 


CASPIAN   TEEN  381 

primaries,  frosted  with  a  similar  colour  which,  when  worn, 
shows  a  darker  ground-shade  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  Head,  white,  with 
brownish-grey  streaks,  which  form  patches  on  either  side  of 
the  eye  and  over  the  ear. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Head  streaked  with 
greyish-black ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  mottled  and 
striped  with  brown  and  tinged  with  light  yellowish-buff. 

BEAK.     Black  ;  strong  and  thick. 

FEET.  Black,  tinged  with  red;  webs  moderately  in- 
dented. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...  15    in.  Female  slightly  smaller. 

WING         12-5  „ 

BEAK         1-9  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSTJS      1*5  ,, 
EGG  2  x  1'4  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — S.  macrotarsa, 
larger  in  size  and  with  lighter  coloured  plumage,  breeds  in 
Australia. 


CASPIAN   TERN.     Sterna  caspia  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
68 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  584  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  5. 

It  is  rather  remarkable  how  irregular  the  visits  of  this 
species  of  Tern  are  to  our  coasts,  for,  as  pointed  out  by 
Professor  Newton,1  it  is  a  bird  of  wide  distribution ;  more- 
over, some  of  its  breeding-stations  are  at  no  great  distance 
from  the  British  Isles.  As  in  the  case  of  other  rare  Terns, 
it  has  been  taken  most  frequently  in  the  maritime  counties 
of  the  east  and  south  of  England. 

1  '  Dictionary  of  Birds,'  p.  957. 


382  LAKID^E 

The  Caspian  Tern  has  visited  : — Yorkshire,  Lincolnshire, 
Norfolk,1  Suffolk,  Kent,  Hampshire,  and  Dorset.  A  speci- 
men was  also  observed  near  the  Fame  Islands  on  June  6th, 
1880  (E.  Bidwell,  'Zoologist,'  1887).  "As  regards  Scot- 
land, Mr.  Oswin  Lee  states  that  he  made  a  sketch  of  one 
of  two  birds  noticed  at  the  Findhorn  bar  on  June  12th, 
1887"  (Saunders,  Man.  Brit.  Birds,  2nd  Edition,  p.  641). 
From  Ireland  there  are  as  yet  no  records. 

This  species  may  be  distinguished  by  its  size,  being  the 
largest  of  all  British  Terns.  It  has  been  found  frequenting 
lakes  as  well  as  the  sea-coast. 

Flight. — On  the  wing  it  is  powerful,  swift,  and  buoyant. 

Food. — The  food  consists  chiefly  of  small  fish. 

Voice. — The  note,  vociferously  uttered  if  the  breeding- 
haunts  be  invaded,  is  very  harsh  and  scolding  in  character, 
resembling  the  syllables  krake,  krake. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  a  shallow  depression,  sometimes  lined 
with  broken  shells  or  bits  of  stick.  The  eggs,  laid  in  May 
or  June,  are  stone-coloured,  blotched  with  light  grey  and 
dark  brown.  Two  to  three  form  the  clutch. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Caspian  Tern  breeds  in 
colonies  on  the  sandy  shores  and  islands  of  Sweden  and 
Denmark,  also  on  the  North  Frisian  Islands,  notably  Sylt. 
Mr.  Saunders  believes  that  it  has  nested  still  nearer  to  the 
British  coast,  viz.,  on  the  shores  of  Holland  south  of  the 
Maas.  On  July  9th,  1875,  he  observed  six  adults  flying 
in  pairs,  evidently  going  out  to  fish  in  the  early  dawn. 

This  Tern  is  also  widely  distributed  as  a  nesting-species 
in  Southern  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  Australia,  and  New 
Zealand,  and  in  North  and  Central  America.  On  migration, 
in  autumn  it  passes  over  Southern  Europe  and  Asia, 
reaching  India  and  Ceylon.  Westward,  it  migrates  along 
the  American  sea-board,  but  in  the  Southern  Hemisphere 
it  appears  to  be  resident. 

DESCRIPTIYE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  back  of 
neck,  glossy  greenish-black ;  rest  of  neck,  breast,  and 


1  In  the  '  Zoologist '  for  1887,  p.  457,  Mr.  Gurney  states  that  nine 
Caspian  Terns  were  obtained,  and  others  observed,  on  the  Norfolk  coast 
between  1825  and  1860.  Stevenson,  in  his  '  Birds  of  Norfolk,'  vol.  iii., 
p.  296,  mentions  nine  Caspian  Terns  obtained  at  Great  Yarmouth. 


SANDWICH   TEEN  383 

abdomen,  white  ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  '  pearl '  grey  ; 
tips  of  primaries,  frosted  on  a  dark  ground-colour ;  tail, 
greyish-white,  and  slightly  forked. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head  streaked 
with  black  and  white  ;  dark  greyish-black  patch  behind  the 
ear-coverts. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  and  front  of  head, 
whitish  ;  back,  scapulars,  wings,  and  tail,  marked  with  ash- 
brown  ;  primaries,  ash-grey. 

BEAK.     Vermilion-red. 

FEET.     Black. 

IEIDES.  Dark  brownish-black. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 20     in.     Female  smaller. 

WING        16-5     „ 

BEAK        3'3     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...  1'6     ,, 

EGG  2*5  x  T7  in. 


SANDWICH  TERN.     Sterna  cantiaca  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
69  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  586  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  6.  Booth,  '  Bough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pi.  32. 

This  fine  bird,  so  named,  because  it  was  first  observed 
frequenting  the  vicinity  of  Sandwich  on  the  coast  of  Kent 
in  1784,  is  an  annual  spring-visitor  to  the  British  Isles. 
It  arrives  comparatively  early,  appearing  in  some  localities 
before  April,  migrating  southward  early  in  autumn. 

Though  found  in  widely  distributed  colonies,  this 
species  is  far  from  being  plentiful.  It  breeds  in  most  of 
the  southern  and  eastern  counties  of  England,  also  in 
Cumberland,  and  on  Walney  Island  off  the  coast  of  Lanca- 
shire. Colonies,  moreover,  exist  along  various  points  of 
the  Scottish  sea-board,  especially  on  the  east  side,  and  in 
1893,  it  was  discovered  breeding  in  one  of  the  Orkneys. 


384 

A  well-known  colony,  of  considerable  numbers,  frequents 
the  Fame  Islands. 

In  Ireland,  the  Sandwich  Tern  appears  to  be  very 
locally  distributed.  The  first  record  of  its  occurrence  was 
made  known  by  Thompson,  from  a  specimen  procured  on 
Belfast  Lough  in  September,  1832  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc.  Lond., 
1833).  From  that  time  little  was  known  of  the  bird  until 
April,  1851,  when  Mr.  Warren  observed  it  in  Killala  Bay. 
In  May,  1857, l  he  found  limited  numbers  breeding  on  a  small 
lough  near  Ballina.  Kecently,  viz.,  July  12th,  1900,  the 
same  observer  discovered  twenty  pairs  of  'old  birds  flying 
about  an  island  in  Lough  Erne,  co.  Fermanagh.  All  the 
young  were  apparently  hatched  out  and  "  had  either  fled 
out  on  the  lake  with  the  young  Black-headed  Gulls,  or 
concealed  themselves  among  the  weeds  growing  in  dense 
thickets  about  the  island."  A  young  bird,  a  day  or  two 
old,  examined  from  this  colony,  ejected  from  its  gullet  a 
sand-eel,  which  was,  in  all  likelihood  conveyed  from  the 
sea-coast  at  a  distance  of  some  fifteen  miles.  Mr.  Warren 
states  that  he  did  not  note  these  Terns  fishing  on  the 
fresh-water  lakes.  Two  newly-laid  eggs  and  three  some- 
what incubated,  were  found  in  this  locality  ( '  Irish  Natur- 
alist,' 1900,  p.  222). 

On  May  24th  of  this  year  on  an  island  in  Lough 
Conn,  the  same  observer  discovered  "  on  a  little  space  of 
about  four  yards  square,"  ....  "thirty-five  nests  with 
eggs,  and  two  more  a  little  apart  from  the  group  of  nests. 
Most  of  the  nests  had  only  two  eggs,  while  several  had 
only  one,  evidently  showing  that  the  full  clutches  of  three 
had  not  been  laid  yet,  and  also  that  probably  many  more 
pairs  had  not  begun  to  lay  so  early  in  the  season " 
('Zoologist/  1906,  p.  278). 

Mr.  Warren  further  writes  me  that  "  there  were  on  the 
same  island  a  few  nests  of  Common  Gulls,  which  was 
surprising,  for  the  Common  Gulls  keep  away  from  all  the 
others,  nesting  by  themselves  on  separate  islands  or  on 
isolated  rocks." 

This  bird  is  not  exclusively  marine  in  its  habits,  though 
decidedly  partial  to  the  sea-coast.  Compared  with  the  Com- 
mon, or  Arctic  Tern,  it  is  much  larger  and  of  heavier  build. 
To  fishermen  it  is  known  as  the  '  Tern,'  the  several  smaller 

1  But  the  late  Mr.  J.  J.  Watters,  of  Dublin,  appears  to  have  been  the 
first  to  discover  it  breeding  on  the  Irish  Coast,  viz.,  on  Rockabill  Island, 
July  17th,  1850,  where  he  found  a  broken  egg,  and  saw  three  birds. 


SANDWICH   TEKN  385 

common  species  being  designated  collectively  '  Sea-swallows.' 
In  the  early  season,  that  is,  soon  after  its  arrival  on  our 
shores  and  before  incubation  has  commenced,  the  Sandwich 
Tern  spends  much  of  its  time  on  the  wing. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  buoyant  and  rapid  ;  yet  as  in  the 
case  of  other  Terns,  the  beat  of  the  pinion  is  slow  and 
evenly-measured.  Mr.  Warren  has  noted,  especially  on 
fine,  bright  days,  the  manner  in  which  this  species 
ascends  in  wide  wheeling  circles,  until  almost  out  of 
sight. 

Voice. — The  cry  is  peculiarly  harsh,  unmusical,  and 
scolding  in  character  ;  the  note  may  be  syllabled  gareek, 
greek,  or  kirhttt. 

Food. — The  staple  diet,  on  which  the  young  are  chiefly 
fed,  appears  to  be  Sand-eels.  Small  surface-swimming  fish, 
such  as  herring-fry,  and  in  less  quantity,  crabs,  shrimps, 
and  insects,  are  also  eaten. 

Nest. — The  Sandwich  Tern  breeds  on  islands  as  well 
as  on  the  mainland.  Low-lying,  sandy  shores,  preferably 
those  studded  with  shingle  and  bits  of  dried  seaweed,  are 
the  sites  usually  selected ;  but  when  persecuted,  the  birds 
will  often  shift  their  quarters.  The  nests,  many  of  which 
may  be  in  close  proximity,  are  only  slightly  hollowed  out. 
In  some  places  they  are  more  or  less  built  up  with  bits  of 
sticks,  or  dry  bent,  and  scantily  lined  with  fragments  of 
dried  grass  or  seaweed ;  but  the  eggs  are  usually  laid  in 
the  sand  in  naked  hollows,  which  are  loosely  surrounded 
with  stones  and  bits  of  sea- wrack. 

The  eggs,  two,  more  rarely  three,  to  the  clutch,  vary  in 
colour  from  greyish-white  to  rich  stone  or  buff.  Some  are 
blotched  and  streaked  with  black  and  grey,  others  with 
reddish-brown. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Sandwich  Tern 
breeds  in  South-eastern  Europe,  Asia,  and  North  Africa, 
also  in  North  America.  On  migration,  it  reaches  Cape 
Colony,  Central  America,  and  India. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back 
of  neck,  black,  the  feathers  of  the  latter  are  pointed  and 
slightly  elongated  forming  a  crest  ;  back,  scapulars,  and 
wings,  '  pearl '  grey ;  primaries,  dark  greyish  on  the  outer 

25 


386  LAKID^E 

web,  but  chiefly  pure  white  on  the  greater  part  of  the  inner 
web ;  tail  and  rump,  white  ;  fork  of  tail,  short ;  throat, 
breast,  and  abdomen,  white,  often  suffused  with  a  delicate 
salmon-pink,  which  disappears  soon  after  death. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage,  but  the  forehead,  and  the  back  of  the  neck  are 
nearly  white  streaked  with  black. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Head  barred  with  black 
and  white ;  back,  wing-coverts,  and  tail,  marked  wTith 
angular  black  lines. 

BEAK.      Black,  except  the  tip  which  is  pale  yellow. 

FEET.      Black. 

IBIDES.   Blackish-brown. 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 15    in. 

WING         12     „ 

BEAK         ...         ...         ...         ...  2'5  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...  1*2  „ 

EGG  2  x  1*5  in. 


ROSEATE    TERN.     Sterna  dougalli  (Montagu). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
71 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  581 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  7  ;  Booth,  '  Eough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pi.  33. 

To  Dr.  MacDougall,  of  Glasgow,  is  due  the  credit  of 
having  first  identified  this  species  on  the  Cumbrae  Islands 
in  the  Firth  of  Clyde.  Selby  subsequently  (about  1825) 
found  '  a  numerous  colony '  breeding  on  the  Fame  Islands, 
which  are  still  visited,  though  in  small  numbers.  Some 
years  ago  the  Eoseate  Tern  was  more  widely  distributed  as 
a  spring-migrant ;  several  former  nesting-stations  are  now 
deserted,  the  birds  having  been  driven  away  in  many  cases 
by  persistent  persecution. 


KOSEATE   TEEN  387 

Scattered  pairs  and  small  parties  may  still  be  seen  along 
the  east  and  south  coasts  of  England,  but  on  the  opposite 
shores  the  bird  is  rare.  Such  islands  as  Foulney  and 
Walney,  off  Lancashire,  formerly  breeding-stations,  are 
seldom  visited.  Eecently,  however,  it  is  known  to  have 
nested  in  Wales,  while  Mr.  Oswin  Lee  appears  to  have 
identified  it  as  breeding  in  the  Moray  Eirth  (Saunders). 

In  Ireland  this  bird  once  had  several  breeding-resorts 
on  the  east  coast.  A  large  colony  frequented  Mew  Island, 
one  of  the  Copelands,  off  the  coast  of  co.  Down,  and  was 
well  known  to  Thompson. 

After  1850  its  numbers  greatly  diminished  as  a  result  of 
persistent  molestation.  Mr.  Ussher  is  of  the  opinion  that 
this  colony  may  not  be  quite  exterminated,  but  at  present 
it  can  be  represented  only  by  a  few  pairs.  However,  it  is 
probable  that  this  species  frequented  the  above  neighbour- 
hood many  years  after  Thompson's  time ;  on  August  14th, 
1890,  I  observed  three  of  these  birds  in  Belfast  Lough. 
They  were  busily  fishing  and  were  remarkably  tame.  They 
passed  within  a  few  yards  of  the  bow  of  my  boat,  so  that 
I  could  discern  their  long  forked  tails  and  black  beaks  quite 
easily. 

Kockabill,  an  island  off  the  Dublin  coast,  was  also 
known  to  Thompson  as  a  breeding-station.  Here  numbers 
of  Koseate  Terns  used  to  congregate.  But  they  were 
ruthlessly  shot1  down  in  the  nesting-season,  and  their  eggs 
were  pillaged  to  such  an  extent  that  in  less  than  half 

1  The  wholesale  butchery  of  certain  birds  for  millinery  purposes 
cannot  be  too  strongly  deprecated.  I  have  seen  Terns  slaughtered  by 
the  score  in  the  space  of  a  very  short  time.  A  boat  containing  two 
men,  each  armed  with  a  double-barrelled  gun,  was  sculled  into  the 
thickest  part  of  a  Tern-colony.  The  fearless  birds,  trustful  and  inquisi- 
tive, by  nature,  seeing  their  haunts  intruded  upon,  collected  into  a  brave 
and  clamorous  throng  which  rapidly  advanced  until,  with  quivering 
pinions,  many  of  them  poised  overhead.  The  collectors  waited  until 
the  members  of  the  flock  were  closely  clustered,  so  that  more  than  half  a 
dozen  of  these  beautiful  pearly-plumed  birds  fell  at  the  first  discharge  of 
the  guns,  and  were  floating  lifeless  on  the  surf,  save  one  or  two  which, 
with  shattered  pinions,  were  struggling  to  rise  off  the  crest  of  the  breakers 
on  which  they  were  miserably  tossing.  Their  brave  comrades  hovered 
over  them  with  eyes  filled  with  enquiry,  as  though  anxious  to  succour 
them  in  distress.  These  also  dropped,  one  by  one,  hi  rapid  succession, 
like  white  stones  into  the  water,  as  the  plunderers,  seizing  each  oppor- 
tune moment,  discharged  cartridge  after  cartridge  in  quick  succession. 
And  not  until  every  available  bird  was  shot  and  the  sea  studded  with  the 
dead  and  wounded,  did  the  gunners  desist  from  their  disgraceful  task. 


388  LAKID^E 

a  century  this  fine  colony  ceased  to  exist.  Parts  of  the 
Wexford1  coast  may  also  be  mentioned  where  this  bird 
bred  plentifully  over  fifty  years  ago  (Ussher). 

The  summer  visits  of  the  Roseate  Tern  to  our  shores 
appear  to  be  of  shorter  duration  than  those  of  other  species, 
not  that  the  bird  arrives  so  much  later,  but  that  it  departs 
earlier,  in  fact,  directly  the  young  can  fly.  It  is  seldom 
seen  on  our  coasts  after  August. 

This  species  is  so  called  on  account  of  the  beautiful 
though  evanescent  pink  tint  of  its  breast-feathers,  which 
fades  soon  after  death,  so  that  in  dry  skins  it  is  not  dis- 
cernible. This  delicate  tint  is  not  peculiar  to  the  Roseate 
Tern,  though  more  pronounced  in  this  than  in  other  species. 
A  splendid  pair  of  Sandwich  Terns,  which  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  mounting,  exhibited  in  a  less  degree,  a  warm  rosy  glow 
under  the  surface  of  the  breast-feathers.  Black-headed 
Gulls  and  several  others  are  similarly  tinted  about  the 
breast  in  the  adult  nuptial  plumage. 

Flight. — No  Tern  is  more  graceful  than  the  Roseate  on 
the  wing.  Its  more  slender  form,  longer  forked  tail  so 
well  displayed  as  it  poises  in  the  air,  the  more  rapid  strokes 
of  its  pointed  pinions,  are  characteristics  by  which  it  can  be 
distinguished  from  its  larger  and  more  sturdy  congeners. 

Food. — This  bird  is  almost  exclusively  marine  in  its 
habits  and  lives  chiefly  on  small  surface-feeding  fish. 


Ornaments  for  hats !  Can  such  appeal  to  those  of  us  who  have  watched 
with  delight,  not  only  the  graceful  movements,  but  also  the  elegant 
form  of  these  birds  in  life  ?  Look  at  the  plumage  in  a  state  of  nature 
with  each  feather  in  its  own  place,  perfectly  smooth  and  unruffled, 
and  at  the  beautiful  tints  of  the  breast,  the  legs,  the  beak,  tints  which 
fade  when  life  is  taken.  Can  the  soft  expression  of  eye,  with  humid 
lids,  be  reproduced  as  in  life  ?  Compare  the  living  bird  with  the 
stuffed  skin  which,  with  ruffled  and  often  broken  quills,  is  skewered 
and  twisted  out  of  shape,  almost  beyond  recognition,  to  fit  the  head- 
garb  which  it  is  supposed  to  bedeck.  Observe  the  glass  eyes !  Un- 
natural in  colour  and  glaring  in  expression,  with  not  even  a  vestige  of 
dry  skin  to  represent  the  lids  which  lie  shrunken  far  back  in  the  orbits. 
In  short,  what  an  effigy  of  its  former  self  is  thus  represented,  and 
yet  wearers  exult  in  its  fancied  beauty  !  Happily,  however,  there  are 
many  bird-lovers  who  can  view  those  so  called  '  ornaments  '  only  with 
utter  distaste.  Happily,  too,  much  good  is  being  done  by  the  Societies 
for  the  Protection  of  Birds,  in  both  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  to  prevent 
this  wanton  destruction  of  birds  for  useless,  even  for  grim  purposes. 

1  On  April  30th,  1897,  Mr.  Barrington  received  a  male  from  Hook 
Tower  Lighthouse,  co.  Wexford,  which  was  killed  when  striking  ('  Migra- 
tion of  Birds  '). 


• 
KOSEATE  TEEN  389 

Voice. — The  voice  is  harsh,  and  the  alarm-note  resembles 
an  angry  krakc-krake. 

Nest. — In  some  localities  this  species  will  associate  with 
colonies  of  Arctic  and  Common  Terns,  breeding  on  rocky 
islands,  and  sandy  shores  strewn  with  shingle,  seaweeds,  and 
fragments  of  bent.  The  eggs,  two  to  three  in  number,  are 
generally  deposited  in  a  slight  hollow  scooped  in  the  shingle. 
They  show  much  variation  in  colour,  from  yellowish-white 
to  warm  buff,  blotched  with  shades  of  grey  and  brown. 
They  are  on  an  average  longer  in  shape  than  those  of  the 
Arctic  Tern. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Roseate  Tern 
nests  sparingly  in  Central  Europe,  and  more  plentifully  in 
the  South,  in  Asia  as  far  as  the  Tropics,  in  Africa,  especially 
in  the  Northern  Section,  and  in  America  to  the  latitude  of 
the  West  Indies.  On  migration  it  is  widely  distributed 
over  the  Tropical  and  Southern  Seas. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back 
of  neck,  black  ;  rest  of  neck  and  throat,  white ;  back,  scapu- 
lars, and  wings,  pale  '  pearl '  or  '  french  '  grey,  darker  in 
shade  than  in  the  last  species  ;  primaries,  '  pearl '  grey,  of  a 
darker  shade  than  the  rest  of  the  wing-feathers ;  white  on 
the  inner  margins  of  primaries,  well  denned  and  extending 
to  the  tips  and  even  a  short  distance  along  the  outer  web ; 
rump  and  tail-feathers,  very  pale  '  pearl '  grey  shading  to 
white ;  outer  webs  of  long  outer  tail-feathers,  pure  white ; 
fork  of  tail  of  considerable  length;  breast  and  abdomen, 
white,  suffused  with  an  evanescent  delicate  '  salmon '  pink. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage, 
but  the  outer  tail-feathers  (streamers)  are  a  little  shorter. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  forehead  is  spotted 
with  white,  and  the  pink  tint  of  the  breast  and  the  abdomen 
is  very  faint. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Forehead  streaked  with 
white  ;  top  of  head  and  back  of  neck,  brownish- black  ;  back 
and  wings,  marked  with  ash-brown. 

BEAK.  Almost  entirely  black  except  in  the  breeding- 
season,  when  it  exhibits  an  orange  colour  at  the  base. 

FEET.      Orange-red. 

IRIDES.   Blackish-brown. 


390  LAKIM: 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH         ...         ...  15'5     in. 

WING 9-25    „ 

BEAK 1-9     „ 

TAESO-METATARSUS 0'87    ,, 

EGG  1-7  x  1-15  in. 


COMMON  TERN.     Sterna  fluvialitis  (Naumann). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
70 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  580  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  8. 

The  Common  Tern,  familiarly  known  as  the  '  Sea- 
swallow,'  is  plentifully  distributed  in  summer  along  our 
coasts,  and  about  the  shores  and  islands  of  inland  lakes. 
On  the  whole,  it  is  probably  the  most  abundant  of  British 
Terns,  though  the  succeeding  species  predominates  on  the 
coasts  and  marine  islands  of  North  Britain,  and  is  also 
the  most  numerous  in  Ireland.  North  of  the  Moray  Firth 
on  the  east,  and  of  the  Island  of  Skye  on  the  west  of 
Scotland,  it  becomes  much  scarcer,  and  previous  to  the 
year  1901  there  was  no  substantiated  evidence  to  show 
that  it  bred  in  the  Shetlands  (Eagle  Clarke,  Ann.  Scot. 
Nat.  Hist.,  1902,  p.  121).  In  the  Orkneys  and  Outer 
Hebrides  colonies  are  now  known  to  exist. 

The  majority  of  Common  Terns  reach  us  about  the  end 
of  April  or  beginning  of  May,  departing  gradually  during 
August  and  September  for  more  southern  latitudes.  During 
early  October,  limited  numbers  pass  along  the  British  coasts, 
while  I  have  seen  a  few  solitary  birds  on  inland  waters  at 
that  time  of  year.  In  the  autumn,  young  and  old  consort 
together,  flying  for  miles  along  the  coast  in  pursuit  of  the 
'  schools  '  of  herring-  and  mackerel-fry. 

Flight. — Most  of  us  have  seen  these  beautiful  and 
clamorous  birds  wing  their  way,  some  by  the  edge  of  the 
breakers,  others  further  out  from  the  shore.  One  after 
another,  they  poise  with  quivering  pinions,  hovering  like 
Kestrels,  searching  for  their  prey  which  moves  beneath 
them. 

What  keen  sight  they  must  possess,  seeing  as  they  can, 
the  little  fish  under  the  surface  of  the  water  !  Like  minia- 
ture Gannets  they  precipitate  themselves  fearlessly  with  a 


COMMON  TEEN  391 

splash  into  the  open  sea,  from  which  they  rise  with  almost 
the  velocity  of  a  leaping  trout.  Playful,  yet  a  trifle  quarrel- 
some by  nature,  some  of  the  party  pursue  their  companions 
with  a  rapid  sweep  of  wing,  now  ascending,  now  descending, 
until  half  exhausted  in  the  chase,  numbers  settle  on  the 
water  with  buoyant  pose,  to  enjoy  a  quiet  swim. 

A  remarkably  graceful  and  well-sustained  flight  is  charac- 
teristic of  the  whole  group  of  Terns,  but  on  the  ground, 
they  make  little  progress,  as  their  feet  are  short  and  very 
small.1 

When  not  incubating,  they  spend  much  of  their  time 
in  the  air. 

Food. — Small  fish  constitute  the  main  diet ;  insects, 
crabs,  and  shrimps,  are  also  eaten. 

Voice. — This  species,  and  indeed  most  other  Terns  are 
extremely  vociferous  when  their  breeding-haunts  are  in- 
truded upon.  With  angry  aspect  and  gestures  the  members 
of  a  colony  will  boldly  advance  to  meet  the  enemy,  and, 
though  their  voices  may  be  harsh  and  unmusical,  the  tone 
is  piteous  and  most  expressive. 

The  note  resembles  the  syllables  krick  or  Jcree-ick,  the 
rolling  sound  of  the  r  being  distinctly  heard. 

Nest. — Large  numbers  nest  together  in  colonies  on  low, 
stony  islands  of  inland  lakes,2  scantily  overgrown  with 
grasses  and  other  plants,  which  form  favourite  breeding- 
resorts.  The  eggs  are  deposited  among  loose  stones,  which 
they  resemble  in  colour  to  a  great  extent,  in  the  hollows 
between  rocks,  or  more  concealed  from  view  in  shallow 
depressions  in  the  grass. 

Smaller  numbers,  in  company  with  Arctic  Terns,  breed 
along  our  sea-coasts  and  on  marine  islands.3  Here  I 

1  During  September  I  have  frequently  observed  flocks  of  Common 
and  Arctic  Terns,  prior  to  migration,  standing  for  a  considerable  time  on 
the  bare  sands  which  skirt  the  shores  of  Dublin  Bay.     The  majority  of 
the  birds  as  a  rule  rest  quietly,  enjoying  a  bask  in  the  warm  sunshine. 
A  few,  however,  may  be  seen  pattering  about  a  short  distance  from  the 
others  with  wobbling  and  awkward  gait. 

2  In  Ireland,  no  less  than  fourteen  inland  lakes  are  frequented  by 
colonies  of  considerable  numbers  of  breeding-birds  (Ussher). 

3  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  for  several  years  past  the  Common 
Tern  had  ceased  to  breed  on  the  islands  off  the  Dublin  coast.     In  the 
summer  of  1902  a  small  colony  reappeared  on  Skerries  Island,  when  I 
found  nests  and  eggs  and  saw  the  old  birds  carrying  fish  to  feed  their 
young.     Since   then  they  have  repeatedly  bred   in   this   locality,  ade- 
quate protection  being  afforded  them. 


392  LAEID^E 

have  found  the  eggs  laid  among  broken  shells,  sand,  and 
gravel,  and  sometimes  surrounded  with  clumps  of  dry  sea- 
weed. 

The  eggs,  three  in  number,  are  seldom  laid  before  the 
last  week  in  May,  incubation  not  becoming  general  until 
early  in  June.  They  vary  much  in  colour  from  dark 
brownish  to  light  stone-buff,  blotched  with  light  and  dark 
brown. 

The  mottled  nestlings  closely  harmonise  with  their  sur- 
roundings. 

Considering  tbeir  small  size,  Terns  are  wonderfully 
courageous  in  defence  of  their  young  and  eggs.  Birds  of 
almost  any  size,  predatory  or  otherwise,  are  bravely  con- 
fronted, and  as  a  rule  successfully  driven  off.  I  have  seen 
Kestrels,  Herons,  and  Hooded  Crows,  mobbed  and  scolded 
to  such  an  extent  that  they  retreated  without  showing  the 
least  resistance. 

Geographical  distribution.1 — The  Common  Tern  is  re- 
markable for  its  wide  distribution  as  a  breeding-species 
It  is  found  over  Temperate  Europe,  while  westward,  it 
extends  to  North  America  and  eastward  to  Asia.  It  also 
breeds  in  North  Africa.  On  migration  it  reaches  Cape 
Colony,  India,  and  other  countries  in  Southern  Asia,  and 
South  America  as  far  as  Brazil. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Forehead,  top  of  head, 
and  back  of  neck,  black ;  cheeks,  chin,  sides  of  neck,  and 
throat,  white  ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  dark  *  pearl'  grey; 
the  inner  web  of  each  outer  primary  being  marked  with  a 
broad  streak  of  very  dark  grey  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  pale 
vinaceous-grey ;  tail-feathers,  white,  edged  externally  with 
grey,  which  is  darkest  on  the  outer  tail-feathers ;  under 
tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Forehead  and  top  of 
head,  streaked  and  spotted  with  white  ;  breast  and  abdomen, 
white,  with  the  merest  trace  of  vinaceous  tint. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Forehead,  white  ;  top  of 
head  and  back  of  neck,  streaked  with  blackish-brown  ;  back, 

1  On  September  6th,  1906,  I  observed  two  Common  Terns,  flying 
strong  and  buoyantly  at  about  a  distance  of  1,345  miles  west  of  the 
British  Isles,  latitude  56°  14'  N.,  longitude  33°  2'  W.,  North  Atlantic. 


AECTIC  TERN  393 

scapulars,  and  wing-coverts,  barred  and  mottled  with  ash- 
brown  ;  outer  web  of  tail-feathers,  grey  ;  inner  web,  white  ; 
breast  and  abdomen,  milk-white. 

BEAK.     Orange-red  with  brownish-black  tip. 

BEAK.  (Immature  Bird.)  Reddish-yellow  with  dark 
brown  tips  (cf.  Arctic  Tern). 

FEET.     Deep  red. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 14'25  in. 

WING        10-5     „ 

BEAK         1*7     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...  0*85    ,, 

EGG  ...  1'7  X  I'l  in. 


ARCTIC  TERN.     Sterna  macrura  (Naumann). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
72;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  579;  Lilford. 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  \7ol.  vi,  pi.  9. 

In  its  habits  and  plumage  this  greatly  resembles  the 
preceding  species,  though  differing  considerably  in  dis- 
tribution over  the  British  Isles.  The  northern  range  of 
the  Common  Tern  overlaps  that  of  the  Arctic ;  this  is 
well  seen  about  the  latitude  of  the  Northumberland  and 
Lancashire  coasts,  where,  as  on  the  Fame  and  Walney1 
Islands,  both  species  freely  breed  in  company. 

Proceeding  southward,  this  species  diminishes2  as  the 
Common  Tern  increases  ;  northward,  the  Arctic  predomi- 
nates ;  above  the  latitude  of  the  Moray  Firth  and  the  Island 
of  Skye  the  Common  Tern  is  much  reduced  in  numbers. 


1  On   Walney  Island,  the   Common    Tern  appears  to   be  the  more 
numerous  species. 

2  Small  numbers  of  Arctic  Terns  are  to  be  found  breeding   as   far 
south  as  the  Scilly  Isles. 


394 

On  the  Scottish  Islands1  it  is  the  Arctic  Tern  which  forms 
numerous  colonies. 

All  round  the  Irish  coast  this  species  is  plentiful  in 
summer.  In  many  localities,  especially  in  the  south,  it 
breeds  in  company  with  the  Common  Tern.  But  the  former, 
more  maritime  in  its  habits,  far  exceeds  and  even  replaces 
its  congener  on  some  of  the  marine  islands  of  the  north  and 
west.  Mr.  Ussher  mentions  that  vast  colonies,  apparently 
unmixed  with  other  species,  resort  to  the  islands  off  Donegal 
and  Sligo. 


FIG.  53.— ARCTIC  TERN. 


I  have  seen  large  assemblages  on  the  Blasket  Islands 
off  Western  Kerry.  Rockabill,  on  the  Dublin  coast,  is 
no  longer  a  breeding-station,  yet  I  have  observed  large 
numbers  in  the  vicinity  of  Dublin  Bay  in  autumn  prior 
to  migration.  In  Thompson's  time  this  used  to  be  the 
most  abundant  species  of  Tern  on  the  east  coast  of  Ireland. 
Over  the  flat  and  shingly  shores  of  Killala  Bay,  it  has  in- 
creased as  a  nesting-species  (Warren).  Moreover,  Ireland2 

1  Though  according  to  Mr.  Harvie-Brown  the  Arctic  Tern  is  dimin- 
ishing as  a  breeding-species  on  the  Outer  Hebrides  as  the  Common  Tern 
is  on  the  increase. 

2  Also  Scandinavia  and  Arctic  America 


AECTIC  TEEN  395 

is  one  of  the  few  countries  where  it  breeds  on  the  islands 
of  fresh-water  lakes,  such  as  Corrib,  Mask,  Carra,  and 
Melvin,  all  situate  in  the  western  province. 

Early  in  May,  the  Arctic  Tern  arrives  in  our  Isles, 
departing  southward  in  August  and  September.  Before 
migrating,  adults  and  young  may  be  observed  flying  together 
along  the  coast  in  search  of  food. 

Immature  birds,  one  year  old,  are  not  often  seen ;  they 
may  be  distinguished  from  Common  Terns  at  a  corre- 
sponding age  by  their  entirely  black  beaks.1 

This  bird  is  perhaps  one  of  the  bravest  and  most  pug- 
nacious of  its  kind.  I  have  seen  a  small  flock  not  only 
assail,  but  even  follow  a  Merlin  over  the  sand,  and  with 
wild  screams  and  dashing  flight,  completely  hinder  the 
little  Falcon  from  following  up  the  smaller  shore-birds  upon 
which  it  so  largely  preys.  "  A  flock  has  been  seen  to  mob 
and  drown  a  Hooded  Crow  "  (Saunders). 

Flight. — The  flight  is  particularly  buoyant  and  on  the 
wing  the  Arctic  Tern  is  difficult  to  identify2  from  the  Com- 
mon ;  the  latter  is  somewhat  larger,  and  the  fork  of  its  tail 
is  shorter. 

Voice. — The  note,  so  often  heard  when  the  bird  is  over- 
head, sometimes  sounds  harsher,  and  more  prolonged  than 
that  of  the  preceding  species  ;  at  other  times  the  two  voices 
are  practically  indistinguishable. 

Food. — This  consists  largely  of  fish  captured  after  the 
manner  of  other  Terns. 

Nest. — Marine  islands  fringed  with  loose  stones  and 
shingle,  as  well  as  sandy  beaches,  are  the  favourite  nest- 
ing-sites, and  immense  colonies  are  frequently  to  be  found  in 
such  places.  The  eggs,  two  to  three  in  number,  are  laid 
either  on  bare  rocks  often  quite  close  to  the  sea,  or  among 
fragments  of  dry  grasses  or  seaweeds,  or  they  may  occupy 
a  slight  hollow  in  sand  and  shingle.  They  are  subject  to 
much  variation  in  colour ;  some  are  light  greenish-brown, 

1  On  October  15th,  1890,  I  picked  up  an  immature  Arctic  Tern  on 
Bray  beach,  twelve  miles  south  of  Dublin.  The  bird,  in  its  second 
autumn  plumage,  was  fresh  and  in  good  condition,  but  soaking  wet ;  it 
was  probably  washed  ashore  after  a  gale, 

-  It  is  much  easier  to  identify  the  two  species  when  congregated  on 
bare,  rocky  islands.  I  have  quietly  sculled  a  boat  close  enough  to  see 
the  short  feet  and  coral-red  beaks  of  the  Arctic  Terns,  an  observation 
all  the  more  evident  when  the  birds  are  standing  on  a  rock  which  is 
elevated  to  about  the  level  of  the  observer's  eye. 


396 

others  rich  reddish-brown,  usually  heavily  blotched  with 
darker  shades  of  brown,  or  they  may  be  finely  speckled  or 
not  marked  at  all.  They  resemble  those  of  the  Common 
Tern,  but  are,  on  an  average,  smaller. 

Incubation  seldom  becomes  general  before  the  end  of  the 
first  week  in  June.  As  with  other  Terns,  the  males  bring 
fish  to  feed  the  females  when  incubating. 

In  defence  of  its  young  and  eggs,  the  Arctic  Tern  possesses 
undaunted  courage. 

Geographical  distribution. — North  of  the  British  Isles, 
the  breeding-range  is  circumpolar,  and  this  species  reaches 
far  within  the  Arctic  circle.  It  has  been  obtained  above 
lat.  82°  N.  On  migration  in  autumn  it  extends  widely 
over  the  European,  Asiatic,  and  African  Continents,  even 
to  lat.  66°  S.,  i.e.,  beyond  New  Zealand  (Saunders). 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — This  species  so  closely 
resembles  the  Common  Tern  in  plumage  that  it  is  only 
necessary  to  point  out  the  distinguishing  features.  In  the 
Arctic  Tern  the  breast  and  abdomen  are  of  a  uniform 
'french  '  or  'pearl'  grey,  without  a  vinaceous  tint.  Chin, 
cheeks,  and  throat,  also  grey,  but  paler  in  shade  ;  tail- 
feathers,  white,  edged  externally  with  very  pale  grey;  the 
outer  feathers  of  the  tail  longer,  and  the  grey  stripe  on  the 
inner  web  of  each  outer  primary  paler  and  narrower  than 
in  the  Common  Tern. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage ; 
outer  tail-feathers  shorter. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Forehead  and  top  of 
head,  mottled  with  white ;  breast  and  abdomen,  paler  than 
in  the  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  --  Forehead  and  top  of 
head,  whitish ;  back  of  head,  blackish ;  sides  of  neck, 
washed  with  buff ;  back  of  neck,  back,  and  wings,  mottled 
and  barred  with  buff;  outer  web  of  tail-feathers,  greyish  ; 
breast  and  abdomen,  white. 

BEAK.     Coral-red. 

BEAK.     (Immature  Bird.)     Black  (cf.  Common  Tern). 

FEET.     Dull  red. 

IBIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


LITTLE  TERN  397 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 14*5  in. 

WING         10      „ 

BEAK         1-6  „ 

TARSO-METATAKSUS         ...          ..         0'7    ,, 
EGG  ...  1-6  x  1  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  Eastern 
representative,  S.  longipennis,  has  a  black  bill,  small  ruddy 
legs  and  feet,  and  grey  under-plumage  (Saunders). 


LITTLE  TERN.     Sterna  minuta  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain.'  vol.  v,  pi. 
73;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  582;  Lilford, 
1  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  10. 

This  neat  little  species — the  smallest  of  the  British 
Terns — though  common,  is  not  by  any  means  as  plentiful  as 
either  of  the  two  preceding  birds.  It  seldom  arrives  before 
the  beginning  of  May,  taking  its  departure  for  more  southern 
countries  during  September  and  early  October.  In  July 
and  August,  adults  and  young  may  be  seen  together  on  the 
wing,  generally  not  far  from  their  breeding-haunts. 

Low-lying  and  sandy  stretches  of  beach,  strewn  with 
broken  shells  and  shingle,  are  its  favourite  haunts.  Large 
flocks  are  nowhere  common,  but  small  parties,  pairs,  and 
solitary  birds  are  usually  met  with  flitting  to  and  fro  in 
quest  of  food. 

The  Little  Tern  is  seldom  met  with  away  from  the  coast. 
Mr.  Ussher,  in  his  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  326,  mentions 
that  he  observed  a  pair  fishing  on  Lough  Corrib,  eight  miles 
from  Galway  Bay,  in  the  middle  of  the  breeding-season 
(June  5th,  1897),  but  he  did  not  find  the  nest. 

This  species  does  not  differ  materially  in  its  general  habits 
from  its  larger  congeners. 

At  ebb-tide,  on  flat,  sandy  coasts,  I  have  noticed  Little 
Terns  fishing  in  shallow  salt-water  channels,  but  a  few 
inches  deep.  As  the  birds  plunged  headlong  with  a  splash, 


398  LABID.E 

they  were  scarce  able  to  submerge  themselves,  yet  they 
must  have  struck  the  bottom  in  their  descent.  I  found 
shrimps  and  tiny  crabs  swarming  on  the  bed  of  the  channel, 
on  which  these  Terns  were  feeding.  It  is  a  proof  of  the 
remarkably  keen  sight  of  these  birds  that  from  a  height 
in  the  air  they  can  spy  their  quarry,  not  only  when  it 
is  swimming  immediately  under  the  surface  of  the  water, 
but  when  the  little  creatures  are  crawling  or  even  standing 
motionless  on  the  bottom,  perhaps  half  buried  in  the  sand 
with  which  they  almost  exactly  correspond  in  colour. 
I  have  seen  Little  Terns,  when  not  engaged  in  fishing, 
gather  into  a  small,  closely-packed  flock,  which,  after 
flitting  about  over  the  sea,  broke  up,  many  of  the  birds 
ascending  to  an  immense  height  until  their  beautiful  white 
feathers  stood  out  in  bold  relief  against  the  deep  blue  sky, 
while  their  vibrating  pinions  glistened  like  silver  as  the 
rays  of  the  summer  sun  danced  upon  them.  I  have  seen  a 
couple  of  immature  birds  accompany  a  flock  of  Sanderlings, 
skimming  over  the  breakers  with  rapid  beat  of  wing, 
returning  again  to  alight  at  the  edge  of  the  tide. 

Flight. — The  flight  resembles  that  of  other  Terns.  The 
wide  spread  of  wing  and  long  pointed  pinions,  give  the 
bird  the  appearance  of  being  larger  than  it  really  is.  The 
same  holds  good  for  the  Common  and  Arctic  Terns,  which, 
on  the  wing,  appear  almost  to  equal  the  Black-headed 
Gull  in  size. 

Voice. — When  not  annoyed,  this  species  produces  a 
note  which  sounds  as  pir-re-pirr&.  When  the  nest  is  too 
closely  approached,  and  especially  when  the  young  are 
about,  a  highly-pitched  but  angry  little  bark,  sounding 
like  jep-jep-jeppd-jep-jep,  is  uttered. 

Food. — Fish  are  largely  consumed,  chiefly  herring-fry  ; 
also  shrimps  and  small  crabs.  I  have  seen  Little  Terns, 
especially  immature  birds,  foraging  with  Turnstones  under 
rotting  seaweed  for  sand-hoppers. 

Nest. — The  nests,  of  which  several  in  a  colony  may  be  in 
close  proximity,  are  often  found  on  sandy  beaches,  amid 
broken  shells  and  bits  of  seaweed.  In  some  cases  but  a 
slight  hollow  in  the  bare  sand  is  made  to  accommodate  the 
eggs  ;  in  other  cases,  I  have  seen  perfect  little  nests  more 
deeply  sculptured,  and  lined  with  fragments  of  broken 
shells.  In  many  instances  I  have  detected  a  bare  '  girdle  ' 
or  '  zone  '  of  sand  denuded  of  shells,  immediately  surround- 
ing the  mouth  of  the  nest,  from  which,  in  all  probability, 


PLATE   XL. 


IP.  D.  Lalimer,  Tlioto.} 


Fig.  1. 
NEST   AND  EGGS,1  OF   LITTLE   TERN. 

B.—1  Bare-zone  '  surrounding  the  nest. 
S. — Shells  and  pebbles  outside  the  'Bare-zone. 


G.  W.  Nicholson,  Photo.] 


Fig.  2. 
NEST  AND   EGGS  OF   LITTLE   TERN. 

B. — '  Bare-zone '  surrounding  the  nest. 
S. — Shells  and  pebbles  outside  the  '  Bare-zone.' 


LITTLE  TEEN  399 

the  'lining-shells'  had  been  collected  (Plate  XL.,  figs.  1 
and  2).  But,  again,  in  other  situations,  in  the  absence  of 
sand  and  shells  I  have  found  the  eggs  deposited  on  gravel 
and  soil,  where  practically  no  pretence  whatever  at  the 
formation  of  a  nest  could  be  made  out.  The  eggs,  two  to 
three  in  number,  are  of  a  cold  stone-colour,  finely  or  coarsely 
spotted  with  ash-grey  and  brown,  and  closely  harmonising 
in  shade  with  the  sea-sand.  They  are  at  times  laid  in  such 
exposed  situations  and  so  close  to  the  tide  that,  after  a 
severe  gale  accompanied  by  heavy  rainfall,  great  numbers 
of  them  may  be  swept  away,  those  that  remain  often 
becoming  half-buried  in  the  drifting  sand.  In  this  state  I 
have  found  deserted  eggs,  as  late  as  July  13th. 

Incubation  commences  about  the  end  of  May  or  the 
beginning  of  June,  but  is  not  general  until  the  middle  of 
the  latter  month.1  Colonies  composed  of  limited  numbers 
of  these  birds  breed  around  the  British  coast,  including 
marine  islands ;  in  the  latter  situations  they  consort,  to  a 
considerable  extent,  with  Arctic  and  Common  Terns.  In 
some  districts  the  nesting-haunts  are  widely  separated 
from  one  another,  while  along  certain  coasts  three  or  four 
colonies  may  exist  within  a  radius  of  ten  miles.2 

Of  recent  years  this  species  has  been  recorded  as  nest- 
ing in  the  Orkneys,  and  has  bred  since  1885  or  1886  in 
the  Outer  Hebrides,  the  numbers  having  greatly  increased 
during  recent  years  (Harvie-Brown).3 

Several    other    islands   on    the    western    sea-board    of 


1  The  following  analysis,  made  of  a  small  colony  which,  so  far  as  I 
am  aware,  was  unmolested,  helps  to  bear  out  this  statement : — 

June  llth,  1900,  I  visited  a  colony  containing  eighteen  nests.     Of 
these — 

Eight  contained  two  eggs  each  ; 

Four  „  three   „         „ 

Six  „  one  egg        „ 

that  is  to  say,  one-third  of  the  total  number  of  nests  at  that  date  con- 
tained only  one  egg  each,  and  of  the  eight  containing  two  in  each,  the 
full  clutches  were  not  necessarily  represented. 

2  The  Little  Tern  is  killed  in  such  numbers  and  in  such  a  ruthless 
manner,  that  I  deem  it  inadvisable  to  indicate  more  precisely  the  posi- 
tion of  these  localities. 

3  Mr.  Harvie-Brown  obtained  two  eggs  from  a  colony  in  the  Outer 
Hebrides  in  1900  ('  Avifauna  Of  The  Outer  Hebrides,'  1888-1902.     Ann. 
Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1903,  p.  16).     In  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.   Hist,  for  October, 
1902,  p.  197,  Mr.  T.   G.  Laidlaw  mentions  that  this  species  nested  in 
Barra  for  the  first  time  on  record. 


400 

Scotland  and  Ireland  accommodate  small  colonies.  The 
numbers  of  Little  Terns  which  haunt  certain  nesting- 
districts  are  liable  to  fluctuate  considerably  every  year. 

I  am  aware  of  several  nesting-sites  on  the  British  coast, 
where  during  one  season  the  number  of  birds  has  been 
treble  that  of  the  preceding  year,  while  in  another  locality 
I  have  known  a  colony  of  forty  pairs  to  be  represented  by 
only  about  twelve  birds  in  the  two  ensuing  years,  and  after 
that  the  numbers  to  rise  again  to  more  than  sixty  birds. 

Geographical  distribution. — Beyond  our  Isles  the  Little 
Tern  is  found  nesting  in  Temperate  Europe  from  lat.  60°  N. 
down  to  the  Mediterranean.  It  also  breeds  in  North  Africa, 
and  in  Asia  as  far  as  India.  On  migration,  it  visits  the 
coasts  of  Southern  Africa  and  Asia. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Forehead,  white ;  top 
of  head  and  back  of  neck,  black ;  a  broad  black  stripe 
extends  in  front  of  and  behind  the  eye  ;  back,  scapulars,  and 
wings,  '  pearl '  grey  ;  primaries,  grey,  margined  on  the  inner 
webs  with  white  ;  two  outer  primaries  have  dark  shafts ; 
throat,  breast,  abdomen,  and  tail,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage,  but 
the  outer  tail-feathers  are  shorter  than  in  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  black  on  the  head 
is  much  duller  in  colour,  and  there  is  more  white  on  the 
forehead  than  in  the  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head  and  back  of 
neck,  tinged  with  pale  yellowish-buff  and  streaked  with 
dark  brown  ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  grey,  tinged  with 
buff  and  mottled  with  umber-brown ;  tail-feathers,  greyish- 
white,  slightly  spotted  with  brown  near  the  tips. 

The  mature  plumage  is  gradually  assumed,  breeding  not 
taking  place  until  the  completion  of  the  third  year. 

BEAK.     Yellow,  with  dark  brown  tip. 

FEET.     Yellow. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH      ...  10        in.     Female  a  little  smaller. 

WING          6-75    „ 

BEAK  ...         ...  1*5      ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS  0'75    ,, 

EGG  1-35  x  '95  in. 


SOOTY  TEEN  401 

A  Hied  Species  and  Eepresentative  Forms.  —  There  are 
several  racial  representatives  of  the  Little  Tern : — S.  sinensis 
from  the  East,  is  larger  and  has  white  shafts  to  all  its 
primaries.  8.  saundersi,  with  black  shafts,  inhabits  Africa 
and  India.  The  North  American  form,  8.  antillarum,  has 
dark  shafts,  but  has  grey  on  the  rump  and  very  little  black 
at  the  tip  of  the  beak,  whereas  S.  superciliaris,  found  along 
the  east  side  of  South  America,  and  far  up  the  great  rivers, 
has  a  strongly-built  beak,  completely  yellow  in  colour 
(Saunders). 


SOOTY  TERN.     Sterna  fuliginosa  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  587  ; 
Lilford,  *  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  11.       • 

Of  the  occurrence  of  this  very  rare  visitor  three  instances 
are  cited  by  Mr.  Saunders,  and  since  the  publication  of  the 
second  edition  of  his  '  Manual '  in  1899,  there  have  been  two 
other  records. 

In  October,  1852,  a  specimen  obtained  at  Tutbury,  near 
Burton-on-Trent.  was  exhibited  by  Yarrell  before  the  Lin- 
nean  Society  in  February,  1853. 

On  June  21st,  1869,  another  was  secured  near  Walling- 
ford  in  Berkshire,  which  was  examined  in  the  flesh  by  Mr. 
Harting. 

On  October  4th  or  5th,  1885,  a  third  example  was  caught 
alive  about  three  miles  from  Bath,  after  stormy  weather ; 
it  was  examined  in  the  flesh  by  the  late  Eev.  Leonard 
Blomefield. 

In  the  '  Zoologist,'  1902,  p.  355,  mention  is  made  of  a 
Sooty  Tern  in  adult  plumage,  which  was  picked  up  on 
October  9th,  1901,  in  an  exhausted  state,  in  Hulme,  a 
densely-populated  district  of  Manchester.  The  bird  soon 
died  and  was  subsequently  set  up  and  exhibited  at  a  meeting 
of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club  on  November  20th,  by 
Mr.  Saunders  (C.  Oldham). 

In  the  '  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  393,  Mr.  W.  G.  Clarke,  of 
Norwich,  writes  that  a  bird  found  dead  on  the  heath-land 
between  Thetford  and  Brandon,  towards  the  end  of  March 
or  beginning  of  April,  1900,  and  erroneously  supposed  to 
have  been  a  Black  Tern,  has  been  identified  by  him  as  a 

26 


402  LARID.E 

Sooty  Tern,  and  this  was  subsequently  confirmed  by  Mr. 
T.  Southwell.  The  bird,  an  adult,  was  in  good  plumage, 
and  has  been  well  preserved.  When  picked  up  it  was  in 
a  very  emaciated  condition  and  had  evidently  died  from 
exhaustion . 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Forehead,  eye-stripe, 
sides  and  front  of  neck,  breast,  and  abdomen,  white ;  top  of 
head  and  back  of  neck,  deep  black ;  on  either  side  between 
the  eye  and  the  base  of  the  beak  is  a  black  stripe ;  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  sooty-black ;  two  outer  tail-feathers, 
which  are  longer  than  the  rest,  margined  with  white  on 
their  outer  webs. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter ,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage,  but  the  top  and  sides  of  the  head  are  flecked  with 
white, 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Throat,  breast,  and  abdo- 
men, sooty-brown  ;  back  and  wings,  darker,  with  white  tips 
to  all  the  feathers  except  the  primaries. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Black. 

IRIDES.  Deep  reddish-brown. 

EGGS.  "  Pinkish-cream  or  bluish-white,  with  an  endless 
variety  of  lavender  and  chestnut-red  blotches  ;  the  shell  being 
smooth,  whereas  in  the  egg  of  the  Noddy — a  bird  often 
found  breeding  in  the  same  localities — the  surface  is  of  a 
rough  chalky  nature  "  (Saunders).  One  egg  constitutes  the 
clutch. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...         ...  17      in. 

WING        11-75  „ 

BEAK         ...  2'1     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS  ...  0-9     ,, 

EGG  2  x  1-5  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — A  specimen 
of  the  Smaller  Sooty  Tern  (S.  ancestheta),  an  inter-tropical 
species,  supposed  to  have  been  taken  on  one  of  the  lightships 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Thames  in  September,  1875,  has 


NODDY  TEEN  403 

been  recorded.  From  S.  fuliginosa  it  may  be  distinguished 
by  its  browner  back  and  wings,  longer  white  stripe  over 
the  eye,  greyish  tint  on  the  neck  and  less  fully  webbed  feet : 
the  young  bird,  even  as  a  nestling,  has  a  white  breast 
and  abdomen.  S.  lunata,  with  a  slate-grey  back,  inhabits 
Oceania  (Saunders). 


NODDY  TERN.     Anous  stolidus  (Linnaeus). 
Coloured  Figures. — Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  13. 

This  is  another  exceedingly  rare  wanderer  from  the 
Tropics  and  the  Southern  Seas,  which  has  touched  on  the 
British  coast  on  two  occasions. 

About  1830,  two  specimens  were  obtained  on  the  east 
coast  of  Ireland  between  the  Tuskar  Eock,  co.  Wexford,  and 
Dublin  Bay  (Thompson,  Nat.  Hist.  Irel.,  vol.  iii,  p.  308). 

One  of  these  birds  is  preserved  in  the  National  Museum, 
Dublin ;  both  specimens  were  adult.  Mr.  Ussher  states 
that  there  is  a  second  Noddy  Tern  among  the  Irish  birds  in 
the  Belfast  Museum,  without  a  date,  which  may  be  the 
second  bird  obtained  in  1830. 

Sixty-seven  years  later,  a  record  appeared  in  the  '  Zoo- 
logist' for  1897,  p.  510,  mentioning  that  a  Noddy  Tern 
was  said  to  have  been  shot  about  six  years  previously  on 
the  -marshes  of  the  Dee. 

The  singular  habit  of  the  Noddies  of  building  a  rude  nest 
of  large  size,  composed  of  dry  grass,  sticks,  sea-wrack,  fish- 
bones, and  other  materials,  on  the  top  of  a  cocoa-nut  or 
other  tree,  is  worthy  of  note.  In  some  places,  the  nests  are 
on  shelving  rocks  beneath  overhanging  cliffs,  and  more 
rarely  on  patches  of  sand  or  grassy  slopes. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  '  french  ' 
grey ;  back  of  neck  and  throat,  greyish-brown ;  breast  and 
abdomen,  dark  brown  ;  back  and  scapulars,  sooty-brown  ; 
wings  still  darker;  from  the  eye  to  the  base  of  the  beak 
there  is  a  black  stripe ;  the  tail,  unlike  that  of  other  Terns, 
is  not  forked,  the  central  pair  of  feathers  being  the  longest, 
the  marginal  ones  the  shortest. 


404 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Very  similar  to  the  male  plum- 
age, but  the  back,  scapulars,  and  throat,  are  browner. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Kesembles  the  respec- 
tive adult  nuptial  plumages. 

Immature,  male  and  female.— Top  of  head,  greyish- 
brown  ;  back,  scapulars,  wings,  neck,  breast,  and  abdomen, 
dark  brown. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.  Reddish  -  brown  ;  webs,  yellowish  and  fully 
developed. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

EGG.  Eeddish-white  or  yellowish-white  in  colour,  with 
a  few  blotches  or  spots  of  reddish-brown.  The  surface  of 
the  shell  is  dull  and  of  a  rough  texture  :  only  one  egg  is 
incubated  at  a  time. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH          16     in. 

WING 10-5  ,, 

BEAK    ...         2     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS   ...         ...         ...     1     ,, 

EGG  ...  2  X  1'4  in. 


405 


Family 
Sub-Family  LABIISL^E. 

SA BINE'S  GULL.     Xema  sabinii  (J.  Sabine). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
67 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  p.  593  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  14. 

Sabine's  Gull  is  a  scarce  and  an  irregular  visitor  to  the 
British  Isles.  An  immature  bird,  shot  in  Belfast  Bay  in 
September,  1822,  and  identified  by  Thompson  (Nat.  Hist. 
Irel.,  vol.  iii.),  appears  to  be  the  earliest  recorded  British- 
taken  specimen. 

Subsequently  some  ten  more  examples  have  been  ob- 
tained in  Ireland  ;  on  every  occasion  in  immature  plumage. 

Seven  birds  have  been  recorded  from  Dublin  Bay  between 
the  years  1834  and  1884  ;  three  from  Belfast  Lough  between 
the  years  1822  and  1867 ;  and  one  from  Donegal  Bay, 
taken  on  September  19th,  1878  (Ussher,  '  Birds  of  Ireland  '). 
It  is  very  probable  that  this  species  has  been  overlooked  in 
many  other  localities  along  the  Irish  coast. 

In  England  it  has  been  recorded  from  the  following 
counties  : — T  Yorkshire,*  Norfolk,  Cambridgeshire,  Middlesex, 
Kent,*  Sussex,  Hants,*  Dorset,  Devon,  Cornwall,*  Somerset, 
Shropshire  and  Cumberland. 

In  Wales,  Pembrokeshire  and  Cardiganshire  have  yielded 
specimens. 

1  Adult  birds,  much  scarcer  in  our  Isles  than  those  in  immature  dress, 
have  been  obtained  from  those  counties  marked  with  an  asterisk  (*). 
Recently — in  the  autumn  of  1903 — three  adult  birds  were  obtained  from 
the  coast  of  Yorkshire  as  follows  :  One,  full  winter-plumage,  September 
1st ;  another,  full  nuptial  plumage  (female),  September  3rd  ;  both  speci- 
mens taken  at  Bridlington  (Julian  Tuck,  '  Zoologist,'  1903,  pp.  353, 
394).  A  third,  full  winter-plumage  (female),  September  5th  ;  obtained 
a  little  south  of  Scarborough  (W.  J.  Clarke,  loc.  cit.,  ibid.). 


406  LARID^E 

In  Scotland,  specimens  have  been  taken  in  Banffshire,* 
the  Isle  of  Mull,  and  the  Shetlands. 

This  elegant  species  can  be  identified  from  other  small 
'  hooded  '  Gulls  by  its  forked  tail.  Its  build  is  slender, 
somewhat  like  that  of  the  Terns  with  which  it  often  asso- 
ciates, and  like  these  birds,  it  shows  the  same  fearlessness 
in  the  presence  of  man  or  dog. 

Flight. — Its  buoyant,  elastic,  and  remarkably  graceful 
movements  on  the  wing  may  also  be  compared  to  those 
of  the  Terns. 

Food. — Small  fishes  form  the  staple  diet,  but  various 
other  creatures  are  eaten,  such  as  crabs,  shrimps,  worms, 
grubs,  and  insects. 

Voice. — The  note  is  shrill,  resembling  the  syllables  Hick, 
klick,  klick. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  a  simple  structure,  composed  of  dry 
grasses,  rudely  matted  together.  It  is  generally  situated  in 
lacustrine  districts,  or  on  swamps  adjacent  to  the  sea  :  the 
eggs,  two  in  number,  and  of  a  greenish-brown  ground- 
colour, blotched  with  darker  shades,  are  sometimes  laid  on 
the  bare  ground  among  loose  stones,  in  the  vicinity  of  a 
Tern-colony. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  breeding-h aunts  of  this 
Gull  are  practically  circumpolar.  In  1818,  the  late  Sir 
Edward  Sabine  found  it  nesting  in  Western  Greenland,  in 
lat.  75°  29'  N.,  long.  60°  9'  W.  On  migration  in  autumn 
and  winter,  it  travels  along  the  Atlantic  sea-board  to  about 
lat.  30°  N.,  while  on  the  Pacific  side  it  can  be  traced  as 
far  south  as  Peru. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  arid  upper  neck, 
dull  brownish-grey,  limited  below  by  a  black  collar  ;  lower 
neck,  breast,  abdomen,  and  tail,  white ;  back  and  wings, 
'  french  '  grey  ;  secondaries  and  five  inner  primaries,  almost 
white  ;  remaining  primaries,  black,  broadly  tipped  -with 
white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  white  ; 
back  of  head,  streaked  with  grey ;  hind-neck,  washed  with 
greyish-black. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Back  and  wings,  greyish 


WEDGE-TAILED  GULL  407 

barred   with    brown    and  dull  white  ;    tail-feathers,    white 
banded  near  the  tips  with  blackish-brown. 

BEAK.     Blackish,  with  a  yellowish  tip. 

FEET.     Pale  brownish-grey. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...  ...  13      in. 

WING        ...  10-75  „ 

BEAK         ...       1*3     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS         ...  ...       1*5     ,, 

EGG  ...  1'7  x  1'3  in. 


WEDGE-TAILED   GULL.      Rhodostethia  rosea  (Macgillivray). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
63  ;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  594  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pis.  15,  16. 

In  December,  1846,  or  February,  1847,  a  specimen  of 
this  Arctic  Gull  was  said  to  have  been  shot  near  Tadcaster, 
in  Yorkshire.  It  is  now  preserved  in  the  Leeds  Museum 
(Saunders).  This  appears  to  be  the  only  British-taken 
specimen  as  yet  on  record. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  neck,  white, 
with  a  few  black  feathers  near  the  eye  ;  narrow  black  neck- 
collar  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  white,  tinged  in  life  with  a 
delicate  pink ;  back  and  wings,  pale  '  french '  grey ;  outer 
web  of  first  primary,  black  almost  to  the  tips  ;  the  other 
primaries,  '  french  '  grey  ;  secondaries,  light  greyish,  tipped 
with  rosy-white ;  tail,  which  is  wedge-shaped,  and  its  upper 
coverts,  delicate  rosy- white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage,  except  that  the  black  neck-collar  is  absent,  and 
the  rosy  tints  are  more  faintly  suffused. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head  and  neck- 
collar,  greyish ;  wing-coverts,  inner  secondaries,  and  rump, 


408  LARID.E 

barred  with  smoke-brown,  the  feathers  being  edged  with 
greyish-buff;  three  outer  primaries,  black  on  both  sides  of 
the  shaft,  fourth  to  the  seventh  primaries,  greyish -white, 
barred  with  black ;  remaining  primaries,  white ;  outer  tail- 
feathers,  pure  white  ;  remaining  ones,  white  banded  at  their 
extremities  with  dark  brown. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Red. 

IKIDES.  Dark  brown. 

EGGS.  "Propagation  as  yet  unknown"  (H.  Saunders, 
Cat.  Birds  Brit.  Mus.,  vol.  xxv,  p.  169). 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 13'5    in. 

WING         10-25   „ 

BEAK         1        ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS  T25   , 


BONAPARTE'S  GULL.     Larus  Philadelphia  (Ord). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
65;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  717  ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  17. 

Six  examples  of  this  American  species  have  been 
recorded  as  visiting  the  British  Isles.  The  first  was  taken 
in  Ireland  on  the  River  Lagan  above  Belfast,  on  February 
1st,  1848,  and  identified  by  Thompson  (Nat.  Hist.  Irel., 
vol.  iii,  p.  317) ;  it  proved  to  be  a  male  in  nearly  mature 
winter-plumage,  and  is  now  preserved  in  the  Belfast 
Museum.  The  second  bird  was  procured  in  Scotland 
on  Loch  Lomond,  two  years  later  (April,  1850),  by  Sir 
George  H.  Leith-Buchanan  ('  Zoologist,'  1851,  p.  3117,  and 
1867,  p.  966). 

In  1865,  two  specimens  were  obtained  in  England ;  one 
in  Falmouth  Harbour,  January  4th  (Kodd,  '  Zoologist,' 
1865,  p.  9501)  ;  the  other  at  Penryn,  on  January  10th 
(Eodd,  '  Birds  of  Cornwall,'  p.  168).  In  November,  1870, 
an  example  was  obtained  at  St.  Leonards,  Sussex  (Borrer, 
'  Birds  of  Sussex,'  p.  262),  while  the  latest  occurrence 


LITTLE  GULL  409 

appears  to  be  that  of  a  bird  procured  near  Penzance,  on 
October  20th,  1890  (Harting,  '  Zoologist,'  1891,  p.  35). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  neck,  dark 
plumbeous-black ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  '  pearl '  grey  ; 
throat,  breast,  and  abdomen,  white ;  first  primary,  white, 
tipped  and  edged  on  the  outer  web  with  black  ;  remaining 
primaries,  barred  near  their  extremities  with  black,  the 
inner  webs  being  whitish-grey  ;  tail,  pure  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Differs  from  the  nuptial 
plumage  in  that  the  head  and  neck  are  white,  slightly 
mottled  with  grey,  especially  over  the  ear-coverts. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  brownish- 
grey  ;  back  of  neck,  back,  and  wings,  edged  with  brown  and 
light  buff ;  scapulars,  broadly  margined  with  very  light 
buffish-white  ;  three  outer  primaries,  black  on  both  sides 
of  the  shaft ;  tail,  white,  with  a  broad  brown  band  at  its 
terminal  portion. 

BEAK.    Black. 

FEET.     Orange-red. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

EGGS.  Greenish- brown,  spotted,  streaked,  and  zoned, 
with  dark  brown  :  clutch,  two  to  three. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...         ...  14      in. 

WING        10-25  „ 

BEAK  1-5     ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS         ...         ...       1*4    ,, 

EGG  ...  ...  1-9  x  1-4 in. 


LITTLE  GULL.     Lams  minutus  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
66 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  599,  599a ; 
Lilford,  «  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  18  ;  Booth,  '  Bough 
Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pi.  34. 

The  Little  Gull — so  named  on  account  of  its  diminutive 
size — is  of   comparatively   rare   occurrence    along  our  sea- 


410 

coasts.  It  was  first  described  and  figured  as  a  British  bird 
by  Montagu,  early  in  the  last  century,  previous  to  the  year 
1813.  Specimens  have  been  obtained  from  various  points 
along  the  south  and  east l  coasts  of  England,  and  less 
frequently  from  the  opposite  shores,  including  Wales. 
Occurrences  probably  take  place  every  autumn  and  winter, 
but  the  numbers  fluctuate  in  a  marked  degree.  Thus  in 
the  winters  of  1866,  1868,  1869-70,  several  birds  were  taken 
from  Norfolk  and  the  adjoining  maritime  counties.2 

The  east  side  of  Scotland  is  more  often  frequented  than 
the  west,  but  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Solway  Firth  this  Gull 
is  not  of  rare  occurrence  (Macpherson,  'Zoologist,'  1901, 
p.  285).  The  Western  and  Northern  groups  of  Islands  are 
visited  at  irregular  intervals. 

This  species  is  a  very  uncommon  visitor  to  Ireland, 
occurring  chiefly  in  autumn  and  winter.  Mr.  Ussher  cites 
ten  records  :  the  earliest  is  that  of  a  bird  shot  on  the 
Shannon  between  King's  Co.  and  Galway,  on  August  5th, 
1840  (Thompson). 

On  December  6th,  1876,  Cox  observed  one  at  the  mouth 
of  the  River  Liffey,  Dublin ;  it  was  feeding  in  company 
with  other  Gulls  ('  Zoologist,'  1879,  p.  486).  This  appears 
to  be  the  latest  specimen  recorded. 

Examples  have  been  taken  also  from  Strangford  Lough, 
Belfast  Bay,  and  Lough  Foyle  ('Birds  of  Ireland'). 

Flight. — In  its  flight  the  Little  Gull  rather  resembles 
a  Common  or  an  Arctic  Tern. 

Voice. — The  note  is  sharp  and  rather  harsh  ;  it  may  be 
syllabled  krek,  krek,  kree* 

Food. — Fish  constitute  the  main  diet ;  aquatic  insects 
are  also  eaten. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  placed  near  water,  on  swampy 
clumps,  and  is  composed  of  grasses  and  other  vegetable 
matter. 

The  eggs,  three,  more  rarely  four  in  number,  are 
greenish-brown,  finely  flecked  and  blotched  with  umber. 


1  Among  early  records  may  be  mentioned  one  shot  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Tyne  in  September,  1835  (Bewick). 

2  Over  sixty  were  killed  in  Norfolk  in  1870  (February),  after  a  heavy 
gale    (Norf.  and    Nor.    Nat.  Hist.  Soc.,  vol.    iv,  p.  410 ;    A.    Patterson, 
'  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  294-95).     A  specimen  was  obtained  on  the  Thames 
at  the  end  of  December,  1899,  a  rather  unusual  time  of  year  (F.  W. 
Frohawk,  '  Zoologist,'  1900,  p.  83). 


BLACK-HEADED  GULL  411 

Both  sexes  take  part  in  the  task  of  incubation. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  breeding-grounds  extend 
over  a  wide  area  of  Sub-arctic  and  Temperate  Europe  east 
of  the  Baltic  ;  eastward  this  bird  breeds  in  Temperate  Asia. 
In  winter  it  migrates  to  the  Mediterranean  Basin  and  to 
North  Africa  as  far  as  Egypt. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  upper  neck, 
black ;  rest  of  neck,  white  ;  back  and  wings,  *  french  '  grey ; 
primaries,  grey,  broadly  edged  with  white,  darker  on  their 
inner  webs  ;  axillaries  and  under  wing-coverts,  blackish,  con- 
spicuous when  the  bird  is  flying ;  tail,  white ;  throat,  breast, 
and  abdomen,  white,  exhibiting  a  delicate  pinkish  hue. 

Adult  female  nuptial. —  Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Forehead,  white  ;  top 
of  head,  back  of  neck,  and  cheeks,  greyish. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head  and  back  of 
neck,  streaked  with  brownish-grey ;  back  and  wings,  mottled 
with  dark  brown,  and  edged  with  buff;  tail,  banded  sub- 
terminally  with  a  similar  colour ;  primaries,  black,  edged 
internally  with  white ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries, 
white. 

BEAK.     Lake-red. 

FEET.     Vermilion-red. 

IEIDES.  Brownish-black. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 11       in. 

WING        8'75   „ 

BEAK        1-25   „ 

TAESO-METATARSUS        1        „ 

EGG  1-65  x  1-1  in. 


BLACK-HEADED  GULL.     Larus  ridibundus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
64;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  596,  597, 
fig.  1 ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  19  ;  Booth, 
'  Rough  Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pis.  35,  36. 

This  familiar  species  is  widely  distributed,  not  only 
along  the  sea-coast  of  the  British  Isles,  but  also,  during 
the  breeding-season,  in  marshy  situations,  often  miles  away 


412 

from  the  tide.  Considerable  numbers  in  immature  plumage 
remain  on  the  coast  throughout  the  summer  :  from  July 
onward  this  Gull  becomes  exceedingly  plentiful,  as  the 
parents  and  young,  together  with  migrants  travelling  south- 
ward, congregate  on  the  muddy  slob-lands  of  our  bays  and 
estuaries. 

This  bird  shows  a  decided  preference  for  low-lying  shores 
and  shallows.  From  the  nature  of  its  feeding-grounds  it 
freely  consorts  with  '  waders  '  of  all  sizes,  Dunlins,  Plovers, 
Curlews,  and  others,  and  though  squabbling  occasionally 
takes  place,  the  smaller  companions  remain  uninjured. 

The  Black-headed  Gull  constantly  frequents  the  estuaries 
and  quays  of  our  city-rivers.  Where  not  molested  it  becomes 
wonderfully  tame.  It  little  heeds  the  idle  bystander  staring 
at  it  from  over  the  quay-walls,  while  on  ornamental  waters 
it  will  take  up  its  abode  among  the  water-fowl,  become 
semi-domesticated,  and  live  parasitically  on  the  food  pre- 
pared for  the  rightful  feathered  owners.  Indeed,  in  severe 
weather,  tame  Ducks  and  Swans  often  suffer  from  the  depri- 
vation of  their  food,  which  the  Gulls,  assembling  in  num- 
bers, snatch  up  and  demolish  at  a  surprisingly  rapid  rate. 
Recently,  about  a  score  of  these  Gulls  have  taken  up  their 
abode  on  the  ornamental  waters  of  St.  Stephen's  Green, 
Dublin  (Plate  XLL,  fig.  2).  There  I  have  seen  them  swim 
with  the  tame  Ducks,  feed  with  them,  and  even  cautiously 
drift  to  the  brink  of  the  pond  (amid  a  mixed  assembly  of 
water-fowl)  to  pick  up  pieces  of  bread  cast  within  a  few  feet 
of  where  a  crowd  of  people  were  assembled. 

In  severe  weather  these  sociable  birds  will  congregate 
in  the  small  gardens  of  suburban  houses  of  our  seaport 
towns  ;  I  have  seen  them  crowd  round  a  plate  of  meal  like 
so  many  hungry  poultry,  and  almost  as  unconcerned  of 
human  presence.  If  fed  regularly  every  morning  during 
frost  they  become  remarkably  tame.  I  have  kept  them  in 
captivity,  have  tamed  them  sufficiently  to  eat  from  out  my 
hand,  and  to  snap  up  pieces  of  meat  thrown  into  the  air. 

But  though  greedy,  the  Black-headed  Gull,  like  other 
members  of  its  family,  is  a  useful  scavenger.  Hundreds 
of  these  fair-plumed  birds  may  be  seen  daintily  picking 
their  steps,  as  though  mindful  not  to  soil  their  unsullied 
plumes,  on  the  black,  slimy  ooze,  bubbling  with  putrefactive 
gases  emanating  from  submerged  decaying  matter.  Their 
white  forms  float  gently  on  the  sluggish  tidal  river,  on 
water,  dark,  oily,  foul-smelling,  and  charged  with  highly 


PLATE   XLI. 


W.  D.  Latimer,  Photo.] 

A. 

Winter  plumage 
(Immature). 


Fig.  1. 
BLACK-HEADED   GULLS. 

B.  C.  D. 

Nuptial  plumage  Autumn  plumage         Winter  plumage 

(Mature).  (Immature).  (Mature). 


Specimens  B,  C,  D,  collected  and  mounted  by  the- late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 


E.  Williams,  Photo.}  ;pjg      2. 

THE   LAKE,    ST.    STEPHEN'S   GREEN,    DUBLIN. 

Among  the  pinioned  water-fowl  are  to  be  seen  a  number  of  Black-headed  Gulls  in 
winter  plumage,  which  have  taken  up  their  abode  on  the  lake. 


BLACK-HEADED  GULL  413 

poisonous  sewage  matter.  Here  they  find  abundance  of 
food,  in  the  form  of  floating  refuse  and  offal  of  every 
description. 

As  we  watch  these  interesting  birds  serving  the  good 
purpose  of  scavengers  amid  such  contaminated  environment, 
we  are  led  to  wonder  how  they  preserve  so  perfectly  the 
purity  of  their  white  and  delicately-tinted  plumes.  The 
adaptability  of  this  species  to  its  varied  surroundings,  and 
its  confidence  in  the  presence  of  man,  at  once  make  it  one 
of  the  most  interesting  and  companionable  of  sea-birds. 
Throughout  the  autumn  and  winter  months  it  swarms  on 
many  parts  of  our  shores  ;  not  being  a  pelagic  species,  it 
seldom  wanders  far  from  the  coast-line. 

In  cold  weather  numbers  flock  to  the  fields  and  fallows ; 
hundreds  may  be  seen  following  closely  behind  the  plough, 
and  they  are  remarkably  astute  in  distinguishing  the  friendly 
ploughman,  in  whom  they  place  the  utmost  confidence, 
from  the  lurking  gunner  whom  they  keep  at  a  civil  distance. 
I  have  observed  these  clever  birds  taking  wing  the  moment 
I  entered  a  field  with  a  gun  under  my  arm,  though  they 
had  been  searching  for  worms  almost  at  the  feet  of  a  plough- 
man for  a  considerable  time  before. 

With  the  subsidence  of  a  severe  frost,  Black-headed 
Gulls  visit  the  flooded  fields  to  devour  the  drowning  earth- 
worms which  have  reached  the  surface  as  the  soil  softened.1 
Indeed,  during  the  first  few  days  of  an  active  thaw,  the 
sea-shore  in  certain  districts  may  be  seen  quite  deserted. 
In  the  evening  the  birds  return  to  the  coast  to  rest. 

Flight.  —  The  flight  is  buoyant,  graceful,  and  well- 
sustained,  and  at  times  the  aerial  movements  are  of  a 
highly  interesting  character.  Now  swooping,  now  gliding 
up  and  down  with  wide  expanse  of  wing,  until  suddenly 
attracted  by  a  dainty  morsel  of  floating  refuse,  first  one, 
then  the  entire  flock  hasten  to  the  spot,  and  with  fluttering 
wings,  and  feet  almost  treading  on  the  surface  of  the 
water,  each  member  endeavours  in  turn  to  bear  off  the 
prize,  until  swiftly  pursued  by  its  companions,  it  is  obliged 
to  let  it  go.  The  excitement  begins  afresh  as  the  birds, 
with  clamouring  voices,  make  frantic  efforts  to  secure 
the  quarry,  Finally,  a  Herring-Gull,  or  perhaps  a  Black- 
backed  Gull,  attracted  to  the  scene  of  the  disturbance, 
settles  the  matter  by  descending  to  the  water  and  engulf- 

1  A  habit  indulged  in  by  other  species  of  Gulls. 


414 

ing  the  envied  tit-bit,  too  cumbersome  for  the  smaller  birds 
to  secure. 

Food. — Like  other  Gulls,  this  species  will  eat  almost 
anything.  It  paces  the  sea-shore  and  shallow  channels 
for  small  fishes,  crabs,  shrimps,  and  shell-fish,  and  has 
a  most  interesting  habit  (which  seems  to  have  been  over- 
looked by  most  observers)  'pool  dancing,"  if  one  might  adopt 
the  term.  It  is  this :  a  Black-headed  Gull  wades  into  a 
little  pool,  the  water  of  which  is  only  deep  enough  to  cover 
part  of  its  feet ;  it  then  lowers  its  head  and  looks  at  the 
bottom.  Finding  no  food,  it  at  once  commences  to  prance 
up  and  down  on  the  sandy  floor,  stirring  up  the  sediment 
out  of  which  it  picks  various  marine  creatures  and  frag- 
ments of  seaweeds.  I  have  seen  many  of  these  birds  at 
this  performance  along  the  mud-flats  of  Dublin  Bay,  and 
have  also  noticed  parties  pattering  along  the  dry  sands 
in  pursuit  of  sand-hoppers,  or  snapping  at  flies  as  they 
swarmed  on  decaying  animal  or  vegetable  matter.  Eeference 
has  already  been  made  as  to  the  manner  in  which  floating 
refuse  is  greedily  snatched  up.  Away  from  the  tide,  beetles, 
worms,  and  grubs,  are  consumed  :  in  the  dusk  of  a  summer's 
evening  a  novice  might  mistake  this  Gull  for  a  Barn-Owl, 
as  he  watched  it  hawking  for  cock-chafers  and  moths  over 
corn-fields  and  ditches  with  rapid  and  twisting  flight.  In 
hard  weather  Lapwings  are  often  troubled  by  this  species, 
as  it  pursues  and  bullies  them  to  such  an  extent  that  they 
are  obliged  to  forfeit  their  hard-sought-for  worms.  In 
captivity  Black-headed  Gulls  are  practically  omnivorous. 
One,  of  which  I  made  a  great  pet,  and  had  for  many  years, 
used  to  swallow  small  mice  entire,  and  such  diet  was  greatly 
relished. 

Voice. — The  term  '  Laughing  Gull '  has  been  applied  to 
this  species  on  account  of  its  peculiar  voice,  which  is 
supposed  to  resemble  a  laugh.  Of  this  it  is  a  very  feeble 
mimicry,  if  at  all.  There  is  nothing  bright  or  merry  about 
the  sound ;  it  is  irritably  harsh  and  scolding.  If  the  com- 
parisons are  at  all  befitting,  the  cry  may  be  likened  to  that 
of  a  cross-tempered  two-years-old  child,  who  passionately 
ejaculates  with  wide  open  mouth,  the  syllables  yddh-hda, 
yddh-hd,  yddh-wdw.  The  immature  birds l  which  assemble 

1  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  when  the  young  first  come  down  to  the 
tide  towards  the  end  of  June  and  during  July,  the  full  clutch  of  two 
or  three  birds  seldom  accompany  the  parents  on  the  wing.  I  have 


PLATE   XLII. 


NEST   AND   EGGS   OF   BLACK-HEADED   GULL. 

The  nest  is  built  on  a  tuft  of  rushes  surrounded  by  shallow 
water  and  quagmire. 


I-— Nest  containing  one  downy  young  bird  just  hatched  out,  and  an  egg  in  which  the 
beak  of  a  nestling  is  protruding  through  a  crack. 


Fig.  2.— NESTS  OF  BLACK-HEADED  GULL. 
Nest  containing  three   downy  young  birds,  two  days  old. 


BLACK-HEADED  GULL  415 

in  the  early  autumn  on  the  slob-lands  may  be  heard  utter- 
ing a  high,  thin,  one-syllabled  note  varied  with  a  rather 
faint  '  brassy  '  squeak.  The  chorus  produced  by  hundreds, 
as  an  intruder  approaches  the  breeding-haunts,  is  truly 
bewildering. 

Nest. — Black-headed  Gulls  are  highly  gregarious  during 
the  breeding-season,  assembling  at  their  gulleries  towards 
the  end  of  February.  The  breeding-sites  are  very  diversified. 
Marshy  situations,  such  as  exist  along  the  shores  and  islands 
of  inland  lakes,  or  flat  and  open  bog-lands,  are  the  usual 
localities  selected.  Less  frequently  marine  islands,  more  or 
less  clad  with  vegetation,  are  resorted  to,  where  colonies  of 
this  and  other  sea-birds  often  exist  in  close  proximity. 
Sometimes  the  nests  are  placed  on  little  mounds  amid 
rushes,  surrounded  by  soft  muddy  soil,  or  even  by  water 
(Plate  XLIL).  Others  are  found  in  drier  situations  amid 
flags,  nettles,  fallen  leaves,  and  bits  of  dead  sticks  (Plate 
XLIIL,  figs.  1,  2,  and  Plate  XLIV.).  I  have  found  the 
nest  built  into  a  hollow  in  the  grass,  the  site  resembling 
that  chosen  by  a  Lark  or  Meadow-Pipit.  In  addition, 
nests  have  been  found  built  on  an  ancient  fort,  on  isolated 
rocks  in  lakes,  on  the  tops  of  stone  beacons,  and  within 
a  walled  hiding-place  (Ussher).  The  nest  itself  is  composed 
of  sedges,  grasses,  and  bits  of  the  surrounding  materials. 
Three  eggs  constitute  the  normal  clutch,  though  I  have 
found  four  and  even  five  in  one  nest.1  The  ground-colour 
and  the  darker  markings  of  the  eggs  vary  to  a  considerable 
extent.  Some  are  brownish-green,  others  light  bluish  or 
yellowish-pink,  heavily  blotched  with  chocolate-brown. 
Less  frequently  they  are  of  a  uniform  ground-colour. 
This  is  seen  in  Plate  XLIV.,  which  is  a  photograph  of 
a  nest  containing  four  dull  bluish-white  eggs,  which,  from 
their  extreme  similarity  in  size  and  colour  were  very  likely 
the  property  of  a  single  bird. 

Incubation  commences  about  the  end  of  April  or  the 
beginning  of  May  ;  three  weeks  later  the  young  are  hatched, 


generally  noticed  one  adult  and  one  young  bird  together.  The  same  habit 
applies  to  other  Gulls,  a  single  immature  Herring-Gull  usually  follow- 
ing an  adult.  Whether  the  adult  is  the  rightful  parent  or  not,  it  is  hard 
to  say. 

1  On  one  occasion  I  found  a  nest  containing  five  eggs,  three  of  which 
were  heavily  blotched  with  brown,  the  remaining  two  being  of  a  uniform 
olive-brown  colour.  The  nest  most  likely  contained  two  clutches. 


416  LABHX3E- 

clothed  in  a  richly  variegated  yellowish-brown  down  (Plate 
XLIIL,  figs.  1  and  2). 

Many  galleries  are  protected,  and  the  eggs  are  collected 
for  culinary  purposes,  the  birds  continuing  to  lay  after  their 
clutches  have  been  repeatedly  removed. 

Black-headed  Gulls,  like  other  creatures  living  together 
in  large  and  densely-thronged  communities,1  often  enter  into 
combat,  severely  pecking  and  even  killing  one  another  to 
secure  the  most  favourable  nesting-sites.  The  young  are 
often  knocked  out  of  their  nests,  and  many  of  them,  when 
creeping  about  in  search  of  hiding-places,  are  destroyed  by 
rats  and  other  enemies. 

Books,  Daws,  Black-backed  Gulls,  and  Hawks,  are 
vigorously  assailed  and  even  killed  by  the  members  of  a 
gullery,  and  I  have  several  times  found  dead  Jackdaws  and 
Books,  especially  when  the  gulleries  were  in  well-wooded 
districts.  In  such  places  the  Gulls  may  be  seen  alighting  on 
the  branches  of  trees. 

There  are  many  gulleries  in  the  eastern  and  southern 
maritime  counties  of  England,  the  most  westerly  of  which 
is  in  Poole  in  Dorset.  Some  of  the  inland  counties,  certain 
districts  in  Wales,  and  Walney  Island  off  Lancashire,  also 
harbour  colonies. 

Great  assemblages  exist  in  Scotland,  notably  at  Wig- 
town, Lanark,  Loch  Lomond,  Moray  Firth,  and  northward 
to  the  Shetlands. 

This  Gull  is  an  abundant  breeding- species  in  Ireland, 
and  maritime  and  inland  counties  are  both  visited  ;  in  fact, 
the  great  central  plain  accommodates  vast  numbers. 

Among  marine  stations  may  be  mentioned  the  Blasket 
Islands,  the  most  westerly  land  in  Europe,  or,  as  the 
Islanders  put  it  to  me,  when  I  visited  them,  "  The  nearest 
land  to  America  !  " 

Many  former  gulleries  have  now  ceased  to  exist  in  the 
British  Isles,  while  others  have  newly  sprung  up.  For  as 
man  from  time  to  time  appropriated  their  breeding-grounds 
for  building  or  cultivating  purposes,  the  birds  en  masse 
simply  changed  their  quarters,  and  so  their  numbers  are  not 
decreasing. 

1  In  densely-populated  gulleries  it  is  most  difficult  to  avoid  treading 
on  the  eggs  and  fledglings,  and  in  taking  photographs  one  has  to  be  care- 
ful first  to  inspect  the  surroundings,  lest  the  diverging  legs  of  the  camera 
be  thrust  into  and  damage  the  contents  of  adjoining  nests,  while  the 
operator  manipulates  his  instrument  under  cover  of  his  focussing  cloth. 


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BLACK-HEADED  GULL  417 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Black-headed 
Gull  breeds  over  the  greater  part  of  the  European  Con- 
tinent, from  about  lat.  65°  N.  in  Norway  and  Sweden, 
and  from  Archangel  in  Kussia  southward  to  the  Mediterra- 
nean. Eastward  it  can  be  traced  over  Temperate  Asia,  as 
a  nesting-species  to  Kamtschatka.  On  its  autumn  and 
winter  migration  it  reaches  North  Africa,  Tropical  Asia 
(including  India  and  China),  the  Philippines  and  Japan. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.1  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  upper  neck, 
dark  brown  (not  black  as  the  bird's  name  implies) ;  back 
and  wings,  '  french  '  grey  ;  outer  primaries,  chiefly  white, 
with  black  tips  and  blackish  bands  along  the  inner  webs ; 
inner  primaries,  chiefly  '  french '  grey  tipped  with  black ; 
secondaries,  pale  '  pearl '  grey  ;  rest  of  plumage  including 
tail,  white,  the  breast  being  suffused  with  a  very  delicate 
evanescent  pink. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  dark  coloration 
of  the  head  (hood)  is  replaced  by  white  in  the  early  autumn, 
but  the  head  never  gets  completely  white,  a  few  black 
patches  remaining  about  the  regions  of  the  eye  and  the  ear. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  wings  and  back  are 
splashed  with  warm  chestnut-brown,  which  extends  for 
some  distance  up  the  back  of  the  neck2 ;  much  of  this 
colour  disappears  during  the  first  autumn,  but  the  wing- 
coverts  remain  dappled,  and  the  tail  banded  with  brown 


1  I  have  obtained  specimens  which  were  only  beginning  to  lose  their 
'  hoods '  in  the  middle  of  November,  and  others  which  had  assumed  their 
new  nuptial  hood -feathers  in  December  and  January.     I  have  notes  of 
sickly  birds  and  those  subjected  to  captivity  which  moulted  from  summer 
to  winter-plumage  rather  slowly.     On   December  16th   I  picked  up  a 
freshly-killed  specimen  on  the  Dublin  coast  in  a  very  emaciated  condition  ; 
it  was  just  beginning  to  shed  its  dark  hood-feathers.     But  early  Feb- 
ruary is  the  'usual  time  at  which  the  '  hood '  is  assumed,  and  this  plu- 
mage is  retained  until  about  the  middle  of  July.     By  August  most  of 
the   birds   have    changed   into    winter-garb.      Immature   birds   do   not 
assume  the  '  hood  '  in  their  first  spring  until  March  or  April,  and  in  some 
cases  not  until  the  following  spring. 

2  Some  young  birds  lose  the  chestnut-brown  on  the  back  and  neck 
much  earlier  than  others.     On  July  27th,  1900,  I  examined  a  specimen 
which  had  lost  much  of  this  coloration,   whereas  on  October  23rd,.  I 
obtained  a  bird  still  retaining  all  the  immature  markings. 

27 


418  LARID.E 

throughout  the  first  year.  The  outer  primaries  are  chiefly 
dark  brownish-black,  but  they  soon  become  streaked  with 
white  along  the  middle  of  the  inner  webs. 

BEAK.     Deep  carmine. 

FEET.     Deep  carmine. 

IKIDES.  Very  dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 16       in. 

WING        11-75    „ 

BEAK         T75   „ 

TARSO-METATAKSUS         T76    ,, 

EGG  2-2  x  1-5  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  South- 
eastern representative  is  L.  brunneicephalus,  a  bird  with  a 
paler  brown  head  and  different  wing-pattern. 


MEDITERRANEAN  BLACK-HEADED  GULL. 

Larus  melanocephalus  (Natterer). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  597, 
fig.  2  ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  20. 

There  appear  to  be  bat  two  records  of  the  occurrence  of 
this  extremely  rare  visitor  to  our  shores. 

One,  that  of  an  adult  in  winter-plumage,  shot  on  Breydon 
Broad,  Norfolk,  received  by  Mr.  G.  Smith,  of  Great  Yar- 
mouth, on  December  26th,  1886 ;  this,  the  first  well-authen- 
ticated specimen  procured  in  the  British  Isles,  was  ex- 
hibited by  Mr.  Saunders  at  a  meeting  of  the  Zoological 
Society  of  London,  on  January  18th,  1887. 

The  second,  that  of  an  immature  bird,  said  to  have  been 
obtained  near  Barking  Creek,  on  the  Thames,  in  January, 
1866,  identified  by  Mr.  Saunders  in  1871,  and  now  in  the 
British  Museum. 


GEEAT  BLACK-HEADED  GULL  419 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  black,  with  a 
small  white  patch  above  the  eye  and  another  below ;  back 
and  wings,  '  pearl '  grey  ;  primaries,  white  towards  their 
tips,  tinged  with  light  'french'  grey  above;  there  is  a 
narrow  streak  of  black  along  the  outer  web  of  the  first 
primary  ;  neck,  breast,  abdomen,  and  tail,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  Differs  from,  the 
nuptial  plumage  in  that  the  head  is  white,  streaked  with 
greyish-brown  and  black,  chiefly  about  the  eye  and  the  ear- 
coverts. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Head,  streaked  with  dark 
greyish-brown ;  wing-coverts  and  scapulars,  mottled  with 
dark  brown ;  tail,  white,  banded  towards  the  extremity  with 
dark  brown. 

"  Birds  which  have  assumed  the  black  hood  for  the  first 
time  exhibit  black  streaks  next  the  shafts  of  the  primaries 
1 — 3  and  black  bars  on  1 — 5,  until  the  following  moult  " 
(Saunders). 

BEAK.  Eed,  with  a  darkish  band  in  front  of  the  angle  ; 
strongly  built. 

FEET.     Ked. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

EGGS.  Dull  white  shading  to  cream,  blotched  and 
streaked  with  dark  brown  :  clutch,  two  to  three. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 15*5     in. 

WING        11-75  „ 

BEAK         1'75  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        1-9     ,, 

EGG  ...  2-2  X  1-4  in. 


GREAT  BLACK-HEADED  GULL.     Larus  ichthyaetus  (Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  598  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  21. 

There    appears   to   be    but   one   British  record   of  this 
South-eastern   species,  the   largest  of  the  '  hooded '  Gulls. 


420  LAREDO 

About  the  end  of  May  or  early  in  June,  1859,  an  adult,  in 
nuptial  plumage,  was  shot  off  Exmouth  when  associating 
with  a  flock  of  Black-headed  Gulls.  The  bird  is  preserved 
in  the  Exeter  Museum  (Koss.,  Ann.  &  Mag.  Nat.  Hist., 
1859,  p.  467). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  jet-black  ;  small 
white  crescentic  patch  above  the  eye  and  another  below  ; 
back  and  wings,  darker  '  pearl '  grey  than  in  L.  ridibundus  ; 
secondaries,  broadly  margined  with  white,  forming  a  con- 
spicuous wing-bar ;  primaries,  chiefly  whitish,  the  first  six 
being  barred  with  black;  neck,  breast,  abdomen,  and  tail, 
pure  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage,  except  that  the  head  is  streaked  with  brownish- 
black. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Head,  sides  of  neck,  back, 
and  wings,  mottled 'with  brown;  primaries,  brown;  secon- 
daries, brown,  broadly  edged  with  white,  and  bordered  with 
white  along  the  outer  webs ;  tail,  white,  banded  on  its 
terminal  portion  with  blackish-brown. 

Nes  tling . — Greyish- white . 

BEAK.  Deep  yellowish-red  at  the  angle,  and  banded 
with  black. 

FEET.     Olive  colour  ;  webs,  orange. 

IKIDES.  Very  dark  brown. 

EGGS.  Yellowish-stone  colour  with  large  streaks  and 
blotches  of  brown  and  black  :  clutch,  three. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 26      in.   Female  smaller. 

WING         ...  19       „ 

BEAK         3'25  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS         ...       3' 3    ,, 
EGG  ...  ...       2-95  X  2  in. 


COMMON  GULL 


421 


COMMON  GULL.     Larus  canus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  FigiLres.— Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
60  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  600 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  22. 

This  species,  plentiful  in  autumn  and  winter  on  our 
shores,  is  somewhat  larger,  stouter,  and  less  elegant  in  build, 
than  the  Black-headed  Gull,  from  which  it  may  also  be  dis- 
tinguished easily  by  its  bright  green  legs. 

In  summer,  when  the  dark  hood  of  the  smaller  species 
is  assumed,  the  two  birds  are  unmistakable.  Yet  in  many 
localities,  the  Black-headed  Gull,  owing  to  its  abundance  at 
all  times  of  the  year,  is  popularly  known  as  the  '  Common 
Gull.' 


FIG.  54.— COMMON  GULL. 


In  their  nuptial  plumages  the  Kittiwake  and  the  Com- 
mon Gull  are  much  alike.  Both  have  pure  white  heads, 
and  rather  dark  '  french '  grey  backs,  but  they  differ  in  the 
colour  of  the  feet1  and  in  the  markings  of  the  primaries. 

In  spring  most  adult  Common  Gulls  pass  northward, 


1  It  is  well  for  a  novice  to  observe  accurately  the  great  variety  in  the 
colour  of  Gulls'  feet.  In  the  few  species  that  are  common  along  our 
coasts  we  notice  such  contrasts  as  red,  green,  pink,  yellow,  and  black. 


422  LABIDJ5 

though  in  certain  districts  in  our  Isles  considerable  numbers 
remain  to  breed. 

Immature  birds,  with  bluish-grey  backs,  brown  dappled 
wings  and  banded  tails,  may  be  seen  scattered  over  the 
sandy  coasts  throughout  the  summer  months  :  from  July 
onward  this  Gull  becomes  much  more  abundant  as  the 
migrants  with  their  families  return  to  the  coast.  Though 
preferring  the  shelter  of  estuaries  and  harbours  to  the  wide 
open  sea,  yet  this  species,  as  a  rule,  keeps  at  a  fair  distance 
from  human  habitations  and  crowded  thoroughfares  ;  thus 
it  is  not  generally  seen  feeding  on  refuse  along  city-quays 
and  wharfs,  though,  in  great  stress  of  weather,  it  will  visit 
our  lawns1  and  gardens.  Here,  associating  with  the  more 
domesticated  Black-headed  Gull,  it  partly  forgets  its  natural 
shyness,  and  driven  by  hunger  becomes  quite  audacious, 
especially  if  fed  regularly  during  frost.  Like  the  Black- 
headed  Gull,  it  follows  the  plough,  sometimes  in  very  large 
numbers,2  in  search  of  worms  and  grubs.  Nowhere  do  the 
beautiful  plumes  of  this  bird  stand  out  in  such  bold  relief 
as  against  the  dark  upturned  sods. 

Flight. — The  flight  of  this  arid  other  Gulls  is  familiar. 
The  bird  moves  leisurely  through  the  air,  its  wings  gently 
flapping  up  and  down  without  the  least  apparent  muscular 
effort.  But  when  necessity  arises,  as  when  chased  by  its 
tormentor  the  Skua,  it  can  cleave  through  the  air  and 
twist  and  turn  with  extraordinary  skill.3  On  flat,  sandy 
shores  laid  bare  at  ebb-tide,  multitudes  may  be  seen  in 
the  distance  like  white  flecks  coursing  over  the  fringe  of 
the  breakers  in  company  with  Herring-Gulls,  Oyster- 
Catchers  and  other  coast-birds. 

Food. — Fish,  crabs,  marine  insects,  and  shell-fish,  form 
a  large  portion  of  the  diet,  but  stranded  or  floating  carrion 


1  Like  the  preceding  species,  at  times  it  alights  on  trees. 

-  On  the  Dingle  Peninsula,  not  far  from  the  Blasket  Islands,  where 
there  is  a  breeding-colony,  I  observed,  on  April  1st,  1901,  an  immense 
flock  of  immature  and  adult  birds  closely  following  a  plough  and  greedily 
devouring  the  upturned  worms.  The  Gulls  were  so  thickly  clustered 
that  occasionally  they  trampled  on  one  another  when  rushing  to  secure 
food.  They  were  so  intent  on  satiating  their  appetites  that  they  little 
heeded  a  large  Collie-dog  which  was  careering  wildly  over  the  field. 

3  It  may  be  said  that  the  Gull  among  Sea-Birds  and  the  Rook  among 
Land-Birds,  fly  in  a  lazy  and  sedate  manner.  But  at  times  their  gyrations, 
either  when  sporting,  or  when  evading  the  dreaded  swoop  of  the  Falcon, 
are  truly  surprising. 


COMMON  GULL  423 

is  not  by  any  means  refused,  while  worms  and  grubs  are 
obtained  in  the  fields.  In  captivit}T  the  bird  will  eat  practi- 
cally anything. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  much  less  wailing  than  that  of  most 
other  Gulls.  The  note  is  short,  sharp,  one-syllabled,  and 
sounds  like  yak-yak,  or  yak-kak. 

Nest. — The  Common  Gull  is  gregarious  in  the  nesting- 
season,  and  some  colonies  are  composed  of  considerable 
numbers.1  In  many  localities  the  nests  are  placed  apart 
from  those  of  other  sea-fowl. 

In  July,  1898,  I  found  three  nests  on  a  small  island  in 
a  fresh-water  lake  near  Castlebar,  co.  Mayo.  The  materials 
used  for  building  were  for  the  most  part  withered  grasses, 
and  the  nests  were  rather  conspicuous,  being  situated  among 
the  tops  of  bare  rocks.  Sometimes  the  birds  build  among 
loose  stones  along  the  fringe  of  islands,  or  amid  heather  or 
grass  on  the  slopes  of  sea-cliffs.  In  maritime  situations 
seaweed  is  often  added  as  a  building  constituent. 

The  eggs,  normally  three  to  the  clutch,  vary  in  ground- 
colour from  greenish-brown  to  light  straw,  some  being  of 
a  rather  pale  bluish  shade  ;  they  are  blotched  and  streaked 
with  brownish-black. 

Incubation  begins  about  the  month  of  May.  In  certain 
districts  the  eggs  are  collected  for  culinary  purposes. 

Along  the  coast  and  lochs  of  the  northern  section  of 
Scotland  (including  the  Western  Island-Groups,  the  Orkneys, 
and  Shetlands),  this  Gull  nests  in  no  small  numbers. 

In  Ireland,  the  breeding  -  haunts  seem  limited  to 
the  counties  of  Sligo  (where  Mr.  Warren  found  the  bird 
nesting  in  1855),  Mayo,  Gal  way,  Donegal,  and  Kerry.  In 
addition,  there  are  marine  settlements  on  a  few  islands  off 
the  west  coast. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Common  Gull 
is  plentifully  distributed  in  the  breeding-season  in  Northern 
and  Central  Kussia,  Scandinavia,  and  other  parts  of  Europe, 
but  is  rare  in  Iceland.  In  autumn  and  winter  it  migrates 
over  the  European  Continent,  crossing  the  Mediterranean 
to  North  Africa,  and  eastward  to  the  Temperate  regions  of 
Western  Asia. 

1  Mr.  Ussher  mentions  a  maritime  breeding-haunt,  numbering  about 
a  hundred  nests,  on  the  north  coast  of  Donegal.  Among  the  breeding- 
resorts  which  I  have  had  occasion  to  visit,  that  on  the  Blasket  Island 
is  particularly  interesting  owing  to  its  isolated  position,  and  from  the 
fact  that  it  is  the  most  southern  in  Europe. 


424 


DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 


PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Head,  neck,  breast,  ab- 
domen, and  tail,  white;  back  and  wings,  dark  Trench'  grey 
or  lavender  colour,  deeper  in  shade  than  the  same  regions 
of  several  other  species  of  Gulls  ;  secondaries,  broadly  tipped 
with  white  ;  two  outer  pairs  of  primaries,  chiefly  dull 
black,  with  grey  basal  portions,  and  with  large  white  '  eyes  ' 
near  the  tips  ;  rest  of  primaries,  chiefly  pale  grey,  barred 
below  with  black,  and  all  except  the  first  broadly  tipped 
with  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial.  —  Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.—  Differs  from  the  nuptial 
plumage  in  that  the  head  and  upper  neck  are  streaked  and 
spotted  with  greyish-brown.1 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Before  August  the  upper 
parts  of  the  immature  birds  are  dusky-brown,  with  dull  buff 
edges  to  the  feathers  ;  throat,  breast,  and  abdomen,  impure 
white,  with  brownish  feathers  interspersed  ;  tail,  dull  white, 
broadly  banded  subterminally  with  brown  ;  upper  tail-coverts, 
white,  thinly  interspersed  with  brown;  primaries,  brown.2 
The  lavender-coloured  feathers  of  the  back  appear  early  in 
the  first  autumn,  but  the  wing-coverts  retain  their  immature 
brownish  coloration  and  the  tail  is  banded  until  the  next 
autumn  moult.  The  pure  white  head  is  apparently  not 
assumed  until  all  signs  of  immature  plumage  have  dis- 
appeared. 

BEAK.     Green,  tipped  with  yellow. 

FEET.     Yellowish-green. 

IKIDES.  Blackish-brown. 


AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 17*5  in. 

WING   14-5  „ 

BEAK   1-85  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS       2 -25    „ 

EGG  2-25  x  1-5  in. 


1 1  have  seen  and  examined  in  the  flesh  many  Common  Gulls  in  full 
winter- plumage  as  early  as  August  6th. 

2  Birds  in  this  plumage  are  far  from  common  along  our  coasts,  except 
near  their  breeding-colonies. 


HEKKING-GULL  425 

Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  Eastern 
form  of  the  Common  Gull  is  larger  and  possesses  a  darker 
mantle.  L.  delawarensis,  also  a  larger  bird,  but  with  a 
paler  mantle  and  doubly-zoned  beak,  inhabits  the  North 
American  Continent,  while  L.  brachyrhynchus  is  a  smaller 
bird,  which  is  found  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Great  Bear 
Lake.  It  is  noteworthy  that  an  immature  example  of  L. 
canus  was  secured  in  Labrador  on  August  21st,  1860 
(Saunders). 


HERRING-GULL.     Larus  argentatus  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
59  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  602,  fig.  1 ; 
Lilford,  *  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  23. 

The  Herring-Gull,  one  of  the  large  indigenous  species,  is 
abundant  on  our  coasts  throughout  the  year.  Even  in  the 
breeding-season,  when  the  adults  have  congregated  about 
the  headlands  and  precipitous  islands,  hundreds  of  immature 
birds1  continue  to  frequent  the  ooze-flats  and  sandy  beaches. 
Indeed,  during  the  late  spring  months,  no  Gull  is  more 
familiar,  or  forms  a  more  prominent  feature  on  the  sluggish 
waters  of  the  city-esfcuaries  and  quays  than  the  large  '  tweed- 
plumed  '  immature  Herring-Gull  Here,  depending  largely 
for  its  sustenance  on  floating  refuse,  it  appears  quite  in- 
different to  the  shipping  traffic  of  busy  ports  and  harbours. 
It  may  be  seen  perched  on  cargo-sheds,  on  chimney-pots, 
and  on  roofs  of  factories,  on  the  gunwales  and  riggings  of 
boats,  and  on  the  summits  of  monumental  figures.2 

It  follows  the  cross-channel  steamers  and  trawlers  from 
port  to  port  in  search  of  food,  and  shows  little  if  any  alarm, 


1  The  Herring- Gull  takes  several  years  to  reach  maturity  ;  hence  the 
vast  numbers  of  non-breeding  birds,  seen  in  various  phases  of  plumage, 
all  the  year  round  on  low-lying  as  well  as  on  precipitous  coasts. 

2  Pinnacles   of   all  kinds    seem  to  offer  a  special  attraction   to   the 
Herring-Gull.     Even  in  their  breeding-haunts  some  may  be  seen  alight- 
ing on  the  summit  of  a  great  pointed  rock,  from  which  lofty  eminence 
they  shower  down,  in  '  Gull-language,'  their  menacing  threats  upon  the 
intruder. 


426  LAEID^E 

at  the  shrill  whistle  and -vibrations  of  the  *  syren'  and  fog- 
horn. 

Though  often  wandering  far  up  rivers  in  search  of  offal, 
and  assembling  betimes  in  small  numbers  on  pasturage  at 
no  great  distance  from  the  coast,  yet  it  is  essentially 
marine,  and  records  from  inland  situations  may  be  re- 
garded as  exceptional.  It  has  been  observed  in  autumn 
and  winter  on  Lough  Neagh  (Ussher). 

Flight. — The  sustaining  power  and  buoyancy  of  the 
Herring-Gull  on  the  wing  are  remarkable.  With  wide, 
outspread,  and  almost  motionless  pinions,  it  appears  to 
sail  into  the  teeth  of  the  tempest  and  then  float  against 
the  wind  with  a  calm  but  progressive  flight. 

"  White  bird  of  the  tempest — Oh  !  beautiful  thing — 
With  the  bosom  of  snow  and  the  motionless  wing  ; 
Now  silently  poised  o'er  the  war  of  the  main, 
Like  the  spirit  of  charity  brooding  o'er  pain." 

When  following  in  the  wake  of  a  steamer  which  is  speed- 
ing at  twenty  miles  an  hour,  this  hardy  sea-bird  appears 
to  travel  with  the  utmost  degree  of  leisure  and  practically 
without  flapping  its  wings.  Albeit,  it  can  move  with  great 
speed ;  more  so  than  its  gentle  flight  would  lead  us  to 
suppose.1 

This  may  be  witnessed  when  food  is  cast  overboard 
and  a  group  of  these  birds  tarry  on  the  water  to  devour 
it.  They  are  soon  left  behind,  appearing  as  white  dots  in 
the  distance.  Yet  almost  in  a  moment  by  a  few  beats  of 
their  powerful  pinions,  they  are  again  floating  o'erhead  at 
the  stern  of  the  vessel.  No  less  wonderful  is  the  evading 
arrow-like  swoop  so  admirably  displayed  when  they  pursue, 
or  are  being  pursued. 

With  the  Eagle  the  Herring-Gull  can  almost  vie  in  its 
soaring-powers,  reaching  such  heights  as  to  appear  an  in- 
distinct white  moving  speck. 

Food.  — This  species  is  practically  omnivorous.  Its  food 
is  largely  obtained  along  the  coast,  where  the  bird  may 
be  seen  walking  with  cautious  tread  over  seaweed-covered 
stones,  seeking  out  the  hiding-places  of  crabs,  sea-worms, 

1  On  January  20th,  1903,  as  I  was  crossing  the  Irish  Channel  from 
Dublin  to  Holyhead,  I  timed  the  stroke  of  the  pinion  in  the  case  of 
fifteen  different  Herring- Gulls  in  various  stages  of  maturity,  from  a  flock 
of  thirty  which  followed  astern  of  the  steamer.  During  quiet  flight,  the 
weather  being  calm,  I  determined  that  the  average  number  of  strokes 
per  minute  amounted  to  160,  or  a  little  less  than  three  per  second. 


HERRING-GULL  427 

and  shell-fish.  The  method  frequently  adopted  for  obtain- 
ing a  meal  of  cockles,  mussels,  whelks,  and  other  molluscs, 
is  singularly  interesting.  Unable  to  pierce  the  shell,  it 
holds  it  in  its  beak,  and  ascends  into  the  air  to  a-  height 
of  about  fifty  yards.  The  prey  is  then  suddenly  released, 
the  bird  swooping  after  it  so  swiftly,  that  it  is  snatched  up 
the  very  instant  it  touches  the  ground.  If  the  shell  be  not 
broken  the  performance  is  repeated,  but  as  it  is  generally 
dropped  on  a  stony  beach  the  contents  are  secured  after 
one  or  two  trials.  For  many  years  I  have  witnessed  this 
habit  of  the  Herring-Gull  along  the  shores  of  Dublin  Bay ; 
I  have  seen  a  line  of  a  dozen  or  more  of  these  birds  stationed 
at  regular  intervals  of  about  a  hundred  yards  from  one 
another,  all  busily  '  shell  dropping.' 

Mr.  A.  Williams  writes  me  that  he  once  saw  a  Herring- 
Gull  capture  a  rat  on  the  shore,  carry  it  off  by  the  tail  and 
drop  it  from  such  a  height  on  to  rocks  that  it  was  disabled, 
easily  secured,  and  torn  to  pieces. 

Immense  shoals  of  Herring-  and  other  fry  are  rapidly 
thinned  out,  as  bird  after  bird,  attracted  by  the  screeches  of 
their  comrades,  flock  to  the  spot,  and  with  all  haste  swoop 
to  the  water,  demolishing  hundreds  of  their  silvery  prey  in 
a  very  short  time.  The  fields  are  also  visited,  the  plough 
is  followed,  and  grubs,  worms,  and  grain,1  are  eaten.  Offal, 
including  carrion,  is  as  dainty  diet  to  this  voracious  bird. 
Like  other  large  Gulls  its  predatory  habits  render  it  an 
enemy  to  the  smaller  land-birds,  which,  as  they  flit  over 
the  sea,  often  partially  exhausted  from  migration,  are  cap- 
tured and  engulphed,  feathers  and  all. 

Again,  fledglings,  baby-rabbits,  and  the  eggs  of  other 
sea-fowl  are  habitually  carried  off  and  devoured  in  large  num- 
bers by  this  thieving  bird. 

Voice. — The  two-syllabled  wailing  note  is  heard  for  the 
most  part  from  the  cliffs  during  the  nesting-season,  but  the 
birds  are  also  noisy  when  competing  with  one  another  for 
offal  or  living  fish  in  the  water.  The  voice,  when  first 
sounded,  is  prolonged  and  mournful,  but  when  oft  repeated 
it  becomes  shorter  and  sharper.  Thus  the  note  of  an  angry 


1  Mr.  A.  Williams  has  observed  Herring-Gulls  "  engaged  in  tearing 
off  the  grains  of  ripe  oats  from  the  stalks,  and  eagerly  devouring  them." 
....  On  examining  the  ejected  pellets  he  found  them  to  be  composed 
of  "  the  broken-up  outer  covering  of  oat  grains,  closely  packed  together  " 
('  Irish  Naturalist,'  1905,  p.  71). 


428 

Herring-Gull  begins  like  ee-dw,  ee-dw,  and  presently  changes 
into  ea-ea-ed-ea,  or  clee-o,  clee-o,  clea-clea-ea-ea-ea-ed.  The 
immature  birds  utter  a  prolonged  squeak. 

Nest. — This  is  one  of  the  most  abundant  and  widely- 
distributed  breeding-species  round  the  British  coast.  It 
assembles  in  great  colonies,  but  the  nests,  as  a  rule,  are 
not  in  very  close  proximity,  like  those  of  Black-headed 
or  Kittiwake  Gulls.  The  breeding-haunts  are  on  rocky 
and  broken  ground,  in  situations  difficult  of  access,  as  where 
a  talus  occurs  midway  up  the  sea-cliffs,  or  on  the  sides  and 
tops  of  precipitous  marine  islands,  but  less  frequently  on 
narrow  ledges  ;  a  very  minor  number  of  birds  select  in- 
land marshes,  while  abroad  they  have  been  found  building 
in  trees.  The  nests  are  usually  surrounded  by  scanty  vege- 
tation, such  as  grasses  and  tufts  of  thrift,  which  are  also 
utilised  as  building-materials:  The  eggs,  normally  three 
in  number,  vary  in  ground-colour  from  olive  to  yellowish- 
brown,  sometimes  to  greenish-blue,  and  are  blotched  with 
dark  brown.  Incubation  begins  about  the  middle  of  May. 

The  young,  while  still  in  the  downy  stage,  quit  their 
nests  and  seek  shelter  among  crevices  and  herbage. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Herring-Gull  is 
widely  distributed  in  the  breeding-season  over  Temperate 
and  Northern  Europe  to  the  west  of  the  White  Sea,  also 
over  North  America  from  the  Arctic  Kegions  to  lat.  40°  N. 
In  autumn  and  winter  it  can  be  traced  along  the  western 
sea-board  of  Europe  down  to  the  Mediterranean  ;  eastward, 
to  the  Black  and  Caspian  Seas.  Along  the  American  coasts 
it  migrates  as  far  south  as  the  Bermudas  on  the  Atlantic 
side,  and  California  on  the  Pacific  side. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.1 — Head,  neck,  breast, 
abdomen,  and  tail,  white  ;  back  and  wings,  pale  '  french  ' 
grey ;  scapulars  and  secondaries,  broadly  tipped  with  white ; 
outer  primaries,  chiefly  black  with  white  tips,  large  white 
'  eyes,'  and  pale  grey  inner  webs ;  other  primaries,  chiefly 
grey  with  white  tips. 

Adult  female  nuptial. —  Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

1  I  have  seen  Herring-Gulls  in  captivity  retain  their  adult  nuptial 
dress  throughout  the  entire  winter. 


YELLOW-LEGGED  HERRING-GULL         429 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Differs  from  the  nuptial 
plumage  in  that  the  head  and  neck  are  streaked  with  grey. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  The  plumage  of  the 
young  bird  is  profusely  chequered  above  and  below  with 
greyish-brown ;  primaries,  brown,  with  paler  inner  webs 
and  whitish  tips  ;  tail,  greyish-white,  broadly  banded  with 
brown.  The  chequered  markings  are  retained  until  the 
beginning  of  the  third  autumn  ;  they  are  then  replaced  on 
the  back  and  scapulars  by  '  pearl  'grey  feathers  correspond- 
ing in  colour  with  those  of  the  mature  birds  ;  the  wing- 
coverts,  head,  neck,  and  breast,  remain  dappled  and  the  tail 
banded  for  a  longer  period,  maturity  being  gradually 
attained,  and  not  completed  until  the  fifth  year. 

BEAK.     Yellow,  red  at  the  angle. 

FEET.     Flesh-colour. 

IRIDES.  Bright  yellow  ;  margin  of  eyelids,  pale  yellow. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     24     in.   Female  smaller. 

WING        17-5   „ 

BEAK         3      ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...  2'5   ,, 

EGG  2-9  X  1-95  in. 


YELLOW-LEGGED  HERRING-GULL.     LOTUS  cachinnans 

(Pallas). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  602, 
fig.  2. 

This  is  a  south-eastern  species  which,  on  one  occasion, 
has  been  recorded  from  the  British  Isles.  On  November 
4th,  1886,  a  specimen  was  obtained  on  Breydon  Water, 
Norfolk.  It  was  examined  by  Mr.  Saunders,  and  is  now 
in  the  collection  of  Mr.  Connop,  of  Kollesby  Hall,  Great 
Yarmouth  (Saunders,  Man.  Brit.  Birds,  2nd  Edition,  p.  674). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS.1 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Resembles  the  nup- 
tial plumage  of  the  Herring-Gull,  except  that  the  back  and 

1  Vide  Cat.  Birds  Brit.  Mus.,  vol.  xxv,  p.  268. 


430  LAEID^E 

wings  are  darker,  and  the  black  and  grey  on  the  primaries 
show  a  deeper  shade. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage,  with  perhaps  the  very  faintest  indications  of  grey 
streaks  about  the  head  and  neck.  In  this  respect  it  differs 
from  the  adult  winter-plumage  of  the  Herring-Gull. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Eesembles  the  immature 
plumage  of  the  Herring-Gull. 

BEAK.  Yellow,  red  at  the  angle  ;  the  colours  being 
much  brighter  than  those  of  the  Herring-Gull. 

FEET.     Brilliant  yellow. 

IRIDES.  Bright  yellow  ;  margin  of  eyelids,  bright  orange- 
red. 

EGGS.     Kesemble  those  of  the  Herring-Gull. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...         ...  23       in. 

WING        18 

BEAK 2'95   „ 

TARSO-METATAKSUS  2*75   , 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — L.  vegce,  from 
the  East  coast  of  Siberia,  wintering  in  Japan  and  China, 
is  grey  on  the  back  and  wings,  but  darker  in  shade  than 
either  of  the  above  Herring-Gulls.  Its  feet  are  flesh-colour. 


LESSER   BLACK-BACKED   GULL.     Larus  fuscus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
56 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  603  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  24. 

The  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull,  slightly  smaller  than  the 
Herring-Gull,  and  of  similar  build,  is  easily  distinguished  in 
its  mature  plumage  by  its  dark  bluish-black  wings  and  back. 
From  the  great  Black-backed  Gull  it  can  be  identified  by 
its  much  smaller  size.  It  is  in  no  wise  as  abundant  on  our 
shores  as  the  Herring-Gull,  and  though  resident  in  some 


LESSEE  BLACK-BACKED  GULL  431 

districts  is  distinctly  migratory  in  others.  On  the  Dublin 
coast  it  is  very  uncommon  between  November  and  February, 
and  for  many  seasons  I  have  not  seen  more  than  a  few 
stragglers  remain  throughout  the  winter. 

The  habits  of  this  and  the  preceding  species  are  much 
alike,  but  the  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull  is  not  so  gregarious 
nor  so  purely  maritime.  Thus  both  may  be  noted  follow- 
ing up  sprats  on  the  open  sea,  seeking  the  shelter  of 
bays  and  harbours,  visiting  tidal  rivers  in  search  of  offal, 
or  foraging  on  rocky  and  flat  portions  of  the  coast.  But, 
in  addition,  the  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull  will  often  wander 
inland  for  many  miles.  I  have  seen  it  flying  along  canals 
twenty  miles  from  the  sea,  generally  singly  or  in  parties 
of  two  or  three. 

In  March,  numbers  appear  on  city-rivers,  and  many  of 
them  pass  inland  beyond  the  quays.  Accustomed  to  the 
more  gentle-tinted  plumes  of  the  adult  Herring-Gulls,  which 
are  never  absent  from  our  rivers,  wharves,  and  quays,  our 
attention  is  at  once  arrested  by  the  strong  contrast  colours 
of  the  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull.  And  as  each  succeeding 
spring  returns  with  its  warm  gleams  of  sunshine,  we 
welcome  the  arrival  of  this  splendid  bird.  Unfortunately, 
it  is  not  a  general  favourite ;  on  moors  and  such  localities 
where  game  is  preserved  it  has  to  be  kept  in  constant 
check  by  the  keepers,  as  it  is  a  marauder,  and  the  safety 
of  eggs  or  nestlings  cannot  be  assured  as  long  as  it  lurks 
about. 

Away  from  its  breeding-haunts,  this  bird  sometimes  col- 
lects into  small  parties ;  in  the  months  of  July  and  August  I 
have  seen  as  many  as  thirty  together  in  various  plumages, 
walking  over  the  ooze-flats  of  Dublin  Bay.  But  though 
not  very  gregarious  it  is  decidedly  sociable,  and  will  alight 
and  feed  among  flocks  of  shore-birds,  including  the  smaller 
'  waders.'  Like  the  Herring-Gull,  it  will  follow  steamers 
in  search  of  food,  apparently  all  through  the  night.  Thus 
on  August  1st,  1900,  I  travelled  from  Dublin  to  Glasgow. 
The  boat  steamed  off  at  about  6  p.m.,  and  while  still  in  the 
Kiver  Liffey  some  twenty  Herring-Gulls  and  three  Lesser 
Black-backed  Gulls  followed  astern.  As  we  got  out  to  sea 
several  Kittiwakes  accompanied  us.  I  was  much  interested 
in  the  movements  of  one  of  the  Lesser  Black-backed  Gulls 
in  partial  immature  plumage,1  and  with  a  disabled  leg  which 

1  This   Gull  was    apparently   entering    on    its    third    year's   winter- 
plumage;   the  tail   was   white   but   broadly  banded    and   spotted   with 


432  LARID^E 

hung  down  as  if  broken.  The  bird  was  not  at  all  shy,  and 
swooped  to  the  water  directly  I  cast  bread  overboard. 
I  continued  my  observations  until  dark,  retiring  to  my 
cabin  a  little  after  ten  o'clock.  On  reaching  the  deck  next 
morning  the  first  bird  that  caught  my  eye  as  we  steamed  up 
the  Clyde  to  Greenock  was  a  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull, 
with  a  hanging  leg,  and  in  similar  plumage  to  the  bird 
which  left  Dublin  Bay  the  night  before  and  accompanied 
the  vessel  out  to  sea.  It  was  doubtless  the  same  bird. 

Flight. — The  flight  is  buoyant  and  well  sustained,  and 
this  Gull,  like  its  congeners,  can  keep  on  the  wing  for  hours 
during  fierce  gales. 

Food. — Most  of  the  remarks  which  apply  to  the  feeding- 
habits  of  the  Herring-Gull  are  also  applicable  to  this 
voracious  bird,  though  I  cannot  be  certain  that  I  have 
seen  the  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull  drop  molluscs  from  a 
height  to  break  their  shells.  Harbours  and  city-rivers, 
even  those  far  from  the  sea,  are  mainly  visited  for  the 
purpose  of  securing  the  much-relished  floating  offal.  Small 
Gulls  are  sometimes  chased  until  they  disgorge  their  food, 
which  is  at  once  seized  and  eaten  by  these  larger  assailants. 
Indigestible  pellets  of  this  and  of  other  large  Gulls  are  often 
found  to  contain  feathers,  fur  (chiefly  that  of  young  rabbits) , 
and  bones. 

Voice. — The  alarm-note  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  Herring- 
Gull,  but  fuller  and  less  piercing.  When  first  disturbed 
the  bird  utters  a  mournful  gdl-du,  gdl-du,  gdl-au  ;  after 
much  repetition  this  shortens  into  dldu,  dldu,  did,  did,  did. 
The  young  bird  squeaks  in  a  highly-pitched  key. 

Nest. — In  its  nesting-habits  this  bird  differs  somewhat 
from  the  Herring-Gull.  For  the  former  is  almost  as  partial 
to  inland  situations,  such  as  moors,  marshes,  the  shores 
and  islands  of  inland  lakes,  as  to  the  coast.  But,  like  the 
Herring-Gull,  it  frequently  selects  precipitous  situations 
on  sea-cliffs,  though  its  colonies  usually  consist  of  small 
numbers.  It  also  breeds  on  low,  maritime  islands,  usually 
luxuriant  in  grasses  and  other  herbage,  though  bare  stony 
sites  may  be  chosen. 

The  nests  vary  considerably  in  size ;  some  are  mere 
depressions  scantily  lined  with  grasses,  others  are  large  and 
compact,  being  built  of  turf-mound,  heather-twigs,  and  sea- 
plants,  with  a  lining  of  fine  dry  grass. 

brown,  the  breast  and  throat  turning  white  with  some  grey  spots  still 
visible  ;  the  wings  brownish-black,  the  head  streaked  with  grey. 


LESSEE  BLACK-BACKED  GULL  433 

The  eggs,  three  in  number,  vary  from  a  bluish  to  a 
brownish-green  shade,  blotched  with  dark  brown  :  they  are, 
on  an  average,  smaller  than  those  of  the  Herring-Gull. 

Incubation  begins  early  in  May. 

There  are  numerous  colonies  in  the  British  Isles,  though 
some  are  far  distant  from  others.  The  Fame  Islands, 
colonised  also  by  several  other  species  of  sea-fowl,  have 
a  strong  assemblage  of  these  Gulls  in  the  nesting-season. 
The  Northern  and  Western  Island-Groups  of  Scotland,  as 
well  as  the  moors  of  Northumberland  and  Cumberland  (the 
latter  as  inland  sites),  may  also  be  mentioned. 

In  Ireland  there  is  a  large  breeding-station  in  the  co. 
Kildare,  described  by  Mr.  Palmer  ('  Irish  Naturalist,'  1898, 
p.  186),  and  Mr.  Ussher  mentions  a  bog-land  breeding- 
ground  in  the  co.  Antrim,  at  an  elevation  of  a  thousand  feet, 
which  is  tenanted  also  by  Curlew. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  Gull  breeds  in 
Northern  Europe,  as  far  north  as  Norway  (though  not  in 
Iceland),  and  as  far  east  as  long.  45°  E.  Southward  it  is 
found  breeding  in  smaller  numbers  in  the  Channel  Isles, 
along  the  coast  of  France,  and  in  the  Mediterranean.  On 
migration,  in  autumn  and  winter,  its  range  extends  along 
the  West  African  sea-board  as  far  south  as  lat.  20°  N. 
Eastward  it  occurs  in  Egypt,  Nubia,  the  Eed  Sea  and  the 
Persian  Gulf. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Head,  neck,  breast, 
abdomen,  and  tail,  white  ;  back  and  wings,  varying  from 
dark  greyish  blue-black  to  black  ;  scapulars  and  secondaries, 
broadly  tipped  with  white  ;  three  outer  primaries,  dusky- 
black,  with  white  tips,  and  greyish  along  the  edges  of  the 
inner  webs ;  first  and  second  primaries  have  white  '  eyes ' 
near  the  tips ;  remaining  primaries,  chiefly  lead-colour, 
barred  with  black  and  tipped  with  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Differs  from  the  nup- 
tial plumage  in  that  the  head  and  neck  are  streaked 
with  greyish-brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — In  the  immature  chequered 
plumage,  before  the  wings  darken,  the  Lesser  Black-backed 
Gull  closely  resembles  the  Herring-Gull  of  the  same  age. 
But  even  in  the  first  season  the  back  and  wings  of  the 
former  are  darker  and  the  primaries  are  nearly  uniformly 
28 


434 

black.1  The  mature  markings  are  gradually  assumed,  the 
mottled  feathers  first  disappearing  from  the  back  and  upper 
parts  of  the  wings.  A  second  year's  bird,  showing  the 
dark  wings,  and  still  retaining  most  of  the  chequered 
plumes  of  the  under  parts,  appears  on  a  dull,  wintry  day 
almost  as  dark  as  a  Great  Skua.  The  tail  of  the  Lesser 
Black-backed  Gull  remains  banded  for  several  seasons, 
breaking  up  into  mottlings  before  becoming  pure  white. 
The  adult  plumage  is  not  completed  until  the  fourth  year. 

BEAK.     Yellow,  red  at  the  angle. 

FEET.     Bright  lemon-yellow. 

IRIDES.  Pale  straw-colour. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 22    in.     Female  smaller. 

WING         16     „ 

BEAK         2'5  „ 

TAKSO-METATARSUS         ...      2'6  ,, 

EGG  2'9  x  1'9  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — L.  affinis, 
larger,  with  a  coarser  foot,  and  with  paler  back  and  wings, 
called  the  Siberian  Kiver  Gull,  is  the  Eastern  representative. 
L.  occidentalis^  with  a  very  stout  beak,  and  darker  back  and 
wings  than  in  L.  affinis,  inhabits  the  Pacific  Coast  of  North 
America. 


GREAT  BLACK-BACKED  GULL.     Larus  marinus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
55  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  604  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures/  vol.  vi,  pi.  25  ;  Booth,  '  Rough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pi.  37. 

This  majestic  bird,  the  largest  of  our  indigenous  Gulls, 


1  This  distinction  can  only  be  arrived  at  when  the  two  immature 
species  are  examined  together  in  the  hand.  On  the  wing  it  is  most 
difficult  to  discriminate  between  them  after  they  have  left  their  breeding- 
grounds  and  have  taken  to  the  coast.  However,  in  August  and  early 
September,  young  Lesser  Black-backed  Gulls  in  dappled  plumage  may 
be  seen  following  a  parent,  or,  at  all  events,  an  adult  of  its  own  kind, 
and  this  is,  I  have  found  by  experience,  an  opportune  moment  for 
securing  a  specimen  of  this  bird. 


GEEAT  BLACK-BACKED  GULL  435 

frequents  the  rock-bound  as  well  as  the  flat  and  sandy 
portions  of  the  coast.  It  is  tolerably  widespread  over  the 
British  Isles,  appearing  less  plentiful  than  it  really  is,  owing 
to  its  solitary  and  wary  habits.  Save  at  the  nesting-sites, 
it  is  generally  seen  alone  or  in  small  parties,  but  an 
abundance  of  offal,  such  as  stranded  carcases,  will  bring 
double  or  treble  the  usual  numbers  together.  The  figure 
of  this  giant  Gull,  standing  on  the  sands  amid  hundreds  of 
smaller  birds,  is  known  to  most  of  us.  Its  pose,  motionless 
but  stately,  as  though  discarding  its  surroundings  and  the 
ceaseless  activity  of  its  smaller  companions,  its  lordly  size, 
powerful  build,  and  handsome  plumage,  at  once  enlist  our 
admiration,  despite  its  cruel  and  cunning  habits. 

The  Great  Black-backed  Gull  is  a  true  lover  of  the 
sea,  rarely  visiting  inland  waters.  Hardy  by  nature,  it  can 
brave  the  effects  of  the  roughest  weather,  and  is  equally 
at  home  on  the  rugged,  storm-swept  shores  and  islands 
remote  from  human  habitation,  as  in  the  shelter  of  our  bays 
and  harbours.  Its  superior  strength  renders  it  more  than 
a  match  for  the  Falcon  or  Skua,  so  that  in  its  maritime 
home  it  dwells  in  comparative  safety. 

This  Gull  is  notorious  for  its  cunning  sagacity ;  it  rises 
from  the  ground  with  apparent  indifference,  flaps  its  great 
wings  leisurely,  almost  sluggishly,  yet  all  the  time  it  is 
cool  and  collected,  and  can,  to  a  nicety,  calculate  the  right 
time  to  shun  any  approaching  danger. 

Flight. — In  the  air  the  bird  is  seen  to  the  best  advan- 
tage, now  gliding  past  with  immense  outspread  pinions,  now 
indulging  in  magnificent  wheeling  movements,  suddenly  a 
downward  dart  to  the  water  and  up  again,  finally  sailing  out 
to  sea,  until  the  mighty  form  is  lost  to  view. 

Voice. — The  cry,  though  hoarse,  is  feeble  and  muttering, 
differing  from  the  characteristic,  discordant  yell  of  most  other 
Gulls.  The  note  may  be  syllabled  ac-ag-ag,  ac-ac-ag-ag, 
often  uttered  during  flight,  especially  when  the  bird  passes 
an  observer  at  close  quarters. 

Food. — This  rapacious  creature  purloins  the  eggs  and  fledg- 
lings of  various  sea-birds,  captures  and  devours  small  land- 
birds  whenever  opportunity  arises,  notably  during  their  migra- 
tion over  the  sea,  and  ferociously  attacks  wounded  birds,  some 
as  large  as  itself.  Winged  Wigeons  fluttering  on  the  sea 
are  quickly  despatched,  and  even  uninjured  Brent  Geese  rise 
when  this  pirate  appears  overhead  (Ussher).  Mammals,  such 
as  rats  and  young  rabbits,  are  seized  and  torn  to  pieces  by 


436  LAEID^E 

its  formidable  beak ;  even  weakly  lambs  may  fall  victims 
(Saunders).  Fish,  dead  or  alive,  are  consumed  in  great 
quantities,  a  Great  Black-backed  Gull  being  capable  of 
swallowing  a  mackerel  two  pounds  in  weight  (Payne- 
Gallwey,  'Fowler  in  Ireland').  At  the  same  time  this 
species  is  a  good  scavenger,  stranded  and  foul-smelling 
carcases  being  speedily  demolished.  The  numbers  of  dead 
dogs,  cats,  pigs,  &c.,  washed  ashore  from  time  to  time  at 
the  mouths  of  city  rivers  always  attract  party-gatherings. 
I  have  seen  two  (which  I  surmise  were  the  same  couple 
each  time,  one  being  a  mottled  first  year's  bird,  the  other 
older,  and  showing  the  signs  of  mature  plumage  about 
the  back  and  wings)  resort  daily  to  a  particular  spot  on 
the  beach,  just  as  the  receding  tide  began  to  lay  bare  the 
drowned  carcase  of  a  large  terrier  dog  moored  to  the  spot 
by  a  stone  attached  to  the  neck-rope.  On  my  approacli 
they  walked  sedately  from  their  feast,  returning  when  I 
ambushed  myself  behind  a  sand-bank.  They  always  moved 
to  and  from  the  carcase  with  the  same  deliberate  gait, 
looking  suspiciously  on  all  sides  before  resuming  their 
repast.  In  less  than  a  week  the  carcase  was  reduced  to 
hide  and  skeleton.1  The  animal  had  been  drowned  when 
in  good  condition,  and  was  fresh  when  I  first  discovered 
the  Gulls  attacking  it. 

Nest. — In  the  breeding-season  the  Great  Black-backed 
Gull  becomes  more  or  less  gregarious,  though  its  colonies 
are  often  composed  of  but  very  few  pairs.  It  usually  selects 
the  summit  of  a  lonely  stack  which  is  tenanted  by  a  single 
pair,  but,  on  larger  islands,  several  eminences  are  thus 
occupied ;  and  in  the  case  of  the  Bills  of  Achill,  lofty  rocks 
that  stand  seven  miles  from  Achill  Head,  Mr.  Ussher  found, 
in  1890,  probably  the  largest  British  colony  known,  estimated 
at  some  fifty  pairs.  He  writes  : — "  The  young,  and  the  nests 
which  they  had  in  many  cases  quitted,  lay  around  us  among 
bosses  of  gigantic  thrift,  not  on  the  top  of  the  rocky  ridge,  but 
on  the  slope  beneath  it  facing  south"  ('Birds  of  Ireland'). 
In  Scotland  and  in  the  Lake  district,  it  breeds  away  from 
the  tide  on  the  islets  of  mountain-lakes.  The  nest,  like 
that  of  many  other  Gulls,  is  composed  of  grasses,  bits  of 


1  I  kept  this  carcase  under  close  observation  daily  for  the  short  time 
that  it  was  visible  at  ebb-tide,  and  with  the  exception  of  occasional 
visits  from  a  few  Herring-Gulls,  it  was  apparently  entirely  disposed  of 
by  the  two  Black-backed  Gulls. 


PLATE   XLV. 


Jr.  Z>.  Lalimer,  Photo.] 

Fig.  1. 

KITTIWAKE   GULLS  AND  YOUNG. 
Specimens  collected  and  mounted  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 


W  Latimer,  Photo.] 

Fig.  2. 

GREAT   BLACK-BACKED   GULL. 
Specimen  mounted  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 


GEE  AT  BLACK-BACKED  GULL  437 

stems,  and  seaweeds.  The  eggs,  two  sometimes  three  in 
number,  are  yellowish-brown  or  stone-colour,  heavily 
blotched  with  umber  and  greyish-brown. 

Incubation  begins  in  May. 

Around  the  sea-board  of  Northern  Britain,  including 
the  large  Island-Groups,  the  bird  is  fairly  abundant  in  the 
nesting-season.  Colonies  of  over  twenty  pairs  breed  in  tbe 
Outer  Hebrides. 

Likewise,  round  the  greater  part  of  the  Irish  coast  it 
may  be  found  breeding,  except,  perhaps,  in  the  north-east. 
In  the  west  it  is  more  numerous  than  the  Lesser  Black- 
backed  Gull. 

Along  the  English  coast  its  breeding-haunts  are  much 
more  restricted,  the  south  and  west  sides,  including  Wales, 
harbouring  only  limited  numbers. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Abroad,  this  species  is 
widely  distributed  over  Northern  and  Temperate  Europe, 
Greenland,  and  the  North-eastern  section  of  Canada.  On 
migration,  in  autumn  and  winter,  it  occurs  as  far  south  as 
the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Canary  Islands  on 
the  North  African  coast.  Westward,  along  the  American 
sea-board,  it  reaches  lat.  30°  N. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.1 — Head,  neck,  breast, 
abdomen,  and  tail,  white  ;  back  and  wings,  slaty-black ; 
all  the  primaries,  broadly  tipped  with  white ;  outer 
primaries,  chiefly  blackish,  except  the  tips ;  outer  webs  of 
other  primaries  chiefly  blackish,  inner  webs,  greyish  ; 
secondaries  and  scapulars,  also  tipped  with  white  forming 
an  alar  bar. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Differs  from  the  nup- 
tial plumage  in  that  the  head  and  neck  are  streaked  with 
greyish -brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Dappled  with  greyish- 
brown  like  the  immature  Herring-Gull,  but  the  markings 
are  paler  and  more  defined.  Seasonal  plumage-changes. 


1 1  have  seen  this  bird  retain  its  nuptial  plumage  throughout  the  winter 
in  a  state  of  captivity. 


438 

comparable    to    those  of    the   preceding   bird,   take   place, 
maturity  being  reached  about  the  fifth  year. 

BEAK.     Yellow,  red  at  the  angle. 

FEET.     Flesh-colour. 

IEIDES.  Straw-yellow. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...  29    in.     Female  smaller. 

WING     19     „ 

BEAK     2'6  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS     ...  3     ,, 
EGG  3  x  21  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — L.  schisti- 
sagus,1  of  Stejneger,  occurs  in  Behring  and  Okhotsk  Seas. 
It  is  on  the  whole  smaller  and  lighter  on  the  back  and 
wings  than  L.  marinus. 


GLAUCOUS  GULL.     Lams  glaucus  (0.  Fabricius). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
57 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol  viii,  pi.  605 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  26 ;  Booth,  '  Kough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pi.  38. 

The  Glaucous  Gull,2  another  magnificent  sea-bird  which 
almost  equals  the  great  Black-backed  Gull  in  size,  is  an 
autumn  and  a  winter  visitor  to  our  shores  from  more 
northern  latitudes,  occurring  chiefly  in  severe  weather. 
A  certain  number  appear  to  remain  until  spring,  especially 
in  North  Britain,  where  the  species  is  most  frequently  met 
with.  In  the  Shetlands  it  has  been  observed  as  late  as 
June,3  but  has  never  bred  there  (Saunders).  In  the  Solway 

1  According  to  Mr.  Saunders  "  L.  schistisagus  has  no  close  affinity 
with  L.  marinus,  but  rather  inclines  to  the  Herring-Gull  section"   (Cat. 
Birds  Brit.  Mus.,  vol.  xxv,  p.  260). 

2  Dr.  Lawrence  Edmonston  first  introduced  it  to  notice  as  a  British 
bird,  having  obtained  young  individuals  in  the  Shetlands  in  1809,  1814, 
and  up  to   1821,   when  he  proposed  naming  it  Larus  islandicus.     In 
March,  1821,  he  described  an  adult  bird. 

3  In  Ireland,  three  instances  of  its  occurrence  in  July,  are  stated  by 
Thompson  (Nat.  Hist.  Irel.). 


GLAUCOUS  GULL  439 

district  it  has  occurred  only  in  winter,  and  not  in  quite 
mature  plumage  (H.  A.  Macpherson).  Immature  birds  are 
seen  on  Barra,  in  the  Outer  Hebrides,  every  winter  and 
spring  (Harvie-Brown) . 

Specimens  have  often  been  procured  along  the  eastern 
sea-board  of  England,  the  bird  becoming  scarcer  along  the 
southern  coast.  In  some  seasons  this  Gull  occurs  in  far 
greater  numbers  than  at  other  times.  Thus  in  January, 
1881,  several  were  brought  ashore  in  fishing-smacks, 
twenty-seven  being  offered  for  sale  in  one  lot  at  Great 
Yarmouth  (A.  Patterson,  '  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  296).  On  the 
western  side  of  England  and  in  Wales  it  is  quite  uncommon. 

From  Ireland  there  are  numerous  records,  especially 
from  the  north-western  sea-board.  The  bird  probably 
occurs  in  other  districts  more  often  than  is  supposed, 
but  in  the  absence  of  observers  has  no  doubt  been  over- 
looked. I  am  strongly  inclined  to  think  that  it  appears 
annually  along  the  Irish  coast,  though  in  some  seasons 
few  only  may  occur.  According  to  Sinclair,  Eathlin  Island 
and  the  coast  of  Donegal  are  visited  every  winter.  From 
the  Mayo  coast,  Mr.  Warren  cites  many  instances  ('  Irish 
Naturalist,'  1892,  p.  154),  and  the  coasts  of  Galway,  Kerry, 
and  Cork,  have  also  been  visited.  The  Glaucous  Gull  is 
apparently  rarer  on  the  eastern  shores  of  Ireland  :  how- 
ever, I  have  noted  several  on  the  slob-lands  of  Dublin  Bay. 
On  the  coasts  of  Wicklow  and  Wexford  it  has  not  been 
identified  (Ussher).  An  unusually  large  visitation  of  this 
and  the  next  species  took  place  in  the  winter  of  1892,  when 
birds  were  obtained  in  districts  widely  apart  (E.  Patterson, 
'  Irish  Naturalist,'  1892,  p.  19).  Yet,  at  the  most,  it  must 
be  regarded  only  as  a  wanderer  to  our  shores,  generally 
appearing  in  immature  dress,  singly  or  in  couples.  It  is 
very  rare  on  inland  waters. 

Though  often  described  as  being  shy  of  approach,  I 
have  seen  immature  birds  comparatively  tame.  Thus  on 
September  14th,  1894,  whilst  shore-shooting  on  the  marshes 
of  Dublin  Bay,  in  company  with  Dr.  N.  H.  Alcock,  an 
immature  Glaucous  Gull  flew  twenty  yards  over  our 
heads,  when  my  companion  immediately  fired  and  brought 
it  down.  This  specimen,  now  preserved  in  the  Science 
and  Art  Museum,  Dublin,  was  distinctly  less  fearless  than 
hundreds  of  Common  and  Herring-Gulls,  which  seldom 
ventured  within  range,  even  before  a  shot  was  fired.  Again, 
on  March  18th,  1901,  I  saw  another  in  similar  plumage, 


440 

in  the  same  locality,  greedily  tearing  at  a  carcase  of  a 
cat  washed  ashore.  The  bird  allowed  me  to  advance  to 
within  thirty  yards  of  it,  and  did  not  move  until  it  saw 
me  peering  suspiciously  at  it  through  my  binoculars.  It 
then  walked  sedately  a  few  paces  from  its  feast,  just  as 
a  Great  Black-backed  Gull  would  do,  and  slowly  flapped 
out  to  sea.  Another  occasion  on  which  I  met  a  Glau- 
cous Gull  that  admitted  near  approach  was  on  December 
30th,  1897,  in  Dingle  Harbour,  when  one  flew  past  me 
on  the  wing  only  some  twenty  yards  away. 

Flight. — This  bird  can  readily  be  distinguished  on  the 
wing  from  the  large  indigenous  Gulls,  if  sufficiently  near  for 
the  absence  of  black  on  the  primaries  to  be  noticed.  From 
the  Iceland  Gull,  which  it  closely  resembles,  it  may  be  dis- 
tinguished by  its  larger  size,  shorter  wings,  and  heavier 
flight.  A  Glaucous  Gull,  flying,  looks  almost  as  large  as 
a  Great  Black-backed  Gull;  an  Iceland  Gull  is  more  the 
size  of  a  Herring-Gull. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  hoarse,  the  note  produced  being  a 
loud  cackle. 

Food. — This  and  the  Great  Black-backed  Gull  feed  much 
after  the  same  fashion,  both  greedily  devouring  stranded 
carcases.  I  have  observed  this  habit  on  the  Dublin  coast. 
Cox  refers  to  one  seen  in  the  last-named  district,  which 
resorted  for  food  to  a  carcase  for  a  week  or  ten  days. 
The  bird  is  omnivorous,  and  when  immature  is  known  to 
eat,  among  other  things,  the  berries  of  Empetrum  nigrum, 
in  South  Greenland  (Saunders). 

Nest. — The  Glaucous  Gull  builds  not  only  on  precipitous 
cliffs,  but  also  on  low-lying  rocks  and  on  sand-banks.  The 
eggs,  generally  laid  in  June,  are  stone-colour,  spotted  with 
light  grey  and  brown. 

Geographical  distribution. — This  bird  has  a  remarkably 
wide  geographical  distribution  ;  in  its  breeding  range  in 
summer  it  is  circumpolar.  According  to  Mr.  Saunders  it  is 
common  and  resident  in  Iceland.1 

The  winter  migration  extends  to  Southern  Europe, 
including  the  Mediterranean  basin,  Black  and  Caspian  Seas; 
eastward  over  the  sea-board  of  the  Asiatic  Continent  to 
Japan,  and  westward  along  the  American  coasts  to  Cali- 
fornia on  the  Pacific  side,  and  the  Bermudas  on  the 
Atlantic  side. 

1  Mr.  F.  Coburn  states  that  he  only  met  three  individuals  in  North 
Iceland  in  the  summer  of  1889  ('  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  415). 


GLAUCOUS  GULL  441 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Head,  neck,  breast, 
abdomen,  and  tail,  white  ;  back  and  wings,  pale  '  pearl ' 
grey ;  scapulars,  secondaries,  and  outermost  webs  of  the 
primaries,  tipped  with  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Differs  from  the  nuptial 
plumage  in  that  the  head  and  neck  are  streaked  with  pale 
greyish -brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — The  plumage  is  light  buff- 
colour,  profusely  streaked  and  mottled  with  light  ashy- 
brown  ;  outer  primaries,  light  nut-brown  on  the  outer  webs, 
paler  on  the  inner  webs.  With  each  moult  the  bird 
becomes  lighter,  until,  for  a  short  time  before  maturity  it 
is  entirely  pure  white.  At  this  phase  of  plumage,  in  which 
the  '  pearl '  coloured  feathers  of  the  fully  adult  bird  have 
not  yet  appeared,  the  Glaucous  Gull  was  described  as 
L.  hutchinsi  of  Kichardson ;  Mr.  Saunders  disposes  of  the 
idea  of  a  separate  species,  having  watched  the  successive 
plumage  changes  in  captivity. 

BEAK.     Yellow,  orange  at  the  angle. 

FEET.     Bright  pink. 

IRIDES.  Yellow  ;   margin  of  eyelids,  vermilion-red. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

Female  smaller. 


TOTAL  LENGTH 
WING     ... 
BEAK 

29      in.     F< 
18       „ 
2-5    ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS     ... 
EGG       

2'75  ,, 
2*9  +  2  in. 

Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — L.  barro- 
vianus  of  Kidgeway,  is  a  Glaucous  Gull  of  Alaska,  but 
Mr.  Saunders  can  find  nothing  exceptional  in  specimens 
from  the  North  Pacific,  and  the  Arctic  regions  of  America, 
including  Greenland.  But  L.  glaucescens,  which  inhabits 
the  Pacific  north  of  lat.  40°  N.  is  smaller,  and  its  primaries 
are  chequered  with  pale  grey.  A  large  and  rare  represen- 
tative found  in  Alaska  and  Vancouver  Island,  has  been 
named!/,  nelsoni  (Henshaw),  while  L.  kumlieni,  a  smaller 
bird,  "  with  rather  more  definition  in  its  wing-pattern," 


442 


frequents  the  east    side  of  Baffin  Bay,  migrating   to  New 
York  State  in  winter. 


ICELAND  GULL.     Larus  leucopterus  (Faber). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
58  ;  Dresser,  *  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  606;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  28. 

Another  of  the  Northern-breeding  Gulls,  which,  in  any 
stage  of  plumage,  may  be  identified  from  our  native  birds 
by  its  whitish  primaries  (Plate  XL VI.,  figs.  1  and  2).  As 
in  the  case  of  the  Glaucous  Gull,  its  visitations  are  uncer- 
tain, and  its  numbers  fluctuate  considerably. 

It  was  first  identified  as  a  British  visitor  in  March,  1823, 
in  the  Shetlands,  by  the  late  Dr.  Lawrence  Edmonston,  and 
since  has  been  noticed  in  these  islands  for  several  seasons 
(Saxby). 

Along  the  Scottish  coasts  it  is  not  infrequent,  and  is  a 
regular  visitor  to  the  Outer  Hebrides,  where  it  was  particu- 
larly abundant  in  the  winter  of  1901-2  (Harvie-Brown). 

On  the  Irish  sea-board  it  is  probably  more  widely  spread 
as  a  visitor  than  the  data  which  have  been  furnished  from 
observations  and  captures  would  lead  us  to  suppose. 

But  along  the  English1  and  Welsh  coasts  it  is  com- 
paratively scarce,  albeit  it  has  been  taken  at  irregular 
intervals,  even  from  the  extreme  south. 

Similar  to  the  Glaucous  Gull  in  its  migratory  move- 
ments, it  occurs  as  a  mere  straggler  during  some  seasons 
when  solitary  birds  (more  rarely  two  or  three)  may  be 
found  associating  with  great  flocks  of  Herring-Gulls  and 
other  plentiful  species  ;  at  other  times  quite  an  invasion 
has  been  observed  along  a  particular  coast,  and  it  is  note- 
worthy that  a  similar  invasion  of  Glaucous  Gulls  often  takes 
place  at  the  same  time.  Illustrative  of  this  fact  wre  find 
that  large  numbers  of  both  these  Northern  species  reached 
the  Firth  of  Forth  in  the  winter  of  1872-3.  During  the 
same  season,  and  two  years  later,  Iceland  Gulls  were 
plentiful  along  the  southern  shores  of  England  (Saunders). 

1  Thus  Mr.  A.  Patterson  records  only  five  Iceland  Gulls  from  Great 
Yarmouth  between  the  years  1852  and  1899  ('  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  296). 


ICELAND  GULL  443 

In  the  first  issue  of  the  'Irish  Naturalist,'  viz.,  1S92, 
Mr.  Warren  details  an  interesting  account  of  a  visitation  of 
Iceland  and  Glaucous  Gulls  to  the  Irish  coast,  in  January 
and  February,  1892.  They  were  observed  chiefly  on  the 
north-west  coast,  extending  their  range  to  the  southern 
counties.1  Prior  to  this  time  the  Iceland  Gull  was  looked 
upon  as  a  very  rare  Irish  bird,  but  owing  to  the  investi- 
gations of  Mr.  Warren,  who  became  acquainted  with  it 
in  1849  in  Cork  Harbour,  and  has  furnished  us  with  a  long 
list  of  occurrences2  chiefly  from  the  west,3  but  also  from 
the  southern  coasts,  it  is  now  known  beyond  doubt  that 
as  far  as  Ireland  is  concerned,  the  Iceland  Gull  occurs  as 
frequently  as  the  Glaucous  Gull,  if  not  in  larger  numbers. 
This,  Mr.  Warren  says,  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact 
that  the  chief  breeding-haunts  are  in  Arctic  America,  and 
so  the  Atlantic-facing  shores  of  Ireland  are  more  in  the 
line  of  the  southern  migration  than  those  further  east ; 
the  Glaucous  Gull,  on  the  other  hand,  breeding  further 
eastward,  is  the  more  numerous  species  along  English  and 
Scottish  shores. 

Iceland  Gulls  have  been  observed  and  shot  from  time 
to  time  on  the  Dublin  coast.  On  March  4th,  1900,  a  fine 
specimen,  which  had  almost  assumed  the  mature  plumage, 
was  obtained  in  Kingstown  Harbour.4  The  late  Mr.  E. 
Williams,  to  whom  the  bird  was  sent  for  preservation,  wrote 
me,  "I  interviewed  Mr.  Higginbotham,  who  shot  the  Ice- 
land Gull,  and  he  states  that  in  Kingstown  Harbour  it  was 
fiercely  mobbed  by  Herring-Gulls  and  others.  Could  they 
have  mistaken  it  for  an  albino  of  their  own  species,  for 
there  was  another  Iceland  Gull  in  the  same  place,  much 
more  straw-coloured  and  mottled,  I  suppose  younger,  and 
this  was  unmolested  ?  The  pale  flight-feathers  were  very 
pretty  and  beautifully  contrasted  with  those  of  our  own 
Gulls,  which  looked  blacker  than  ever." 

1  There  were  five  Glaucous  Gulls  recorded  from  Rathlin,  Donegal, 
Mayo,  and  Galway,  and  eleven  Iceland  Gulls  from  Donegal,  Mayo,  and 
Kerry.     In  May,  1892,  an  Iceland  Gull  was  obtained  in  Cork  (Ussher). 

2  See  also  Ussher,  « Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  344. 

3  To  which    may  be  added  a   capture   from   Galway,    on   February 
23rd  of  the  present  year.     This  specimen,  a  female  in  immature  plumage, 
was  generously  presented  to  me  by  Mr.  W.  Milne,  who  shot  it.     (Plate 
XLVL,  figs,  land  2.) 

4  Through  the  kindness  of  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams,  I  was  enabled  to 
examine  this   bird   in    the    flesh,    freshly   killed,    from   which   I   made 
measurements. 


444  LAKID.E 

On  April  15th,  1902,  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  observe 
an  Iceland  Gull — in  full  adult  nuptial  plumage — at  the 
mouth  of  the  River  Liffey,  Dublin.  I  viewed  it  from  the 
deck  of  one  of  the  cross-channel  steamers,  and  twice  it 
almost  brushed  past  my  head.  Presently  it  joined  a  flock 
of  Herring-Gulls  congregated  round  a  fishing-smack,  from 
which  offal  and  other  rubbish  was  being  cast  out.  Amidst 
this  clamorous  crowd  I  kept  the  fair-plumed  bird  in  view, 
and  noticed  how  gracefully  it  wheeled  and  sailed  on  the 
wing.  More  beautiful  still  did  it  appear  as  it  passed  to 
and  fro  in  front  of  the  dark  sails  of  a  trawler,  and  displayed 
its  pale  pinions  against  this  most  excellent  background. 
I  noticed  that  it  frequently  swooped  to  the  water  and 
demolished  bits  of  dead  fish,  &c. 

It  is  generally  admitted  that  the  Iceland  Gull  as  a 
species,  is  less  wary  and  suspicious  of  man's  approach 
than  the  Glaucous  Gull.  Thompson,  in  his  'Natural  History 
of  Ireland,'  cites  an  instance  of  one  of  these  birds  remaining 
on  the  ground  while  being  stoned  by  boys,  and  only  flying 
a  few  yards  when  actually  struck. 

Flight. — Attention  has  already  been  drawn  to  the  con- 
trast exhibited  by  this  and  the  Glaucous  Gull  on  the  wing 
(p.  440).  The  marked  buoyancy  and  grace  with  which  the 
Iceland  Gull  glides  on  its  proportionately  longer  and  more 
pointed  pinions,  are  features  by  which  it  is  not  easily 
mistaken. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  harsh  and  discordant,  and  the  notes 
are  often  repeated  in  rapid  succession. 

Food. — Here  again  the  Iceland  Gull  differs  somewhat  in 
its  habits  from  its  larger  Northern  congener  ;  the  former 
may  be  seen  consorting  amicably  with  other  Gulls  in  fields,1 
following  the  plough  in  search  of  grubs,  rather  than  hunting 
the  shore  to  obtain  a  meal  off  a  stranded  carcase.  Mr. 
Warren  states  that  he  has  never  seen  this  species  feeding 
on  carrion  or  approaching  a  carcase  lying  on  the  shore 
('  Irish  Naturalist,'  1892,  p.  154-5),  though  other  writers 
seem  to  differ  on  this  point.  I  have  not  seen  it  actually 
tearing  a  carcase,  but  it  seems  significant  that  in  addition 
to  the  bird  which  I  observed  feeding  on  dead  fish  thrown 
from  a  trawler  (vide  supra)  I  noticed,  on  another  occasion, 


1  I  examined  the  gizzard  of  the  specimen  obtained  in  Kingstown 
Harbour  on  March  4th,  1900  (p.  443),  and  found  quantities  of  shreds  of 
corn-stems  and  roots  mixed  up  with  a  few  shrimps  and  small  fish-bones. 


PLATE   XLVI. 


;Fig.  1. 

ICELAND   GULL. 

(Immature.) 

Showing  the  whitish  primaries. 
From  a  specimen  in  the  flesh  collected  by  Mr.  W.  Milne. 


Fig.  2. 

LEFT   WING   OF   ICELAND   GULL. 

(Immature.) 

Showing  the  whitish  primaries. 
From  the  same  specimen  as  Fig.  1. 


ICELAND  GULL  445 

an  immature  Iceland  Gull,  swoop  to  the  surface  of  the  dark 
waters  of  the  Eiver  Liffey,  Dublin,  and  swallow  foul-looking, 
floating  refuse.  Small  crabs,  fishes,  and  other  marine 
creatures,  grain,  and  vegetables,  are  also  eaten. 

Nest.— As  building-sites,  exposed  ledges  of  high  cliffs  are 
selected.  The  eggs  vary  from  two  to  three  in  number  and 
are  greenish-buff  blotched  with  dark  brown. 

Geographical  distribution.— The  term  *  Iceland  '  is  hardly 
applicable  to  this  species,  seeing  that  it  does  not  breed 
in  the  country  which  bears  its  name.  Its  breeding-home 
is  mainly  in  Arctic  America.  Thus  it  is  plentiful  in  the 
summer  in  Jan  Mayen  Island  and  in  Greenland,  and 
perhaps  breeds  on  the  American  side  of  Baffin  Bay.  On 
migration  in  autumn  and  winter  it  visits  Iceland,  the 
Faroes,  Scandinavia,  and  the  sea-board  of  Western  Europe 
to  the  coast  of  France.  Along  the  North  American  coast 
the  migration-line  in  winter  extends  as  far  South  as  Boston. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  breast, 
abdomen,  and  tail,  white  ;  back  and  wings,  pale  '  french ' 
grey ;  secondaries,  tipped  with  white,  forming  a  wing-band. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Differs  from  the  nuptial 
plumage  in  that  the  head  and  neck  are  spotted  and  streaked 
with  pale  greyish-brown. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Said  to  be  darker  than 
the  immature  L.  glaucus  (Kumlien),  but  of  much  the 
same  pattern  of  plumage,  and  also  passing  through  similar 
seasonal 1  changes,  maturity  being  attained  in  the  fourth 
year. 

BEAK.     Yellow,  red  at  the  angle. 

FEET.     Pale  flesh-colour. 

IRIDES.  Pale  yellow ;  margin  of  eyelids,  pale  flesh- 
colour. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 


TOTAL  LENGTH  ... 
WING        
BEAK         
TARSO-METATARSUS 
EGG           .... 

...     22     in. 
...     16      „ 
-       2-4  „ 
...       2-5  „ 
...       2-75  x 

Female  smaller. 
1-8  in. 

1  I  have  not  as  yet  seen  a  pure  white  phase  of  plumage  immedi- 
ately preceding  maturity,  though  it  seems  probable  that  it  is  assumed, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  Glaucous  Gull. 


446 

Note. — The  tips  of  the  longest  primaries  extend  fully 
2*5  in.  beyond  the  end  of  the  tail,  while  those  of  L. 
glaucus  only  reach  to  the  end  of  the  tail-feathers,  or,  at 
the  most,  about  half  an  inch  beyond  the  tail. 


KITTIWAKE    GULL.     Bissa  tridactyla  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures.— Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
61;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  607,  608; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  29  ;  Booth, '  Bough 
Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pi.  39. 

This  attractive  Gull  is  familiar  to  those  who  have 
opportunities  of  visiting  the  precipitous  cliffs  of  mainlands 
and  marine  islands  during  the  spring  and  summer 
months.  At  such  seasons  the  Kittiwake  is  very  abundant 
in  most  districts,  but  in  winter  the  headlands  are  quite 
deserted  for  the  open  sea,  so  that  the  bird  then  appears 
much  scarcer  round  our  coasts.  It  is  not  nearly  so  generally 
distributed  as  many  of  the  other  Gulls ;  in  fact,  it  is 
essentially  pelagic.  Thus  if  one  carefully  observes,  with  a 
binocular,  the  multitudes  of  Gulls  which  are  dotted  over 
the  ooze-flats  or  the  ploughed  pasturage,  and  the  'offal- 
eating  species  '  flitting  along  our  city-quays,  rarely,  if  ever, 
is  a  Kittiwake  seen  among  their  numbers.  It  is  rather  the 
deep  blue  waters  of  the  open  sea  that  this  Gull  delights  in. 
None  the  less,  it  is  a  friendly  visitor  to  our  fishing-ports 
and  harbours,  where  now  and  again  it  may  be  seen  flying 
to  and  fro,  or  perched  on  a  pier,  a  floating  buoy,  or  on  the 
side  of  an  empty  boat. 

At  times  it  is  a  great  wanderer,  indeed,  I  have  seen  it, 
during  its  peregrinations,  escorting  steamers  across  the 
North  Atlantic  Ocean,  for  three  consecutive  days,  covering 
a  distance  of  approximately  1,000  miles.  Bits  of  bread 
thrown  overboard  will  rapidly  attract  numbers  together, 
and  so  greedy  are  the  birds  to  secure  the  booty  that  those 
nearest  may  be  seen  swooping  to  the  water  the  instant 
one's  arm  is  raised  even  in  pretence  of  throwing  food.  I 
have  seen  this  confiding  bird  follow  trawlers  and  small 
pleasure-boats,  sometimes  within  an  oar's  length. 

Flight. — The  gentle  but  well-sustained  flight  resembles 


I 


o    .s 

i  s 


KITTIWAKE  GULL  447 

that  of  other  Gulls  ;  when  fishing,  the  bird  may  be  seen 
sometimes  poising  like  a  Tern  and  dropping  suddenly  to 
the  water,  under  which  it  can  swim  in  pursuit  of  fish. 

Voice. — This  is  the  only  one  of  our  Gulls  which  may  be 
said  to  possess  melody  in  its  voice.  Even  when  loudest, 
the  note  is  full  of  music  and  pathos.  The  oft-repeated 
echoing  chant  resounds  from  the  cliffs  beneath,  now  waxing 
to  its  fullest  until  it  bursts  into  a  glad  chorus,  now  waning 
into  a  silence  broken  only  by  the  roaring  of  the  waves 
washing  the  beetling  cliffs.  The  note,  once  heard,  is  hardly 
forgotten  ;  it  sounds  remarkably  like  the  syllables,  kltti- 
wake,  kitti-wake,  kittl-wcike  ;  hence  the  bird's  name. 

Away  from  its  breeding-haunts  this  Gull  is  compara- 
tively silent,  indeed,  I  have  seldom  heard  it  utter  any  note 
when  flying  over  the  sea. 

Food. — Being  essentially  marine  in  its  habits,  it  lives 
almost  entirely  on  small  fish  captured  on  or  near  the  surface. 
It  does  not  appear  to  be  an  offal-eater,  but  will  accept 
morsels  of  bread,  meat,  &c.,  cast  out  from  vessels. 

Between  August  and  October  immature  and  adult  birds 
may  be  seen  fishing  along  the  coasts.  Later  in  the  season 
they  go  out  to  sea,  and  few  are  seen  in  winter. 

Nest. — Early  in  March,  on  the  ledges  and  narrow  shelf- 
like  fissures  of  sheer,  rocky  cliffs,  rising  often  several 
hundred  feet  out  of  the  sea,  the  sociable  Kittiwakes  gather 
together  in  hundreds  and  thousands  for  breeding-purposes, 
fraternising  freely  with  other  cliff-resorting  birds,  especially 
Guillemots,  which  show  a  like  taste  in  their  nesting-sites. 
In  suitable  situations,  such  as  on  the  weathered  face  of  a 
great  limestone  rock,  every  available  projection  may  be 
occupied  by  a  pair  of  Kittiwakes ;  indeed,  adjacent  nests 
often  touch  one  another,  or  a  long  shelf  may  accommodate 
a  line  of  families,  below  and  above  which  similar  '  flats  ' 
may  be  noticed.  These  horizontal  '  tiers  '  of  white  birds, 
separated  by  an  alternating  line  of  dark  rock,  give  the 
cliff  a  stratified  appearance  when  viewed  some  distance 
away.  It  is  remarkable  how  well  each  occupant  knows 
its  own  little  ledge,  to  which  it  may  be  seen  ascending 
from  the  sea,  alighting  as  quickly  as  any  pigeon  would  on 
the  platform  of  its  own  particular  part  of  the  dovecot. 
Still,  as  among  all  other  gregarious  creatures,  '  give  and 
take  '  squabbles  at  times  arise.  This  I  have  noticed  oftener 
where  the  colonies  are  densely  crowded  and  the  space 
rather  more  curtailed  than  is  usual.  In  June,  1893,  Pro- 


448  LAKID.E 

fessor  W.  J.  Sollas  kindly  invited  me  to  join  his  expedition 
to  Lambay  Island,  off  the  Dublin  coast.  We  remained 
there  for  ten  days,  sleeping  under  canvas,  and  during  that 
time  many  good  opportunities  were  afforded  of  studying 
these  Gulls,  during  the  breeding-season,  on  the  cliffs  (Plate 
XL VIII.).  I  witnessed  several  tussles,  but  the  birds  never 
seemed  to  cause  each  other  serious  damage.  I  have  seen 
two  (presumably  males),  enter  into  combat  in  order  to  gain 
sole  right  of  a  suitable  nesting-site,  the  female  all  the  while 
sitting  closely  on  her  eggs  or  young.  The  fight  begins  by 
the  birds  '  pick-axing '  each  other  with  their  beaks,  next  the 
wings  are  raised,  and  the  pugilists  closing  in,  endeavour 
to  dislodge  each  other  from  the  cliff.  Sometimes  the 
weaker  one  gets  tired  of  the  entertainment  and  flies  off ; 
less  often  the  two  birds,  with  unabated  fury,  sticking  to  each 
other,  roll  and  flutter  down  the  cliff  almost  to  the  sea,  and 
then  rise  again  into  the  air  in  hot  pursuit.  But  the  aerial 
combat  never  seemed  to  last  long,  the  birds,  after  one  or 
two  swoops,  settling  down  each  on  his  rightful  place. 
From  this  one  must  not  infer  that  the  Kittiwake  is  a 
pugnacious  type  of  bird,  the  scenes  described  being  excep- 
tional rather  than  otherwise.  In  fact,  the  harmony  which, 
as  a  rule,  reigns  in  Kittiwake-colonies,  and  the  gentle 
behaviour  of  these  birds  to  one  another,  are  most  pleasing 
to  behold. 

From  the  summit  of  the  cliff  several  pairs  may  be 
seen  nestling  close  to  one  another,  '  billing '  and  '  cooing  ' 
long  before  they  commence  to  incubate.  Later  in  the 
season  a  male  may  be  noticed  speeding  towards  the  cliff 
with  a  fish  in  his  beak.1  For  this  he  receives  extra 
caresses  from  his  spouse,  who,  with  uplifted  wings,  greets 
his  return.  And  now  he  raises  his  wings  in  response,  while 
both  cross  their  necks  from  side  to  side.2 

The  nests  take  some  time  to  construct,  and  during 
March  and  April  the  members  of  the  colony  are  busy  at 
work.  The  materials  used  are  grass  and  seaweeds  in  which 
feathers  occasionally  get  mixed  up.  These,  compounded 
with  a  basis  of  soft  muddy  clay,  are  pressed  into  a  rather 

1  The  males  feed  the  sitting-females  during  the  breeding-season.  - 

2  Even  in  the  early  breeding-season,  before  the  male  has  commenced 
to  feed  the  female,  he  is  greeted  home  in  the  same  way.    I  have  watched 
the  habits  of  Kittiwakes  in  several  localities,  as  early  as  the  first  week 
in  March. 


PLATE  XL VII  I. 


N.  H.  Alcock,  Photo  ] 

KITTIWAKE   GULLS. 
Nesting  on  the  cliffs  of  Lambay  Island,  Co.  Dublin. 


KITTIWAKE  GULL  449 

compact  mass.  The  outer  wall  is  composed  chiefly  of  mud, 
which  adheres  to  the  ledge  and  fits  on  it  in  a  most  secure 
manner.  The  dimensions  of  the  nests  vary  in  accordance 
with  the  available  platform  space. 

The  owners  spend  a  considerable  part  of  the  day  guard- 
ing their  homes1  (space  being  at  a  premium,  I  presume), 
for  six  weeks  or  more  prior  to  hatching.  The  lowest  nests 
are  often  but  a  few  feet  from  the  base  of  the  cliff,  and  the 
uppermost  ones  may  be  two  or  three  hundred  feet  above. 
I  have  not  seen  many  nests  placed  at  the  summit. 

The  eggs,  two  to  three  in  number,  are  greyish-white 
or  dull  stone-colour,  blotched  and  zoned  with  lighter  and 
darker  shades  of  brown. 

Incubation  begins  in  May,  but  is  not  general  until  the 
end  of  that  month  or  early  in  June. 

The  Kittiwake  is  an  extremely  abundant  breeding-species 
round  the  British  coast,  resorting  to  islands  as  well  as  to 
the  mainland.  Multitudes  of  birds  compose  some  colonies, 
and  may  be  seen  on  the  cliffs  of  the  Orkneys,  Shetlands,  and 
Hebrides.  The  Shiant  Islands  possess  probably  the  largest 
assemblages  of  Kittiwakes  in  Great  Britain. 

On  the  Irish  coast  may  be  mentioned  Eathlin  Island, 
Horn  Head,  and  Tormore ;  the  latter  is  described  by  Mr. 
Ussher  as  "a  colossal  pillar-like  rock  off  the  western 
peninsula"  of  Donegal.  On  the  cliffs  of  Moher,  co.  Clare, 
Kittiwakes  breed  several  hundred  feet  above  the  sea-level. 
Smaller  colonies  are  too  numerous  to  mention  ;  on  Ireland's 
Eye  and  on  Lambay  Island,  on  the  east  coast  of  Dublin,  I 
have  seen  them  consisting  of  as  few  as  seventy  pairs. 

Geographical  distribution. — This  species  has  a  remark- 
ably wide  geographical  distribution.  Abroad  it  breeds  in 
countless  throngs  in  Spitzbergen,  Norway,  Iceland,  the 
Faroes,  and  southward  along  the  European  sea-board  to  the 
north-west  coast  of  France. 

On  the  American  Continent  it  is  found  nesting   as   far 

1  The  detestable  practice  of  shooting  Kittiwakes  at  their  breeding- 
homes  should  receive  the  most  open  public  condemnation.  I  quote 
the  words  of  Mr.  Saunders,  which  clearly  point  out  how  these  unfortunate 
creatures  were  nefariously  victimised.  He  says  the  eggs  "  are  seldom 
laid  until  the  latter  part  of  May,  so  that  many  of  the  young  could 
scarcely  fly — while  others  were  still  in  the  nest — when  the  original  Sea- 
Birds  Protection  Act  expired  on  August  1st ;  consequently  thousands 
were  formerly  slaughtered  to  provide  plumes  for  ladies'  hats  "  ('  Manual 
of  British  Birds,'  2nd  Edition,  p.  684). 

29 


450  LAKID.E 

south  as  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  on  the  Atlantic  side,  and 
the  Kurile  Islands  on  the  Pacific  side.  In  the  Arctic  regions 
it  is  practically  circumpolar  in  the  breeding-season,  having 
reached  81°  40'  in  Smith  Sound.  On  migration  in  winter  it 
visits  the  Mediterranean,  extending  eastward  to  the  Black 
and  Caspian  Seas,  and  southward  to  North  Africa  and  the 
adjoining  Islands,  to  about  lat.  30°  N.  Along  both  sides 
of  the  North  American  sea-board  it  is  found  as  far  as  lat. 
35°  N. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Head,  neck,  breast, 
abdomen,  rump,  and  tail,  white ;  back  and  wings,  deep 
'  french '  grey  or  light  slate-colour  ;  scapulars,  margined 
with  greyish-white  ;  secondaries,  broadly  edged  with  white  ; 
primaries,  pale  'french'  grey;  terminal  portions  of  the 
first  three,  black  ;  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth,  barred  with  black 
and  tipped  with  white  ;  remaining  primaries,  greyish  ;  outer 
web  of  first  primary,  black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,1  male  and  female.  — .Differs  from  the 
nuptial  plumage  in  that  the  back  of  the  head  and  neck  are 
patched  with  greyish-blue,  similar  in  shade  to  that  on  the 
wings  ;  ear-coverts,  light  bluish-black. 

Immature,   male   and  female? — Back   of    neck,    banded 


1  As  a  practical  hint  to  collectors,  I  would  say  that  by  keeping  a 
sharp  look-out  after  storms,  many  valuable  specimens  may  be  picked  up. 
Kittiwakes,  in  winter-plumage,  are  hard  to  obtain,  as  they  seldom*frequent 
our  coasts  at  that  time  of  year.     One  of  the  best  specimens  that  I  have 
mounted  I  picked  up  on  the  Dublin  coast.     I  have  examined  a  great 
number  of  these  birds,  and  have  noted  that  some,  washed  ashore  in  late 
spring,  and  apparently  quite  fresh,  still  retained  their  winter-plumage.     On 
one  occasion  I  found  a  dead  Kittiwake  in  winter-dress  on  the  Dublin  coast, 
as  late  as  May  18th,  1901,  and  on  June  9th,  whilst  sailing  in  a  trawler 
from   Dublin   to  Lambay  Island,  a  beautiful  adult   in  perfect  winter- 
plumage  accompanied  the  vessel.     As  we  fed  the  birds  a  large  gathering 
came  round  us,  but  all  save  the  one  just  mentioned  had  the  snowy-white 
heads  of  nuptial  plumage.     I  have  made  post  mortems  on  Kittiwakes 
'  found  dead,'  and  in  a  number  of  cases  no  signs  of  violence  or  even  bruises 
were  evident.     This  suggests  that   the  birds  are  not  always  beaten  to 
death  against  rocks.     But  I  have  usually  found  the  stomach  and  entire 
alimentary  tract  completely  empty,  starvation  apparently  being  an  active 
factor  in  the  cause  of  death. 

2  The  Kittiwake  in  immature  plumage  was  formerly  known  as  the 
'  Tarrock  '  Gull.     It  was  first  figured  as  an  immature  Kittiwake  in  an 
early  edition  of  '  Bewick's  British  Birds.' 


IYOKY  GULL  451 

with  black,  below  which  is  a  greyish  portion,  followed  by 
a  broader  black  neck-band ;  inner  secondaries  and  some  of 
the  wing-coverts,  dappled  with  brownish-black ;  first  four 
primaries,  blackish  on  the  outer  and  on  part  of  the  inner 
webs  ;  tail,  broadly  banded  terminally  with  blackish-brown. 

BEAK.     Greenish-yellow. 

FEET.     Blackish  ;  hind-toe,  extremely  small.1 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...         ...  15'5    in. 

WING        12 

BEAK         1-75   „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS         1*4     ,, 

EGG  ...       2-15x1-6  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — R.  brevirostris 
of  Brandt,  has  orange-red  feet  and  darker  back  and  wings 
than  our  bird.  It  is  found  between  Alaska  and  Kamtschatka. 


IYORY  GULL.     Pagophila  eburnea  (Phipps). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  «  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
62 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  595  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  30. 

The  first  recorded  British  specimen  of  this  Gull  was 
taken  in  the  winter  of  1822  in  the  Shetland  Islands.  The 
capture  was  made  known  by  the  late  Dr.  L.  Edmonston,  in 
a  paper  read  before  the  Wernerian  Society  of  Edinburgh. 
The  bird  was  presented  to  the  Edinburgh  Museum  (Bewick, 
'  British  Birds  ').  Several  examples  have  since  been  secured 
from  the  same  Islands,  as  well  as  from  the  Orkneys  and 
the  Outer  Hebrides.2 

On  the  mainland  of  Scotland  the  bird  has  been  recorded 

1  The  hind-toe  is  better  developed  in  some  of  the  Kittiwakes  which 
frequent  Behring  Sea,  though  this  variation  is  not  necessarily  pre- 
scriptive of  northern  races.  Even  in  the  same  individual  the  hind-toe 
may  vary  considerably  in  development. 

-  This  Gull  was  added  to  the  '  Fauna  of  the  Outer  Hebrides,'  by 
the  late  Mr.  Buckley,  who  recorded  a  specimen  from  Stornoway, 
January,  1890  (Harvie-Brown,  '  Avifauna  Of  The  Outer  Hebrides,'  1888- 
1902;  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1903,  p.  16). 


452  LAREDO 

from  Sutherland,  Caithness,  Banffshire,  Aberdeenshire,  Rox- 
burghshire, and  the  Firth  of  Clyde. 

In  England  it  has  been  obtained  in  the  following  coun- 
ties : — Durham,  Yorkshire,  Lincolnshire,  Norfolk,  Sussex, 
Devon,  Cornwall,  and  Somerset.  Like  other  Northern 
Gulls  it  is  rarer  in  the  south  than  in  the  north. 

To  Wales  its  visits  are  exceptional. 

From  Ireland  there  are  but  two  well-authenticated 
records  : — A  bird  was  taken  in  Blennerville,  co.  Kerry,  in 
February,  1846;  two  were  seen  but  only  one  obtained. 
This,  an  immature  specimen,  is  now  in  the  Chute  Hall 
collection  (Thompson,  Nat.  Hist.  Irel.,  vol.  iii,  p.  347).  A 
second  was  obtained  near  Bantry  Bay,  co.  Cork,  on  Jan- 
uary 31st,  1852  ;  it  is  preserved  in  the  Queen's  College 
Museum,  Cork. 

Mr.  Ussher  draws  attention  to  the  fact  that  "  in  both 
these  instances  the  Ivory  Gull  visited  the  south-west  of 
Ireland.  Both  the  Glaucous  and  the  Iceland  Gull  have 
been  repeatedly  obtained  in  Kerry  and  Cork,  and  so  has 
the  Greenland  Falcon.  The  coasts  of  Western  Munster 
are  therefore  quite  within  the  occasional  winter-range  of 
Arctic  stragglers,  which  probably  come  down  the  west 
coast  "  ('Birds  of  Ireland/  p.  348). 

According  to  Mr.  Saunders,  about  thirty-five  specimens 
have  altogether  been  procured  in  the  British  Isles,  more 
than  half  of  which  were  adults. 

Flight. — On  the  wing  the  Ivory  Gull  is  brisk,  and  often 
moyes  with  great  swiftness ;  its  flight,  as  described  by 
Col.  Feilden,  resembles  that  of  a  Tern  (Saunders). 

Voice. — The  note  is  harsh  and  shrill. 

Food. — Fish  are  largely  eaten,  also  offal  of  all  kinds. 

Nest. — The  nest  may  be  built  either  on  the  ledge  of  a 
cliff  or  on  the  ground  ;  it  is  composed  of  marine  vegetable- 
matter  of  various  kinds,  including  bits  of  seaweeds. 

The  eggs,  two  in  number,  are  greenish  or  yellowish-brown 
in  colour,  blotched  and  scrolled  with  brownish-black. 

Geographical  distribution. — This  Arctic  species  is  com- 
pletely circumpolar  in  its  breeding-range  and  plentiful  in 
many  parts  of  the  Polar  regions  of  the  European  and 
American  Continents ;  its  nesting-haunts  have  been  found 
extending  westward  to  long.  122°  W.  (Richardson) ,  and 
eastward  to  long.  130°  E.  (Nansen  Expedition,  1894).  On 
migration  in  winter  it  is  met  with  along  the  coasts  of 
Europe,  to  the  North  of  France,  and  down  the  American 
sea-board  to  New  Brunswick. 


IVOKY  GULL  453 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Completely  white, 
tinged  in  life  with  a  rosy  hue. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Apparently  similar  to 
the  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Cheeks  and  throat, 
greyish  ;  back,  wing-coverts,  and  tail-coverts,  spotted  with 
grey  and  black ;  tips  of  primaries,  blackish  ;  tail,  with  a 
subterminal  band  of  black  ;  rest  of  plumage,  white. 

Nestling. — Greyish. 

BEAK.     Lead-colour,  tipped  with  reddish-yellow. 

FEET.     Black  ;  hind-toe  fully  developed. 

TRIDES.  Blackish-brown  ;  margin  of  eyelids,  brick-red 
(Feilden). 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...  18      in.     Female  smaller. 

WING 13 

BEAK     1-75,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS    ...  T5    ,, 

EGG       ...  2-5  X  1'7  in. 


454 


Family  STEKCORAKIID^E. 

GREAT  SKUA.     Megalestris  catarrhactes  (Linnaeusj. 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
78 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  609  ;  Lilford, 
1  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  31. 

This  powerful  sea-bird  is  at  all  times  a  scarce  autumn 
and  winter  visitant  to  the  British  coast,  and  as  it  generally 
keeps  out  to  sea,  it  appears  all  the  more  rare.  It  is,  how- 
ever, not  infrequent  on  the  north  coast  of  Scotland,  which 
is  not  far  from  its  breeding- haunts  on  the  Shetlands,  where 
it  is  protected.  On  the  contrary,  it  has  been  persecuted  in 
the  Faroes,  rewards  having  been  offered  for  its  head.  As  a 
consequence  it  is  now  rare  in  these  Islands.  The  Great  Skua 
was  first  recorded  in  the  Outer  Hebrides  by  the  late  Mr. 
Buckley,  who,  on  January  8th,  1894,  saw  a  specimen  which 
had  been  shot  in  North  Harris.  "  Another  is  recorded  by 
Dr.  M'Rury  on  the  authority  of  Miss  Edgar,  daughter  of  the 
lightkeeper  at  Barra  Head,  in  the  summer  of  1893 " 
(Harvie-Brown,  '  Avifauna  Of  The  Outer  Hebrides/  1888- 
1902;  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1903,  p.  17). 

It  is  very  seldom  met  with  inland. 

About  eleven  specimens  have  been  obtained  in  Ireland, 
the  counties  and  dates  of  capture  being  as  follows  :— 

Dublin :— One,  Dublin  Bay,  early  in  July,  1833  (Thomp- 
son, Nat.  Hist.  Irel.,  vol.  iii,  p.  390)  ;  another,  Portmarnock, 
November,  1836  (ibid.) ;  a  third,  taken  alive  in  Dublin  Bay 
(Watters,  '  Birds  of  Ireland/  p.  263)  ;  a  fourth,  Clontarf, 
October  1st,  1880,  received  by  Messrs.  Williams  and  Son ; 
now  preserved  in  the  Dublin  Museum. 

Down  : — Two,  Belfast  Lough,  August,  1848  ;  one,  Holy- 
wood,  September  18th,  1848  (Thompson). 

Gal  way : — One,  1835  (Thompson),  now  preserved  in  the 
Trinity  College  Museum. 

Cork:— One,  Bantry  Bay,  winter,  1845-1846  (Thompson). 


GREAT  SKUA  455 

Kerry : — One,  Tralee  Harbour,  date  uncertain,  in  the 
collection  at  Chute  Hall. 

Tipperary : — One,  near  Thurles,  November,  1894,  received 
by  Messrs.  Williams  and  Son.  This  is  an  interesting  record 
of  a  bird  picked  up  inland  after  a  storm,  and  appears  to  be 
the  most  recent  Irish  occurrence. 

Recently  a  Great  Skua  was  obtained  at  Dungeness,  on 
October  4th,  1900  (W.  R.  Butterfield,  'Zoologist,'  1900, 
p.  521) ;  another  in  the  Isle  of  Man,  December,  1903  (Ralfe, 
'  Zoologist/  1904,  p.  33)  ;  another,  obtained  near  Robin 
Hood's  Bay,  Scarborough,  on  June  29th,  1904  (W.  J.  Clarke, 
'  Zoologist,'  1905,  p.  74)  ;  while  on  September  21st,  1901, 
Mr.  Caton  Haigh  observed  a  large  dark  Skua  (probably 
S.  catarrachtes)  on  the  coast  of  North-east  Lincolnshire 
('  Zoologist,'  1902,  p.  132). 

On  July  20th,  1903,  when  in  company  with  the  late 
Mr.  E.  Williams,  of  Dublin,  I  had  a  splendid  view  of  a 
Great  Skua  in  Holyhead  Harbour,  not  far  from  the  land- 
ing stage,  an  unusual  place  for  such  a  seafaring1  pirate  to 
frequent.  I  made  my  observations  from  the  deck  of  one 
of  the  cross-channel  steamers  as  she  moved  slowly  out  of 
the  harbour.  When  first  observed  the  bird  was  swim- 
ming on  the  water.  Presently  it  rose,  and  with  rapid 
beat  of  wing,  directed  its  course  towards  a  Lesser  Black- 
backed  Gull  which  was  fishing  some  two  hundred  yards 
ahead.  Perceiving  its  aggressor,  the  Gull  shot  upwards 
from  the  water,  hotly  pursued.  The  chase  was  an  exciting 
one,  the  Skua  responding  so  closely  to  each  evading  turn  and 
swoop,  that  it  almost  seemed  to  overshadow  the  Gull  for  the 
greater  part  of  the  time.  The  latter,  however,  on  this 
occasion,  did  not  forfeit  its  recently-swallowed  meal,  but 
managed  to  escape  its  tormentor  by  settling  on  the  water. 
Finding  the  chase  of  no  avail  the  Skua  then  flew  out 
to  sea. 

Flight. — Like  that  of  other  members  of  its  Family,  the 
flight  is  powerful,  buoyant,  and  full  of  rapid  turns  and 
twists,  resembling  at  times  the  flight  of  birds  of  prey. 

Voice. — The  note  may  be  syllabled  skiti,  skui,  from  which 
the  bird  has  derived  its  name. 

Food. — This  species  will  not  only  chase  Gulls  and  tire 
them  until  they  are  forced  to  disgorge  their  food,  which  is 

1  I  have  met  this  bird  flying  leisurely  in  the  middle  of  the  North 
Atlantic  Ocean  ;  lat.  56°,  14'  N.,  long.  33°  2'  W. 


456  STEKCOEAEUD^] 

instantly  seized  (sometimes  before  it  touches  the  water), 
but  will  actually  kill  sea-birds,  especially  the  smaller  Gulls. 
I  believe  that  small  land-birds  when  met  with  at  sea  are 
also  preyed  upon.  Floating  offal  is  frequently  eaten,  and 
the  bird  is  said  to  devour  stranded  carcases.  It  is,  more- 
over, a  notorious  egg-robber. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  usually  situated  amidst  heather  and 
other  moor-land  vegetation,  and  at  their  breeding-haunts 
the  birds  are  exceedingly  fierce.  Two  eggs  are  laid  about 
the  end  of  May,  green  to  greenish-brown  in  colour  and 
marked  with  darker  blotches. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  as  a  nesting-species, 
the  Great  Skua  is  plentiful  in  Iceland ;  it  also  breeds  in  the 
Faroes,  and  sparingly  in  South  Greenland.  On  migration 
in  winter  it  visits  the  waters  of  Southern  Europe,  and  is 
found  chiefly  along  the  Atlantic  sea-board,  being  rare  in  the 
Mediterranean.  Westward  it  reaches  the  coast  of  the  New 
England  States. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  throat,  dark 
brown,  speckled  with  rufous ;  pointed  feathers  at  the  back 
of  neck,  yellowish-brown ;  back  and  wings,  dark  brown, 
mottled  with  chestnut  and  dull  white ;  primaries,  brown 
with  white  bases  to  inner  webs  ;  tail-feathers,  brown,  some- 
what streaked  with  dull  rufous,  the  central  pair  half  an  inch 
longer  than  the  rest;  breast  and  abdomen,  reddish-brown; 
under  wing-coverts,  brownish-black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 
Immature,    male    and  female.  —  Resembles     the    adult 
plumage,  but  the  neck-feathers  are  less  pointed  and  striated, 
and  the  feathers  of  the  back  and  wings  are  faintly  edged 
with  rufous. 

Adult  lointer,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

BEAK.  Black ;  strong,  and  slightly  hooked  at  the 
extremity. 

FEET.     Black  ;  claws,  sharply  curved. 
IKIDES.  Brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 21      in. 

WING         16       „ 

BEAK         ...         2'5    „ 

TARSO-METATAKSUS        2*75  ,, 

EGG  2-8  x  2  in. 


POMATOKHINE  SKUA  457 

Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — M.  chilensis, 
with  bright  chestnut  under-parts  and  axillaries,  inhabits 
both  sides  of  South  America,  from  lat.  12°  S.  to  the  Straits 
of  Magellan. 

M.  antarctica,  a  stouter  form,  sooty-brown  in  colour,  is 
found  in  the  Falkland  Isles  and  Southern  Ocean. 

M.  maccormicki,  a  very  pale  representative,  inhabits 
Victoria  Land,  from  lat.  71°  to  76°  S.  and  long.  171°  to 
178°  E.  (Saunders). 


POMATORHINE   SKUA.    Stercorarius  pomatorhinus 
(Temminck). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain/  vol.  v,  pi. 
79  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  610 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pis.  32,  33  ;  Booth,  '  Eough 
Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pis.  40-42. 

The  Pomatorhine  Skua  is  in  all  likelihood  a  regular 
annual  visitor  during  autumn  and  winter  to  British  waters, 
but  much  rarer  on  its  passage  northward  in  spring.  It 
usually  appears  in  limited  numbers,  though  during  certain 
seasons  quite  remarkable  migrations  have  taken  place.  It 
is  more  often  met  with  on  the  eastern  sea-board  of  Great 
Britain  than  on  the  opposite  side.  On  the  Norfolk  coast ]  it 
appears  to  be  the  most  plentiful  species  of  Skua,  occurring 
chiefly  after  heavy  gales.  Stevenson  mentions  a  game- 
keeper who  had  thirty  in  his  possession  at  one  time,  and 
probably  nearly  all  Pomatorhines.  Large  numbers  were 
recorded  in  1874,  1879,  1880,  and  1881.  Furthermore,  Mr. 
Caton  Haigh  records  them  for  successive  years  from  the 
coast  of  Lincolnshire  ('  Zoologist,'  1902  and  1903). 

This  Skua  has  appeared  on  the  Solway  Firth  as  late  as 
December  22nd  (Macpherson),  and  Messrs.  Harvie-Brown 
and  Buckley,  in  their  '  Fauna  of  Sutherland  and  Caithness,' 
p.  235,  state  that  it  "  frequents  the  oceans  and  seas 
of  the  Outer  Hebrides  in  some  numbers  every  summer 
of  late  years."  Moreover,  a  specimen  is  "  recorded  by 

1  On  the  Suffolk  coast,  however,  according  to  Kev.  Julian  Tuck,  this 
Skua  is  rather  rare,  there  being  only  two  records  (December  3rd  and  19th, 
1903)  of  its  occurrence  for  "  the  last  ten  years  "  ('  Zoologist,'  1904,  pp. 
33,  34). 


458  STEKCOKAEIID^E 

MacGillivray,  as  shot  by  him  in  Barra,  October  1895 " 
(Harvie-Brown,  'Avifauna  Of  The  Outer  Hebrides/  1888- 
1902,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1903,  p.  17). 

Around  the  Irish  coasts  this  species  is  scarcer  and  more 
irregular  in  its  visits.  A  remarkable  migration,  however, 
took  place  in  October,  1862,  of  both  Pomatorhine  and 
Richardson's  Skuas,  when  successive  flocks  of  the  former 
were  observed  on  the  Mayo  coast  flying  southward  from 
Killala  Bay  in  the  direction  of  Galway  Bay.  As  a  recent 
occurrence  on  its  passage  northward,  may  be  mentioned  a 
specimen  obtained  on  June  6th,  1906,  at  Loop  Head, 
co.  Clare.  Barrington,  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1906,  p.  193). 
Storm-driven  birds  have  been  occasionally  met  with  far 
inland. 

Flight. — On  the  wing  this  bird  can  be  distinguished 
from  its  congeners  by  its  peculiar  tail.  The  middle  feathers 
are  elongated,  but  not  finely  attenuated  as  in  other  Skuas. 
Instead,  they  end  in  thick  rounded  plumes,  which,  for  the 
greater  part  of  their  length,  are  twisted  almost  at  a  right 
angle,  so  that  their  surfaces  look  right  and  left  instead  of 
up  and  down  like  the  short  tail-feathers.  On  the  whole,  the 
tail  is  not  elegant,  the  long  feathers  presenting  the  appear- 
ance of  having  been  displaced  and  roughly  handled. 

Voice. — The  voice,  usually  heard  when  the  breeding- 
haunts  are  intruded  upon,  is  shrill  and  rather  discordant. 

Food. — The  fish  which  Terns  and  Gulls  are  forced  to 
disgorge,  when  terrorised  by  their  pursuer,  forms  a  large 
percentage  of  the  diet.  Wounded  birds  are  torn  to  pieces  ; 
indeed,  Mr.  Ussher  mentions  that  one  of  these  Skuas  was 
shot  at  Wexford  in  the  act  of  killing  a  chicken.  Small 
mammals,  notably  Lemmings,  are  eaten  ;  Watters  records 
a  bird  which,  on  dissection,  contained  the  remains  of 
a  rat,  fish-bones,  and  feathers.  Furthermore,  carrion, 
stranded  or  floating,  does  not  come  amiss  to  this  bird's 
diversified  tastes. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  simply  a  depression  in  the  ground, 
amid  moss,  heather,  and  other  vegetation.  The  eggs,  two 
in  number,  are  olive-brown  in  colour,  with  dark  brown 
markings. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  breeding-resorts  are  in 
Northern  Europe,  Asia,  notably  the  Siberian  Tundras,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Yenesei,  and  in  Arctic  America.  The 
winter-range  extends  over  the  European  waters  to  the 
Mediterranean,  and  southward  along  the  west  coast  of  Africa, 


POMATOKHINE  SKUA  459 

as  far  as  Walvisch  Bay.  Eastward  this  species  has  been 
obtained  in  Burmah  and  Japan  ;  westward  in  California  and 
Peru,  while  it  has  also  been  recorded  in  the  Southern  Hemi- 
sphere from  North  Australia  (Saunders). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.1  Adult  male  nuptial. — Front  and  top  of  head, 
black  ;  acuminate  neck-feathers,  white,  edged  with  light 
yellow ;  lower  neck,  blackish  ;  back,  wings,  and  tail,  brown, 
the  two  central  twisted  tail-feathers  being  four  inches  longer 
than  the  rest ;  breast  and  upper  abdomen,  dull  white  ;  lower 
abdomen  and  under  wing-coverts,  brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage,  but  the  feathers  of  the  flanks,  upper  and  under 
tail-coverts,  have  a  tendency  to  exhibit  striations  in  adult 
birds,  not  quite  mature  (Saunders,  Cat.  Birds  Brit.  Mus., 
vol.  xxv,  p.  326). 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Brown,  mottled  and  barred 
with  rufous-buff  and  black  ;  the  markings  on  the  breast  and 
abdomen  vary  gradually  from  distinct  striations  to  an  almost 
uniform  brown  ;  central  tail-feathers  at  first  not  elongated. 
The  mature  plumage  is  very  gradually  assumed. 

BEAK.     Horn-colour. 

FEET.     Brownish. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 21       in. 

WING      14-25    „ 

BEAK       1*75    „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS       ...         ...       2        ,, 

EGG         ...  2-6  X  1-8 in. 


1  Dimorphism,  also  melanism,  occur  in  the  plumage  of  this  Skua. 


460  STEKCOBAKIID^ 

ARCTIC  SKUA.     Stercorarius  crepidatus  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  80  ; 
Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pis.  611,  612,  fig.  2  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  34  ;  Booth,  '  Bough 
Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pis.  43-46. 

Of  the  four  species  of  Skuas  which  migrate  during  the 
colder  months1  to  British  waters,  this  species,  also  called 
Eichardson's  Skua,  is  by  far  the  most  plentiful.  It  visits 
the  east  side  of  England  in  larger  numbers  and  with  much 
greater  regularity  than  the  west,  while  all  round  the  Scot- 
tish coast  it  is  by  no  means  scarce.  Moreover,  a  goodly 
number  remain  to  breed  in  Sutherland  and  Caithness,  and 
there  are  colonies  on  the  Shetlands,2  Orkneys,  and  H'ebridean 
Islands. 

It  has  been  more  often  recorded  from  the  waters  which 
surround  the  Irish  coast  than  any  of  its  three  congeners. 
Still  it  can  be  regarded  only  as  a  periodical,  not  an  annual 
visitant.  On  its  northern  passage  in  spring,  it  is  less  often 
seen  ;  Mr.  Warren  has  observed  it  in  the  month  of  May, 
chasing  Terns  at  the  estuary  of  the  Moy,  on  the  Mayo 
coast.  Here  the  birds  have  been  noticed  to  tarry  for  some 
days  en  route  for  their  breeding-haunts.  Several  were  seen 
on  Donegal  Bay,  and  one  secured  there  on  May  18th,  1881, 
by  Mr.  E.  W.  Holt.  Mr.  Ussher,  in  his  'Birds  of  Ireland  ' 
mentions  instances  of  the  occurrence  of  this  bird  in  June. 

Like  the  Pomatorhine  Skua,  it  has  made  exceptionally 
large  visitations  from  time  to  time  to  our  coasts.  In- 
teresting accounts  have  been  cited  by  Mr.  Warren,  among 
which  may  be  mentioned  a  large  migration  witnessed  in 
October,  1851,  at  Killala  Bay.  Small  flocks  were  seen  pass- 
ing iii  succession  in  a  south-westerly  direction  until  the 
total  number  amounted  to  about  a  hundred  birds. 

Flight.  —  This  Skua,  when  pursuing  Gulls  and  Terns, 
displays  the  same  adroitness  in  turning  and  swooping  which 
so  well  characterises  the  whole  group.  At  all  times  the 
flight  is  exceedingly  buoyant  and  well-sustained.  A  Gull  is 

1  After  October  this  Skua  becomes  rarer  on  our  coasts.     Mr.  Saxby 
mentions  seeing  one  on  November  23rd,  1902,  while  several  more  were 
observed   on   the   east    side   of   the    Shetlands    up   till    December   6th, 
('  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  157). 

2  Mr.  Eagle  Clarke  states  that  on  Fair  Isle,  one   of   the    Shetland 
Group,  this  bird,  which  formerly  bred  in  some  numbers,  is  now  reduced 
to  a  single  pair  (Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1906,  p.  79). 


ARCTIC  SKUA  461 

not  infrequently  attacked  by  a  pair  of  Skuas,  one  of  which, 
dashing  straight  at  it,  will  keep  up  the  hunt  until  the  poor 
fugitive,  almost  exhausted,  ejects  its  food,  and  this  is  in  part 
swallowed  by  the  second  Skua,  which,  all  the  time  has  kept 
apace  in  the  flight. 

If  the  nesting-haunts  are  intruded  upon,  the  Arctic  Skua, 
when  brushing  by,  will  almost  strike  the  invader  with  its 
wings ;  but,  as  remarked  by  Mr.  Saunders,  its  swoops  are 
directed  from  behind  or  sideways,  nor  has  he  seen  it  make  a 
frontal  attack. 

Voice. — The  voice  is  sometimes  querulous  in  tone,  at 
other  times  almost  pathetic.  The  note  most  often  heard 
is  mee-mee  :  this  may  be  followed  by  a  shorter  and  more 
sharply-sounded  note,  which  may  be  syllabled  me-ah-  me-dh, 
or  even  mdh-mdh. 

Food. — In  its  piratical  methods  of  obtaining  food  this 
Skua  resembles  its  congeners.  Fish,  ejected  from  the 
stomachs  of  Gulls  and  Terns,  form  the  chief  food,  but 
disabled  birds,  and  helpless  fledglings  are  despatched,  while 
eggs  are  also  plundered.  In  addition,  insects,  shell-fish, 
and  worms,  are  eaten ;  Mr.  Ussher  cites  an  instance  where 
an  Arctic  Skua  was  shot  when  following  the  plough  feeding 
on  worms  (*  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  353). 

Nest.  —  Moor-land  sites  are  selected  for  breeding- 
purposes,  the  nest  being  but  a  mere  rough  hollow  in  the 
ground,  chiefly  among  heather  and  other  dry  herbage. 
Several  nests,  almost  amounting  to  colonies,  may  be  found 
spread  over  a  large  tract  of  open  moor. 

The  eggs,  laid  about  the  end  of  May  or  early  in  June, 
are  normally  two  in  number,  of  a  deep  olive  colour,  blotched 
or  suffused  with  darker  brown. 

Geographical  distribution. — The  Arctic  Skua  may  be 
said  to  be  quite  circumpolar  in  its  breeding-range,  and  is 
found  in  abundance  during  the  nesting-season,  from  the 
Scottish  Islands  northward.1  But  the  darker  form  (vide 
plumage),  is  rarer  in  the  Spitzbergen  Group,  and  the 
higher  latitudes  of  Arctic  America,  while  it  "  predominates 
towards  the  southern  limit  of  the  bird's  breeding-range." 
In  the  very  high  northern  latitudes  the  white-breasted  form 


1  "  Pennant  was  the  first  to  discover  that  it  bred  in  the  British  Islands, 
by  finding  it  on  the  1st  of  July  1772  on  Jura,  which,  thanks  to  the  pro- 
tection accorded  to  it,  it  still  inhabits,  and  this  must  be  the  most  southerly 
point  in  its  breeding-range"  (Newton). 


462  STEBCOBABIID^E 

gains  the  ascendancy  (Saunders).  In  winter  the  Arctic 
Skua  wanders  southward  along  the  European  coasts ;  some 
birds  sojourn  at  the  Mediterranean  basin,  others  proceed 
along  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  down  to  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  beyond  to  Tasmania  and  New  Zealand.  West- 
ward the  migration-route  extends  to  California  on  the 
Pacific  side,  and  the  Barbadoes  on  the  Atlantic  side  of 
the  American  Continent.  Eastward  this  bird  reaches  the 
Persian  Gulf.  It  is  at  once  manifest  that  the  geographical 
distribution  is  very  extensive. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS 

PLUMAGE. — It  is  generally  admitted  that  this  Skua  shows 
distinct  dimorphism  of  plumage  ;  in  other  words,  perfectly 
mature  individuals  are  not  all  alike.  Two  varieties  are  recog- 
nised, the  uniformly  dark  brown  bird,  which,  strictly  speak- 
ing, is  Richardson's  Skua,  and  the  white-breasted  form,  more 
truly  polar  in  its  breeding-range,  and  hence  called  the  Arctic 
Skua  (Plate  XLIX.,  figs.  1  and  2).  Between  these,  every 
gradation  of  intermediate  form  exists,  and  is  found  breeding 
in  many  of  the  Northern  Islands  of  Europe.  That  there  is 
but  one  species  is  clearly  borne  out  by  the  fact  that,  on 
meeting,  the  birds  pair  readily,  and  without  distinction  of 
choice  of  colour-markings  ;  indeed,  with  regard  to  the  Ice- 
landic birds,  Mr.  Coburn,  who  recently  obtained  an  abundant 
series  of  dark,  light,  and  intermediate  forms,  from  North 
Iceland,  is  of  the  opinion  that  two  types  do  not  exist,  but 
that  the  white-breasted  birds  are  simply  adults,  and  take 
several  years  to  reach  that  stage  ('  Zoologist/  1901,  p.  416). 

Dark  race.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Back,  wings,  tail,  and 
its  coverts,  umber-brown ;  head,  neck,  breast,  and  abdomen, 
sooty-brown. 

Light  race.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  back,  wings, 
and  tail,  same  as  in  the  dark  race ;  hind-neck,  dull  white, 
streaked  with  dark  straw-colour  ;  abdomen,  ash-brown ; 
throat  and  breast,  white.  The  lanceolate  cheek-feathers 
in  both  races  are  of  a  yellowish  tinge. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  the  respective  race  to 
the  male  nuptial  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  in  the  respec- 
tive race  to  the  nuptial  plumages,  but  with  a  tendency  to 
striation  on  the  flanks,  and  on  the  upper  and  under  tail- 
coverts,  in  birds  not  quite  matured. 


PLATE   XLIX. 


Fig.  1. — (Light-breasted  form.) 


Fig.^2.— (Dark-breasted  form.) 

ARCTIC  OR  RICHARDSON'S   SKUA. 

From  specimens  mounted  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Williams. 


LONG-TAILED    SKUA  463 

Intermediate  forms,  male  and  female. — The  white  on  the 
throat  and  breast  is  marked  with  light-greyish  spots  and 
streaks. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Young  birds  exhibit  the 
tendency  to  racial  distinction  at  an  early  stage,  according 
to  several  observers.  But  in  both  dark  and  light  races  the 
immature  birds  differ  from  the  adults  in  having  the  feathers 
streaked,  barred,  or  edged  with  various  shades  of  brown  and 
rufous.  The  upper  tail-coverts  are  conspicuously  barred 
with  dark  brown,  white,  and  rufous. 

BEAK.     Dark  brownish-black. 

FEET.     Dark  brownish-black. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 20       in. 

WING       13 

BEAK        '.         1'5     ,, 

TAESO-METATABSUS        1'25  „ 

EGG  ...  2-4x1-6  in. 


LONG-TAILED  SKUA.     Stercorarius  parasiticus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. —  Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
81 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  612,  fig.  1 ; 
Lilford,'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  35;  Booth,  '  Bough 
Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pi.  47. 

This  bird,  also  known  as  Buffon's  Skua,  may  be  dis- 
tinguished when  in  adult  plumage  from  other  British 
Skuas  by  its  relatively  longer  and  more  pointed  central 
tail-feathers.  In  other  respects  it  bears  a  resemblance 
to  the  two  preceding  species,  and  immature  examples 
of  all  three,  with  their  short,  central  tail-feathers,  might 
easily  be  confounded  on  the  wing.  The  Long-tailed  Skua 
is,  however,  the  smallest,  and  the  most  slender  and  elegant. 

On  British  waters  this  bird  is  of  less  frequent  occurrence 
than  either  of  the  two  last  species,  but,  like  them,  it  is 
usually  seen  in  September  and  October,  and  again  in  spring, 
when  passing  northward  to  breed.  It  is  most  often  met 


464  STEKCOKABIID^ 

with  along  the  Scottish l  coast,  next  in  frequency  on  the 
eastern  side  of  England  from  Yorkshire  northward.  Else- 
where its  visits  are  on  the  whole  unusual,  though,  after 
boisterous  weather,  considerable  numbers  have  been  taken 
all  round  the  coasts.  As  a  recent  large  invasion  may  be 
mentioned,  one  which  took  place  in  the  year  1891,  when  this 
Skua  was  abundant  even  along  the  southern  shores  of 
England,  while  examples  were  procured  from  several  inland 
counties.2  It  has  been  obtained  as  late  in  spring  as  June 
4th,  1877,  from  Cornwall,  and  June  3rd,  1885,  from 
Cumberland  (Saunders).  An  exceptional  instance  has  been 
recorded  in  spring  or  early  summer  from  the  Solway  Firth 
(Macpherson,  'Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  285). 

With  regard  to  its  occurrence  in  the  Hebridean  Islands, 
Mr.  Harvie-Brown  mentions  a  specimen  caught  alive  at 
Scolpig,  in  North  Uist  ;  another  was  recorded  by  Dr. 
M'Kury,  from  Barra,  on  May  12th,  1896  (Ann.  Scot.  Nat. 
Hist.,  1897,  p.  150). 

It  has  occurred  all  round  the  Irish  coast,  having  been 
most  often  taken  from  the  northern  and  western  sides. 
Mr.  Ussher,  in  his  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  details  an  account 
of  a  migration  of  this  bird  when  on  its  northern  passage. 
The  movement  was  witnessed  on  May  16th,  1860,  on  the 
River  Shannon,  by  Lieut.  J.  R.  Crane,  who  shot  three 
examples.  "He  stated  that  the  weather,  which  had  been 
very  stormy  for  some  days,  was  so  wild  on  this  occasion, 
with  hail-showers,  that  it  was  difficult  to  keep  his  boat  clear 
of  water.  At  Long  Island,  about  five  miles  south  of 
Athlone,  three  successive  flocks  of  these  Skuas,  consisting 
of  twenty  or  more  in  each  flock,  passed  over  him,  follow- 
ing the  course  of  the  Shannon  northward,  and  showing  no 
disposition  to  alight."  (Vide  also  Proc.  Dubl.  Nat.  Hist. 
Soc.,  February  7th,  1862).  It  is  interesting  to  note  that, 
as  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Ussher,  of  the  four  British  Skuas, 
only  two  examples  (in  each  case  a  Long-tailed  Skua)  have 
been  taken  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  year  in  Ireland.  One 
was  procured  in  Wexford,  on  January  2nd,  1875,  by  Mr. 
G.  H.  Kinahan,  the  other  on  March  1st,  1846,  in  Tramore, 


1  A  fine   male  specimen  was  obtained  on  the  hills  at    Morvern,  in 
Argyll,  on  June  6th,  1906  (H.  Bisshopp,  Ann.   Scot.    Nat.  Hist.,  1906, 
p.  186). 

2  Recently,  viz.,  on  October  19th,  1903,  one  was  obtained  at  Axbridge, 
in  Somerset,  after  a  severe  gale  (Stanley  Lewis,  '  Zoologist,'  1904,  p.  461). 


LONG-TAILED  SKUA  465 

co.  Waterford  (Thompson).  The  most  recent  capture  from 
inland  counties  appears  to  be  that  of  an  immature  bird 
taken  in  co.  Armagh,  in  August,  1898;  while  Mr.  Barrington 
received  "a  beautiful  adult  specimen  "  from  Clare  Island,  co. 
Mayo,  on  June  14th,  1906  ('  Irish  Naturalist,'  1906,  p.  193). 

Flight. — This  species  is  as  swift  and  buoyant  on  the 
wing  as  its  larger  congeners,  and  moves  through  the  air 
gracefully.  When  in  pursuit,  its  flight  is  glancing,  indeed 
when  pressed  with  hunger  it  will  precipitate  itself  with 
a  great  swoop  into  a  flock  of  Gulls,  and  singling  one 
out,  will  follow  it  untiringly  until  its  food  is  disgorged. 

Food. — The  smaller  Gulls  and  Terns  are  swiftly  pursued 
until  they  are  forced  to  eject  the  contents  of  their  stomachs, 
which  the  Skua  greedily  swallows.  But  away  from  the 
tide,  other  than  sea-birds  are  not  exempt  from  this  tor- 
mentor. For  example  an  immature  Long-tailed  Skua  was 
shot  on  one  of  the  co.  Waterford  mountains,  on  October 
14th,  1881,  when  endeavouring  to  pounce  like  a  Falcon  on 
Golden  Plovers  (Ussher). 

Lemmings  are  perhaps  the  favourite  diet,  and  the  bird 
may  be  found  breeding  abundantly  where  an  ample  supply 
of  these  little  animals  is  to  be  had.  But  many  forms  of 
invertebrate  creatures  are  also  devoured.  Thus  Mr.  Saxby 
found  a  few  small  beetles  and  vegetable  matter  like  tops 
of  heather  in  the  stomach  of  an  adult  male  in  full  plumage, 
obtained  on  May  24th,  1900,  in  the  Shetlands  ('  Zoologist,' 
1900,  p.  281). 

Stevenson  recalls  a  male  shot  at  Breydon  in  October, 
1890,  which  vomited  several  live  earthworms  ('  Birds  of 
Norfolk ').  In  addition  birds,  crabs,  shrimps,  and  other 
marine  creatures  are  consumed,  while  crowberries  are  eaten 
in  summer  by  the  young. 

Voice. — The  note  is  rather  loud  and  shrieking  and  is 
chiefly  heard  when  the  nesting-preserves  are  trespassed 
upon. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  represented  by  a  mere  shallow  depres- 
sion on  the  heath-clad  moor-land.  The  eggs,  two  in  number, 
have  a  rather  olivaceous  ground-tint,  passing  to  various 
shades  of  green,  blotched  and  scrolled  with  darker  markings. 

At  its  nesting-haunts  this  species  shows  great  courage. 
It  will  approach  with  rapidly-beating  pinions,  and  almost 
dash  into  the  face  of  man,  dog,  or  other  trespasser. 

Geographical  distribution. — This    Skua,   circumpolar  in 
its   breeding-range,  confines   itself   to  the   higher   latitudes 
30 


466  STEKCORARIID^ 

of  Arctic  Europe,1  Asia,  and  America  :  unlike  the  Arctic 
Skua,  it  is  only  a  visitor  to  the  Faroes  and  Iceland.  Its 
migratory  range  in  winter  extends  to  Southern  Europe, 
and  to  latitude  40°  N.  on  the  Atlantic  side  of  America,  and 
20°  N.  on  the  Pacific  side. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.2  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Top  of  head,  upper 
half  of  cheeks,  and  back  of  neck,  brownish-black  ;  lower 
cheeks  and  rest  of  neck,  huffish-yellow  ;  back,  scapulars,  and 
long  central  tail-feathers,  of  a  greyer  shade  than  those  of 
the  Arctic  Skua  ;  wings  (including  primaries),  and  lateral 
tail-feathers,  dark  brown ;  lower  throat  and  breast,  white  ; 
abdomen,  greyish-brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage,  but 
the  central  tail-feathers  are  shorter. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage,  but  with  a  tendency  to  striations  on  the  flanks, 
and  on  the  upper  and  under  tail-coverts,  in  birds  not  quite 
mature. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Barred  on  the  back,  wings, 
breast,  abdomen,  and  tail-coverts,  with  greyish-brown  and 
white.  The  young  of  the  first  year  vary  in  tint,  especially 
about  the  abdomen.  They  are  greyer  and  less  rufous  than 
examples  of  the  Arctic  Skua.  The  readiest  distinction 
between  the  two  species  at  any  age  is  to  be  found  in  the 
shafts  of  the  primaries.  Thus  in  the  Arctic  Skua  these  are 
all  white,  whereas  in  the  Long-tailed  Skua  they  are  all 
brownish  save  the  two  outer  on  either  side  (Saunders). 

BEAK.     Dark  horn-colour. 

FEET.  Greenish-grey  ;  toes  black  ;  webs  of  young,  parti- 
coloured, being  darker  near  their  extremities.3 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 


1  Breeds  abundantly  during  some  seasons  on  the  Fells  of  Lapland, 
where  it  preys  mainly  on  Lemmings. 

2  In   the   'Ibis'  for    1865,  p.    217,    Professor   Newton   describes   an 
instance  of  dimorphism  in  this  species,  though  normally  it  is  very  much 
less  marked  than  in  the  last-named  bird. 

3  The  webs  in  the  young  of  the  Arctic  and  of  the  Pomatorhine  Skuas 
are  also  parti -coloured. 


LONG-TAILED  SKUA  467 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...    ...    ...  23  in.1 

WING    11-9  „ 

BEAK    1'5  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...       T8  ,, 

EGG  2  x  1-5  in. 


1  Including  the  long  tail-feathers,  which  may  project  8'5  in.  in  the 
male,  and  7  in.  in  the  female. 


468 


Order  ALG1E. 

Family   ALCID^. 

Sub-Family  ALCINJE. 

RAZORBILL.     Alca  torda  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
47 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  619  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  36. 

The  Razorbill1  figures  prominently  in  the  bird-life  on 
our  cliffs  during  the  spring  and  summer  months.  There,  in 
suitable  localities,  thousands  assemble  to  take  up  their 
breeding-quarters,  returning  with  their  offspring  to  the 
water  in  early  autumn,  to  lead  a  wandering  pelagic  life. 
In  winter,  this  Auk  and  other  common  members  of  its 
kind  are  little  seen  around  our  coasts,  as  they  are  scattered 
far  and  wide  over  the  surface  of  the  deep.2  After  tem- 
pestuous weather,  numbers  are  washed  ashore. 

I  have  records  of  finding  Razorbills  every  month  in  the 
year  along  the  Irish  coast.  Some,  notably  those  taken  after 
a  rough  winter's  storm,  were  in  an  emaciated  condition,  but 
still  showing  a  flicker  of  life  ;  others  were  plump  and,  on 
examination,  proved  to  have  met  their  death  by  violence.3 

1  This  and  other  Auks  are  known  in  popular  language  as  'Divers,' 
or  'Penguins,'  but  with  the  true  Penguins  of  the  Southern  Oceans  they 
have  no  anatomical  affinities. 

2  In  autumn,  old  and  young  are  numerous  round  our  coasts,  but  in 
winter,  it  is  chiefly  the  young  that  keep  near  land,  especially  in  stormy 
weather. 

3  Formerly,  when  large  paddle-steamers  were  in  vogue,  I  have  re- 
peatedly seen  Eazorbills,  Guillemots,  and  Puffins,  dive  in  front  of  the 
bow  and  rise   just   astern   of  the   paddle-wheels,  with   wings   and  legs 
broken.     The  birds  fluttered  and  tumbled  on  the  water,  where,  unable 
either  to  rise  or  dive,  they  had  to  run  the  gauntlet  of   being  torn  to 


PLATE   L 


RAZORBILL. 

Nuptial  plumage. 


RAZORBILL  469 

Auks  are  endowed  with  remarkable  diving-powers  ;  they 
use  their  wings  under  water,  not  simply  as  a  fish  uses  its 
fins  for  steering-purposes,  but  by  means  of  rapid  vibrations, 
as  powerful  propelling  organs.  In  fact  these  birds  may  be 
said  to  fly  under  water.  When  swimming  or  resting  on  the 
surface,  the  Kazorbill  erects  its  little  pointed  tail,  a  mark  by 
which  it  can  be  distinguished  from  the  Common  Guillemot 
at  a  fair  distance  with  the  aid  of  a  good  field-glass.  But 
even  with  the  unaided  eye,  their  distinctive  characteristics 
can  usually  be  made  out,  as,  unless  the  birds  are  much 
molested,  they  are  not  notably  shy.  Only  occasionally  is 
the  Razorbill  met  with  on  fresh  water,  though  violent  storms 
will  drive  numbers  far  inland. 

Flight. — Considering  the  bulky  and  rather  heavy  build 
of  this  species,  its  flight  is  swift  and  at  times  even  buoyant ; 
the  wings,  though  small,  are  strongly-framed  and  the  flight- 
feathers  are  tough  and  well-pointed. 

'  Wisps  '  of  Razorbills  may  be  seen  skimming  along  the 
waves  and  then  ascending  several  hundred  feet  into  the 
air ;  these  movements  may  be  observed  in  mid-channel,  but 
the  flight  is  best  studied  as  the  birds  ply  to  and  fro  between 
cliff  and  sea. 

From  the  top  of  a  lofty  headland  I  have  seen  them  stay 
their  flight  and  actually  hover  momentarily  during  descent 
with  their  wings  almost  meeting  over  their  backs,  remind- 
ing one  of  the  pose  of  domestic  pigeons  about  to  alight  on 
a  house-top  or  other  building. 

Voice. — The  voice,  heard  for  the  most  part  at  the  breed- 
ing-colonies, resembles  a  softly-produced  and  rather  mourn- 
ful grunt  ;  the  young  utter  a  plaintive,  mellow,  kitten-like 
mew,  when  they  first  reach  the  water,  especially  when  their 
parents  dive  from  out  their  sight. 

Food. — The  Razorbill,  like  all  Auks,  is  decidedly  pis- 
pieces  by  the  larger  Gulls  and  Skuas,  dashed  against  the  rocks,  or, 
escaping  such  violent  measures,  being  left  to  linger  wave-tossed  on  the 
sea,  until  the  tide  determined  their  course  and  deposited  them,  dead  or 
in  a  dying  state,  upon  the  beach,  where  their  remains  were  quickly  dis- 
posed of  by  rats,  gulls,  and  other  scavengers.  It  seems  evident  that 
these  Auks,  on  descending  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  encountered 
the  tremendous  vortex  produced  by  the  paddle-wheels,  amid  the  spokes 
of  which  they  became  entangled,  and  their  rapidly-moving  wings  and 
legs  were  fractured  ere  they  could  manage  to  free  themselves  from  this 
boiling  eddy.  Such  bird-fatalities  have  been  greatly  diminished  since 
the  introduction  of  screw-steamers,  the  birds  swimming  alongside  the 
vessel,  being  able  to  dive  without  apparently  encountering  injury. 


470  ALCIDM 

civorous,  and  sprats,  carried  diagonally  in  the  beak,  form 
the  principal  diet ;  I  have  also  found  abundance  of  crabs 
and  shrimps  in  the  stomachs  of  birds  dissected. 

Nest. — During  the  month  of  March  and  the  first  part  of 
April,  Razorbills  assemble  at  their  breeding-homes  on  the 
cliffs.  While  abundant  on  many  of  the  British  headlands, 
this  species  is,  perhaps  on  the  whole,  less  numerous  than 
the  Guillemot,  though  in  Ireland  the  breeding-places  appear 
to  be  more  numerous.  With  the  Guillemot  the  Razorbill 
may  be  found  in  certain  proportions,  breeding  on  the  bare 
faces  of  sheer,  beetling  cliffs,  but,  unlike  the  former,  it 
resorts  to  the  shelter  of  nooks,  overhanging  ledges,  and  less 
frequently  to  burrows.  Vast  colonies  are  usually  formed  in 
company  with  other  sea-birds ;  yet  small  groups,  and  even 
odd  pairs,  breed  in  some  districts  at  distances  apart.  A 
single  egg,  disproportionately  large  for  the  size  of  the  owner, 
is  laid  towards  the  end  of  May.  The  ground-colour  varies 
from  white  to  creamy-brown,  boldly  blotched,  streaked,  and 
even  zoned,  with  brown  shading  to  purplish-black.  Unlike 
the  egg  of  the  Guillemot,  a  light  bluish  or  greenish  ground- 
colour of  the  shell  is  very  uncommon  ;  yet  curiously  enough 
the  lining-membrane,  seen  when  the  empty  shell  is  held  up 
to  the  light,  appears  green,  whereas  that  of  the  Guillemot 
is  light  yellowish. 

Both  sexes  incubate  in  turn,  the  male  feeding  the  female 
when  thus  engaged.  When  hatching,  the  bird  sits  along 
not  across  its  bulky  egg. 

It  is  interesting  to  observe  the  way  in  which  the  parents 
convey  their  offspring  to  the  sea  before  the  latter  are  able 
to  fly.  This  may  be  witnessed  best  about  the  last  week  in 
July.  The  birds  then  begin  to  leave  the  cliffs,  and  the 
young  are  apparently  roughly  treated,  being  jostled  and 
pushed  off  their  ledges ;  yet  their  fall  is  so  broken  as  they 
tumble  and  scramble  down  the  face  of  the  cliff  that  they 
generally  reach  the  water  in  safety.1  Indeed,  the  few  which 
get  injured  in  this  way  form  an  exceedingly  small  propor- 
tion of  the  numbers  which  might  forfeit  their  lives  to 
Falcons  and  other  enemies,  during  their  parents'  absence 
at  sea,  were  they  to  remain  longer  on  the  cliffs. 

It  is  amusing  to  watch  the  bewildered  expression  of  the 


1  I  have  not  seen  the  parent  seize  the  offspring  by  its  neck  and  carry 
it  down  to  the  water,  though  this  habit  has  been  vouched  for  by  some 
observers. 


BAZOKBILL  471 

youngsters  when  they  receive  their  first  ducking  in  the 
briny  deep.  I  have  heard  them  crying  in  piteous  accents 
for  their  fond  parents,  who,  out  of  their  sight  in  the  depths 
beneath,  were  diligently  pursuing  fish  to  feed  them.  Soon 
the  young,  however,  acquire  a  knowledge  of  diving,  and  with 
a  certain  air  of  independence,  follow  their  parents  far  out  to 
sea.  It  has  been  observed  that  sometimes  the  old  bird  will 
dive,  directly  the  young  one  reaches  the  water  and  come  up 
under  its  offspring,  which,  hoisted  on  the  parent's  back, 
sits  securely  there,  until  carried  out  to  sea  (E.  M. 
McCarron). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Eazorbill  breeds 
in  the  Faroes,  Iceland,  Scandinavia,  and  other  countries  of 
Northern  and  Temperate  Europe,  as  high  as  lat.  71°  N., 
and  southward  to  Brittany.  Eastward  its  breeding-grounds 
do  not  extend  to  Asia,  but  westward  they  reach  Greenland 
and  the  eastern  sea-board  of  Canada.  In  winter  it  is 
found  scattered  over  the  European  Seas,  including  the 
Mediterranean,  and  in  large  numbers  in  the  North  Atlantic 
Ocean,  down  to  lat.  30°  N. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  hind-neck, 
back,  scapulars,  and  upper  tail-coverts,  glossy  greenish-black  ; 
sides  of  face,  chin,  and  throat,  brownish-black  ;  fore-neck, 
breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  white ;  primaries, 
dark  brown  ;  secondaries,  dark  brown,  tipped  with  white, 
forming  a  narrow  alar  bar;  tail  (of  12  feathers),  dark 
brownish-black  and  wedge-shaped ;  a  thin  white  line  ex- 
tends from  the  base  of  the  beak  to  the  front  of  the  eye. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Cheeks,  chin,  throat, 
front  of  neck,  and  sides  of  the  head  behind  the  eye,  white ; 
the  narrow  white  stripe  between  tbe  beak  and  the  eye  is 
absent ;  scapulars  and  feathers  of  the  back,  only  faintly 
glossed. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage,  but  the  white  line  from  the  beak  to  the 
eye  is  very  indistinct. 

BEAK.  Black ;  rather  deep  and  laterally  compressed, 
and  exhibiting  a  large  distinct  white  transverse  furrow  and 
several  smaller  ones  in  front  of  it  near  the  tip.  The  beak 
of  the  immature  bird  is  smooth  and  shallow. 

FEET.     Black  ;  no  hind-toe. 

IB  IDES.  Dark  brown. 


472  ALCID.E 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH       17      in. 

WING          7'3    „ 

BEAK          1-3    „ 

TABSO-METATARSUS          1'25  ,, 

EGG..  2-9  X  1'9  in. 


GREAT  AUK.     Alca  impennis  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
46  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  620  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  37. 

About  sixty  years  ago,  the  last  recorded  surviving  speci- 
men of  the  Great  Auk,  also  known  as  the  Gare-fowl,  was 
killed  off  the  coast  of  Iceland.  Since  then,  there  has  been 
no  substantiated  evidence  of  its  existence,  though  the  bird 
has  been  looked  for  in  many  lands  by  zealous  ornithologists, 
and  there  seems  to  be  not  the  least  doubt  that  it  is  now 
totally  extinct.  It  would  appear  that  it  had  already  become 
scarce  in  our  Islands  for  more  than  half  a  century  before 
its  complete  extirpation. 

Very  interesting  accounts  have  been  given  by  writers 
who  were  acquainted  with  the  habits  of  this  strange  bird 
which  in  some  countries  was  once  common,  even  plentiful.1 

There  are  but  three  well-authenticated  British-taken 
specimens  on  record:— One  obtained  by  Bullock  in  1813, 
from  Papa  Westray  in  the  Orkneys  ;  this,  an  adult  male, 
is  now  in  the  British  Museum.  Another  was  captured 
alive  on  St.  Kilda,  and  received  by  Fleming  in  August, 
1821  or  1822.  A  third  was  taken  alive  near  Ballymacaw, 
several  miles  from  the  mouth  of  Waterford  Harbour2  in 
May,  1834.  This  specimen,  an  immature  female,  is  now 
preserved  in  the  Museum  of  Zoology,  Trinity  College,  Dublin. 


1  A  vast  amount  of  literature  has  been  written  on  the  habits  of  the 
Great  Auk,  dealing  also  with  questions  on  extirpation,  the  finding  of  its 
remains,  its  former  geographical  distribution,  &c.,  &c.     A  valuable  and 
exhaustive  reference  of  the  chief  works  on  this  subject  is  to  be  found 
in  a  footnote  in  Prof.  Newton's  '  Dictionary  Of  Birds.'  pp.  308-309. 

2  According  to  Mr.  Ussher's  account,  this  specimen  was  not  taken 
at  the   mouth  of   Waterford  Harbour,   but    several  miles   west  of   it, 


GKEAT  AUK  473 

Mr.  Saunders  states  that  "no  other  British  specimens 
are  in  existence;  but  Mr.  Henry  Evans,  during  his  visits 
to  the  St.  Kilda  group,  has  collected  strong  evidence  that 
about  1840  a  bird  was  secured  on  the  grassy  slopes  of 
Stack-an-Armin,  and  was  killed  three  days  afterwards  as  a 
witch,  in  consequence  of  a  storm  which  frightened  its 
captors.  Kemains  have  been  found  in  Caithness,  Argyll- 
shire, some  old  sea-caves  in  Durham,  and  latterly  in  several 
districts  of  Ireland,3  especially  near  Waterford  "  ;  and  on  the 
coasts  of  Antrim  (figs.  56  and  57). 

Concerning  its  general  habits,  it  may  be  remarked  that 
the  Great  Auk  was  absolutely  unable  to  rise  on  the  wing, 


close  to  the  cliffs  between  Ballymacaw  and  Brownston  Head.  It 
had  been  previously  observed  swimming  about  the  locality  by  a  man 
named  David  Hardy.  A  fisherman  named  Kirby  easily  captured  it  by 
enticing  it  with  sprats  thrown  near  his  boat,  and  finally  succeeded  in 
securing  it  in  his  landing-net.  The  bird  lived  in  captivity  for  four 
months,  though  apparently  in  a  semi-starved  condition  when  first 
obtained.  Refusing  its  food  at  first,  potatoes  and  milk  were  forced 
down  its  gullet,  after  which  it  fed  freely.  Fish,  preferably  trout 
swallowed  entire,  was  its  chief  diet.  The  bird  assumed  a  very  stately, 
erect  attitude,  had  a  strange  habit  of  shaking  its  head,  especially  when 
food  was  offered  it,  and  is  said  to  have  been  rather  fierce.  It  died  on 
September  7th,  1834,  and  was  presented  by  Dr.  Burkitt  to  the  Museum 
of  Zoology,  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  in  1844. 

3  Bones  of  the  Great  Auk  were  obtained  at  Whitepark  Bay,  co. 
Antrim,  with  human  remains  believed  to  be  those  of  the  earliest 
Neolithic  inhabitants  of  Ireland.  In  the  accumulations  of  the  same  age 
the  bones  of  horses,  dogs  or  wolves,  geese,  ducks,  and  gulls,  were  found, 
together  with  stone-hammers,  flint-flakes,  and  edible  shell-fishes.  The 
Great  Auk  in  those  remote  ages  appears  to  have  been  a  common 
species  about  this  and  other  parts  of  the  Irish  coast.  (G.  E.  Barrett- 
Hamilton,  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1896,  p.  121.  Vide  also  W.  J.  Knowles' 
'  Third  Eeport  on  the  Pre-historic  Remains  from  the  Sand-hills  of  the 
Coasts  of  Ireland,'  Proc.  Royal  Irish  Acad.  (3),  vol.  iii,  No.  4,  pp.  650-663, 
December,  1895,  and  vol.  i,  No.  5,  1891,  ibid,  also  '  Irish  Naturalist,' 
1899,  p.  4.) 

Mr.  Ussher  obtained  several  Great  Auks'  bones  from  the  kitchen- 
middens  on  the  Waterford  coast.  They  were  identified  beyond  doubt 
by  Prof.  Newton  and  Dr.  Hans  Gadow,  of  Cambridge.  Many  of  these 
bones  were  found  on  or  near  the  old  surface  where  this  cropped  up, 
and  with  them  were  associated  bones  of  domestic  animals,  fowl,  and 
Red  deer.  Burned  stones,  layers  of  charcoal,  and  shells,  were  also 
present.  Mr.  Ussher  mentions  finding  remains  of  no  less  than  six 
Great  Auks  in  the  same  group  of  sand-hills,  which  seems  as  though 
numbers  of  the  birds  were  consumed  as  food  ('Irish  Naturalist,'  1897, 
p.  208,  also  1899,  p.  1,  ibid.).  Quite  recently  Mr.  Ussher  records  finding 
more  Auks'  bones  on  the  coast  of  co.  Clare ;  other  objects  found  there 
were  burned  pot-boilers,  sand-stone  slabs  used  for  hearths,  multitudes 


474 


ALCID^E 


and  so,  out  of  water,  was  in  many  ways  a  helpless  creature. 
Except  when  it  assembled  in  numbers  to  nest,  it  was  as 
aquatic  as  a  Penguin,  its  aborted  wings  (Plate  LI.,  figs.  1 
and  2),  functionless  as  regards  flight,  being  admirably 
adapted  to  propel  it  swiftly  for  long  distances  under  water. 


FIG.  55.— GREAT   AUK. 


of  shells,  bones  of  domestic  animals,  and  horns  of  Bed  deer.  As  in  the 
former  instance  these  relics  were  found  on  the  surface  between  the 
sand-hills  ('Irish  Naturalist,'  1902,  p.  188). 

These  Auks'  remains  have  been  liberally  presented  to  the  Museum 
of  Science  and  Art,  Dublin,  and  the  Museum  of  Zoology,  Cambridge. 
Though  yielding  bones  of  the  Great  Auk,  yet  the  coast  of  Waterford  is 
not  fringed  with  any  large  islands  where  this  bird  might  have  bred  ;  but 
Mr.  Ussher  remarks,  "Sixteen  miles  from  Tramore  Bay  are  the  low 
Keeragh  Islands,  eminently  suited  for  such  a  bird  to  breed  on  ;  and 
the  incursions  that  the  sea  has  made  along  the  Waterford  coast, 
.....  may  well  have  washed  away  any  low  flat  island  that 
existed  in  Tramore  Bay." 

From  these  discoveries  it  will  be  seen  that  the  geographical  range 
of  the  Great  Auk  as  far  as  Ireland  is  concerned  extended  nearly  down 
to  lat.  52°  N. 


FIG.  56.— BONES  OF  THE  GREAT  AUK  FROM  KITCHEN-MIDDENS 
ON  THE   COAST   OF  Co.  WATERFORD.     (Nat.  size.) 

(1)  Left  Humerus.     Posterior  surface.  (6)  Right  Tarso-metatarsus.     Posterior 

(2)  ,,  ,,  Anterior       „  surface. 

(3)  ,,     Coracoid.     Posterior     „          (7)  Right  Tarso-metatarsus.      Anterior 

(4)  ,,  ,,  Anterior        ,,  surface. 

(5)  Right   Tibio  -  tarsus.      Outer    sur-  (8)  Left    Innominate.     Outer    surface 

face.  (imperfect). 


FIG.  57.— BONES  OF  GREAT  AUK  FROM  WHITEPARK  BAY, 
Co.  ANTRIM.   (Nat.  size.) 


(1)  Left  Huuierus.    Outer  surface. 

(2)  „     Ulna. 

(3)  „       ,,  Inner        ,, 

(4)  ,,     Radius.       Upper        ,, 

(5)  ,,     Metacarpus.      Anterior   sur- 
face (slightly  imperfect). 

(6)  Phalanges. 


(7)  Phalanges. 

(8)  Right  Scapula.    Upper  surface. 

(9)  Left  Coracoid.      Inner 

(10)  Right  Tibio-tarsus.    Anterior  sur- 

face. 

(11)  Right  Femur.      Anterior  surface 

(imperfect). 


GKEAT  AUK  477 

Food. — The  Great  Auk  appears  to  have  subsisted  almost 
entirely  on  fish,  which  were  swiftly  pursued  and  captured 
under  water. 

Voice.— The  voice  has  been  described  as  a  low  croak. 

Nest. — When  about  to  breed,  large  numbers  of  these 
birds  assembled  on  marine  islands,  where  each  deposited 
and  hatched  its  single  egg  on  a  ledge  close  to  the  sea-mark. 
In  colour  the  egg  is  rather  impure  white,  streaked,  blotched, 
and  sometimes  scrolled  with  brown,  shading  to  purplish- 
black  at  the  larger  end  (Plate  LIII.)  :  in  some  of  the  eggs 
a  green  tinge  is  manifest.  Judging  from  the  quantities  of 
remains  which  have  been  discovered,  it  is  probable  that 
this  species  formerly  bred  in  considerable  numbers  in  the 
British  Islands,  but  the  evidence  which  has  been  furnished 
to  show  that  it  survived  as  a  breeding-species  until  early 
in  the  nineteenth  century,  has  been  refuted  by  competent 
authorities. 

Geographical  Distribution. — Abroad,  the  Great  Auk  bred 
in  the  northern  limits  of  Temperate  as  well  as  in  Sub-arctic 
climes.  In  Europe  its  breeding-haunts  were  along  the 
shores  and  small  islands  surrounding  Iceland,  also  on  the 
Faroes,  the  Norwegian  and  Scandinavian  coasts.  In  the 
Western  Hemisphere  it  was  once  plentiful  in  Greenland, 
and  more  especially  on  Funk  Island  off  Newfoundland.  It 
also  bred  on  the  coasts  of  Labrador. 

In  autumn  and  winter,  it  inhabited  the  North  Atlantic 
Ocean  "  and  was  recorded  by  Catesby  from  the  waters  of 
Carolina  in  winter  "  (Saunders). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  hind-neck, 
back,  scapulars,  upper  wing-  and  tail-coverts,  glossy-black ; 
sides  of  head,  chin,  and  throat,  brownish-black ;  primaries 
and  tail  (of  14  feathers),  dull  black  ;  secondaries,  brownish- 
black,  edged  with  white  forming  an  alar  bar  ;  middle  of  fore- 
neck,  breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  white;  large 
white  patch  in  front  of  the  eye. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Chin,  throat,  and  sides 
of  the  head,  white,  otherwise  similar  to  the  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  winter- 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Black ;   rather   deep,  greatly  compressed,  with 


478 

oblique  furrows  eight  or   more  in  number  which  meet  at 
the  edges. 

FEET.     Black,  short,  and  placed  very  far  back. 

IEIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 32   in. 

WING    4-25  „ 

BEAK 3'5  ,, 

TARSOMETATARSUS        2        „ 

EGG  ...  ...  4'9   X  2'7  in. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  GREAT  AUK  IN  THE  MUSEUM  OF  ZOOLOGY, 
DUBLIN  UNIVERSITY. 

PLATE  LI.,  FIGS.  1,  2.    PLATE  LIL,  FIGS.  1,  2. 

Though  rather  poor  in  plumage,  this  specimen  is 
particularly  interesting,  as  it  claims  to  be  the  only  known 
mounted  example  in  immature  plumage  in  existence.  The 
state  of  captivity  to  which  the  bird  was  subjected  for  some 
months  prior  to  its  death,  was  evidently  not  conducive  to 
keeping  the  plumage  in  good  condition,  and  it  may  also  be 
remarked  that  the  moulting  period  was  passed  through  in 
captivity. 

Top  of  head,  dark  brown ;  back  and  sides  of  head 
behind  the  eye,  lighter  brown  ;  oval  patch  in  front  of  eye, 
white,  mottled  with  brown ;  lower  part  of  face,  impure 
white,  mottled  with  brown  ;  chin,  mottled  dark  brown  and 
white,  brown  predominating  ;  middle  line  of  throat,  chiefly 
white  ;  sides  of  throat,  dappled  with  white  and  brown,  like 
the  lower  part  of  the  face  ;  lower  throat,  breast,  abdomen, 
and  under  tail-coverts,  dirty  white  ;  back  of  neck,  mid-back, 
and  lower  back,  brown,  the  last  darker  in  shade,  merging 
into  the  blackish-brown  colour  of  the  rump  and  upper  tail- 
coverts  ;  tail-feathers,  brownish,  frayed  and  broken,  their 
basal  three-fourths  only  being  preserved  ;  thighs  show  some 
brown  feathers  ;  scapulars  and  inner  secondaries,  blackish, 
and  only  faintly  glossed  ;  outer  secondaries,  brownish,  edged 
with  white,  forming  a  wing-bar ;  primaries,  light  mouse- 
brown,  many  of  them  broken,  and  with  frayed  edges  ;  lesser 
wing-coverts,  greyish-brown,  edged  with  deeper  brown ; 


CM 

cc 


GEEAT  AUK  479 

greater  wing-coverts,  brownish,  edged  with  blackish-brown ; 
axillaries  and  under  wing-coverts,  dirty  white,  washed  with 
dull  buff  or  mud-brown  colour.  The  bases  of  the  brown 
feathers  are  for  the  most  part  lighter  than  the  tips  ;  feathers 
of  the  middle  of  the  back  very  ruffled  from  the  moult  and 
many  missing ;  the  down  of  the  breast  and  abdomen, 
whitish,  that  of  the  upper  parts,  light  brown. 

BEAK.  Blackish-brown ;  on  either  side  of  the  upper 
segment  are  five  furrows,  of  which  four  are  close  together 
near  the  tip,  the  remaining  one  near  the  base  being 
separated  by  an  interval  ;  on  either  side  of  the  lower 
segment  are  ten  shorter  furrows,  all  close  together  near  the 
tip  ;  on  the  left  side  the  two  most  distal  furrows  are  feebly 
marked  ;  lower  border  of  the  under  segment  somewhat  sword- 
shaped  ;  whole  beak,  laterally  compressed,  the  culmen  being 
sharp,  narrow,  and  strongly  curved  downwards  ;  the  point  of 
the  upper  segment  does  not  project  beyond  that  of  the 
lower.  The  beak  gapes  slightly.  The  nasal  openings,  which 
are  linear,  are  almost  hidden  from  view  by  a  dense  covering  of 
short  feathers. 

FEET.  Blackish ;  some  of  the  scales  of  each  tarso- 
metatarsus  being  chipped  and  worn  ;  toe-nails,  moderately 
sharp  ;  middle  toe-nail,  slightly  curved  outwards. 

IRIDES.  Light  yellowish-brown,  or  almost  deep  orange 
in  shade. 

MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH.    From  top  of  head  to  tip  of  tail  23      in. 

„          „            Chin  to  tip  of  tail         ...         ...  22       ,, 

HEIGHT  (standing)  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  23       ,, 

BREADTH.     Across  middle  of  back           13       ,, 

,,             Across  middle  of  breast        ...         ...  10       ,, 

TlP  OF  BEAK  TO  OCCIPUT    ...         ...         ...         ...  7'75  ,, 

CHIN  TO  OCCIPUT     ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  4*25  ,, 

FRONT  OF  EYE  TO  BASE  OF  BEAK  ...         ...         ...  2'25  ,, 

BACK  OF  EYE  TO  OCCIPUT  ...         ...         ...         ...  2*25  ,, 

DIAMETER  OF  ORBITAL  OPENING   ...         ...         ...  0'5 

LENGTH  OF  WING    ...         ...         ...        ...         ...  5 

EXPANSE    OF   WING.       Carpal  joint   moderately 

folded  (see  Plate  LI.) 4 

CARPAL  JOINT  TO  TIPS  OF  SECONDARIES  ...         ...  3 

KECTRICES  (tips  of  most  feathers  worn  off)        ...  3       „ 

BEAK.     Upper  margin  (culmen) 3'5    „ 


480 

BEAK.      Lower  margin       ...         ...         ...         ...  2      in. 

,,          Greatest   depth  from   culmen  to  lower 

border  T75  ,, 

,,          Distance  from  proximal  furrow  on  upper 
segment    to    the    nearest    of    the 

distal  series  ...          ...         ...         ...  1       ,, 

„          Gape  of  mouth  to  tip  of  beak     ....          ...  4'35  ,, 

„          Median  sharp  ridge  on  lower  margin  of 

beak 0'5     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS  2'75  „ 

OUTER  TOE 2-5    ,, 

MIDDLE  TOE...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  3       ,, 

INNER  TOE    ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  2       „ 

TOE-NAILS.     Middle  and  outer     O5    „ 

,,  Inner...         ...         ...         ...         ...  0'35  „ 

GREATEST  DIAMETER  ACROSS  WEBS  3'5 


HOW  THE  GREAT  AUK  BECAME  EXTIRPATED. 

The  literature  dealing  with  the  extirpation  of  this  re- 
markable bird  is  indeed  voluminous,  and  many  are  the 
different  opinions  held  as  to  how  the  decrease  in  numbers 
began  to  set  in.  It  seems  hardly  sufficient  to  say  that 
because  the  largest  of  our  Auks,  or  so-called  '  Penguins '  of 
the  Northern  hemisphere,  was  not  endowed  with  the  power 
of  flight,  it  therefore  was  so  handicapped  in  the  fierce 
struggle  for  existence  that  it  was  unable  to  cope  with  its 
natural  environment  and  so,  becoming  gradually  reduced  in 
numbers,  at  length  disappeared  as  a  living  species.  This 
slow  process  of  extinction  seems  all  the  less  likely  when  one 
considers  the  numbers  of  other  flightless  or  feeble-flighted 
'  Divers  '  which,  perforce,  are  periodically  destroyed  in  multi- 
tudes by  hurricanes,  preyed  upon  by  many  enemies  of  the 
deep,  swept  from  the  rocks  by  volcanic  and  other  seismic 
disturbances,  and  yet  these  species  still  exist,  some  in  vast 
assemblages. 

Were  the  Great  Auk  a  polar-breeding  species,  its  fate 
might  have  been  far  different,  but  selecting  as  it  did  low, 
flat  islands  in  Temperate  or,  to  a  less  extent,  in  Sub-arctic 
seas,  its  breeding-haunts  were  easily  negotiable  by  whalers, 
fishermen,  skin-traders,  &c.  It  is  important  to  bear  in 
mind  that  the  Great  Auk  was  a  large  bird,  hardly  inferior 
in  size  to  a  goose,  and  so  worth  killing  and  salting  down 


PLATE   LII 


Fig.  1.— HEAD  OF  GREAT  AUK.     Half  natural  size.     (Right  profile  view.) 


Fig.    2.— HEAD   OF   GREAT  AUK.     Half  natural  size.      (Left  profile  view.) 
Photographs  of  the  specimen  in  the  Museum  of  Zoology,  Dublin  University. 


GKEAT  AUK  481 

for  food.  It  seems  evident  that  it  was  through  the  active 
agency  of  Man,  who  made  special  raids  on  it,  that  this 
ill-fated  bird  was  hurried  to  its  doom ;  and,  when  the  birds 
grew  scarce  as  marketable  commodities,  it  is  certain  that 
the  last  of  the  species  were  killed  to  supply  the  wants  of 
museum  and  private  collectors,  and  thus  the  bird  became 
totally  extinct. 

That  the  Great  Auk  did  not  become  scarce  by  slow 
degrees  like  many  other  now  extinct  creatures,  is  a  fact  well 
acknowledged  by  many  ornithologists,  and  here  I  quote 
the  words  of  Professor  Newton  on  the  subject : — "  In  Ice- 
land there  is  the  testimony  of  a  score  of  witnesses,  taken 
down  from  their  lips  by  one  of  the  most  careful  naturalists 
who  ever  lived,  the  late  John  Wolley,  that  the  latest  sur- 
vivors of  the  species  were  caught  and  killed  by  expeditions 
expressly  organised  with  the  view  of  supplying  the  demands 
of  caterers  to  the  various  museums  of  Europe. 

"  In  like  manner  the  fact  is  incontestable  that  its  breed- 
ing-stations in  the  western  part  of  the  Atlantic  were  for 
three  centuries  regularly  visited  and  devastated  with  the 
combined  objects  of  furnishing  food  or  bait  to  the  fishermen 
from  very  early  days,  and  its  final  extinction,  foretold  in 
1792  by  Cart wright  (Labrador,  iii.  p.  55),  was  due,  accord- 
ing to  Sir  Richard  Bonnycastle  (Newfoundland  in  1842,  i. 
p.  232),  to  the  ruthless  trade  in  its  eggs  and  skin." 

"  No  doubt  that  one  of  the  chief  stations  of  this  species 
in  Icelandic  waters  disappeared  ....  through  volcanic 
action,  and  that  the  destruction  of  the  old  Geirfuglasker 
drove  some  at  least  of  the  birds  which  frequented  it  to  a 
rock  nearer  the  mainland,  where  they  were  exposed  to 
danger  from  which  they  had  in  their  former  abode  been 
comparatively  free  ;  yet  on  this  rock  (Eldey= fire-island)  they 
were  "specially  hunted  down"  whenever  opportunity  offered, 
until  the  stock  there  was  wholly  extirpated  in  1844,  and 
whether  any  remained  elsewhere  must  be  deemed  most 
doubtful."1 

With  reference  to  the  disappearance  of  the  Great  Auk 
from  Icelandic  waters,  Mr.  Saunders  gives  the  following 
summarised  account : — "  Off  the  south-west  of  Iceland, 
which  has  famished  the  majority  of  the  skins  and  eggs 
existing  in  collections,  there  were  three  skerries  on  which 

1  For  a  detailed  and  interesting  account  of  this  subject  the  reader  is 
referred  to  the  '  Ibis,'  1861,  pp.  374-399 ;  also  to  Grieve,  "  The  Great 

Auk,"  «&c. 

81 


482 

it  appears  to  have  bred  ;  one  of  these — the  G-eirfugla-sker 
near  Reykjanes — disappeared  during  a  submarine  eruption 
in  1830,  after  the  colony  on  it  had  been  nearly  extirpated ; 
Eldey  or  the  Meal-sack  was  systematically  robbed  until  the 
last  two  birds  were  taken  alive  in  June  1844 ;  and  there 
can  now  be  no  hope  that  a  remnant  may  exist  on  the  surf- 
encircled  Geirfugla-drangr." 

Systematic  invasions  were  made  annually  on  the  Great 
Auk  between  the  sixteenth  and  eighteenth  centuries  off 
the  North  American  coasts,  especially  those  of  Newfound- 
land where  the  bird  was  extremely  plentiful.1 

Only  some  forty  years  after  the  American  Continent  was 
discovered,  British  as  well  as  French  traders  visited  the 
shores  of  Newfoundland,  "  driving  the  helpless  and  hapless 
birds  on  sails  or  planks  into  a  boat  '  as  many  as  shall  lade 
her'  and  salting  them  for  provision."  Such  slaughter  was 
indulged  in  until  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century.  "In 
1819,  Anspach  reported  their  entire  disappearance,  but  it 
is  possible  that  some  few  yet  lingered  "  (Newton).2 


COMMON  GUILLEMOT.     Una  troile  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
48;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  621  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  38  ;  Booth,  '  Kough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pis.  23,  24. 

The  swarms  of  Common  Guillemots  which  resort  to  the 
stupendous  cliffs  of  the  British  coasts  in  spring  and  summer, 
and  which  in  most  situations  outnumber  the  other  members 


1  It  would  appear  that  in  Greenland  the  bird  became  very  rare  at  a 
comparatively  early  date  and  as  far  back  as  300  years  ago  was  known 
only  as  a  straggler. 

2  On  Funk  Island,  their  last  resort,  large  numbers  of  bones  and  even 
mummified    remains    have    been   collected.      The   stone   enclosures   or 
*  pounds '  into  which  the  victims  were  driven  before  being  slaughtered 
have  also  been  found  and  described  by  several  travellers  long  after  the 
birds  ceased  to  exist. 

Mr.  Ussher  in  his  article,  '  The  Great  Auk.  Once  An  Irish  Bird ' 
('  Irish  Naturalist,'  1899,  pp.  1-3),  embodies  an  extract  from  Lady  Blake's 
article,  published  in  the  '  Victoria  Quarterly '  for  August,  1889,  which 
details  an  account  of  the  brutal  treatment  to  which  these  unfortunate 
birds  were  subjected. 


r— 

EH     g 


O         ® 

W  H   5 


COMMON   GUILLEMOT  483 

of  the  Auk-Family,  afford  a  spectacle  most  interesting  and 
at  the  same  time  familiar  to  many.  Like  their  congeners, 
these  birds  desert  the  cliffs  in  early  autumn,  at  which 
season  young  and  old  betake  themselves  to  the  open  sea. 

Guillemots,  especially  when  immature,  seem  unable  to 
cope  with  raging  winds  and  high  seas,  and  large  numbers 
are  frequently  destroyed  and  washed  ashore  after  a  hurri- 
cane. Such  birds  may  be  frequently  found  along  the  beach, 
but  in  addition  one  comes  across  not  a  few,  victimised  by 
the  gun  which  can  be  proved  by  examination,  in  many 
cases  being  left  by  the  '  sportsman  '  to  die  a  lingering  death 
on  the  waves.1 

Though  differing  in  size,  in  the  shape  of  the  head  and 
beak,  in  the  colour  of  the  back  and  wings,  and  in  other 
external  characters,  from  the  Kazorbill,  the  two  species  are 
much  alike  in  their  general  habits  of  life,  and  in  their 
movements. 

Flight. — It  is  quite  a  common  sight  to  see  'wisps'  of 
Guillemots — perhaps  a  dozen  or  so  together — flying  with 
rapidly-beating  pinions  along  the  surface  of  the  open  sea ; 
I  have  seen  them  settle  and  bunch  together  on  the  water, 
and  then  disappear  under  the  waves  almost  simultaneously. 
At  other  times  on  alighting  they  scatter  far  and  wide, 
appearing  like  dark  dots  riding  on  the  breakers.  The  to 
and  fro  movement  between  cliff  and  sea  is  rapidly  executed, 
yet  this  species  appears  to  move  less  buoyantly  in  the  air 
than  the  Razorbill,  the  wings  of  the  former  being  smaller 
proportionately,  and  less  strongly  built  than  those  of  the 
latter.  Under  water  the  Guillemot  can  propel  itself  with 
great  speed  by  means  of  its  wings. 

1  It  seems  a  pity  that  the  Common  Guillemot  has  become  reduced 
in  numbers  on  the  English  coast  owing  to  the  wholesale  way  in  which  it 
was  persecuted  annually,  prior  to  the  passing  of  the  Sea-Birds  Preserva- 
tion Act  (32  &  33  Viet.  cap.  17).  The  slaughter  which  went  on  day  after 
day  during  the  breeding-season,  "on  the  cliffs  of  the  Isle  of  Wight, 
near  Flamborough  Head,  and  at  such  other  stations  frequented  by  this 
species  and  its  allies  the  Razor-bill  and  Puffin,  and  the  Kitti wake- Gull, 
as  could  be  easily  reached  by  excursionists  from  London  and  the  large 
manufacturing  towns,  was  in  the  highest  degree  brutal.  No  use  what- 
ever could  be  made  of  the  bodies  of  the  victims,  which  indeed  those 
who  indulged  in  their  massacre  were  rarely  at  the  trouble  to  pick 
out  of  the  water;  the  birds  shot  were  all  engaged  in  breeding;  and 
most  of  them  had  young,  which  of  course  starved  through  the  destruc- 
tion of  their  parents,  intercepted  in  the  performance  of  the  most  sacred 
duty  of  nature,  and  butchered  to  gratify  the  murderous  lust  of  those  who 
sheltered  themselves  under  the  name  of  '  sportsmen  '"  (Newton). 


484 


Voice. — The  soft  murmuring  note  is  rather  peculiar  and 
not  unmusical ;  it  may  be  heard  in  a  broken  chorus  at  the 
breeding-stations.  The  piteous  cry  of  the  young  is  two- 
syllabled  and  sounds  like  willock-willocJc. 

Food. — In  autumn,  between  August  and  October,  the 
adults,  accompanied  by  their  offspring,  may  be  seen  scattered 
over  the  sea  at  no  great  distance  from  the  coast,  following 
the  '  schools '  of  small  fishes  upon  which  they  mainly 


FIG.  58.— COMMON   GUILLEMOT. 


subsist.  Crabs  are  also  taken  in  minor  quantities.  In 
November  but  few  Guillemots  are  seen  fishing  near  our 
shores,  and  by  December  the  birds  are  probably  scattered 
far  and  wide  over  the  boundless  main. 

Nest. — Guillemots  assemble  on  the  cliffs  much  about  the 
same  time  of  year  as  Razorbills.  Along  the  southern  coasts 
of  the  British  Isles  they  may  appear  as  early  as  the  first 
week  in  February ;  in  the  more  northern  districts  they  do 
not  land  at  their  rocky  homes  until  a  month  or  so  later. 


COMMON  GUILLEMOT  485 

As  already  mentioned,  it  is  on  the  exposed  ledges  of  great 
perpendicular  cliffs,  also  on  the  summits  of  huge  rock- 
stacks,  that  multitudes  mass  together.  Here  these  beauti- 
ful creatures  present  an  imposing  and  picturesque  spectacle. 
Their  numbers,  almost  countless,  are  arranged,  some  as 
closely  as  a  regiment  at  drill,  others  clustered  into  an 
irregular  crowd  at  the  summit  of  the  stack,  while  low 
down,  the  face  of  the  great  headland  appears  more  thinly 
populated.  Many  of  the  birds  stand  boldly  upright,  peer- 
ing round  at  the  approach  of  an  intruder.  The  hatching 
females  face  the  cliffs,  giving  one  the  impression  that  they 
are  crouching  to  elude  observation.  Yet  this  attitude  is  far 
from  expressing  fear ;  indeed,  no  bird  is  calmer,  sits  more 
closely,  or  displays  greater  affection  for  its  young,  than  the 
Guillemot.  The  parent-bird  will  suffer  one  almost  to  handle 
her  rather  than  relinquish  her  dearly-loved  offspring.  It  is 
to  prevent  the  great  solitary  egg  from  falling  off  the  plat- 
form, that  the  mother-bird  assumes  this  peculiar  pose  :  the 
pointed  end  of  each  egg  is  clasped  between  her  legs  and 
feet,  and  the  larger  end  pressed  firmly  against  her  lower 
breast-feathers,  too  short  almost  to  cover  it. 

Some  of  the  ledges  incline  obliquely  downwards,  and  on 
these  especially  the  birds  face  the  cliff.  On  less  sloping 
platforms  I  have  seen  them  sit  sideways,  and  when  the  eggs 
are  deposited  on  large,  roomy,  flat  surfaces,  many  Guillemots 
may  be  seen  hatching  with  their  breasts  facing  the  sea.  The 
eggs  often  get  smashed,  especially  in  densely-packed  colonies. 
Birds  huddled  closely  together  on  adjacent  ledges  at  times 
enter  into  conflict,  and  as  they  wax  hot  in  the  struggle  for 
supremacy,  an  egg  or  two  is  sent  tumbling  down  the  cliff. 
A  sudden  alarm,  such  as  the  report  of  a  gun,  will  so  terrify 
the  birds  that  they  may  quit  the  cliffs  before  stepping  free 
of  their  eggs,  which  are  sometimes  carried  a  yard  or  so 
from  the  ledge  before  being  dropped  from  under  the  feet 
of  the  owners. 

I  have  seen  some  magnificent  colonies  of  Guillemots 
around  the  Irish  coast,  but  one  of  the  finest  is  thus 
described  by  Mr.  Ussher  : — "  The  largest  assemblage  of 
Guillemots  in  Ireland  is  on  the  majestic  limestone  cliffs  of 
Moher  in  Clare.  These  rise  to  600  feet  and  their  coast- 
line is  indented,  huge  bastions  affording  points  from  which 
the  next  cliffs  can  be  viewed.  Their  faces  are  stratified  in 
bands  of  unequal  durability,  and  have  thus  been  worn  into 
deep  seams,  leaving  covered  shelves  and  ledges,  of  which  the 


486  ALCID^E 

vast  bird-population  takes  ample  advantage.  This  does  not 
fall  off  at  about  200  feet  from  the  water,  as  at  Horn  Head, 
but  covers  the  cliffs  up  to  500  feet.  At  this  height  the 
deeply-cut  horizontal  fissures  are  packed  with  a  dense 
multitude  of  hatching  Guillemots,  which  it  requires  careful 
scrutiny  to  inspect  from  the  next  cliff-top.  These  birds 
with  Kittiwakes  occupy  also  to  its  very  apex  that  remark- 
able pinnacle  which  rises  from  an  isolated  base  to  some 
200  feet  near  O'Brien's  Castle.  Its  sides  are  all  ledged  in 
the  lines  of  stratification,  which  are  carried  round  the 
angles  and,  as  it  tapers,  form  lines  of  prominence  round  its 
shaft.  It  seems  as  if  designed  to  hold  the  greatest  possible 
display  of  bird  life"  ('Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  862). 

The  single  egg,  remarkably  large  for  the  size  of  the 
bird,  is  much  elongated  and  pear-shaped.  It  varies  in 
ground-colour  as  well  as  in  other  markings.  Some  examples 
are  white,  streaked  and  blotched  with  brownish-black ; 
others  present  a  beautiful  bluish-green  tinge  marked  simi- 
larly and  exhibiting  zig-zag  ink-like  scrolls.  Less  frequently 
they  are  suffused  with  rich  chestnut-red  as  seen  in  some 
of  those  of  the  Eazorbill.  Lastly,  blue  or  white  eggs, 
devoid  of  markings,  are  not  uncommon  varieties.  Incuba- 
tion begins  about  the  middle  of  May,  and  nestlings  are 
seldom  observed  before  the  middle  of  June.  During  the 
process  of  hatching  the  shells  generally  become  much  soiled. 

About  the  middle  of  July  the  young  reach  the  sea,  being 
pushed  off  the  cliffs  by  their  parents.  After  the  first  week 
in  August  the  breeding-haunts  are  quite  deserted.  I  have 
not  seen  the  offspring  transported  to  the  water  in  the  hollow 
of  the  parent's  back,  as  has  been  stated  by  some  observers. 
The  young,  on  first  reaching  the  water,  remain  on  the 
surface  crying  like  little  Razorbills ;  soon,  however,  they 
learn  to  follow  the  old  birds  under  the  water. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Guillemot  breeds 
in  the  Faroes,  Iceland,  and  over  a  large  area  of  the  coasts 
and  islands  of  Northern  Europe  and  the  Arctic  Ocean.  In 
Temperate  Europe  it  breeds  in  the  Baltic  Sea,  on  Heligo- 
land, on  parts  of  the  coast  of  France,  and  eggs  have  been 
obtained  from  the  Berlengas  Islands,  off  Portugal  (Saunders). 
The  breeding-range  on  the  American  Continent  extends 
from  Greenland,  Northern  Canada,  and  Alaska,  down  to 
California  and  New  England ;  and  on  the  Pacific  side  to 
Japan.  In  autumn  and  winter  the  Guillemot  inhabits 
the  North  Atlantic  Ocean  down  to  lat.  30°  N.,  and  abounds 


COMMON  GUILLEMOT  487 

in  winter  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean,  where  a  form  with 
a  stronger  beak  is  to  be  found.  It  also  frequents  the  seas 
of  Europe  in  winter,  and  small  numbers  occasionally  occur- 
in  the  Mediterranean. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Top  of  head,  hind- 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  shading  from  greyish  to 
brownish-black ;  cheeks,  chin,  throat,  and  fore-neck,  dark 
sooty-brown  ;  secondaries,  brown,  tipped  with  white,  form- 
ing a  short,  narrow  wing-bar ;  primaries,  greyish-black  with 
paler  inner  webs;  tail  (of  12  feathers),  brownish-black; 
lower  fore-neck,  breast,  abdomen,  under  tail-  and  wing- 
coverts,  white;  flanks,  white  streaked  with  grey. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female.  —  Chin,  throat,  fore- 
neck,  and  cheeks,  white ;  sides  of  head  behind  the  eye  also 
white,  bounded  below  by  a  narrow  post-ocular  dark  greyish- 
black  band. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  winter- 
plumage,  except  that  the  white  on  the  sides  of  the  head  and 
fore-neck  is  mottled  with  dusky-brown. 

BEAK.     Blackish,  lighter  at  the  base  of  the  lower  segment. 

FEET.  Dark  brownish-black  behind  and  on  both  sides  of 
the  webs ;  front  of  the  tarso-metatarsus  and  toes,  brownish- 
white. 

IRIDES.  Brownish-black. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...  18     in.     Female  smaller. 

WING        7-5  „ 

BEAK         1-9  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...       1*5   ,, 
EGG  3-25  x  2  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — The  Einged 
or  Bridled  Guillemot  is  not  a  distinct  species,  and  inter- 
mixes with  thousands  of  the  Common  form.  It  is  so  named 
because  its  eyelids  are  margined  with  white,  and  there  is  a 
white  stripe  in  the  furrow  behind  them. 


488  ALCID.E 


BRUNNICH'S   GUILLEMOT.     Una  bruennichi  (E.  Sabine). 

Coloured    Figures. — Dresser,    '  Birds    of    Europe,'   vol.   viii,    pi. 
622  ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pis.  39,  40. 

This  Guillemot,  abundant  in  the  breeding-season  over  a 
vast  area  of  the  mainland  and  islands  in  the  Arctic  Ocean, 
also  along  the  American  sea-board  of  the  North  Atlantic  l 
and  in  Behring  Sea,  is  a  very  rare  visitor  to  British  waters  ; 
it  resembles  generally  the  Common  species,  from  which, 
however,  it  may  be  distinguished  by  its  superior  size, 
stouter  and  deeper  beak,  and  more  curved  and  darker 
plumage  on  the  upper  parts. 

Four  authenticated  specimens  have  been  obtained  in 
England  as  follows  : — One,  December  7th,  1894,  at  Scar- 
borough (Harting,  '  Zoologist,'  1895,  p.  70,  and  Proc.  Linn. 
Soc.,  January  17th,  1895) ;  two,  January  30th,  1895,  at 
Filey  (Grabhain,  '  Zoologist/  1895) ;  and  one,  January 
12th,  1895,  in  Cambridgeshire  (Tuck,  '  Zoologist,'  1895, 
p.  70).  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  three  of  the  four 
birds  were  procured  from  the  same  neighbourhood  along 
the  Yorkshire  coast,  and  that  all  were  taken  much  about 
the  same  time.  Thus  it  seems  evident  that  a  visitation 
consisting  of  several  Briinmch's  Guillemots  frequented  the 
seas  of  the  east  side  of  England  in  that  particular  season. 

Three  other  specimens,  probably  British,  have  been 
recorded,  viz.  : — One  from  Caithness,  once  in  the  Sinclair 
collection  at  Wick ;  another  sent  from  the  Orkneys,  found 
by  Macgillivray  among  skins  belonging  to  the  late  Mr. 
Wilson,  janitor  to  the  University  of  Edinburgh ;  a  third 
from  the  mouth  of  the  River  Orwell,  in  Suffolk  (Saunders). 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back 
of  neck,  glossy  greenish-black  ;  back,  scapulars,  wings,  and 
tail,  darker  black  ;  sides  of  head,  throat,  and  fore-neck,  very 
dark  sooty-brown  ;  secondaries,  edged  with  white,  forming 


1  On  September  3rd,  1906,  I  observed  several  birds  which  I  believe 
were  of  this  species,  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  not  far  from  the  Straits 
of  Bellisle.  Among  them  were  Puffins,  Razorbills,  and  Common  Guille- 
mots. The  birds  swam  quite  close  to  the  ship,  and  I  kept  them  in  view 
for  several  minutes  with  a  powerful  Zeiss  prism-binocular. 


BLACK  GUILLEMOT  489 

a  narrow  alar  bar;  front  of  neck,1  breast,  abdomen,  and 
under  tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  feathers  of  the 
throat,  cheeks,  and  chin,  are  white,  but  this  species  "  appar- 
ently does  not  assume  the  white  patches  on  each  side  of 
the  occiput  "  (W.  E.  Ogilvie-Grant,  Cat.  Birds  Brit.  Mus., 
vol.  xxvi,  p.  579). 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage. 

BEAK.  Black  with  a  white  line  without  feathers  2  along 
the  lower  edge  of  the  upper  segment  (tomia  maxillary)  from 
the  nostrils  to  the  gape. 

FEET.     Brownish. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

EGG.  Thicker  and  blunter  than  that  of  the  Common 
Guillemot,  but  very  like  it  in  markings  :  clutch,  one. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 19       in.    Female  smaller. 

WING      8-25   „ 

BEAK3        1-75     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS      ...       T5     ,, 
EGG  3'25  x  2  in. 


BLACK   GUILLEMOT.     Uria  grylle  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
49  ;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  623  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  41. 

The  Black  Guillemot,  a  bird  of  rather  local  distribution, 
differs  from  other  British  Auks  in  many  of  its  habits.4  Far 
from  being  gregarious,  it  is  seldom  seen,  even  about  its 

1  The  white  in  front  of  the  neck  terminates  in  a  point,  whereas  in 
the  Common  Guillemot  the  white  meets  the  brown  in  a  rounded  arch. 

2  In  the  Common  Guillemot  this  part  of  the  edge  of  the  upper  segment 
of  the  beak  is  concealed  from  view  by  short  dense  feathers. 

3  Beak  of  immature  bird  much  smaller. 

4  By  some  systematists  this  bird  has  been  separated  from  the  other 
Auks,  and  has  been  placed  in  the  Genus  Cepphus  (Saunders). 


490  ALCID^E 

breeding-haunts,  in  large  numbers,  and  in  midwinter  it  is 
much  more  partial  to  the  sheltered  waters  of  bays  and 
creeks,  and  in  a  less  degree  to  tidal  rivers,  than  to  the  wide 
expanse  of  oceanic  waters.  During  the  winter  months 
single  birds  or  small  parties  may  be  observed  swimming 
close  to  the  shore,  but  I  have  very  rarely  known  of  storm- 
driven  examples  being  picked  up  dead  on  the  beach. 
Another  distinguishing  feature  of  the  Black  Guillemot  is 
its  plumage-marking.  Even  at  a  distance  on  the  water  the 
general  sooty-brown  colour  and  bright  white  patch  on  the 
wing  are  very  noticeable :  the  winter-garb,1  however,  and 
that  of  the  immature  bird  conform  more  to  the  Auk  type  of 
plumage.  Again,  the  Black  Guillemot,  alone  among  British 
Auks,  hatches  more  than  one  egg  at  a  time,  and  her  young 
remain  in  the  nesting-hole  until  they  are  able  to  fly. 

This  species  is  most  numerous  in  the  northern  portions 
of  the  British  Isles.  It  may  be  regarded  as  plentiful  in  the 
large  Northern  and  Western  Island-Groups,  becoming  less 
so  along  the  eastern  sea-board. 

On  the  English  coast,  especially  in  the  south,  also  in 
Wales,  it  is  comparatively  scarce. 

In  Ireland  it  is  met  with  most  frequently  along  the  north 
and  west  coasts,  resorting  in  spring  and  summer  to  the  wild 
rocky  shores  washed  by  the  Atlantic. 

Flight. — On  the  wing  the  Black  Guillemot  travels  with 
rapidly-beating  pinions,  and  it  may  be  seen  also  scudding 
along  the  sea  with  its  feet  dangling  and  striking  the  water. 
Like  other  non-gregarious  birds  it  approaches  its  nest 
cautiously  from  fear  of  being  detected,  so  that  its  to  and 
fro  movements  between  cliff  and  sea  cannot  be  studied  with 
the  same  ease  as  in  the  case  of  its  congeners. 

Voice. — The  cry  is  much  more  audible  at  a  little  distance 
than  that  of  either  the  Razorbill  or  Common  Guillemot ; 
the  note  is  plaintive  and  highly-pitched. 

Food. — This  consists  of  small  fish,  crabs,2  and  other  marine 
creatures.  It  would  appear  that  the  Black  Guillemot  often 
dives  and  ascends  almost  perpendicularly  ;  I  have  frequently 
observed  it  rise  close  to  the  spot  where  it  first  descended. 


1  Except   that   of    very   old   birds   which   retain   the  dark  plumage 
throughout  the  year  (vide  DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS). 

2  In  the  stomachs  of  several  Black  Guillemots  which  I  collected  off 
the  west  coast  of  Ireland  in  April,  1900,  I  found  the  remains  of  various 
species  of  crabs  which  Mr.  E.  Holt  very  kindly  identified  as  follows  : — 


BLACK  GUILLEMOT  491 

Nest. — Early  in  April  this  bird  seeks  for  its  breeding- 
quarters,  the  quietude  of  rock-fissures  in  cliffs  of  very 
varying  altitudes,  though  never  at  a  great  height  above 
the  sea-level.  It  keeps  apart  from  the  throngs  of  Common 
Guillemots,  Kazorbilis,  and  Kitti wakes,  nevertheless,  I  have 
seen  all  four  species  breeding  within  the  confines  of  one 
small  island.  I  have  'found  the  nesting-cavity  in  a  deep 
hole  at  the  base  of  a  cliff  only  a  few  feet  above  the  sea-level. 
This  Guillemot  also  breeds  under  masses  of  loose  stones, 
especially  on  low,  flat  islands,  I  have  records  of  odd  pairs 
nesting  on  the  mainland  of  the  Dublin  coast,  as  well  as  on 
Lambay  Island  and  Ireland's  Eye,  though  along  the  east 
side  of  Ireland  it  breeds  but  sparingly. 

Colonies,  strictly  speaking,  are  not  formed  ;  yet  in  very 
favoured  localities — such  as  along  the  Galway  coast — where 
the  great  solid  rocks  are  freely  fissured,  several  pairs  may 
be  found  breeding  in  close  proximity.  The  eggs  are  laid  in 
May  and  are  two  in  number.  The  ground-colour  is  white  ; 
in  some  specimens  very  faintly  shaded  with  bluish-green, 
and  the  blotches  vary  from  light  to  dark  brown. 

Both  sexes  incubate. 

The  young  quit  their  nest  about  the  middle  of  July  and 
appear  to  be  sufficiently  matured  to  look  after  themselves 
almost  as  soon  as  they  take  to  the  water.  According  to 
some  observers  the  parent-birds  continue  to  feed  them  for 
some  time  afterwards. 


In  an  adult  male  were  remains  of  Portunus  arcuatus  (a  swimming 
crab),  some  of  these  creatures  being  almost  entire  :  the  largest  measured 
14  mm.  across  the  carapace  (body-shell),  the  smallest  10  mm.,  also 
fragments  of  larger  crustaceans  too  broken  up  to  allow  of  identification  : 
several  pieces  of  Litlio-thammia  (a  stony  weed)  were  present. 

The  stomach  of  an  adult  female  contained  the  greater  part  of  a 
Hermit-crab  (Pagurus  bernhardus\  with  no  shell  surrounding  it  and 
with  one  of  the  large  claws  missing,  probably  pulled  off,  as  the  bird  tried 
to  extract  the  crab  from  its  shell.  Portunus  was  also  found,  the  largest 
carapace  measuring  17  mm. 

The  stomach  of  another  adult  female  contained  Paguridce,  several 
forms  of  Brachyura,  and  remains  of  other  unidentified  crustaceans.  The 
gizzard  of  a  young  male  contained  Portunus  arcuatus  in  large  quantities, 
also  the  claw  of  a  Pagurid,  the  claw  of  Procellana  longicornis,  and  the 
remains  of  Galathea  squamifera.  All  these  birds  were  obtained  from 
the  same  locality,  viz.,  Ballynakill  Bay,  co.  Galway,  and  on  the  same 
date,  April  13th,  1900.  I  was  surprised  to  find  no  fish  present  in  the 
stomachs,  and  from  the  nature  of  the  food  it  seems  obvious  that  these 
Guillemots  must  have  descended  to  a  considerable  depth  to  pick  the 
creatures  from  the  floor  of  the  sea  or  from  submerged  rocks. 


492  ALCID^E 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Black  Guillemot 
breeds  on  the  Faroes,  Iceland,  and  the  coasts  of  the 
Continent  of  Northern  Europe  as  far  east  as  the  White 
Sea.  Along  the  Atlantic  sea- board  of  North  America  it  is 
found  nesting  from  South  Greenland  to  Newfoundland  ;  on 
migration  in  autumn  and  winter  it  inhabits  the  North 
Atlantic  and  the  Seas  of  Europe  as  far  south  as  about 
lat.  40°  N. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — General  plumage  very 
dark  brownish-black  displaying  an  iridescent  hue  of  rich 
glossy  greenish-purple  and  a  large  pure  white  patch  on 
each  wing  ;  basal  portion  of  inner  webs  of  primaries  and 
secondaries,  also  the  under  W7ing-coverts  and  axillaries, 
white  ;  tail  consists  of  twelve  feathers. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Top  of  head,  white, 
streaked  with  black ;  back,  scapulars,  and  upper  tail-coverts, 
barred  with  black  and  white  ;  rump,  nearly  white  with  a 
few  streaks  of  greyish -black;  throat,  front  of  neck,  chin, 
cheeks,  breast,  and  abdomen  (as  in  other  Auks),  white; 
though  in  the  Black  Guillemot  this  colour  is  less  pure.  "  As 
age  advances  the  white  winter  plumage  is  less  completely 
assumed,  very  old  examples  remaining  in  black  plumage 
throughout  the  year"  (W.  R.  Ogilvie-Grant,  Cat.  Birds  Brit. 
Mus.,  vol.  xxvi,  p.  583). 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage,  but  there  is  only  very  faint  barring  of 
white  on  the  back,  scapulars,  and  upper  tail-coverts ;  the 
white  patch  on  the  wing-coverts  is  splashed  with  brown. 
Birds  in  their  second  spring  assume  dark  plumage  like  the 
breeding-dress,  but  retain  the  brownish  patches  on  the 
white  wing-coverts. 

BEAK.     Black  ;  inside  of  the  mouth  vermilion-red. 

FEET.     Vermilion-red. 

IKIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  14  in. 

WING    6-5  „ 

BEAK    1-5  ,, 

TARSO-METATAESUS         1-25 ,, 

EGG  2'3  X  1'5  in. 


LITTLE  AUK  493 

Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. —  U.  mandti, 
an  Arctic  form,  with  12  tail-feathers,  with  the  bases  of 
the  feathers  forming  the  wing-patch,  pure  white,  and  the 
black  with  a  distinct  green  tinge,  is  common  in  the  waters 
of  Spitzbergen,  Novaya  Zemlya,  Franz  Josef  Land,  Arctic 
Siberia  and  round  to  Behring  Sea.  U.  columba,  with 
14  tail-feathers,  and  a  black  V-shaped  bar  on  the  white 
wing-coverts,  frequents  the  latter  waters,  while  U.  carbo, 
with  14  tail-feathers  and  with  no  white  on  the  wings,  is 
found  further  south,  extending  its  range  to  Japan  in 
winter.  U.  snowi,  an  Eastern  representative  entirely 
black,  or  with  narrow  white  tips  to  the  wing-coverts,  and 
14  tail-feathers,  ranges  from  Southern  Kamtschatka  to 
Japan. 


LITTLE  AUK.     Mergulus  alle  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
50  ;  Dresser, « Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  624  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  42. 

As  a  British  species  this  sturdy  little  sea-bird  is  not 
plentiful,  though  it  visits  our  seas  with  fair  regularity  in  the 
winter  months.  It  occurs  chiefly  in  the  north,  less  fre- 
quently down  the  eastern  seaboard  of  England. 

It  visits  the  Welsh  coast  probably  every  winter,  while 
in  Ireland,  many  maritime  counties,  more  especially  in  the 
north  and  west,  bear  records  of  its  visits. 

As  in  Great  Britain  so  also  in  Ireland,  unusually  large 
numbers  have  been  obtained  after  heavy  storms,  not  only 
on  the  coast  but  on  inland  rivers  and  lakes.1  As  instances 
may  be  cited  the  hurricanes  which  raged  in  October,  1841, 2 
and  in  the  winters  of  1893  and  1895.  In  the  January  of 
the  last  mentioned  year,  great  numbers3  were  taken  in 
Great  Britain  and  in  Ireland. 

1  According  to  Mr.  Ussher  the  Little  Auk  has  been  obtained  twice  on 
each  of  the  following  waters  : — Kiver  Shannon,  Lough  Erne  and  Lough 
Neagh. 

2  After  this  gale  specimens  were  secured  in  two  inland  counties,  viz., 
Kilkenny  and  Queen's  Co.  (Ussher). 

3  On  the  Norfolk  coast  alone  Mr.   A.    Patterson   gives   302   as   the 
numbers  taken  in  January,  1895  ('  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  297). 


494 

Stranded  specimens  washed  ashore  after  storms,  have 
been  recorded ;  and  Mr.  Warren  tells  me  that  he  has 
picked  up  several — some  entire,  others  half  devoured  by 
gulls,  rats,  &c. — on  the  Sligo  coast. 

Of  much  greater  rarity  in  our  Isles  is  the  occurrence  of 
the  Little  Auk  in  full  nuptial  dress,  of  which  we  have  the 
following  substantiated  records.  Thompson  mentions  an 
occurrence  in  Ulster  on  May  22nd,  1846  (Nat.  Hist.  Irel.) ; 
one  shot  at  Wells  in  Norfolk  on  May  26th,  1857  (Stevenson, 
*  Zoologist,'  1857)  ;  one  picked  up  dead  on  the  Solent  in 
1870,  now  in  the  collection  of  the  late  Mr.  F.  Bond  ;  another 
at  present  in  the  Museum  at  Cambridge  (Harting,  Handb. 
Brit.  Birds,  1901,  p.  274)  ;  one  obtained  on  Monach  Island, 
one  of  the  Outer  Hebrides,  where  the  bird  is  never  common, 
on  June  24th,  1893  (Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1894,  p.  55)  ; 
and  one  received  from  Tory  Island  off  Donegal,  in  May, 
1895,  by  Mr.  K.  M.  Barrington. 

The  Little  Auk  is  the  least  in  size  of  the  Family  to 
which  it  belongs :  it  is  a  neat  little  creature  with  snowy 
breast  and  dark  glossy  upper  parts.  At  the  same  time  it 
is  very  hardy  and  compactly  built,  well  adapted  for  its 
rough  seafaring  life,  and  able  to  endure  and  to  enjoy  itself 
in  the  intense  cold  of  high  Arctic  latitudes.  American 
fishermen  call  it  the  '  Ice-bird,'  for  it  is  often  seen  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  icebergs.  Mr.  Saunders  mentions  that 
when  on  board  a  steamer  passing  through  the  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence,  he  saw  a  flock  of  Little  Auks  as  early  as  August 
15th,  1884,  and  there  was  much  ice  in  the  Gulf,  and  on 
August  16th  of  this  year  I  detected  a  few  among  numbers 
of  Razorbills  and  Puffins  when  passing  an  iceberg  in  the 
same  locality. 

Flight. — If  necessity  arises  this  little  bird  can  fly  with 
considerable  speed,  but  when  frightened,  as  by  an  approach- 
ing vessel,  it  usually  gets  away  by  flitting  along  the  surface 
of  the  water  for  a  short  distance  like  a  Black  Guillemot, 
and  then  suddenly  disappearing  from  view  by  plunging  into 
a  wave.  Under  water  it  travels  remarkably  fast,  and  when 
it  rises  to  the  surface  swims  rather  low. 

Voice. — This  species  is  said  to  be  rather  noisy,  uttering 
a  sound  like  dlle-dlle,  from  which  its  specific  name  is  taken. 

Food. — Small  fishes,  crabs,  and  other  marine  creatures, 
form  the  diet,  and  in  autumn  and  winter  Little  Auks  may 
be  seen  near  fishing-vessels  in  quest  of  animal  offal.  "  Col. 
Feilden  found  nestlings  just  hatched  on  July  28th ;  and 


LITTLE  AUK  495 

subsequently  noticed  that  the  parents  had  their  cheeks 
distended  with  a  reddish  substance,  consisting  of  immense 
numbers  of  minute  crustaceans,  which  were  evidently  in- 
tended as  food  for  the  young"  (Saunders). 

Nest. — In  the  spring  season,  as  our  cliffs  are  becoming 
tenanted  by  great  throngs  of  allied  species  (Kazorbills, 
Puffins,  and  Guillemots),  the  Little  Auk  deserts  us  for 
higher  latitudes. 

The  single  egg  is  usually  laid  in  the  recess  of  a  sloping 
cliff  (sometimes  quite  low  down),  in  holes,  and  under  stones  ; 
in  other  cases  it  is  deposited  on  a  headland  hundreds  of  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  egg  is  pale  sea-blue  in 
colour ;  in  some  examples  indistinct  reddish-brown  spots 
and  streaks  are  to  be  seen. 

Incubation  does  not  appear  to  become  general  until  about 
the  middle  of  June. 

Geographical  distribution. — This  species  ranges  in  the 
breeding-season  in  many  countries  of  Arctic  Europe,  from 
Iceland  eastward  to  Novaya  Zemlya.  In  Spitzbergen,  and 
as  far  as  the  drift  ice  at  lat.  82°  N.,  astonishing  numbers 
assemble.  Off  Franz  Josef  Land  Dr.  Nansen  observed  it 
as  early  as  February  25th,  1896  (Saunders).  Westward 
the  breeding-range  extends  from  Greenland  to  the  eastern 
side  of  Arctic  Canada,  where  the  bird  abounds,  though  west 
of  Baffin  Bay,  in  Behring  Sea,  the  Arctic  regions  of  the 
Asiatic  Continent,  and  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  it  would  appear 
that  it  has  not  been  traced. 

In  autumn  and  winter  the  Little  Auk  is  distributed 
over  the  waters  of  the  North  Atlantic  Ocean  and  North 
Sea,  migrating  south  to  about  lat.  35°  N. 

Considering  the  enormous  numbers  of  colonies  and  the 
countless  throngs  which  compose  them,  it  seems  evident 
that  the  birds  must  scatter  themselves  over  a  vast  area 
of  oceanic  water  during  their  southern  peregrinations  in 
autumn  and  winter,  for  at  such  times  they  are  never  seen 
in  anything  like  the  numbers  in  which  they  congregate  to 
breed. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Top  of  head,  hind- 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  wings,  rump,  and  upper  tail-coverts, 
glossy  greyish-black  ;  rest  of  head,  sides  and  front  of  neck, 
chin,  and  throat,  sooty-black ;  scapulars  margined  with 


496  ALCIDM 

white  ;  secondaries  edged  with  white  which  forms  a  narrow 
alar  bar;  primaries,  greyish-black;  tail  (of  12  feathers), 
similar  in  colour ;  lower  neck,  breast,  abdomen,  and  under 
tail-coverts,  white  ;  over  the  eye  is  a  small  white  patch. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Chin,  lower  portions 
of  the  cheeks,  throat,  sides  and  front  of  neck,1  white  ;  other- 
wise similar  to  the  nuptial  plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage,  except  that  the  feathers  of  the  upper  parts 
are  not  glossy. 

BEAK.     Blackish  ;   short  and  strong. 

FEET.     Brownish-green,  with  darker  webs. 

IRIDES.  Light  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 8-5  in. 

WING    4-6  „ 

BEAK    0*65  ,, 

TARSO-METATAESUS        0'9     ,, 

EGG  1-9  x  1-25  in. 


1  In  spring  and  autumn  these  regions  are  mottled  with  black  and 
white :  I  have  several  times  picked  up  Common  Guillemots  showing  this 
transitional  stage  of  plumage. 


PUFFIN  497 

Sub-Family  FBATEKCULIN^. 
PUFFIN.     Fratercuia  arctica  (Linnseus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
51 ;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  625  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  43  ;  Booth,  '  Kough  Notes/ 
vol.  iii,  pi.  25. 

Though  rather  more  locally  distributed  around  our 
coasts  than  either  the  Eazorbill  or  the  Common  Guillemot, 
yet  the  Puffin  is  one  of  the  most  familiar  of  all  rock-birds. 
This  is  readily  understood  ;  for  even  to  the  most  casual 
observer  it  is  a  remarkable-looking  Auk,  at  once  attracting 
attention,  especially  in  the  breeding- season,  when  tame  to 
a  degree,  it  swarms  in  thousands  on  certain  cliffs.  During 
the  winter1  months,  but  few  birds  frequent  our  coasts,  for  at 
that  season  the  vast  majority  are  leading  a  wandering  life 
on  the  open  sea. 

Like  other  Auks,  this  species  has  been  recorded  occa- 
sionally from  inland  localities,  having  been  blown  in  from 
the  sea  by  the  storms  of  late  autumn  and  winter.  But  even 
in  summer  it  has  been  known  to  appear  in  strange  places. 
Thus  "  Mr.  Kane  relates  that  early  in  June  1893  a  man 
in  his  employment,  near  Monaghan,  brought  him  a  live 
Puffin  in  a  state  of  starvation  which  had  walked  into  his 
cottage  with  his  ducks  "  (Ussher). 

Flight. — The  flight  is  swift  and  well  sustained  and  the 
bird,  with  rapidly-beating  pinions,  usually  pursues  a  straight 
path.  On  the  approach  of  a  steamer,  it  may  be  seen  at 
times  fluttering  over  the  surface2  for  several  hundred  yards, 
as  though  unable  to  rise  ;  generally,  however,  it  endeavours 
to  escape  by  diving. 

During  the  breeding-season,  Puffins  may  be  seen  almost 
all  day  long  flitting  rapidly  twixt  sea  and  cliff,  some  hurry- 
ing up  with  food  for  the  young,  others  returning  to  the 


1  On  January  2nd,  1891,  after  a  storm,  I  picked  up  an  adult  bird  on 
Bray  beach,  co.  Wicklow ;  this  specimen,  which  I  mounted,  proved  to 
be  a  peculiarly  fine  one  in  full  winter-dress,  showing  the  smaller  and  less 
highly -coloured  beak  than  that  which  accompanies  the  nuptial  plumage. 

2  I  have  observed  this  habit  not  only  in  our  seas,  but  also  in  the  Gulf 
of   St.    Lawrence   where   the    steamer    I   was   aboard    passed    through 
great  numbers. 

32 


498 


ALCIM5 


water  ;l  and  in  densely-packed  colonies  they  seem  to  fill  the 
air  like  a  swann  of  gigantic  flies.  On  sea  they  are  much 
less  noticeable  than  on  land,  but  even  when  flying  the 
massive  head  and  remarkably  deep  beak  are  distinguishable. 
Food. — Food  is  procured  by  diving,  at  which  the  Puffin 
is  expert.  It  uses  both  wings  and  legs  to  propel  itself  under 
water,  and  can  turn  adroitly  in  pursuit  of  '  fry'  at  no  great 
depth  from  the  surface.  When  catering  for  their  young, 
the  parent-birds  capture  several  fish  in  rapid  succession, 
and  as  many  as  half-a-dozen  may  be  seen  dangling  from 
the  sides  of  their  beaks  when  they  arrive  on  the  slopes  of 
the  cliff.  Small  crabs  are  also  eaten  by  the  adult  birds. 


FIG.  59.— PUFFIN. 


Nest. — About  the  middle  of  March  the  birds  begin  to 
assemble  on  the  cliffs  of  both  island  and  mainland.  The 
numbers  increase  for  a  couple  of  weeks  or  more,  until 
colonies,  in  some  places  composed  of  countless  throngs, 
have  assembled.  Breeding  as  they  do  in  burrows,  generally 
those  appropriated  from  rabbits,  these  birds  require  earthy 
soil,  so  that  on  barren,  precipitous  headlands  teeming  with 
Guillemots  and  Kittiwakes,  they  are  often  scarce.  But 
should  the  summits  of  the  cliffs  be  capped  with  patches  of 
soft  earth,  then  Puffins  may  be  seen  ascending  to  their  lofty 
though  subterranean  homes. 


1  At  the  appearance  of  the  Falcon  thousands  leave  the  cliffs  and  dart 
downwards  to  the  sea  with  amazing  speed. 


PUFFIN  499 

Often  an  interesting  insight  into  Puffin  family-life  is 
gained  by  the  observer  who,  taking  a  quiet  walk  on  a  day  in 
June  round  the  sharp  bend  of  a  sloping  cliff  honeycombed 
with  rabbit-burrows,  suddenly  finds  himself  in  the  midst  of 
a  Puffin-colony,  where  hundreds  of  these  little  creatures  are 
standing  erect  and  gazing  with  their  knowing  little  eyes, 
half  grave,  half  comical  in  expression,  astonishing  him  with 
their  confidence  and  impudent  demeanour.  Odd-looking 
Auks  indeed  they  are,  and  with  what  a  curious  mixture  of 
facial  expression  !•  Their  fat,  bulging,  and  good  humoured- 
looking  cheeks  offer  a  bold  contrast  to  the  gravity  of 
countenance  displayed  in  their  great,  aquiline,  nose-like 
beak,  while  the  dignity  of  this  member's  form  is,  in  turn, 
sadly  marred  by  the  way  in  which  Nature  has  embossed, 
grooved,  and  tattoed  it  in  glaring  colours. 

The  usual  attitude  of  this  Auk  when  not  alarmed  is 
almost  erect.  The  whole  foot,  including  the  heel,  touches 
the  ground,  and  though  the  bird  is  '  standing '  in  the  true 
sense  of  the  word,  it  is  commonly  described  as  '  sitting  up.' 
But  directly  it  catches  sight  of  the  spectator,  curiosity  is 
aroused,  and  it  raises  itself  on  tiptoe,  the  position  generally 
depicted  in  '  photographs  from  nature.'1  The  bird  walks  in 
a  decidedly  awkward  and  shuffling  manner ;  the  heels  are 
barely  raised  off  the  ground,  yet  at  each  step  the  feet  are 
sprawled  far  apart  while  the  body  waddles  from  side  to  side. 

On  some  headlands,  the  single  egg  is  deposited  on  the 
ledge  or  crevice  of  a  cliff.  Kabbits  are  said  to  be  dislodged 
from  their  rightful  homes  and  may  get  bitten  (and  this  the 
Puffin  can  do  viciously  with  his  formidable  beak),  should 
they  resist  eviction. 

Where  rabbit-burrows  are  scarce,  or  the  soil  is  hard  and 
stony,  the  bird  scrapes  for  itself  a  comparatively  shallow 
hole  :  the  nest  is  composed  of  dry  grass  and  a  few  feathers. 

The  egg,  the  shell  of  which  is  rough  in  texture,  is  at  first 
greyish- white,  finely  spotted,  sometimes  even  zoned  with 
pale  lilac  and  pale  reddish-brown. 

Incubation  begins  about  the  first  week  in  May,  and 
lasts  a  month,  and  during  that  time  the  shell  becomes  much 


1  This  attitude  is  easily  secured  by  the  aid  of  a  camera,  but  it  is  not 
really  natural,  expressing,  as  it  does,  a  position  of  unusual  attention 
rather  than  one  of  comfort  and  satisfaction.  To  photograph  a  Puffin  in 
a  perfectly  natural  attitude  (as  it  may  be  seen  from  ambush)  would  be  a 
much  more  difficult  task. 


500 

discoloured.  The  young  keep  to  their  burrows  until  they 
are  well  fledged,  when  they  flutter  down  and  accompany 
their  parents  out  to  sea.  They  run  the  chance  of  being 
seized  by  Falcons,  and  by  the  larger  Gulls,  especially  if  the 
burrows  are  not  quite  close  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff. 

Before  August  is  over,  the  cliffs  are  quite  deserted  and 
the  birds  may  be  seen  scattered  on  the  neighbouring  seas. 
A  distinct  southerly  move  takes  place  in  autumn1  and  after 
November,  few  birds,  save  stragglers,  are  seen  off  our 
coasts. 

The  following  localities  accommodate  large  colonies  :— 
In  England ;  the  Scilly  Isles,  Lundy  Island,  Flamborough 
Cliffs,  and  the  Fame  Islands. 

In  Scotland;  the  large  Western  and  Northern  Groups, 
including  St.  Kilda. 

In  Ireland ;  many  of  the  islands  off  the  wild  western  and 
southern  shores,  also  Kathlin  Island  and  Horn  Head  in  the 
north,  and  the  Saltees,  and  Lambay2  on  the  east  coast. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Though  reaching  higher 
latitudes  than  our  Islands,  yet  the  Puffin  is  a  bird  which 
resorts  to  Temperate  and  Sub-arctic  regions  in  the  breeding- 
season.  Thus  in  Europe  its  range  extends  from  the  coast 
of  France  up  the  Channel  Isles,  northward  to  the  Faroes, 
Iceland,  and  the  Norway  coast.  Eastward  it  reaches 
Novaya  Zemlya.  In  America  it  breeds  in  Greenland  up 
to  70°  N.  lat.  and  along  the  east  coast  of  Canada  as  far 
south  as  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  migrating  in  winter  down  to 
Massachusetts  (Saunders).  On  its  southern  migration  it 
is  not  uncommon  in  many  European  Seas  including  the 
Mediterranean,  as  far  east  as  Sicily,  but  it  chiefly  resorts 
to  the  North  Atlantic  Ocean,  down  to  lat.  40°  N. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.     Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  greyish- 
black  ;  forehead,  dark  grey ;  cheeks,  chin,  throat,  and  sides 


1  Mr.  Harvie-Brown  cites  that  at  Eilean  Ghlais,  countless  numbers 
were  observed  travelling  south  during  the  first  three  days  of  August, 
1894  (Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1894,  p.  224). 

2  On  June  17th,  and  again  on  July  22nd,  1900,  I  visited  this  Island 
and  found  a  small  colony  breeding  in  rabbit-burrows  on  the  slope  of  the 
cliffs. 


PUFFIN  501 

of  head,  light  greyish- white,  the  cheeks  of  a  lighter  shade  ; 
neck  completely  surrounded  by  a  broad  black  collar  ;  back, 
scapulars,  wings,  and  upper  tail-coverts,  glossy-black ;  tail 
(of  16  feathers),  black ;  primaries,  brownish-black ;  breast, 
abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage  except  that  the  cheeks  are  dark  grey,  especially  in 
front  of  the  eye,  where  they  are  almost  mouse-brown 
colour.  The  gloss  of  the  dark  feathers  is  faintly  developed. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Cheeks,  deep  grey ; 
feathers  in  front  of  the  eye,  black,  as  in  the  adult  winter- 
plumage. 

Nestling. — Jet-black. 

BEAK.  Very  deep  from  above  downwards,  but  flattened 
from  side  to  side.  Coloured  in  distinct  areas  ;  basal  portion, 
blue ;  terminal  portion,  carmine ;  narrow  intermediate  por- 
tion, light  yellow ;  tip,  dark  horn-colour.  Each  side  of  the 
beak  is  grooved  and  ridged  as  already  described.  In  winter 
it  is  shallower  as  the  outer  sheath  is  shed  (Bureau,  Bull. 
Soc.  Zool.,  France,  ii,  pp.  377-399,  also  translation  by 
Harting,  '  Zoologist,'  1878,  p.  233). 

FEET.     Orange-colour. 

IRIDES.  Greyish- white. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 13   in, 

WING    ..    ,'..'•   ...    ...   6   ,, 

BEAK    -   1'75  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...       1       ,, 

EGG  2-25  x  1-6  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — F.  glacialis,  a 
large  race  from  Spitzbergen,  probably  occurs  sparingly  in 
Novaya  Zemlya  and  more  plentifully  on  the  coast  of  Green- 
land up  to  lat.  70°  N. 


502 


Order  PYGOPODES. 

Family  COLYMBID^. 

GREAT   NORTHERN    DIVER.     Colymbus   glacialis  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
43  ;  Dresser,  *  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  626  ;  Lilforcl, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  44. 

This  remarkably  handsome  bird,  with  richly-variegated 
nuptial  plumage,  is  the  largest  Diver  which  frequents  the 
British  Seas.  It  is  not  uncommon  off  our  coasts  during  the 
colder  months  of  the  year,  especially  on  migration  in  autumn 
and  spring.  It  has  frequently  been  observed  on  fresh- water 
lakes  and  in  other  inland  situations.  Only  a  few  stragglers, 
apparently  immature  birds,  are  seen  between  June  and 
September,  as  the  great  majority  have  pushed  northward 
to  breed. 

Along  some  portions  of  the  British  coasts  the  Great 
Northern  Diver  is  quite  numerous  as  a  passing  migrant, 
for  instance  in  the  waters  of  the  deeply-indented  coasts  of 
the  north-west  of  Scotland  and  Ireland.  Here  I  have  seen 
fine  adults  quite  late  in  spring,  though  most  of  the  birds 
which  frequent  sheltered  waters  appear  to  be  immature. 
The  old  males  are  very  wary,  keeping  to  the  open  sea  and 
only  permitting  one  to  inspect  them  satisfactorily  through 
a  field-glass. 

Unlike  the  Auks,  this  and  the  three  succeeding  species 
of  Divers,  are  not  gregarious,  though  several  may  be  seen 
tenanting  the  same  fishing-grounds  at  no  great  distance 
apart.  When  swimming,  the  Great  Northern  Diver  usually 
has  much  of  its  body  immersed  ;  if  apprehensive  of  danger- 
it  further  submerges  itself,  at  the  same  time  carrying  its 
head  and  neck  stretched  out  almost  horizontally  and  just 
above  the  surface  of  the  water.  It  eludes  its  enemies 


GEEAT  NORTHERN  DIVER  503 

by  diving,  disappearing  under  the  water  like  a  flash,  yet  so 
quietly  that  the  surface  where  it  went  down  is  only  faintly 
marked  with  ripples.  Its  sub-marine  course  is  very  uncer- 
tain ;  I  have  scores  of  times  seen  it  reappear  fully  a  hundred 
yards  in  the  opposite  direction  to  that  in  which  it  descended. 
Thus  a  bird  heading  due  north  will  dive  in  front  of  the  bow 
of  a  boat  and  perhaps  come  up  astern  swimming  in  a  '  bee- 
line'  south.1  The  length  of  time  during  which  it  can  remain 
under  water  is  remarkable.  A  limit  of  ten  minutes  has  been 
given  by  some  writers  ;  personally  I  have  been  unable  to 
verify  this  statement. 


FIG.  60.— GREAT  NORTHERN   DIVER. 

The  Great  Northern  Diver  has  often  been  captured  in 
fishing-nets ;  at  other  times  it  has  been  made  prisoner 
in  its  endeavours  to  escape  from  being  stranded  in  the 
shallows  of  bays  and  channels.2  It  sometimes  uses  its  wings 
as  propelling  organs  under  water,  thereby  differing  from  the 


1  This  observation  has  taught  me  that  one  has,  on  the  whole,  a  better 
chance   of   securing  a   specimen  if   he  bring  his   boat   to  a   stand-still 
directly  the  bird  dives.     A  sharp  look  out  must  be  kept  for  its  reappear- 
ance, and  the  shot  must  then  be  fired  immediately,  for  if  the  bird  rises 
near  the  sportsman  and  sights  him,  it  will  instantly  disappear. 

2  In  water,  insufficiently  deep  to  swim  or  dive,  I  have  seen  this  bird 
stand  quite  erect  as  though  puzzled  at  the  behaviour  of  the  fast  receding 
tide. 


504  COLYMBID^E 

Auks  which  invariably  do  so,  and  the  Cormorants  which  shoot 
through  the  water  with  closed  wings.  Unlike  the  latter  the 
Great  Northern  Diver  when  swimming  on  the  surface,  does 
not  carry  its  neck  erect  with  head  and  beak  pointed  up- 
wards, on  the  contrary,  as  already  mentioned,  the  neck  is 
held  out  almost  horizontally,  while  the  beak  nearly  touches 
the  surface  of  the  sea.  In  this  way  the  two  species  can  be 
identified  even  at  a  moderate  distance. 

On  land  it  progresses  with  an  awkward  and  shuffling 
gait.  Sir  E.  Payne-Gallwey,  who  kept  one  alive  (uninjured) 
on  a  yacht  for  a  week,  describes  its  movements.  "  The  bird 
could  move  about  as  it  liked,  yet  never  attempted  to  fly, 
but  slid  along  on  its  breast,  with  its  wings  beating  the 
deck  and  its  legs  working  as  if  in  the  act  of  swimming. 
It  became  fairly  tame,  and  bolted  salted  herrings  whole, 
but  its  mournful  cries  at  night  disturbed  the  sleep  of  all 
on  board,  and  I  gladly  returned  the  bird  to  its  natural 
element"  ('Letters  to  Young  Shooters,'  Third  Series, 
pp.  195-6). 

Flight. — Though  moderately  swift  and  powerful  when 
once  started  on  the  wing,  this  bird  confines  itself  mainly 
to  the  water  and  depends  largely  on  its  diving-capacities 
to  elude  observation.  It  generally  manages  to  get  out  of 
shallow  water  by  floundering  over  the  surface  in  an  excited 
manner,  but  when  once  stranded  on  dry  land  it  appears 
unable  to  rise. 

Voice. — The  voice  varies  from  a  melancholy  howl  to  a 
shrill  startling  blast  or  trumpet-like  note.  It  sounds  like 
gulli-gulli-a-od-bo,  which  shortens  to  trd-uo-oo,  or  illi-oa-ow. 
A  low  croak  is  also  heard  at  times. 

Food. — The  main  diet  consists  of  fish,  including  small 
plaice,  flounders,  dabs,  and  other  flat-fish.1  For  these  the 
bird  dives  to  a  great  depth,  and  has  been  captured  in  nets 
many  fathoms  below  the  surface.  Crabs  and  shell-fish  are 
also  eaten,  as  well  as  small  fry  picked  from  the  surface. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  formed  on  the  ground,  on  a  small 
island  or  near  the  edge  of  a  lake,  amid  coarse  herbage  such 
as  sedges  and  rushes ;  in  some  localities  it  is  more  openly 
situated,  being  a  mere  hollow  in  the  dry  ground.  It  is 
always  quite  close  to  water,  and  a  beaten  track  is  usually 
present,  made  by  the  bird  on  its  passage  to  and  fro. 

1  In  smooth  shallow  channels  and  creeks  I  have  noticed  this  species 
searching  apparently  for  flat-fish  on  the  sandy  sea-floor. 


GREAT  NORTHERN  DIVER  505 

The  eggs  are  laid  about  the  middle  of  June  and  are  two 
in  number ;  in  colour  they  are  olivaceous  shading  to  russet- 
brown  with  a  few  dark  brown  spots. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  As  a  breeding-species  the 
Great  Northern  Diver  resorts  chiefly  to  the  New  World 
and  is  widely  distributed  over  the  colder  regions  of  North 
America.  It  nests  from  Greenland  westward  across  Nor- 
thern Canada  to  Alaska.  In  the  north-west  of  Canada  it 
meets  with  its  ally  the  White-billed  Diver,  while  the  latter 
extends  its  range  eastward  to  Arctic  Asia.  Iceland  seems 
to  be  the  eastern  limit  and  the  only  European  country 
where  our  bird  nests  ;  yet  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 
adults  have  been  observed  about  North  Scotland  throughout 
the  summer,  and  there  are  grounds  for  supposing  that  this 
species  may  breed  in  the  Northern  Scottish  Isles. 

TWTO  specimens  were  obtained  in  Europe  under  remark- 
ably interesting  circumstances,  as  recorded  by  Prof. 
Newton  (Diet.  Birds,  p.  153).  Each  bird  was  previously 
wounded  by  a  weapon  of  supposed  Trans-Atlantic  origin. 
One  had  "  an  arrow  headed  with  copper,  sticking  through 
its  neck,"  and  was  shot  on  the  Irish  coast  (Thompson, 
Nat.  Hist.  Irel.,  hi,  p.  201).  The  other  was  found  dead  in 
Kalbaksfjord  in  the  Faroes,  with  an  iron-tipped  bone  dart, 
fast  under  its  wing  (Herr  H.  C.  Miiller,  Medd.  Nat. 
Forening,  1862,  p.  35). 

In  winter  the  Great  Northern  Diver  wanders  along  the 
Atlantic  sea-board  as  far  south  as  Central  America,  spread- 
ing eastward  to  North-western  Europe,  the  Mediterranean 
and  Black  Seas.  Further  eastward,  it  is  represented  by 
C.  adamsi.  Numbers  find  their  way  to  large  sheets  of  fresh 
water  in  the  interior  of  the  North  American  and  European 
Continents. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Head,  satin-black; 
upper  neck  and  throat,  satin-black  glossed  with  purple ; 
lower  neck,  black,  glossed  with  green  ;  the  dark  ground- 
colour of  the  neck  is  interrupted  by  two  semi-circular 
bands,  each  composed  of  a  series  of  short  vertical  white 
stripes  ;  twelve  of  these  may  be  counted  in  the  upper  band, 
eighteen  in  the  lower ;  back,  scapulars,  and  upper  surface 
of  the  wings,  black,  conspicuously  marked  with  white  spots 
arranged  in  belts  ;  primaries  and  tail,  brownish-black  faintly 


506  COLYMBID^E 

glossed  with  green  ;  sides  of  the  upper  breast,  streaked  with 
black  and  white  and  glossed  with  green ;  breast  and 
abdomen,  white;  under  tail-coverts,  chiefly  brownish. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  neck-bands  dis- 
appear and  the  ground-colour  of  the  head  and  neck 
becomes  brownish-black ;  the  spots  on  the  back,  scapulars, 
and  wings,  are  ash-grey  on  a  dark  brown  ground-colour 
not  so  pure  as  in  the  nuptial  plumage ;  throat,  fore-neck, 
breast,  and  abdomen,  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Eesembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage  except  that  the  back,  scapulars,  wings, 
and  hind-neck,  are  dark  greyish-black  ;  breast  and  abdomen, 
impure  white. 

BEAK.  Blackish-brown,  tip  lighter  ;  powerful  and 
dagger-like. 

FEET.     Greenish-black. 

IEIDES.  Crimson. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 31     in.     Female  smaller. 

WING         14      „ 

BEAK 3'5  ,, 

TAKSOMETATAUSUS        ...       3*6    ,, 

EGG  3-5  x  2*5  in. 


WHITE-BILLED   NORTHERN   DIYER.     Colymbm  adamsi 
(G.  E.  Gray). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  722; 
Lilford,  'Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  45;  'Ibis,'  1894, 
pi.  8. 

This  species,  the  Arctic  form  of  the  Great  Northern 
Diver,  is  a  very  rare  visitor  to  British  waters.  An  example 
was  shot  at  Pakefield,  near  Lowestoft,  in  the  spring  of 
1852  ;  it  is  now  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney.  An 
immature  specimen,  supposed  to  have  been  taken  in  Suffolk 
at  a  later  date,  is  figured  by  Babington  ('Birds  of  Suffolk'). 
Another  was  obtained  on  the  coast  of  Northumberland,  and 


WHITE-BILLED  NORTHERN  D1VEE         507 

is  now  in  the  Museum  at  Newcastle.  A  fourth  was 
obtained,  December  1872,  on  Bidding  Broad,  Norfolk,  by 
the  late  Mr.  E.  F.  Booth  (Norf.  and  Nor.  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.). 
A  fifth  was  procured  in  the  winter  of  1895-6  in  Hamp- 
shire, as  stated  by  the  Rev.  J.  E.  Kelsall.  A  sixth  (an 
immature  bird),  shot  on  Loch  Fyne,  autumn,  1893,  was 
identified  by  Dr.  E.  Bowdler  Sharpe,  in  the  collection  of  Mr. 
Bulkley  Allen,  of  Altrincham. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHAR1CTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — This  Diver  in  nuptial 
plumage  may  be  distinguished  from  C.  glacialis  as  follows  :— 
"  The  head  and  upper  neck  are  glossed  with  green,  while 
the  lower  neck  is  tinged  with  purple  (the  reverse  of  the 
arrangement  in  the  Great  Northern  Diver) ;  the  white 
streaks  of  the  transverse  band  on  the  throat  are  not  more 
than  eight  in  number,  with  fewer  than  ten  on  the  lower 
neck  ;  the  white  spots  on  the  scapulars  are  decidedly  longer 
than  broad ;  while  those  on  the  flanks  and  upper  tail- 
coverts1  are  smaller  than  in  the  Sub-arctic  species;  and 
finally,  this  high  northern  form  is  superior  in  size.  Some 
of  these  distinctive  features  had  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  late  Sir  James  Clark  Ross,  who  virtually  discovered 
this  bird  on  Boothia  in  1830,  though  it  was  only  named 
in  1859  by  G.  R.  Gray  ;  but  until  Seebohm  worked  out  and 
summarised  the  points  of  difference  (Zool.,  1885,  p.  144), 
its  claims  to  recognition  were  somewhat  coldly  received " 
(Saunders,  Man.  Brit.  Birds,  '2nd  Edit.,  p.  711). 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  winter- 
plumage  of  C.  glacialis. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  winter- 
plumage. 

BEAK.  Yellowish-white  at  all  seasons;  under  segment 
sharply  upcurved  from  the  angle,  upper  border  of  upper 
segment  straight  from  the  forehead  to  the  tip,  deeper  and 
stouter  than  that  of  C.  glacialis. 

FEET.     Brownish-black. 

IBIDES.  Reddish. 

EGGS.     Resemble  those  of  C.  glacialis. 

1  In  this  species  the  tail  consists  of  eighteen  feathers,  whereas 
in  C.  glacialis  there  are  twenty  (W.  R.  Ogilvie-Grant,  Cat.  Birds  Brit. 
Mus.,  vol.  xxvi,  p.  501). 


508  COLYMBID^ 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 33     in. 

WING        14-9  „ 

BEAK         3*7  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        3'4  ,, 

EGG  3*65  X  2'3  in. 


BLACK-THROATED    DIYER.      Colymbus   arcticus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
44 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  627 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  46. 

Though  this  Diver  may  be  regarded  as  an  annual  winter- 
visitor,  it  is  much  rarer  than  either  the  Great  Northern  or 
the  succeeding  species.  Old  males  with  their  handsome 
velvety-black  throats  and  richly  variegated  upper-plumage 
are  not  often  seen.1  It  is  not  improbable  that  immature 
individuals  of  this  and  the  next  species  are  often  con- 
founded, as  they  resemble  each  other  in  plumage  ;  the  Black- 
throated  Diver  is,  however,  the  larger  bird.  Exceptionally, 
it  wanders  southward  along  the  English  coast  visiting  the 
Channel.  In  the  '  Zoologist '  for  1903,  p.  277,  Mr.  Gordon 
Dalgliesh  states  that  on  May  10th,  1903,  an  emaciated 
immature  male  was  picked  up  dead  on  the  beach  near 
Cobo,  in  Guernsey,  this  being  the  second  specimen  recorded 
from  that  locality. 

Along  parts  of  the  Scottish  coast  it  occurs  all  the  year 
round,  nesting  in  several  counties  of  the  mainland  as  well  as 
in  the  Orkneys  and  Hebrides.  It  has  increased  in  North 
Uist  of  late  years,  since  the  practice  of  robbing  the  eggs  has 
been  checked  (Ilarvie-Brown,  '  Avifauna  Of  The  Outer 
Hebrides/  1888-1902;  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1903,  p.  21). 

The  Black-throated  Diver  has  been  recorded  from  the 
greater  part  of  the  Irish  coast ;  while  it  has  been  taken 


1  In  the  '  Zoologist '  for  1877,  p.  329,  Mr.  Warren  records  seeing  this 
bird  in  full  nuptial  dress  at  the  mouth  of  the  Eiver  Moy,  Mayo  coast ; 
the  late  Dr.  Cox  observed  it  on  the  Dublin  coast  in  nuptial  plumage  in 
May.  It  has  also  been  noted  in  nuptial  plumage  about  Belfast  Bay 
by  the  late  Sir  R  LI.  Patterson 


BLACK-THROATED  DIVER  509 

inland  in  the  following  counties : — Queen's  Co.,  Meath, 
Roscommon,  and  once  or  twice  on  Lough  Neagh  (Ussher). 

Flight. — This  species  can  move  rapidly  at  a  considerable 
height  in  the  air,  and  at  times,  when  in  pursuit  of  fish, 
will  shoot  downwards  with  almost  the  speed  of  a  Gannet ; 
but  its  diving-powers  are  no  less  remarkable  than  those  of 
its  congeners,  and  it  generally  escapes  danger  by  travelling 
under  rather  than  over  water. 

Voice. — The  cry,  harsh  and  unmusical,  may  be  heard  a 
long  way  off,  and  is  uttered  during  flight  and  when  the  bird 
is  resting  on  the  water. 

Food. — Fish,  many  of  which  are  captured  at  a  consider- 
able depth  below  the  surface,  form  the  main  diet,  but  crabs 
and  shell-fish  are  also  eaten. 

Nest. — The  nest  is  usually  situated  near  the  water's  edge, 
generally  on  a  small  island  of  a  fresh- water  lake.  A  shallow 
depression  in  the  ground  amid  grass  and  coarse  herbage 
accommodates  the  two  eggs.  Floating  nests  supported  by 
aquatic  plants  have  been  observed. 

The  eggs  are  olive-green  shading  to  brown  in  colour, 
and  thinly  spotted  with  black  or  very  dark  brown. 

Incubation  is  slow,  lasting  twenty-eight  days. 

The  Black-throated  Diver  breeds  in  many  counties  of 
Scotland,  especially  in  the  north-western  section.  The  nest 
has  been  recorded  from  Caithness,  Sutherland,  Inverness- 
shire,  Perthshire,  Ross,  Argyll,  several  of  the  Outer  He- 
brides, the  Orkneys,  and  more  recently  from  the  Shetlands. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  abun- 
dantly in  Northern  Europe  (from  Scandinavia  eastward), 
Northern  Asia  over  Siberia  to  the  Pacific,  and  in  the 
Eastern  section  of  Arctic  America.  In  winter  it  migrates 
southward  over  Europe,  visiting  the  coasts  and  inland 
waters  of  that  Continent,  also  the  Mediterranean,  Black, 
and  Caspian  Seas,  and  extending  eastward  to  Japan. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back 
of  neck,  ash-grey  ;  back  and  scapulars,  blackish,  marked 
with  wide  white  quadrate  spots ;  wing-coverts,  spotted  with 
white  ;  chin  and  throat,  sooty-black  ;  front  of  neck,  purplish- 
black,  interrupted  by  a  half  collar  of  short  white  streaks  ; 
primaries  and  tail,  black ;  sides  of  neck,  barred  with  black 


510  COLYMBIM] 

and  white  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  white ;  long  under  tail- 
coverts,  sides,  and  flanks,  mostly  black. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Chin,  throat,  fore-neck, 
breast,  and  abdomen,  white ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings, 
chiefly  deep  ashy-brown  ;  top  of  head  and  back  of  neck, 
light  brown,  becoming  darker  on  the  sides  of  the  neck  ; 
sides  and  flanks,  brownish-black. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage  except  that  the  feathers  of  the  back,  the 
scapulars,  wing-coverts,  rump,  and  upper  tail-coverts,  are 
brownish,  broadly  margined  with  grey. 

BEAK.     Bluish-black. 

FEET.     Brownish-green. 

IRIDES.  Bed. 

AVERAGE    MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    27'5  in.    Female  smaller. 

WING        11-75,, 

BEAK         2'4    ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...      3'4    ,, 

EGG  3-25  x  2'15  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — C.pacificus, 
paler  on  the  nape  and  on  the  back  of  the  neck,  inhabits  the 
north-western  parts  of  North  America,  migrating  south  to 
California  in  winter,  and  it  has  been  recorded  from  Japan 
(W.  R.  Ogilvie-Grant,  Cat.  Birds  Brit.  Mus.,  vol.  xxvi,  pp. 
495-96). 


RED-THROATED  DIVER.    Colymbus  septentrionalis  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
45  ;  Dresser,  *  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  628;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures;'  vol.  vi,  pi.  47. 

The  Bed-throated  Diver  is  common  and  widely-distri- 
buted in  autumn  and  winter  on  British  waters.  It  appears, 
as  a  rule,  in  the  latter  end  of  October,  though  I  have  seen 


BED-THROATED  DIVEE  511 

not  a  few  as  early  as  September.  Throughout  the  winter 
this  Diver  may  be  seen  fishing  in  the  open  sea,  as  well  as 
in  sheltered  bays  and  on  tidal  rivers,  while  a  small  number 
resort  to  fresh- water  lakes. 

During  April  and  early  May  I  have  noted  several  in 
nuptial  dress,  with  richly-coloured  red  throats,  in  the 
Irish  Channel  and  along  the  rugged  coast-line  of  the 
west  of  Ireland.  Mature  birds  in  transition-plumage  from 
nuptial  to  winter,  still  retaining  to  a  certain  extent  their 
red  throats,  have  been  obtained  in  autumn,  while  Mr. 
Warren  records  one  instance  of  a  starved  specimen,  in 
full  nuptial  plumage,  not  long  dead,  which  he  picked  up 
on  the  Sligo  coast  on  July  24th,  1890.  But  the  majority 
which  frequent  our  coasts  are  immature  birds,  together 
with  adults  which  have  already  assumed  their  more  sombre 
winter-dress. 

In  May  the  Bed-throated  Diver  migrates  northward  to 
breed,  and  except  in  the  north-western  section  of  Scotland, 
including  the  Hebrides,  Orkneys,  and  Shetlands,  and  in  a 
few  localities  in  the  north-west  of  Ireland  where  it  nests,  it 
is  of  rare  occurrence  during  June,  July,  and  August. 

In  fine,  sunny  weather,  small  parties  may  be  seen  rest- 
ing buoyantly  on  the  surface  of  the  calm  sea,  or  rolling 
and  tumbling  from  side  to  side  in  ecstasies  of  delight,  a 
habit  which  when  first  witnessed  gives  one  the  idea  that 
the  birds  are  fluttering  from  the  effects  of  a  recent  gun-shot 
wound. 

This  species  can  travel  great  distances  under  water,  and 
when  closely  pursued,  will  appear  on  the  surface  only  for 
an  instant  to  take  breath,  before  disappearing  again.  Like 
others  of  its  Genus,  it  goes  down  practically  without  leaving 
a  ripple  to  mark  the  place  of  immersion. 

Flight. — The  night  is  swift  and  moderately  buoyant, 
and  this  bird  like  its  congeners,  possesses  the  power  of 
precipitating  itself  from  a  great  height  in  the  air  into  the 
waves  in  pursuit  of  fish.  I  have  seen  it  crossing  over  land 
in  the  vicinity  of  adjacent  lakes,  as  though  it  were  changing 
its  quarters  from  one  to  the  other ;  and  have  further 
noticed  how,  on  many  occasions,  it  will  take  wing  rather 
than  dive  at  the  approach  of  a  boat,  while  its  habits  of 
coursing  up  and  down  tidal  channels  have  been  frequently 
observed.  But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  it  usually  tries 
to  escape  its  enemies  by  flight,  on  the  contrary,  its  diving- 
powers  afford  it  by  far  the  best  and  most  ready  means  of 
eluding  observation. 


512  COLYMBID^ 

Voice. — The  harsh,  discordant  hark  is  generally  heard 
when  the  bird  is  on  the  wing.  It  resembles  the  syllables 
kark-kark,  shortening  sometimes  into  kdk-kak-kdk. 

Food. — Fish  are  consumed  in  large  quantities,  the  bird 
often  gorging  itself  with  sprats,  flat-fish;  eels,  &c.  Fresh- 
water fish  are  taken,  but  those  of  the  sea  are  preferred, 
and  even  when  nesting  on  inland  lakes  at  some  distance 
from  the  coast,  the  young  are  fed  upon  sea-fish  conveyed  by 
their  parents  at  frequent  intervals  during  the  day. 

Nest. — The  nesting-sites  are  rather  similar  to  those  of 
the  Black-throated  Diver,  but  are  frequently  situated  in 
wilder  localities.  A  favourite  resort  is  the  margin  of  a 
mountain-tarn,  sometimes  elevated  many  hundred  feet  above 
the  sea-level.  Thus  in  Ireland  a  nesting-site  described  by 
Mr.  Ussher  was  beside  a  small  mountain-lake,  the  most 
elevated  of  a  series,  and  more  than  three  miles  from  the 
nearest  bay.  The  nest  was  scraped  in  the  peaty  surface  of 
a  bank,  on  the  verge  of  the  open  water,  on  swampy  ground 
amid  flowering  bog-bean.  The  birds  flew  to  the  sea  to  fish, 
returning  at  night.  When  the  female  was  hatching  the  male 
wras  generally  on  the  lake.  The  nest  is  always  very  close 
to  the  margin  of  the  lake.  "  The  sitting  bird  lies  flat  down 
on  the  eggs,  and,  when  disturbed,  glides  into  the  water,  and 
at  first  swims  very  low ;  then,  bending  the  head  and  neck 
forwards,  it  disappears  with  a  gentle  plunge  which  hardly 
leaves  a  ripple  ;  but  I  have  noticed  that  if  my  stay  near  the 
nest  was  prolonged,  the  bird  would  swim  high,  snapping 
the  mandibles  and  turning  the  head  with  a  jerking  action, 
while  occasionally  stopping  to  drink "  (Saunders,  Man. 
Brit,  Birds,  2nd  Edit.,  p.  716). 

The  eggs,  two  in  number,  are  greenish-brown,  spotted 
with  umber.  They  are  laid  at  the  end  of  May  or  during 
the  first  week  in  June. 

In  Great  Britain  this  species  nests  from  Argyll  north- 
ward to  the  Shetlands  and  Orkneys,  and  westward  to  the 
Hebuidean  Islands.  The  breeding- haunt  in  co.  Donegal 
appears  to  be  the  only  one  in  Ireland. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  it  breeds  in  Arctic 
and  Sub-arctic  Europe,  Asia,  and  America,  having  a  cir- 
cumpolar  distribution.  In  autumn  and  winter  it  migrates 
southward  over  Europe  (visiting  the  Mediterranean,  Black, 
and  Caspian  Seas),  Asia  to  China  and  Japan,  and  along  both 
sides  of  the  American  sea-board  to  about  lat.  25°  N. 


KED-THKOATED  DIVEK  513 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  greyish- 
black  ;  back  of  neck,  slate-grey,  streaked  with  white ;  sides 
of  neck  and  head,  lighter  grey  ;  fore-neck,  marked  with  an 
elongated  rich  reddish-brown  patch,  the  chin  and  throat 
above  it  being  grey  ;  back,  scapulars,  wings,  rump,  and 
upper  tail-coverts,  ash-brown,  faintly  glossed  with  green ; 
breast  and  abdomen,  white  ;  primaries,  tail,  flanks,  and 
under  tail-coverts,  chiefly  brownish. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — The  red  of  the  throat  is 
absent;  back,  scapulars,  wings,  rump,  and  upper  tail-coverts, 
ash-brown,  spotted  and  streaked  with  white  ;  sides  of  the 
face,  chin,  throat,  fore-neck,  breast,  and  abdomen,  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  winter- 
plumage,  but  the  feathers  of  the  upper  parts  are  edged 
white,  and  the  fore-neck  is  white  freckled  with  brown. 

BEAK.     Black. 

EEET.     Greenish-black. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown  or  hazel. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...         ...  24     in. 

WING         ...  11-2  „ 

BEAK         2'4  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...  3      ,, 

EGG  2'75  X  1'8  in. 


Note. — Mr.  Harting,  in  his  '  Handbook  of  British  Birds,' 
2nd  Edit.,  1901,  p.  266,  mentions  a  white  variety  of  this 
Diver.  It  was  obtained  in  Essex  (vide  also  '  Zoologist,' 
1862,  p.  8002). 


33 


514 


Family  PODICIPEDHXE3. 

GREAT  CRESTED  GREBE.     Podicipes  cristatus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
38 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  629  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  48  ;  Booth,  'Bough 
Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pi.  20. 

This  fine  bird,  distinguished  from  other  Grebes  by  its 
superior  size,  and  remarkable  for  its  head-appendages 
assumed  during  the  nuptial  season,  is  not  uncommon  in  the 
British  Isles.  It  is  resident  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  is 
somewhat  widely  distributed  over  large  sheets  of  fresh  water, 
to  which  it  is  on  the  whole  more  partial  than  to  the  tide. 
Its  favourite  haunts  are  quiet  sequestered  lagoons,  lakes, 
and  ponds,  where  the  waters  are  deep  and  still,  and  where 
reeds,  sedges,  and  other  aquatic  vegetation  afford  shelter  and 
concealment.  Though  the  large  lakes  are  most  frequented, 
yet  this  Grebe  may  occasionally  be  observed  lurking  amid 
the  sedges  of  quite  a  small  pond.  Artificial  waters,  such  as 
the  reservoirs  of  the  midlands  of  England,  are  also  visited. 
On  the  Broads  of  Norfolk  this  species  is  quite  common  as 
a  breeding-bird. 

Like  other  Grebes  it  is  wont  to  change  its  quarters  in 
winter,  migrating  from  lakes  to  rivers  or  to  tidal  waters. 
Small  parties  may  consort  together  in  bays  and  estuaries 
though  the  species  is  not  strictly  gregarious.  In  hard 
weather  when  lakes  and  rivers  become  frost-bound,  numbers 
appear  along  the  sea-coast. 

The  attitude  of  the  Great  Crested  Grebe  when  swim- 
ming is  very  graceful.  Its  neck,  long  and  slender,  is 
carried  erect,  its  head  straight  or  with  a  slight  downward 
droop.  Thus  on  the  water  the  carriage  offers  a  contrast  to 
that  of  the  Cormorant  which,  though  carrying  its  neck 
erect,  points  its  head  upwards  at  such  an  angle,  that  the 
throat  appears  unduly  stretched  as  though  the  bird  were 
endeavouring  to  swallow  forcibly  an  object  too  large  for  its 


GEE  AT  CEESTED  GREBE  515 

gullet.  As  a  rule  this  Grebe  swims  low  in  the  water — a 
common  characteristic  of  diving-birds — but  when  resting, 
heedless  of  danger,  it  will  rise  buoyantly.  It  generally 
dives  to  escape  danger,  disappearing  almost  without  a 
splash,  and  remaining  under  water  for  a  considerable  time. 

Flight. — Grebes,  as  a  race,  fly  but  little,  except  when  on 
migration,  when  locally  changing  their  quarters,  or  when 
driven  to  take  wing  by  their  enemies.  Nevertheless  though 
their  wings  are  small  and  their  flight-feathers  short,  they 
are  capable  of  sustained  journeys  in  the  air.  When  flying, 
the  neck  is  extended  at  full  length  in  a  line  with  the  body, 


FIG.  61.— HEAD   OF  GREAT   CRESTED   GREBE.     f  Nat.  size. 


while  the  large  lobed  toes  (fig.  62),  uncovered  by  the  rudi- 
mentary tail,  are  stretched  out  behind.  This  Grebe  at 
times  may  be  seen  flying  at  a  considerable  height,  either 
alone  or  in  company  with  other  wildfowl. 

Voice. — The  note  is  hoarse,  and  though  rather  subdued, 
is  full-toned  and  carries  a  long  distance.  When  alarmed 
the  bird  utters  an  angry  cuJc-cuk-cufc-cuk-cuk-cuk. 

Food. — At  sea  the  chief  food  consists  of  fish,  often  eels, 
but  on  fresh  water,  tadpoles,  frogs,  newts,  aquatic  insects, 
and  their  larvae  are  consumed,  and  the  bird  not  only  dives 
for  its  prey,  but  also  swims  about  with  rapid  twists  and 


516 

turns,  snatching  at  insects  on  the  surface  of  the  water. 
All  Grebes  are  very  voracious,  and  will  attempt  to  swallow 
fish  so  large  as  to  become  impacted  in  the  gullet ;  the 
young  in  particular,  which  can  catch  fish  at  a  very  tender 
age,  are  sometimes  choked  in  their  endeavours  to  engulf 
too  large  a  prey.  It  is  usual  to  find  feathers  in  the  stomach 
mixed  with  half-digested  food. 

Nest. — The  Great  Crested  Grebe  selects  for  its  breeding- 
haunts  a  quiet,  sheltered,  and  unfrequented  spot  in  a  thick 
reed-bed  on  an  inland  lake.  The  site  is  sometimes  near 


FIG.  62.— LEFT  FOOT  OF  GREAT  CRESTED  GREBE,     i  Nat.  size. 


the  margin  and  in  other  cases  at  some  distance  from  it, 
and  always  surrounded  by  water  deep  enough  for  the 
bird  to  dive  into  at  the  slightest  alarm. 

The  nest,  composed  of  a  compact  mass  of  aquatic  plants, 
broken  sticks  and  leaves,  moistened  and  usually  in  a  state 
of  decay,  either  floats  on  the  surface  of  the  water  moored 
to  the  surrounding  reeds,  or  in  shallow  places  is  built  up 
from  the  bottom  of  the  lake.  It  is  most  difficult  to  find, 
firstly  because  it  is  well  concealed  among  the  dense  growth 
of  reeds  or  sedges,  and  secondly  because  the  owners  seldom 
betray  their  presence  to  the  intruder.  It  is  marvellous  how 
quickly  and  stealthily  the  hatching-bird  can  glide  off,  cover 
her  eggs  with  dead  leaves,  and  then  disappear  under  water, 
all  being  the  work  of  a  second  or  two.  Indeed,  the  egg- 


GEE  AT  CEESTED  GEEBE  517 

collector,  viewing  a  great  area  of  a  sedge-grown  lake  perhaps 
several  acres  in  extent,  becomes  bewildered  in  his  endeavours 
to  discover  where  the  prize  really  lies.  The  eggs,  laid  in  May, 
June,  or  even  early  in  July,  are  from  four  to  live  in  number, 
white  in  colour,  elongated  in  shape,  pointed  at  either  end, 
and  of  a  chalky  texture.  As  incubation  proceeds  and  they 
lie  in  contact  with  the  rotting  materials  which  line  the  nest 
they  become  discoloured,  deepening  from  yellow  to  brown. 
The  lining-membrane  of  the  shell  is  bright  green.  Great 
care  is  taken  of  the  }7oung  and  the  latter  sleep  on  their 
parents'  backs  for  some  days  after  they  are  hatched.  A  male 
has  been  observed  to  carry  a  chick  on  his  back  for  ten  days 
while  the  female  dived  and  brought  food  (Ussher).  An 
instance  is  recorded  of  a  Grebe,  which  when  shot  flying, 
dropped  two  of  its  offspring  on  the  water  (Sir  E.  Payne- 
Gallwey).  Professor  Newton  describes  how  the  young  if 
taken  from  the  nest  and  placed  on  dry  ground,  move  along 
almost  like  quadrupeds,  using  their  wings  like  fore-feet 
('Ibis,'  1889,  p.  577). 

In  the  nesting-season  the  Great  Crested  Grebe  loses 
much  of  its  shyness,  and  its  habits  may  be1  watched  with 
little  difficulty.  "  A  pair  will  approach  each  other  with  their 
necks  held  up  and  crests  erected,  all  the  while  uttering 
their  croak.  Having  met,  they  remain  in  that  attitude, 
with  the  points  of  their  bills  touching  each  other.  After 
some  moments  they  lower  their  heads  simultaneously  until 
their  bills  touch  their  breasts,  and  then  they  renew  the 
manoeuvre,  setting  to  one  another  like  partners  in  a  quad- 
rille ;  or  one  dives  and  the  other  follows  it.  At  other  times 
they  swim  or  rest  on  the  water  side  by  side  (Mr.  Kane 
in  Field,  March  4th,  1893)."  (Ussher,  'Birds  of  Ireland,' 
p.  377.) 

This  species  breeds  extensively  in  suitable  localities  in 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  In  the  latter  country,  which 
is  much  interspersed  with  sheltered  lakes,  the  bird  is  widely 
distributed.  Indeed  its  absence  from  the  more  remote 
districts  of  the  West  of  Ireland  is  due  largely  to  the  bleak 
nature  of  the  surrounding  country,  the  paucity  of  aquatic 
vegetation  which  affords  shelter,  and  the  prevalence  of 
westerly  gales  which  cause  waves  of  no  small  magnitude 
to  rise  on  these  waters. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  Grebe  is  widely 
distributed  as  a  breeding-species.  It  is  found  in  many 
countries  of  Temperate  Europe,  reaching  northward  as  far 


518  PODICIPEDID./E 

as  Sweden,  and  southward  to  the  Mediterranean.  It  is 
abundant  in  parts  of  Kussia,  Germany,  and  Hungary.  Its 
breeding-range  extends  to  both  sides  of  the  Equator,  from 
North  to  South  Africa,  also  to  many  countries  of  Asia, 
including  North  India,  Palestine,  and  China.  Further 
south  it  may  be  traced  to  Australia,  Tasmania,  and  New 
Zealand.  It  also  visits  Japan. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.1  Adult  male  nuptial. — In  spring  this  Grebe 
becomes  adorned  with  a  crest  of  dark  brown  feathers  which 
arises  from  the  top  of  the  head  and  is  prolonged  on  either 
side  in  the  form  of  horns  ;  forehead  and  crown,  blackish  ; 
cheeks,  throat,  and  chin,  white  tinged  with  rufous  ;  over  the 
eye  is  a  stripe  of  the  same  colour  ;  encircling  the  throat  is 
a  '  tippet '  or  '  frill,'  capable  of  erection,  and  composed  of 
chestnut-brown  feathers  margined  with  black  ;  back,  scapu- 
lars, wings,  rump,  and  upper  tail-coverts,  dark  brown  ;  lower 
part  of  the  hind-neck,  dark  greyish-brown  ;  lesser  wing- 
coverts,  white  forming  a  band  along  the  edge  of  the  wing ; 
carpals  and  secondaries,  white,  conspicuous  when  the  bird 
is  flying ;  primaries,  dark  brown ;  fore-neck,  breast,  and 
abdomen,  silvery-white  ;  flanks,  reddish-brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male, 
but  the  head-ornaments  are  less  developed. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Kesembles  the  nuptial 
plumage  except  that  the  head- garniture  is  absent  in  both 
sexes. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage  except  that  the  head  and  neck  are  marked 
with  longitudinal  stripes  of  ash-brown  ;  crest  and  chestnut 
tippet  not  marked  until  about  the  second  year. 

Nestling. — The  nestlings  are  very  beautiful  creatures, 
richly  striped  with  dark  brown  and  black  on  a  yellowish- 
white  ground-colour.  Their  beaks  are  tinted  brilliant  orange. 

BEAK.     Reddish,  tip  pale  horn-colour. 

FEET.  Light  olive-brown,  becoming  blackish  on  the 
outside  ;  adjacent  toes  webbed  but  not  connected  with  one 
another. 

IRIDES.  Crimson  ;  narrow  golden  circle  round  pupil. 

1  In  all  Grebes  the  plumage  is  composed  of  short,  closely-set  feathers, 
very  silky  in  texture ;  the  skins  at  one  time  were  in  large  demand  for 
the  manufacture  of  muffs,  collarettes,  and  other  articles  of  apparel. 


KED-NECKED  GREBE  519 


AVERAGE    MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH          ...  21       in.     Female  smaller. 

WING 7-5     „ 

BEAK :.  T75  „ 

TAUSO-METATARSUS  ...  2'5     ,, 

EGG  2-2  x  1-5  in. 


RED-NECKED  GREBE.     Podicipes  griseigena  (Boddaert). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
39  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi".  630  ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  49  ;  Booth,  *  Eough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pis.  21,  22. 

The  Red-necked  Grebe  occurs  as  a  winter-visitor  along 
our  coasts,  and  instances  from  inland  localities  are  quite 
exceptional.  The  eastern  sea-board  of  Great  Britain  is 
chiefly  frequented,  on  the  south  coast  of  England  the  bird 
is  of  irregular  occurrence,  while  in  the  west  and  north  it  is 
seldom  met  with,  though  the  Orkneys  and  Shetlands1  have 
yielded  several  specimens.  It  would  appear  that  it  has  not 
been  recorded  from  the  Hebrides.  Instances  of  its  occur- 
rence in  nuptial  plumage  are  very  rare.2  Occasionally  this 
Grebe  appears  in  considerable  numbers ;  thus  in  Norfolk  in 
1865,  and  1897,  in  Yorkshire  in  1891, 3  and  on  the  coast  of 
East  Lothian,  in  the  early  part  of  1895,  considerable  influxes 
took  place  (Saunders). 

A  young  specimen  with  dark  facial  stripes  was  shot  on 
Blakenny  Bar  in  Norfolk,  as  recorded  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney 
in  the  'Zoologist/  1901,  p.  134.  Two  others,  not  fully 
grown,  were  obtained  in  the  same  county  on  previous 
occasions,  yet  there  are  no  grounds  for  believing  that  any  of 


1  Mr.  Saxby  records  a  specimen  recently  taken  at  Balta  Sound,  viz. 
on  December  30th,  1901  ('  Zoologist,'  1902,  p.  113). 

2  An  adult  male  was  picked  up  on  Farthing  Down  in  Surrey,  in  1890 
in   full  breeding-plumage  (J.    A.    Bucknill,    '  Zoologist,'    1901,    p.  254)  ; 
while  specimens  have  been  obtained  off  the  Sussex  coast,  showing  the 
beginning  of  red  feathers  (Harting). 

3  Twenty-eight  specimens  were  taken  off  Scarboroug     in  January 
1891  ('  Zoologist,'  1891,  p.  193). 


520  PODICIPEDID^ 

them  were  English-bred  birds  (vide  also  Booth,  '  Rough 
Notes,'  pt.  xiii.). 

The  Red-necked  Grebe  very  rarely  visits  Ireland.  The 
earliest  recorded  specimen,  an  immature  bird,  appears  to 
have  been  taken  in  the  autumn  of  1.831,  off  the  coast  of 
co.  Down  (Thompson).  The  most  recent  capture  appears 
to  be  that  of  a  bird  taken  on  the  Donegal  coast  some  years 
previous  to  November,  1887.  Other  examples  have  been 
obtained  in  the  following  counties  : — 

Cork : — One,  December,  1842  (Thompson)  ;  another, 
December,  1850,  from  the  same  county. 

Waterford  : — An  immature  male,  January  25th,  1854 
(Ussher,  *  Birds  of  Ireland  '). 

Wexford  cy  Wicklow  : — An  immature  female,  February 
24th,  1838  (Thompson). 

Dublin :  —  An  immature  bird,  January  24th,  1848 
(Thompson). 

Antrim: — A   female,  February  23rd,  1850  (Thompson). 

To  these  may  be  added  an  adult  male,  shot  on  the  River 
Shannon  (county  not  specified),  February,  1865  ('  Field,' 
March  llth,  1865  ;  also  Ussher,  '  Birds  of  Ireland  '  p.  379). 

Excepting  the  last  record  and  that  of  the  bird  taken  in 
the  co.  Waterford,  the  occurrences  have  been  always  on 
the  coast. 

In  its  general  habits  this  Grebe  closely  resembles  the 
preceding  species.  As  a  rule  it  is  observed  swimming  not 
far  from  the  land,  particularly  in  rough  weather,  when  it 
appears  in  greatest  numbers.  Being  rather  sombre-plumed, 
especially  when  in  winter-dress,  and  swimming  low  in  the 
water,  it  is  easily  overlooked. 

Flight. — It  flies  rapidly,  but  generally  endeavours  to 
escape  observation  by  diving. 

Voice. — The  note  is  harsh  and  somewhat  similar  to  that 
of  the  Great  Crested  Grebe,  but  is  said  to  be  even  louder. 

Food. — Fish,  eaten  in  large  quantities,  constitute  the 
diet,  but  small  molluscs  and  crustaceans  are  occasionally 
swallowed. 

Nest. — In  its  selection  of  site  and  materials,  and  in  the 
construction  of  the  nest,  this  species  resembles  the  Great 
Crested  Grebe ;  indeed  with  the  latter  it  may  be  found 
breeding  in  company.  The  eggs,  characteristic  of  the 
Family  to  which  the  bird  belongs,  are  muddy  white,  elon- 
gated, with  both  ends  pointed,  and  three  or  four  in  number. 
They  are  laid  during  May  or  June. 


RED-NECKED  GEEBE  521 

Geographical  distribution.  —  The  Bed -necked  Grebe 
breeds  over  a  considerable  area  of  Temperate  Europe, 
extending  across  the  Continent  from  Denmark  to  Russia. 
Southward  it  may  be  traced  as  a  nesting-species  to  the 
Black  Sea,  and  northward  to  Norway.  In  Asia,  it  breeds  as 
far  as  Eastern  Turkestan  and  Siberia.  On  migration  in 
autumn  and  winter  it  reaches  the  Mediterranean,  crossing 
to  North  Africa. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head  and  back 
of  neck,  glossy  blackish-brown  ;  these  feathers  are  elongated, 
forming  a  very  slight  crest,  but  no  'tippet'  is  discernible; 
cheeks,  chin,  and  throat,  greyish  ;  feathers  below  the  eye  have 
white  edgings  which  form  a  conspicuous  streak,  which  also 
borders  the  grey  of  the  cheeks  and  throat  behind  ;  back, 
scapulars,  wings,  rump,  and  upper  tail-coverts,  dark  brown, 
with  grey  gloss  ;  front  and  sides  of  neck,  rich  reddish-brown  ; 
breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  silky-white ;  upper 
breast,  sides,  and  flanks,  mottled  brownish  ;  primaries,  and 
outer  secondaries,  ash-brown ;  inner  secondaries,  white ; 
lesser  wing-coverts,  white,  forming  an  alar  bar  along  the 
edge  of  the  wing. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage,  except  that  the  chin,  throat,  and  upper  fore-neck 
are  silvery  white,  and  the  cheeks,  and  the  base  of  the  fore- 
neck,  are  brownish-white. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage  but  the  general  shading  is  less  distinct. 

BEAK.     Dark  brownish-black,  with  a  yellow  base. 

FEET.     Dull  greenish-brown. 

IRIDES.  Yellowish-white,  not  red  as  in  other  Grebes. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 18  in. 

WING    7  „ 

BEAK    1-5  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS        2      ,, 

EGG  2  x  1-3  in. 


522  PODICIPEDIDJE 

Note. — This  species  is  most  readily  distinguished  from 
the  Great  Crested  Grebe  at  all  times  of  the  year  by  the 
absence  of  a  white  stripe  over  the  eye. 

Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — P.  holbdelli, 
a  larger  form  is  the  representative  in  the  North  Pacific 
and  North  America  generally,"  including  Greenland ;  it  also 
inhabits  Eastern  Siberia. 


HORNED  GREBE.     Podicipes  auritus  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
40  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  631,  Lilford  ; 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  50. 

The  Horned  Grebe,  also  known  as  the  Slavonian  Grebe, 
is  a  winter-visitor  to  our  coasts,  arriving  in  some  districts 
in  autumn  and  remaining  until  spring.  It  is  not  uncommon 
on  the  eastern  sea-board  of  England,  where  it  occurs 
annually.  Further  south  and  also  on  the  west  side  it 
appears  in  smaller  numbers  and  its  visits  are  less  regular. 

It  is  rare  likewise  in  the  south  of  Ireland,  though  fre- 
quently seen  in  midwinter  and  in  early  spring  off  the  north 
and  north-west  coasts. 

In  Scotland  it  is  distributed  all  round  the  coast,  including 
the  large  Island-Groups  ;  indeed  it  is  the  most  plentiful  of 
the  three  species  of  Grebes  which  migrate  to  our  Isles,  but 
do  not  remain  to  breed. 

Immature  birds  and  less  often  adults  in  winter-plumage, 
are  most  commonly  met  with  ;  a  few  have  been  recorded  as 
occurring  in  full  nuptial  dress. 

Among  recent  captures  in  breeding-plumage  the  following 
may  be  mentioned: — One,  obtained  April,  1898,  at  Barra  in 
the  Outer  Hebrides ;  two  shot  out  of  a  flock  of  six  seen  at 
Blacksod  Bay,  co.  Mayo,  on  April  14th,  1895  ;  a  pair  seen 
on  Lough  Swilly,  in  April  1893,  by  Professor  Leebody,  and 
a  male  found  dead  on  Lough  Foyle  in  June,  1893,  by  Mr. 
Campbell. 

The  haunts  of  the  Horned  Grebe  in  winter  are  generally 
in  the  smooth  waters  of  bays  and  estuaries,  and  though 
storms  may  drive  considerable  numbers  inland,  yet  their 
appearance  on  fresh-water  lakes  takes  place  too  frequently 
to  be  accounted  for  only  in  this  way. 


HOKNED  GKEBE  523 

Several  instances  are  recorded  from  Lough  Neagh. 

Single  individuals  are  generally  met  with ;  at  times, 
however,  half  a  dozen  or  so  may  be  seen  diving  in  large 
hays  and  sea-loughs.  Mr.  Warren,  who  has  obtained  several 
specimens  in  winter,  tells  me,  that  in  Killala  Bay  he  has 
usually  seen  these  birds  swimming  in  pairs. 

Flight. — On  the  wing  this  Grebe  may  be  distinguished 
from  the  last  species  by  its  smaller  size  and  shorter  wings  ; 
for  it  is  a  little  larger  than  the  Black-necked  Grebe,  for 
which  it  might  easily  be  mistaken  on  the  wing. 

Voice. — The  note  is  rather  soft  and  may  be  syllabled 
lib-lib,  or  sometimes  che-che-chic. 

Food. — Fish  form  the  chief  diet,  and  the  bird  has  a 
voracious  appetite.  As  in  the  case  of  its  congeners  feathers 
are  frequently  swallowed,  which  may  be  found  in  the  gizzard 
mingled  with  fish-bones  and  other  indigestible  substances. 

Nest. — The  nest,  generally  moist  and  in  a  state  of  decom- 
position, is  an  untidy  structure  composed  of  reeds  and  other 
water-plants.  It  either  floats  on  the  surface  or  is  built  up 
from  the  bottom  of  the  lake.1  The  smooth  deep  waters  of 
quiet  sheltered  lakes  and  ponds  fringed  with  aquatic  vegeta- 
tion are  the  favourite  breeding-haunts  of  this  bird. 

In  colour  and  shape  the  eggs  are  like  those  of  other 
Grebes,  though  often  exhibiting  when  fresh  a  tint  of  bluish- 
white.  As  incubation  proceeds  they  become  stained  yel- 
lowish-brown. Two  to  four  generally  constitute  the  clutch, 
which  is  laid  about  the  first  week  in  June.  The  nestlings 
are  very  carefully  tended  by  their  parents,  the  mother-bird 
often  diving  with  them  under  her  wing. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,2  this  Grebe,  unlike  its 
congeners,  resorts  chiefly  to  northern  climes  in  the  breeding- 
season.  It  nests  in  many  countries  of  Arctic  and  Sub-arctic 
Europe  (including  Iceland,  where  it  is  common),  Asia,  and 


1  Mr.  Coburn  found  this  bird  breeding  abundantl}"  in  some  districts 
in  the  north  of  Iceland,  but  none  of  the  nests  examined  were  "  actual 
noating  structures  ;  they  were  built  up  from  the  bottom  of  the  lake, 
until  the  surface  of  the  water  was  reached.  The  commonest  site  was 
under  a  projecting  mass  of  lava,  without  any  surrounding  vegetation,  and 
the  eggs  could  be  distinctly  seen  a  long  distance  away."  Mr.  Coburn 
has  kindly  allowed  me  to  examine  a  fine  series  of  nests,  eggs,  and  young, 
which  he  obtained  when  on  his  expedition  ('  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  417). 

-  The  evidences  which  from  time  to  time,  have  been  put  forward  to 
support  the  view  that  this  species  has  bred  in  the  British  Isles,  rest  on 
too  shaky  a  basis  to  admit  of  references. 


524  PODICIPEDID^ 

America.  The  most  northern  occurrence  on  record  is  that 
of  a  bird  taken  011  June  23rd,  on  the  island  of  Jan  Mayen 
(Saunders).  In  winter  it  journeys  over  Temperate  Europe 
to  the  south  of  that  Continent,  but  is  scarce  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean. Westward  it  reaches  the  Northern  United  States 
and  has  been  traced  as  far  as  the  Bermudas.  Over  the 
Continent  of  Asia  it  migrates  to  North  India  and  the 
adjacent  countries  in  that  latitude,  and  east  to  Japan. 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — In  spring  (not  earlier 
than  April),  this  Grebe  develops  a  pair  of  great  '  horns  '  or 
'  tufts  '  of  golden-brown  feathers  which  jut  out  from  the 
sides  and  top  of  the  head,  giving  the  bird  a  most  striking 
aspect,  "the  head  (being  surrounded,  as  it  were,  by  a 
nimbus  or  aureole,  such  as  that  with  which  painters  adorn 
saintly  characters)  reflecting  the  rays  of  light,  and  glittering 
with  a  glory  that  passes  description"  (Newton).  Top  of 
head,  forehead,  and  chin,  black;  throat  encircled  with  a 
'  tippet '  of  a  similar  colour ;  back,  scapulars,  wings,  upper 
tail-coverts,  and  rump,  dark  brownish-black ;  back  of  neck, 
dark  blackish-grey  ;  front  and  sides  of  neck,  upper  breast, 
sides,  and  flanks,  rich  reddish-brown ;  lower  breast  and  abdo- 
men, white ;  under  tail-coverts,  dusky ;  secondaries,  chiefly 
whitish,  except  the  outer  ones  which  like  the  primaries 
are  dusky  or  ash -brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — The  head-garniture  is  not  so 
highly  developed  as  in  the  male,  otherwise  the  sexes  are 
similar  in  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — '  Horns  '  and  '  tippet ' 
absent ;  lower  throat  and  flanks,  streaked  with  light  grey ; 
chin,  cheeks,  upper  throat,  breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail- 
coverts,  white. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Eesembles  the  adult 
winter-garb,  but  the  breast  and  abdomen  are  brownish- 
white  and  there  is  a  greyish  shading  on  the  cheeks. 

BEAK.     Blackish,  white  at  the  tip. 

FEET.  Dark  olive  or  greyish-black,  shading  to  pale 
slate-colour  on  the  inner  surface. 

IRIDES.  Red  ;  narrow  white  rim  round  pupil. 


EAEED  GKEBE  525 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH...         ...  13*5    in.    Female  smaller. 

WING      5-5     „ 

BEAK      ...         ...         ...       1       „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS      ...       1*75  ,, 

EGG  1-8  X  1-25  in. 


EARED  GREBE.      Podges   nigricollis   (C.  L.  Brehm). 

Coloured  Figures.  —  Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v, 
pi.  41;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  632. 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  51. 

Unlike  the  Horned  Grebe,  the  Eared  or  Black-necked 
Grebe  is  a  southern  and  south-eastern  breeding-species, 
which  on  its  vernal  migration  northward  periodically  reaches 
our  coast.  It  also  occurs  though  in  less  numbers  as  an 
autumn  and  a  winter  visitor. 

This  Grebe  probably  frequents  the  south  and  east  coasts 
of  England  annually,  and  has  been  obtained  in  full  breeding- 
plumage  ;  northward,  it  becomes  scarcer,  though,  according 
to  Mr.  Saunders,  it  is  fairly  common  on  the  coast  of 
Northumberland  and  can  be  traced  to  the  Orkneys.  It  is 
of  regular  occurrence  in  winter  on  parts  of  the  Welsh  coast, 
north  of  which  it  is  seldom  recorded. 

Among  recent  captures  may  be  mentioned : — One  shot 
near  Great  Yarmouth  on  October  7th,  1899  (A.  Patterson, 
4  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  299)  ;  while  a  male  and  female  sup- 
posed to  have  bred  or  have  attempted  to  breed,  near 
Banbury,  Oxfordshire,  w7ere  secured  by  Mr.  O.  V.  Aplin, 
on  September  22nd,  1899  ('  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  10) ;  one, 
an  adult  male  in  nuptial  dress,  captured  alive  on  a  pond 
near  Lancaster  on  July  28th,  1904  (H.  W.  Robinson, 
'Zoologist,'  1904,  p.  350). 

In  the  West  of  Scotland  the  only  authenticated  occur- 
rences appear  to  be  those  of  an  adult  on  Loch  Sunart  in 
the  spring  of  1866,  one  in  Skye  in  January,  1895,  and  a 
pair  shot  on  the  Nith  (Saunders). 

The  Eared  Grebe  seldom  visits  Ireland.     It  has  generally 


526  PODICIPEDID^ 

been  observed  in  winter  and  on  the  east  coast,  which  it 
first  touches  on  migration  ;  but  Kerry,  Mayo,  and  Donegal, 
are  not  without  records. 

It  resorts  to  inland  as  well  as  to  tidal  waters,  indeed  it 
is  noteworthy  that  the  first  Irish  specimen  (recorded  by 
Thompson)  was  taken  on  Lough  Neagh  in  1826.  This 
extensive  sheet  of  water,  and  other  lakes  have  been  visited 
by  Eared  Grebes.  Three  birds  were  recently  taken  in  1899, 
viz.,  one  in  Kerry  in  March,  one  in  Wicklow  in  October, 
and  one  in  Westmeath  in  October  (Williams  and  Son); 
while  examples  have  also  been  secured  from  : — Cork, 
Waterford,  Wexford,  Dublin,  Mayo,1  Louth,  Armagh, 
Down,  Antrim,  and  Donegal,  in  all  about  twenty-one 
records  (Ussher). 

The  Eared  Grebe  in  summer,  may  be  distinguished  from 
the  preceding  species  by  its  much  smaller  head-ornaments  ; 
in  the  winter  and  immature  plumages  it  is  more  difficult  to 
identify ;  however,  it  is  somewhat  smaller,  while  its  beak 
is  slightly  curved  upwards.  In  other  Grebes  the  beak  is 
straight. 

Flight. — In  its  general  habits,  its  flight,  and  diving- 
powers,  this  bird  in  no  wise  differs  from  its  congeners. 

Voice. — The  note  is  softer  than  that  of  other  Grebes 
and  sounds  like  beeb,  beeb,  or  in  the  nesting-season  a  two- 
syllabled  note  is  uttered  sounding  like  bidder  (Naumann). 

Food. — Fish  and  crabs,  also  beetles  (to  which  the  bird 
seems  partial),  form  the  diet.  Watters  found  the  stomach 
of  an  Eared  Grebe  entirely  filled  with  beetles  which 
glittered  among  the  feathers  in  which  they  were  embedded. 
"When  the  bird  was  captured  two  large  beetles  were  found 
in  the  throat  ('  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  221). 

Nest. — Several  observers  have  found  the  nest  on  tufts 
built  up  from  the  bottom  of  the  water,  situated  on  islets  or 
on  the  margin  of  a  lake.  But  in  other  situations  it  floats 
amid  reeds,  these  in  a  state  of  decay  forming  the  chief 
materials  of  the  nest.  In  Algeria  the  late  Canon  Tristram 
observed  this  bird  breeding  in  colonies  so  dense  that  some  of 


1  Mr.  Warren  only  met  with  one  example  on  the  Mayo  coast  during 
his  long  experience  in  that  locality.  This  bird  was  shot  in  Killala  Bay 
on  February  6th,  1852. 

Two  specimens  in  full  nuptial-plumage  have  been  obtained  in  Ire- 
land. One  near  Dublin  on  June  15th,  1847  (Watters),  the  other  in  the 
co.  Armagh  early  in  June,  1849  (Thompson). 


EAKED  GKEBE  527 

the  nests  almost  touched  one  another  (Saunders).  The  eggs, 
three  to  five  in  number,  characteristic  in  colour  and  shape, 
become  stained  as  incubation  proceeds,  especially  when  laid 
in  floating  nests  which  are  constantly  in  a  state  of  moisture. 
The  Eared  Grebe  may  have  bred  in  Norfolk,  as  a  couple  of 
downy  nestlings  have  been  obtained  with  an  adult  in  full 
breeding-plumage  (Booth,  'Bough  Notes.') 

In  the  '  Zoologist,'  1904,  pp.  417-420,  Mr.  0.  V.  Aplin 
contributes  an  interesting  article  relating  to  the  breeding 
of  this  species  in  the  British  Isles.  He  states  that  he  has 
received  satisfactory  evidence  that  several  pairs  reared  their 
young  in  Britain  during  the  summer  of  1904.  On  June  3rd, 
two  pairs  with  their  young  were  seen,  and  a  few  days  later 
five  pairs  with  young  were  seen.  The  discoverers,  whom 
Mr.  Aplin  vouches  are  well  known  to  ornithologists,  prefer 
to  remain  anonymous,  nor  do  they  wish  to  divulge  the  name 
of  the  locality  in  which  the  birds  were  found  with  their  off- 
spring. The  nature  of  the  site  is  described  as  "  a  shallow 
lake  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  length.  The  sur- 
rounding ground  is  very  marshy,  and  perhaps  half  the  area 
of  the  lake  itself  is  covered  by  beds  of  club-rush,  bogbean, 
pond  weed,  and  persicaria."  The  habits  of  the  parent-birds 
and  the  young  were  carefully  noted.  In  the  *  Zoologist,' 
1906,  p.  315,  Mr.  Aplin,  in  a  note,  states  that  he  visited  the 
above  breeding-haunts  and  observed  through  strong  glasses, 
four  or  five  adult  Eared  Grebes  in  full  breeding-plumage. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  this  species  may  have  nested  in 
several  of  the  southern  and  eastern  counties  of  England, 
where  specimens  from  time  to  time  have  been  obtained  in 
full  nuptial-dress.  It  is  noteworthy,  as  pointed  out  by  Mr. 
Aplin,  that  "parts  of  the  British  Islands  lie  within  the 
geographical  breeding  range  of  this  species." 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Abroad,  in  Southern  Europe, 
North  Africa,  and  Temperate  Asia,  eastward  to  the  Pacific, 
the  Eared  Grebe  nests  freely  ;  in  Central  Europe  more 
sparingly.  Its  breeding-range  reaches  to  about  55°  N.  lat. 
in  some  countries,  notably  Denmark  and  Prussia.  Its 
winter-range  extends  to  the  shores  of  Central  Africa,  Arabia, 
and  India,  i.e.,  about  lat.  22°  N. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 


PLUMAGE.    Adult  male  »i(p&aZ.—  .-Head,  neck,  and  throat, 
black   with   a   faint   greyish   gloss  ;    a   triangular   patch   of 


528  PODICIPEDID^ 

elongated  thin  plumes,  golden-brown  in  colour,  is  spread 
over  the  ears  covering  the  back  of  the  cheeks  ;  base  of  fore- 
neck,  chestnut-red ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wing-coverts,  dark 
brown ;  secondaries,  almost  entirely  white  ;  four  inner  pri- 
maries also  exhibiting  much  white,  a  mark  that  distinguishes 
this  species  from  the  Horned  Grebe  ;  rest  of  primaries, 
chiefly  brownish  ;  breast,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts, 
pure  white ;  flanks  and  sides,  dull  reddish-brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — No  ear  tufts;  chin, 
throat,  and  cheeks,  white  ;  ear-coverts,  and  front  of  neck, 
brownish- white  ;  sides  and  flanks,  white  edged  with  greyish- 
brown  ;  otherwise  similar  to  the  adult  nuptial  dress. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
winter-plumage . 

BEAK.  Blackish,  reddish  at  the  base ;  upcurved  near 
the  tip. 

FEET.  Olive-green  shading  to  blackish  ;  inner  surface, 
leaden-blue. 

IRIDES.  Crimson,  with  a  narrow  white  ring  round  the 
pupil. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH...         ...  12    in.     Female  smaller. 

WING 5     „ 

BEAK     0'9  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS    ...  1*5   ,, 

EGG  1-65  X  115  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — P.  calif or- 
nicus,  which  closely  resembles  our  bird  but  has  hardly 
any  white  on  the  wings,  is  found  in  North  America,  though 
neither  species  frequents  Greenland. 


LITTLE  GREBE.     Podicipes  fluviatilis  (Tunstall). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
42;  Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  633  ;  Lilford, 
*  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  52. 

The  Little  Grebe,  though  insignificant  in  size  and  but 
modestly  attired  even  in  the  nuptial  dress,  is  by  far   the 


LITTLE  GBEBE 


529 


best  known  and  most  plentiful  member  of  its  Family.  It 
has  a  wide  distribution  in  the  British  Isles,  and  in  winter 
it  frequents  coasts  and  estuaries  as  well  as  inland  lakes, 
forsaking  the  latter  when  frost-bound  for  the  open  tidal 
water.  It  will  often  select  for  its  '  natural  habitat '  orna- 
mental waters  and  is  a  comparatively  unsuspicious  bird, 
showing  little  objection  to  human  and  other  traffic.  I 
have  often  seen  it  from  the  window  of  a  passing  train, 
swimming  and  diving  unconcernedly  in  a  reedy  pond  or 
dyke,  quite  close  to  the  railway  embankment  in  company 
with  Water-hens  and  Coots. 


FIG.  63. -LITTLE   GREBE. 


Its  movements  in  the  water  resemble  those  of  other 
Grebes  ;  it  can  dive  with  remarkable  speed,  all  the  while 
using  its  wings  and  legs  as  organs  of  propulsion.  Even  the 
downy  young,  when  just  hatched,  can  swim  and  dive 
perfectly,  but  when  danger  threatens  they  seek  the  protec- 
tion of  their  mother's  back. 

Flight. — The   flight   is   rapid  and   appears  to   be   more 

sustained  than  that  of   the  larger  Grebes  ;    when  alarmed 

the  bird   occasionally   takes  wing,    but    even  then  it   will 

only  flutter  along  the  surface  for  a  short  distance,  alight  on 

34 


530  PODICIPEDIM; 

the  water  and  dive.  It  will  also  wing  its  way  from  one 
lake  to  another,  and  at  night  sometimes  flies  round  the  coast. 

Voice. — The  Little  Grebe  may  often  be  heard  uttering 
a  rather  shrill,  trilling  sound  like  wheet-wheet,  which  is  very 
far-reaching. 

Food.1 — Besides  small  fish,  water-snails,  tadpoles,  and 
insects,  duck- weed  and  other  aquatic  vegetable  substances 
are  eaten,  and  in  winter  when  on  the  coast  this  bird  also 
consumes  small  marine  shell-fish  and  worms.  Feathers 
are  generally  present  in  the  stomach. 

Nest. — The  popular  idea  that  the  nest  floats  freely  in  the 
water  is  quite  erroneous.  It  is  almost  invariably  attached 
to  submerged  stems  or  to  adjacent  sedges  or  reeds,  and  in 
shallow  water  is  often  built  up  from  the  bottom  of  the  lake. 
It  is  a  rude  structure,  composed  of  aquatic  plants,  and  con- 
veying to  the  untrained  eye  but  little  resemblance  to  a 
bird's  nest.  In  fact  before  the  eggs  are  laid  it  looks  like 
a  lump  of  refuse  floating  on  the  surface ;  when  incubation 
has  begun,  it  appears  still  less  like  a  nest,2  being  raised  in 
the  centre  by  leaves  or  weeds,  placed  on  the  egg  by  the 
owner  when  she  quits  them  and  dives  under  water. 

The  eggs,  three  to  six  in  number,  are  creamy-white  and 
inclined  to  be  pointed  at  both  ends,  but  in  many  specimens 
one  pole  is  distinctly  larger  and  more  rounded  than  the 
other. 

Incubation  generally  begins  in  April  or  later,3  and  during 
the  process  the  eggs  often  become  stained  a  deep  brown 
from  contact  with  decaying  vegetation. 

1  Watters  describes  the  habits  of  a  Little  Grebe  of  which  he  made 
a  pet,  as  follows: — "When  placed  upon   a  tub  of  water  it  dived,  and 
disported  itself  as  well  as  its  limits  permitted,  and  captured,  without 
any  exertion,  the  minnow  which  had  been  placed  for  its  food,  at  last 
becoming  so  familiar  as  to  look  upward  when  the  fish  was  suspended 
by  the  tail,  and  diving  after  it  when  it  entered  the  water ;  when  lifted 
out  it  paddled  along  the  floor  in  the  most  amusing  manner,  after  every 
few  feet  traversed  squatting  down  to  rest ;  no  way  timid  when  placed  on 
the  breakfast  table,  it  never  attempted  to  move  until  taken  away  to 
enjoy  its  morning  bath  "  ('  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  222). 

2  Once  by  mistake  I  shot  a  hatching  Little  Grebe.     I  took  her  to  be 
simply   resting   on  the   water,  so   flat  and  sunken  was  her  nest.     The 
latter  was  dripping  wet  and  contained  three  eggs.     These  were  stained 
a  deep  brown,  though  only  laid  about  four  days.     One  egg  was  blown 
to  pieces,     another  received    two    shot    punctures,    through    which    I 
expelled  the  contents,  while  the  third  escaped  uninjured. 

3  I  have  taken  the  eggs  on  July  8th,  1889,  on  Lough  Neagh,  and  this 
bird  is  known  to  lay  in  August. 


532  PODICIPEDID^E 

This  bird  breeds  freely  throughout  the  British  Isles  on 
sheltered  lakes  and  ponds,  both  large  and  small,  also  along 
the  margins  of  deep  sluggish  streams,  overgrown  with  reeds 
and  bulrushes.  The  nest  may  be  situated  far  inland  or  near 
the  coast,  in  the  latter  situation  I  have  known  the  bird  to 
breed  about  brackish  ponds  connected  by  a  channel  with 
the  sea. 

This  Grebe  is  somewhat  less  numerous  in  the  northern 
counties  of  Scotland,  though  it  is  noteworthy  that  it  breeds 
at  an  elevation  of  2,000  feet  in  some  districts  in  the  High- 
lands. It  is  also  resident  on  some  of  the  larger  islands  of 
the  western  sea-board  of  Scotland. 

In  Ireland  it  is  a  common  breeding-species,  and  is  abun- 
dant in  summer  along  the  Shannon  and  the  great  lakes 
passing  through  it. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Abroad,  the  Little  Grebe 
breeds  in  many  countries  in  Central  and  Southern  Europe, 
and  in  North  Africa.  Eastward  it  is  generally  distributed 
over  Temperate  Asia,  breeding  as  far  as  Japan.  It  has  not 
yet  been  recorded  as  nesting  in  Iceland,  nor  did  Mr.  F. 
Coburn  find  it  in  his  recent  expedition,  though  the  Horned 
Grebe  was  very  common.  The  breeding-range  in  Europe 
hardly  extends  north  of  the  latitude  of  the  Shetland  Isles  ; 
in  Central  Europe  the  bird  occurs  chiefly  as  a  summer- 
migrant,  though  resident  in  the  south  as  well  as  in  Asia  and 
in  North  Africa. 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Front  and  top  of  head, 
hind-neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  dark  bronze-brown ; 
primaries,  brown ;  outer  secondaries,  chiefly  brown ;  inner 
ones,  marked  with  white  ;  cheeks,  chin,  and  upper  throat, 
blackish-brown ;  lower  throat,  sides  and  front  of  neck, 
and  back  of  cheeks,  rich  chestnut ;  breast  and  abdomen, 
silvery  brownish  shading  to  greyish-white ;  flanks  and  rump, 
brownish,  with  an  admixture  of  reddish-brown  streaks. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Chin  and  throat  white  ; 

!  cheeks,    sides   of    head    and  neck,   and    upper   breast,    dull 

brownish -buff;    lower  breast  and   abdomen,  chiefly  silvery 

i  white  with  a  brownish  shading  on  the  flanks,  and  a  grey 

shading  on  the  under  tail-coverts ;  otherwise  similar  to  the 

i  nuptial  plumage. 


LITTLE  GEEBE  533 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult  winter- 
plumage,  but  the  markings  are  less  distinct,  while  the  sides 
of  the  head  are  streaked  with  greyish-brown. 

BEAK.  Blackish-brown,  with  a  greenish  patch  at  the 
gape,  and  pale  horn-colour  at  the  tip. 

FEET.     Greyish-green. 

IRIDES.  Reddish-brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...     9*5  in.    Female  slightly  smaller. 

WING       3'9    „ 

BEAK       O75  „ 

TARSOMETATARSUS  1'3    ,, 

EGG  1-5  X  1'2  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — P.  philip- 
pensis,  with  the  rufous  extending  over  the  chin  and  throat, 
ranges  from  China  to  the  Malay  Archipelago ;  P.  capensis, 
with  more  white  on  the  wings  than  in  P.  fluviatilis,  inhabits 
Madagascar  and  Africa,  also  India  and  Ceylon ;  P.  tricolor, 
closely  allied  to  our  bird,  but  showing  more  extensive  rufous 
marking  011  the  face,  inhabits  Borneo,  New  Guinea  and  many 
of  the  smaller  Islands  in  the  Malay  Archipelago  ;  P.  novce- 
liollandice,  a  bird  much  about  the  size  of  P.fluviatilis,  but 
differing  in  several  details,  inhabits  Australia,  Java,  and  New 
Guinea  ;  P.  dominicus,  smaller  than  our  bird,  is  found  in  the 
Southern  States,  Mexico,  Central  and  South  America  as  far 
as  Patagonia. 

Note. — A  specimen  of  the  American  Pied-billed  Grebe, 
(Podilymbus  podicipes),  stated  to  have  been  procured  near 
Weymouth,  in  January,  1881,  was  exhibited  by  Dr.  R. 
Bowdler  Sharpe  at  the  meeting  of  the  Zoological  Society  of 
London,  on  June  21st,  1881.  The  bird  was  little  more  than 
a  nestling  and  still  showed  the  long  stripes  on  its  neck. 
Mr.  Saunders  is  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  probably  an 
accidental  exchange  of  specimens  by  the  dealer,  for  he  sold 
the  bird  as  merely  a  Little  Grebe. 


534 


Order  TURBINARES. 

Family  PEOCELLAEIID^E. 
STORM-PETREL.     Procellaria  pelagica  (Linnasus) . 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
86 ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  613,  tig. 
1 ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  53 ;  Booth, 
1  Bough  Notes,'  vol.  iii,  pi.  49. 

The  Petrels  are  very  hardy  birds,  oceanic  by  nature,  and 
only  coming  to  land  during  the  breeding-season,  or  when 
blown  inland  by  severe  gales.  The  Storm-Petrel,  the  most 
diminutive  of  sea-birds,  is  well  known  in  its  pelagic  haunts 
to  mariners  and  naturalists  of  travel,  while  those  who  have 
opportunities  of  visiting  the  islands  which  stud  the  western 
sea-board  of  Scotland  and  Ireland  may  meet  with  hundreds 
assembled  together  during  the  nesting-season. 

Along  the  English  coasts,  however,  this  species  is  less 
plentiful,  its  distribution  being  restricted  chiefly  to  the 
South-west,  including  Wales.  Before  May  it  is  rare  in 
British  waters ;  in  October  old  and  young  migrate  south- 
ward, and  during  this  movement  lighthouses  and  lightships 
are  frequently  struck.  A  month  later  the  seas  and  channels 
are  deserted  for  the  ocean-homes,  though  a  few  stragglers 
occur  in  midwinter,  especially  after  boisterous  weather, 
when  they  have  been  taken  far  inland. 

This  species  was  formerly  much  commoner  on  the  east 
coast  of  England  than  it  is  at  the  present  time.  In  the 
'  Zoologist '  for  1901,  p.  300,  Mr.  Patterson  describes  how 
hundreds  were  caught  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Yarmouth  by 
fishermen,  who  knocked  them  down  with  osier  wands  as 
they  followed  the  herring-milts  trailed  behind  the  boats  on 
pieces  of  string.  In  November,  18'24,  between  two  and 
three  hundred  were  shot  after  a  severe  gale. 

Flight, — The  Storm-Petrel  is  chiefly  crepuscular  or  noc- 
turnal in  its  habits,  especially  at  the  breeding-haunts.  After 


STOBM-PETREL  535 

twilight  its  dusky  form  may  be  seen  flitting  rapidly  to  and 
fro  and  reminding  one  not  a  little  of  a  bat  on  the  wing. 
But  out  on  the  ocean  its  characteristic  little  figure  may  be 
observed  by  daylight  coursing  over  the  crests  of  the  waves 
and  at  times  lightly  tipping  the  water  with  its  long  slender 
feet  dangling  at  full  length.  Such  a  movement  gives  one 
the  impression  that  the  bird  is  walking  on  the  waves  with 
raised  and  fluttering  wings. 


FIG.  65.-  STORM-PETREL. 

It  seldom  rises  any  height  in  the  air  and  in  boisterous 
weather  will  seek  shelter  in  the  trough  of  the  mighty, 
rolling  billow.  Its  flight  is  swift,  graceful,  and  remarkably 
buoyant,  full  of  twists  and  sudden  swerves,  and  at  a  little 
distance  the  bird  resembles  a  swallow  '  hawking '  for  gnats, 
&c.,  low  over  the  surface  of  the  water.  But  if  a  Storan- 
Petrel,  as  it  flits  over  the  deep,  be  kept  in  view  and  brought 
up  close  with  a  powerful  prism-binocular,  it  will  be  seen  to 
move  for  the  most  part  with  a  strong,  steady  and  regular  up 
and  down  beat  of  the  wings,  resembling  a  Tern  in  hurried 
flight. 

Far  out,  perhaps  a  thousand  miles  from  land,  when  no 
other  bird-life  is  visible,  the  little  Petrel,  clad  in  its  ominous 
browny-black  plumage,  may  be  seen  following  in  the  wake 
of  a  great  vessel.  It  may  continue  in  its  course  for  weeks, 
apparently  not  staying  its  flight  from  darkness  to  dawn.  To 
the  superstitious  it  is  a  bird  of  ill-omen,  its  presence  o'er 


536  PEOCELLAEIID^E 

the  deep  signifying  an  approaching  storm,  and  indeed  many 
a  Jack-Tar,  brave  and  stout-hearted  in  other  respects,  has 
been  known  to  lose  courage  on  sighting  this  harmless  and 
interesting  little  creature.  During  wild  weather,  especially 
after  stormy  nights,  it  may  be  seen  flying  quite  near  the 
coast-land. 

Voice. — In  the  breeding-season  the  Storm-Petrel  utters 
a  succession  of  twitters,  especially  if  the  nest  be  molested. 
The  note  of  the  hatching-bird  sounds  like  ti-tee-tick,  oft 
repeated  (Harvie-Brown  and  Buckley). 


FIG.  6G.— LEFT  FOOT   OF   STORM-PETREL.     Nat.  size. 

Food. — Small  fish,  crabs,  shrimps,  shell-fish,  cuttle-fish, 
and  animal  offal,  especially  fatty  material,  constitute  the 
diet ;  oily  substances  in  a  state  of  semi-digestion  are 
frequently  to  be  found  in  the  stomach.  Floating  offal  is 
rapidly  snatched  from  the  water  during  flight,  less  usually 
the  bird  alights  to  feed.  Mr.  Ussher  has  observed  numbers 
off  the  Kerry  coast  flying  round  the  carcase  of  a  large 
cetacean  "  in  full  daylight,  as  though  they  were  desirous  of 
picking  up  morsels  of  the  carcase  or  oily  matter"  ('Birds  of 
Ireland,'  p.  385).  Captive  birds,  though  often  very  reluctant 
to  feed,  will,  when  pressed  with  hunger,  eat  morsels  of  fish 
from  the  hand. 

Nest. — In  May,  Storm-Petrels  assemble  in  large  numbers 
at  their  breeding-homes,  on  rocky  islands,  preferably  those 
strewn  with  loose  boulders  and  clad  to  some  extent  with 
peaty  soil.  The  birds  are  noisy,  but,  considering  the  num- 
bers present,  proportionately  few  are  seen  in  the  day-time  as 
the  majority  are  hidden  in  nooks  and  burrows  where  they 
are  hatching.  The  nest  is  never  placed  in  an  exposed 


STORM-PETBEL  537 

situation  though  very  different  forms  of  cover  are  selected  ; 
some  birds  resort  to  rock-crevices,  others  to  disused  rabbit- 
burrows,  while  numbers  breed  under  masses  of  loose  stones. 
In  many  instances  the  nest  is  at  no  great  height  from  the 
sea-level,  but  in  some  localities  it  may  be  found  several 
hundred  feet  high.  The  building-materials  are  scanty, 
consisting  of  bits  of  dry  grass,  sticks,  and  weeds ;  in  some 
instances  a  naked  hollow  scraped  in  the  soil  at  the  end  of 
a  burrow  is  utilised.  The  egg,  one  of  which  constitutes 
the  clutch,  is  white,  in  many  cases  exhibiting  a  zone 
composed  of  fine  red-brown  specks  near  the  larger  end. 

Incubation  commences  about  the  middle  of  June  and  lasts 
for  thirty-five  days  :  nestlings  have  been  taken  in  September 
and  October.  The  breeding-haunts  smell  strongly,  the 
odour  being  derived  chiefly  from  the  oily  gastric  contents 
which  are  ejected  from  the  mouth  when  the  bird  is  pulled 
out  of  its  hole. 

The  Storm-Petrel  has  many  breeding-sites  off  the  British 
coasts. 

In  Ireland  thousands  congregate  on  some  of  the  islands 
off  Western  Kerry,  including  the  Skelligs,  Scariff,  and  the 
Blaskets  ;  while  the  islands  off  the  coasts  of  Gal  way,  Mayo, 
Donegal,  Antrim,  and  probably  other  localities,  accommodate 
colonies. 

In  Scotland  it  breeds  in  the  groups  of  the  large  Western 
and  Northern  Isles,  while  recently  it  has  been  found  nesting 
on  the  Bass  Rock  on  the  east  side  of  Scotland  (Eagle 
Clarke,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1905,  pp.  55-56). 

In  England  a  few  pairs  probably  breed  on  an  islet  off 
Luiidy  Island,  while  there  is  a  breeding-station  also  on  the 
Scilly  Isles. 

In  Wales  there  are  several  breeding-resorts,  especially 
on  the  small  islands  off  the  coasts  of  Pembrokeshire. 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Abroad,  it  may  be  traced 
as  a  breeding-species  from  the  Channel  Isles  southward 
along  the  French  coast  to  the  Mediterranean,  as  far  east  as 
Italy ;  visiting  the  Canaries  and  migrating  along  the  West 
coast  of  Africa,  as  far  as  Cape  Town  in  winter.  North- 
ward it  breeds  in  the  Faroes,  and  visits  in  summer,  Norway, 
Iceland,  South  Greenland,  and  the  east  coast  of  Canada. 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — General  plumage  sooty- 
black  ;  forehead,  breast,  and  abdomen,  of  a  somewhat 


538  PEOCELLAEIID^ 

browner  shade ;  greater  wing-coverts,  thinly  edged  with 
white;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  (excepting  the  tips), 
white,  this  colour  extending  to  the  sides  of  tne  vent; 
tail-feathers,  sooty-black  with  white  bases. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter  j  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Brownish-black,  with  very 
little  or  no  white  on  the  tail  or  wing-coverts. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Black. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...    ...    ...  6'5  in. 

WING    ...  4-7  „ 

BEAK    0*6  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS         0'9     ,, 

EGG  1-15  x  '85  in. 


FORK-TAILED  PETREL.     Oceanodroma  leucorrhoa  (Vieillot). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
85  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  613,  fig.  2  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  54. 

This,  also  known  as  Leach's  Petrel,  and  distinguished 
from  the  preceding  species  by  its  forked  tail  and  larger  size, 
is  not  uncommon  in  British  waters  after  heavy  gales  from 
the  North  and  West,  which  sometimes  blow  the  bird  far 
inland,  and  there  are  numerous  records  of  examples  being 
picked  up  dead  or  in  an  exhausted  state. 

Mr.  Ussher  describes  how  great  numbers  were  blown 
across  Ireland  during  the  south-westerly  gales  which  raged 
from  the  latter  end  of  September  to  the  middle  of  October, 
1891.  Specimens  were  then  obtained  in  no  fewer  than 
eighteen  counties,  namely: — Kerry,  Waterford,  Clare, 
Limerick,  Tipperary,  Dublin,  Kildare,  Queen's  County, 
Westmeath,  Galway,  Mayo,  Leitrim,  Cavan,  Down,  Antrim, 
Londonderry,  Tyrone,  and  Donegal.  "  A  number  were  seen 
flying  about  the  Shannon  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Limerick 


FORK-TAILED  PETREL  539 

on  27th  September,  coming,  in  their  eagerness  for  food, 
close  to  the  spectators,  and  at  Banagher  the  birds  were  not 

only  seen  on  the  river,  but  in  the  town 

A  correspondent,  who  enclosed  one  to  Dr.  Scharff  from 
Moy,  co.  Tyrone,  stated  that  dozens  were  lying  about 
that  place.  It  appears,  therefore,  that  these  birds  were 
blown  right  across  Ireland ;  but  flocks,  apparently  of 
Fork-tailed  Petrels,  were  still  seen  off  the  west  coast 
in-  the  middle  of  October.  On  the  14th  of  that  month 
the  lightkeeper  at  the  Skelligs  stated  that  he  saw 
about  two  hundred  Petrels  which  were  larger  than  the 
Storm-Petrel,  in  flocks  of  about  twenty  or  thirty  (Migration 
Reports).  At  the  same  time  flocks  of  Petrels  appeared  on 
the  coasts  of  Wexf  ord  "  ('Birds  of  Ireland,'  pp.  387-388  ; 
vide  also  Barrington,  '  Migration  of  Birds/  pp.  240  and 
255). 

The  same  gales  blew  numbers  of  Fork-tailed  Petrels  over 
Scotland  and  England,  though  Mr.  Harvie-Brown  did  not 
find  the  birds  increased  to  any  appreciable  extent  in  the 
Outer  Hebrides,1  as  recorded  by  Mr.  Evans  in  '  Ann.  Scot. 
Nat.  Hist.,  1891,'  pp.  74,  75.  In  ordinary  calm  weather  this 
Petrel  migrates  in  autumn  and  winter  along  the  British 
coast,  and  specimens  have  also  been  secured  in  spring  and 
summer.  Though  irregular  in  its  appearance,  and  occurring 
only  in  limited  numbers,  yet  it  is  a  bird  of  wide  distribution 
and  has  touched  on  almost  all  points  of  the  coast-line. 
Bullock  first  discovered  it  as  a  British  bird  at  St.  Kilda  in 
1818  (McGillivray,  '  British  Birds,'  p.  265). 

Among  recent  captures  may  be  mentioned  : — A  specimen 
picked  up  in  an  exhausted  state  in  a  field  at  Cadbury  in 
Somerset,  on  November  30th,  1902.  "  As  Cadbury  is  some 
twenty-five  miles  from  the  nearest  point  on  the  coast, 
the  bird  had  doubtless  been  blown  inland  by  the  recent 
heavy  gales,  but  whether  from  the  Bristol  or  English 
Channel  is  uncertain,  most  probably,  however,  the  former  " 
(R.  H.  Reid,  '  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  29).  Another  '  picked  up  ' 
dead  in  the  park  at  Beauport,  Battle,  Sussex,  and  identified 
on  November  8th,  1905,  by  Mr.  T.  Parkin  ('Zoologist,' 
1905,  p.  465).  Another  picked  up  near  Douglas,  Isle  of  Man, 

1  There  have  not  been  many  records  of  this  Petrel  at  any  time  from 
the  Outer  Hebrides.  One  was  found  dead  at  Barra  on  September  28th, 
1897  (Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1897,  p.  151),  while  others  have  been  seen 
flying  between  Barra  and  an  island  north  of  it. 


540  PROCELLARIID^E 

011  December  5th,  1905  (Ralfe,  '  Zoologist/  1906,  p. -.194). 
A  fourth  picked  up  in  co.  Fermanagh  on  November  28th, 
1905  (C.  Langham,  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1906,  p.  45). 

In  its  general  habits  this  Petrel  resembles  the  last 
species  ;  when  not  breeding  it  leads  a  wandering,  pelagic 
life,  flitting  over  the  tossing  billows  and  following  in  the 
wake  of  a  vessel  for  many  miles.  Single  birds  or  small 
parties  are  usually  seen. 

Flight. — Except  for  its  forked  tail  this  Petrel  is  not 
easily  distinguished  on  the  wing  from  the  last  species.  The 
night  of  the  two  birds  over  the  ocean  is  practically  similar. 
Mr.  A.  Williams  observed  six  on  the  wing  near  Clontarf 
estuary,  close  to  Dublin.  He  describes  how  they  hovered 
with  their  heads  to  the  wind,  tipping  the  water  with  their 
tiny  black  feet  ('  Zoologist,'  1882,  p.  18).  Mr.  Ussher  men- 
tions two  that  were  seen,  also  flying  against  the  wind  for 
several  hours,  along  the  margin  of  a  lake  in  Westmeath. 

Voice.  —  The  note  resembles  the  syllables  pewr-ioit, 
pewr-wit  (Saunders). 

Food. — Refuse,  chiefly  of  an  oily  character,  together  with 
cuttle-fish,  small  crabs,  and  shell-fish,  constitute  the  diet. 
The  stomach  generally  contains  a  rather  transparent  oil. 

Nest. — In  the  breeding-season,  in  May,  the  Forked-tail 
Petrel  exhibits  the  same  gregarious  propensities  as  the  last 
species.  It  is  fond  of  hiding  in  subterranean  passages,  and 
in  daylight  will  suffer  an  intruder  to  pull  it  out  of  a  burrow 
(its  usual  nesting-site),  rather  than  take  flight.  .  It  some- 
times nests  in  rock-crevices,  near  the  summit  of  precipitous 
islands. 

The  nest  is  a  hollow,  scantily  lined  with  withered  grass, 
or,  in  some  cases,  a  naked  depression  in  the  soil.  The 
single  egg  is  white  in  colour,  sometimes  finely  marked  with 
reddish- brown  specks  forming  a  zone  near  the  larger  end. 

Incubation  commences  early  in  June  ;  an  oily  smell  per- 
vades the  breeding-haunts. 

This  Petrel  has  been  found  nesting  in  several  of  the 
Island  Groups  off  the  western  sea-board  of  Scotland,  in- 
cluding St.  Kilda1  (where  it  has  extensive  colonies),  North 
liona  and  several  Islands  of  the  Outer  Hebrides. . 

Mr.  Ussher,  in  his  work  on  the  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  gives 


1  In  Boreray  it  nests  in  the  '  cleets  '  or  little  turf  houses  of  the 
natives  among  the  sods  of  dry  turf  (Harvie-Brown,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat. 
Hist.,  1903,  p.  17). 


FORK-TAILED  PETEEL  541 

an  interesting  account  of  eggs  which  were  received  from  the 
Tearaght  rock  off  the  Kerry  coast  on  July  1st,  1886,  June 
21st  and  23rd,  1887,  and  July  6th,  1888.  (Vide  also  Bar- 
rington,  '  Migration  of  Birds,'  Eep.  18S9,  p.  115.)  On  May 
20th,  1889,  another  egg  was  taken  on  Inishnabro,  a  neigh- 
bouring island  belonging  to  the  Blasket  group  (vide  '  Ibis,' 
1880,  pp.  11-12)  ;  while  on  August  13th,  1899,  an  egg  much 
incubated  was  received  by  Mr.  Barrington  from  an  island 
off  the  Mayo  coast. 

It  is  not  unlikely  that  this  bird  breeds  on  other  islands, 
but  its  secretive  habits  render  it  difficult  of  observation. 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  this  Petrel  is  widely 
distributed.  To  the  coast  of  Norway  it  is  a  wanderer, 
but  it  has  reached  Iceland  :  storm-driven  birds  have  been 
recorded  from  many  countries  of  Central  and  Southern 
Europe,  while  southward  some  of  the  islands  off  the  north- 
west coast  of  Africa  are  visited.  Westward  this  bird  is 
common  off  the  eastern  sea-board  of  Canada,  migrating  in 
winter  over  the  North  Atlantic  to  about  lat.  35°  N.  It 
also  occurs  in  Greenland.  On  the  North  Pacific  coasts  of 
the  American  Continent  its  breeding  range  extends  from 
California  northward  to  Alaska ;  from  thence  it  can  be  fol- 
lowed to  the  Kurile  and  other  islands1  off  the  eastern  side 
of  the  Asiatic  Continent.  Japan  is  also  visited.  It  seems 
that  this  Petrel,  during  its  winter  peregrinations,  does  not 
cross  the  Equator ;  in  fact  its  southern  limit  is  probably 
about  lat.  25°  to  30°  N. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — General  plumage  sooty- 
black  ;  head,  throat,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  with  a  slight 
plumbeous  shade  ;  wing-coverts  and  edges  of  the  secondaries 
shading  from  greyish-black  to  ashy-grey ;  longer  upper 
tail-coverts,  white ;  shorter  ones,  sooty-black  margined  with 
white  ;  tail,  black  and  forked ;  under  tail-coverts,  whitish  at 
the  base. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 


1  A  specimen  from  the  Kurile  Islands,  belonging  to  the  late  Mr. 
Seebohm's  collection,  and  now  in  the  British  Museum,  shows  some 
white  at  the  base  of  the  outer  tail-feathers,  and  along  the  outer  web  of 
the  outermost  feather  ;  but  in  other  respects  resembles  specimens  from 
the  North  Atlantic  (vide  Cat.  Birds  Brit.  Mus.,  vol.  xxv,  pp.  319-350). 


542  PKOCELLABIID^ 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Nestling. — "  The  nestling  being  covered  with  long  greyish- 
brown  down,  resembles  a  small  long-haired  mouse  rather 
than  a  bird,  as  neither  the  wings  nor  the  bill  are  visible" 
(Saunders). 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Brownish-black. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...         ...  8*5  in. 

WING        6 

BEAK         ...  0'75  ,, 

TARSO-METATABSUS        0"9    ,, 

EGG  ...  1*3  x  '9  in. 


MADEIRAN  FORKED-TAILED  PETREL.    Occanodroma  castro 

(Harcourt). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,' vol.  ix,  pi.  718 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  55. 

There  is  but  one  British  specimen  of  this  Southern 
Petrel  on  record,  namely  a  bird  picked  up  dead  on  the 
strand  at  Littlestone,  in  Kent,  on  December  5th,  1895.  It 
is  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Boyd  Alexander,  who  examined  it 
in  the  flesh.  This  specimen  was  exhibited  before  a  meet- 
ing of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club  on  April  29th,  1896 
(Saunders,  Man.  Brit.  Birds,  2nd  Edit.,  p.  731 ;  also  '  Ibis,' 
1896,  p.  401). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — This  species  may  be 
distinguished  from  Leach's  Petrel,  which  it  resembles  in 
colour,  by  its  tail,  winch  is  much  less  forked  ;  longer  upper 
tail-coverts,  white,  broadly  edged  with  black ;  tail-feathers 
(except  the  central  pair),  black,  with  white  bases. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 


WILSON'S  PETREL  543 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.     Black. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

EGG.  "  Exactly  like  the  egg  of  Leach's  Petrel,  white, 
with  an  indistinct  zone  of  light  red,  and  faint  purplish  under- 
lying dots  round  the  larger  end"  (Ogilvie-Grant,  'Ibis,'  1896, 
p.  54)  :  clutch,  one. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 7      in.    Female  larger. 

WING        6-1    „ 

BEAK        ...  ...  0*8    „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...  0'82  ,, 

EGG  1-3  x  '96  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Eepresentative  Forms. — The  follow- 
ing list  of  Petrels  with  forked  tails,  which  speaking  gener- 
ally are  inhabitants  of  some  part  or  other  of  the  Pacific 
Oceans  may  here  be  included: — 0.  macrodactyla ;  0.  socor- 
rcensis ;  6.  fuliginosa ;  0.  melania  ;  0.  markhami  ;  0. 
tristrami  ;  0.  homochroa  ;  0.  monorhis  ;  0.  hornbyi  ;  and 
O.  furcata. 


544  .  PBQCELLAKIII)^ 

Sub-Family  OCEANITIN^E. 
WILSON'S   PETREL.     Oceanites  oceanicus  (Kuhl). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe/  vol.  viii,  pi.  614, 
fig.  1  ;  Lilford,'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  56. 

Eegarding  the  origin  of  this  Petrel's  name  Mr.  Sauriders 
writes :  "  This  remarkably  long-legged  Petrel  was  noticed 
and  figured  as  frocellaria  pelagica  by  Wilson  (Am.  Orn. 
vii,  p.  90,  pi:  Ix.  fig.  6)  under  the  impression  that  it  was 
identical  with  the  Storm-Petrel ;  but  the  earliest  scientific 
description  of  it  was  given  by  Kuhl  in  1820.  In  1824  Bona- 
parte published  a  memoir  on  this  and  three  more  species, 


PIG.  67. 

HEAD  OF  WILSON'S  PETREL. 
Nat)  size. 


FIG.  68. 

LEFT  FOOT  OF  WILSON'S  PETREL. 

Nat.  size. 

with  the  distinctive  characters,  measurements,  and  figures 
of  each;  and,  in  ignorance  of  Kuhl's  name,  proposed  to  call 
the  bird  Procellana  wilsoni,  in  honour  of  the  distinguished 
ornithologist,  whose  name  can,  however,  only  be  handed 
down  to  posterity  in  the  trivial  appellation."  As  a  British 
bird,  Wilson's  Petrel  has  occurred  on  several  occasions,  yet 
it  must  be  looked  upon  only  as  a  rare  and  casual  visitor  to 
our  Isles. 

Among  the  earliest  British  records  are  those  given  by 
Gould,  when  numbers  were  seen  off  Land's  End  in  May, 


WILSON'S  PETEEL  545 

1838  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc.,  1839)  :  Kodd,  in  his  '  Birds  of  Corn- 
wall, mentions  the  capture  of  another  specimen  in  Novem- 
ber, 1838,  near  Polperro,  in  Cornwall. 

Wilson's  Petrel  has  also  been  recorded  from  the  follow- 
ing counties  :  — 

Sussex  ;  one  obtained  (Bond,  '  Zoologist,'  1843). 

Wiltshire  ;  one  picked  up,  November  2nd,  1849  (Marsh, 
'Zoologist,'  1859). 

Yorkshire  ;  one  shot,  November,  1874  (Eagle  Clarke, 
Handb.  Yorks.,  Vert.,  p.  85). 

Cumberland  ;  three  occurrences,  the  latest  being  in  No- 
vember, 1890  (Saunders,  Man.  Brit.  Birds,  2nd  Edit.,  p.  734). 

Two  examples  have  been  taken  at  Freshwater  in  the 
Isle  of  Wight ;  one  in  November,  1863  (Delme  Badcliffe, 
'  Field/  November  28th,  1863,  and  '  Zoologist,'  1864)  ;  the 
other  in  the  autumn  of  1888  (Gurney,  'Zoologist,'  1889). 

In  Scotland  there  appears  to  be  but  one  record,  namely, 
that  of  a  bird  taken  in  a  net  after  a  gale  on  October  1st, 
1891  (H.  Evans,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1892). 

Coincidently,  two  specimens  were  secured  in  Ireland, 
these  being  the  first  well-authenticated  occurrences.  One, 
shot  on  Lough  Erne,1  co.  Fermanagh,  October  1st,  1891 
(Williams,  '  Zoologist,'  1891,  p.  428)  ;  this  specimen  is 
preserved  in  the  National  Museum,  Dublin.  The  second, 
an  adult  female,  found  alive  in  a  field  at  Mossvale,  co.  Down, 
in  an  emaciated  condition  ;  it  died  next  day  (B.  Patterson, 
'Zoologist,'  1891,  p.  427). 

Both  these  birds  were  blown  inland  by  the  great 
westerly  winds  which  were  then  raging.  Another  specimen, 
the  account  of  its  capture  resting  on  rather  shaky  evidence, 
is  cited  by  Thompson  (Nat.  Hist.  Irel.,  vol.  iii,  p.  417).  The 
bird  was  supposed  to  have  been  taken  in  August,  1840,  some- 
where on  the  Irish  coast,  but  the  locality  is  not  mentioned. 

In  its  flight,  selection  of  food,  and  other  general  habits, 
this  bird  resembles  the  Petrels  already  dealt  with  ;  it  is 
mainly  a  bird  of  the  Antarctic  Oceans,  visiting  its  nesting- 
haunts  towards  the  end  of  November,  and  laying  its  single 
egg  in  January  or  February.  It  breeds  in  colonies,  building 
among  large  boulders  or  shattered  rocks,  in  holes,  and 
crevices.  The  egg  is  white,  finely  speckled  with  small  spots 

1  Large  sheets  of  inland  waters  should  be  carefully  examined  during 
and  after  heavy  westerly  gales,  when  ocean-birds  are  often  driven  out  of 
their  usual  haunts. 

35 


546  PKOCELLAKIID^ 

of  reddish-brown,  like  those  of  most  other  Petrels  (Saunders, 
Phil.  Trans.,  clxvii,  p.  164). 

Geographical  distribution. — "Wilson's  Petrel  has  been 
found  breeding  on  Kerguelen  Island,  by  the  Kev.  A.  E. 
Eaton ;  and  examples  of  birds  "  were  obtained  by  the 
'Challenger'  Expedition,  off  the  Antarctic  ice-barrier  on 
February  14th,  1874  "  (Saunders).  In  summer  it  is  common 
on  some  of  the  islands  (notably  the  Azores)  off  the  West 
African  coast,  from  whence  it  can  be  traced  in  the  South 
Atlantic  down  to  the  Cape,  eastward  over  the  Indian 
Ocean  to  Australia  and  New  Zealand,  and  across  the 
South  Pacific  to  Chile  and  Peru.  In  the  North  Atlantic 
it  is  common  along  the  American  sea-board,  visiting  the 
West  Indies  and  Mexico,  and  reaching  about  as  far  north 
as  the  latitude  of  the  British  Islands.  In  the  Antarctic 
Ocean  the  geographical  distribution  may  be  said  to  be  cir- 
cumpolar. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — General  plumage,  sooty- 
black  ;  forehead,  breast,  and  abdomen,  of  a  paler  shade  ; 
greater  wing-coverts  and  inner  secondaries,  edged  with 
greyish-white ;  the  primaries  and  the  tail-feathers  are  more 
inky  black  than  the  rest  of  the  plumage,  but  the  bases  of 
the  outer  tail-feathers  are  thinly  edged  with  white  ;  upper 
tail-coverts  and  thigh-patches,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Black. 

EEET.     Black  ;  proximal  portions  of  the  webs,  yellow. 

IEIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     7  in. 

WING   6'1  ,, 

BEAK   0'7  ,, 

TARSO-META TARSUS      1'5   „ 

EGG  1-3  X  0-9  in. 


Allied  Species  and  'Representative  Forms. — 0.  gracilis, 
smaller,  with  the  middle  of  the  abdomen  white,  inhabits  the 
west  coast  of  South  America. 


FEIGATE-PETEEL  547 

FRIGATE-PETREL.     Pelagodroma  marina  (Latham). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  719; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  57. 

The  Frigate-Petrel,  a  native  of  the  Oceans  of  the 
Southern  Hemisphere,  has  twice  been  procured  off  the 
British  coast ;  once  in  England  and  once  in  Scotland,  on 
both  occasions  after  heavy  gales.  The  first  record  is  that 
of  a  bird  washed  ashore  dead  on  Walney  Island  off  the  Lan- 
cashire coast  in  November,  1890.  It  was  identified  by  the 
late  Mr.  0.  Salvin,  who  obtained  it  from  the  late  Rev.  H.  A. 
Macpherson  ('  Ibis,'  1892,  pp.  602-604,  vide  also  'Fauna  of 
Lakeland,'  p.  457).  The  other  example  was  taken  alive  on 
the  Island  of  Colonsay  on  January  1st,  1897,  and  was 
identified  by  Mr.  Eagle  Clarke  ;  it  is  now  preserved  in  the 
Edinburgh  Museum  (Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1897,  p.  88). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back  of 
neck,  and  patch  behind  eye,  dark  slate-grey ;  over  the  eye 
a  broad  white  stripe ;  back  and  scapulars,  chiefly  grey ; 
wing- co verts,  brown  ;  primaries,  brownish-black  ;  rump  and 
upper  tail-coverts,  chiefly  light  grey  ;  tail-feathers,  blackish, 
but  greyish  at  the  basal  half ;  forehead,  front  of  cheeks, 
throat,  breast,  and  abdomen,  white ;  sides  of  neck,  flanks, 
and  under  tail-coverts,  white,  mottled  with  grey. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Resembles  the  adult 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Black. 

EEET.     Black  ;  webs  yellow,  with  a  brownish  edge. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

EGG.  White,  more  or  less  finely  spotted,  and  often 
zoned  towards  the  larger  end  with  dark  red  and  purplish 
dots  ;  in  some  instances  equally  spotted  all  over  the  shell, 
or  entirely  devoid  of  markings :  clutch,  one  (Ogilvie-Grant. 
'Ibis/  1896,  p.  52). 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  7'75  in. 

WING 6-25  „ 

BEAK 0'9     ,, 

TARSO-METATABSUS 16     ,, 

EGG       ...  1-35  x  lin. 


548 


Family  PUFFINID^E. 

GREAT   SHEARWATER.     Puffinus  grams  (O'Reilly). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  *  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  83  ; 
Dresser,  'Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  616,  fig.  2; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  58. 

The  Shearwaters,  like  the  Petrels,  are  oceanic  in  their 
distribution,  and  though  often  occurring  not  far  from  the 
coast,  they  very  seldom  land  except  at  their  nesting- 
haunts. 

The  Great  Shearwater  may  be  regarded  as  almost  an 
annual  autumnal  visitor  in  varying  numbers  to  the  waters 
of  the  south  coast  of  England,  while  it  occurs  more  sparingly 
and  less  regularly  off  the  east  side. 

Among  recent  captures  may  be  mentioned  a  bird  shot  at 
Lowestoft,  in  November,  1898  (A.  Patterson,  'Zoologist,' 
1901) ;  and  another,  a  male,  obtained  on  November  27th, 
1902,  near  the  mouth  of  the  River  Welland  in  Lincolnshire 
(F.  L.  Blathwayt,  'Zoologist,'  1903). 

There  are  several  recorded  occurrences  from  Scotland, 
among  which  may  be  mentioned  two  specimens  which  were 
picked  up  dead  ;  one  in  Skye,  by  the  late  Rev.  H.  A.  Mac- 
pherson,  July  13th,  1885;  the  other  in  Barra,  July,  1899. 
In  1894,  Professor  Newton  and  Mr.  Henry  Evans  observed 
about  thirty  to  forty  pairs  between  the  Butt  of  Lewis  and 
North  Rona ;  and  numbers  were  seen  in  June,  1895,  be- 
tween Barra  and  St.  Kilda  (Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  3900). 

The  Great  Shearwater  is  a  rather  uncertain  visitor  to 
the  Irish  coast ;  it  has  been  noticed  chiefly  about  the  South 
and  West,  and  in  autumn,  but  it  has  occurred  in  spring  and 
summer.  Most  observations  have  been  made  from  passing 
vessels,  while  a  few  birds  have  been  taken  on  baited  hooks, 
and  two  have  been  washed  ashore  dead  (Ussher).  A 
specimen  caught  alive  in  August,  1835,  off  Dungarvan,  co. 
Waterford,  appears  to  be  the  earliest  recorded  occurrence 


GBEAT  SHEAEWATEE  549 

(Thompson,  Nat.  Hist.  Irel.)  ;  recently,  four  were  shot, 
and  from  two  hundred  to  three  hundred  observed  between 
Cape  Clear  and  Mizen  Head  on  September  9th,  1901,  by 
Mr.  H.  Becher,  who  also  saw  a  large  flock  of  this  and  the 
Sooty  Shearwater,  between  the  Blaskets  and  Skelligs  on 
September  13th,  1901  ('Irish  Naturalist,'  1905,  p.  43). 

This  bird  has  also  been  recorded  from  the  following 
counties  : — Galway,  Mayo,  Sligo,  Donegal,  and  Down. 

To  these  may  be  added  the  record  of  numbers  seen  in 
June,  1896,  about  Kockall,  a  wild,  wave-swept  rock  in  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  some  250  miles  west  of  the  Scottish  coast. 

On  that  occasion  Mr.  Jameson  counted  sixteen  in  one 
flock,  while  Mr.  Barrington  saw  at  least  forty  together 
within  half  a  mile  of  Eockall.  In  fact,  the  birds  were  sel- 
dom seen  in  small  numbers  (Harvie-Brown  and  Barrington, 
1  Notes  on  Rockall  Island  and  Bank,'  Trans.  Boy.  Irish  Acad., 
vol.  xxxi.). 

Flight. — This  wandering  ocean-bird  is  endowed  with  a 
remarkably  buoyant  and  well-sustained  flight.  It  may  be 
seen  skimming  low  with  outspread  and  motionless  pinions, 
following  closely  the  undulations  of  the  ocean's  surface. 

Its  flight  shows  to  the  best  advantage  in  fresh,  rather 
than  in  perfectly  calm  weather,  when  the  bird,  coursing  over 
the  great  rolling  billows,  dips  into  the  troughs,  out  of  which 
it  glides,  and  then  mounts  the  crest  of  a  breaking  wave, 
skirting  the  spray  with  quick  and  glancing  turn.  I  have 
generally  observed  single  birds  or  small  parties  on  the  wing, 
but  far  out  in  the  North  Atlantic  I  have  seen  as  many  as 
thirty  bunched  together,  swimming  alongside  the  vessel. 
Watters,  in  his  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  mentions  an  instance  of 
a  Great  Shearwater  which  had  been  captured  alive,  and 
though  its  wings  were  perfect  and  uninjured  it  never 
attempted  to  fly  ;  and  even  when  let  fall  from  a  height  it 
dropped  heavily  on  the  ground.  It  showed  an  inclination 
to  climb  and  several  times  mounted  up  the  handle  of  a  long 
spade. 

Voice. — This  species,  like  others  of  its  kind,  is  no  doubt 
noisy  at  night,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  its  breeding- 
haunts,  but  when  roaming  over  the  ocean  I  have  not  heard 
it  utter  any  cry. 

Food. — The  Great  Shearwater  devours  floating  refuse, 
and  is  particularly  fond  of  oily  substances.  Surface  fish  and 
other  marine  creatures,  are  preyed  upon  to  a  considerable 
extent,  and  when  feeding  the  bird  may  suddenly  alight  and 


550  PUFFINID.E 

then  plunge  under  the  surface  in  hot  pursuit.  It  can  dash 
under  a  wave  with  great  speed,  though  apparently  not 
diving  deeply,  and  will  take  a  baited  hook,  often  being 
made  prisoner  in  that  way  by  fishermen.  It  may  be  seen 
assiduously  beating  to  and  fro  over  the  sea  like  a  sporting 
dog  quartering  a  field  for  game  (Warren).  Cuttle-fish  are 
said  to  be  largely  consumed. 

Nest. — The  nidification  of  the  Great  Shearwater  appears 
at  present  to  be  shrouded  in  mystery  ;  it  is  well-nigh  certain, 
however,  that  it  does  not  breed  in  the  islands  of  the  North 
Atlantic,  especially  on  any  of  those  adjacent  to  the  British 
coast.  Notwithstanding  the  large  numbers  seen  during  the 
Kockall  expedition  in  June,  1896,  the  bird  was  seldom  if 
ever  noticed  in  pairs ; l  moreover  an  adult  female  shot  on 
June  15th,  1896,  and  submitted  to  Dr.  H.  Gadow  for  dis- 
section, showed  by  the  condition  of  its  generative  organs 
that  it  had  not  laid  any  eggs,  nor  was  it  going  to  breed  that 
season.  Professor  Newton  noticed  these  birds  chiefly  in 
pairs  on  his  way  to  the  Faroes  in  1894  ;  he  points  to  the 
general  difficulty  there  is  in  finding  the  nesting  holes  of 

any  species  of  Shearwater "  We  think  all  our 

data,  so  far,  go  to  prove  that  the  birds  which  frequent  our 
seas  are  but  wanderers  over  the  North  Atlantic  for  feeding 
purposes  "  (Barrington  and  Harvie-Brown,  Notes  On  Rockall 
Island  and  Bank). 

Geographical  distribution.  --  The  breeding-haunts  are 
probably  on  Islands  in  the  Southern  Oceans,  specimens 
of  this  Shearwater  having  been  obtained  in  the  Falkland 
Islands,  Terra  del  Fuego,  and  near  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
During  its  travels  the  bird  visits  the  coasts  of  Norway, 
Iceland,  and  the  Faroes,  and  from  May  till  about  October 
is  plentiful  and  widely  distributed  over  a  large  tract  of  the 
North  Atlantic  Ocean.  On  the  American  side2  it  visits 
South  Greenland,  ranging  southward  along  the  eastern  sea- 
board of  Canada  and  the  States. 


1  In  August  and  September,  in  the  North  Atlantic,  I  did  not  notice 
it  flying  in  pairs,  and  I  kept  it  under  observation  with  a  strong  prism- 
binocular  for  five  consecutive  days. 

2  On  August  15th,  1906,  I  observed  numbers  of  this,  and  a  few  of 
the  next  species  some  little  distance  outside  the  Straits  of  Belle  Isle,  lat. 
52°  N.,  long.  56°  20°  W.,  North  Atlantic. 


SOOTY  SHEAKWATER  551 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head  and  back  of  neck, 
ash-brown  ;  neck,  white,  interspersed  with  a  few  spots  of 
light  brown ;  back,  scapulars,  and  wings,  ash-brown,  the 
edges  of  the  feathers  being  paler  ;  upper  tail-coverts,  spotted 
brown  and  white ;  primaries  and  tail-feathers,  chiefly 
blackish-brown  ;  breast,  white  ;  abdomen,  white,  with 
brownish  feathers  interspersed  about  its  middle  and  on  the 
thighs  ;  under  tail-coverts,  sooty-brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Dark  brown. 

FEET.     Pinkish-white. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  19'2  in. 

WING    12-7  „ 

BEAK    2 

TARSO-METATARSUS  2'25   , 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — P.  kuhli, 
identical  with  P.  borealis  of  Cory,  is  a  closely  allied  species 
which  is  resident  on  many  of  the  islands  off  the  west  coast 
of  Africa.  It  visits  the  western  coast  of  France  and  Spain, 
and  is  plentiful  in  the  Mediterranean.  The  back  and  wings 
are  much  paler  than  in  Puffinus  gravis  ;  the  beak  is  yellow 
in  colour  and  deeper  in  shape  (Saunders). 

S03TY  SHEARWATER.    Puffinus  griseus  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

Coloured  Figure*.— Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  616, 
tig.  1 ;  Lilford,  «  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  59. 


The  Sooty  Shearwater  is  a  rarer  visitor  to  British  seas 
than  the  last  species,  from  which  it  may  readily  be  distin- 
guished by  its  uniformly  dark  colour  and  smaller  size. 
Formerly  it  was  regarded  by  some  observers  as  the 
immature  or  a  dark  form  of  that  bird. 

In  England  it  has  been  obtained  off  the  coasts  of  the 


552  PUFFINID^E 

following  counties : — Cornwall,  Devon,  Dorset,  Sussex, 
Norfolk,  Yorkshire,  Northumberland;  and  at  North  Berwick 
in  Scotland.1  Among  recent  captures  may  be  mentioned  :— 
Two  adults — a  male  and  female — shot  October  2nd,  1901, 
off  the  coast  of  Scarborough,  and  two  others,  one  a  female, 
the  other  of  doubtful  sex,  from  the  same  locality,  obtained 
respectively  on  October  1st  and  4th,  1904  (W.  J.  Clarke, 
'  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  477,  and  ibid.,  1905,  p.  74). 

In  Ireland  the  Sooty  Shearwater  has  been  obtained  on 
four  occasions  and  seen  several  times.  A  bird  was  procured 
off  the  Kerry  coast  (near  the  Little  Skellig  Island),  in 
August,  1853,  and  identified  by  More  ('  Zoologist,'  1881)  ; 
a  second  was  taken  off  Bangor,  co.  Down,  on  September 
29th,  1869;  a  third  was  obtained  off  Achill  Island  on  May 
22nd,  1901,  and  is  in  the  Science  and  Art  Museum,  Dublin; 
and  on  September  13th,  1901,  Mr.  H.  Becher  shot  four 
from  among  numbers  of  this  and  the  last  species  between 
the  Blaskets  and  the  Skelligs ;  two  of  these  he  gave  to 
the  above  Museum  ('  Irish  Naturalist,'  1905,  p.  43).  Mr. 
Ussher,  in  his  work  on  the  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  391, 
states  that  both  Sooty  and  Great  Shearwaters  were  seen  on 
several  occasions  by  Mr.  Becher  when  yachting  along  the 
south-west  coast  of  Ireland  in  September,  1899 ;  again,  in 
the  '  Irish  Naturalist '  for  1901,  p.  42,  the  same  writer 
publishes  a  set  of  notes  received  from  Mr.  Becher,  when 
cruising  in  September,  1900,  off  the  coasts  of  Kerry,  Cork 
and  Waterford,  where  he  found  these  birds  "  surprisingly 
numerous."  Except  for  two  days  Sooty  and  Great  Shear- 
waters were  seen  daily  during  a  sail  of  seven  days.  On 
September  14th,  ten  or  twelve  Sooty  Shearwaters  were 
noticed,  chiefly  near  the  Fastnet  Kock.  On  September  16th 
Mr.  Becher  estimates  that  he  saw  about  half  a  dozen  of 
both  Sooty  and  Great  Shearwaters,  the  birds  "  passing  at 
intervals  all  day."  The  next  day  seven  or  eight  Sooty  and 
rather  more  Great  Shearwaters,  were  seen.  Again  on 
September  9th,  1901,  Mr.  Becher  met  with  about  ten  or 
twelve  of  this,  and  a  flock  of  hundreds  of  the  last  species 
between  Cape  Clear  and  Mizen  Head  ('  Irish  Naturalist/ 
1905,  p.  43).  The  foregoing  facts  indicate  that  these  two 
species  of  Shearwaters  are  more  plentifully  distributed 
along  the  south-western  coast  of  Ireland  than  has  been 
previously  supposed. 

1  Recently,  viz.,  October  16th,  1902,  a  Sooty  Shearwater  was  captured 
n  Stromness  Harbour,  this  being  apparently  the  first  record  from  the 
Orkneys.  (Eagle  Clarke,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1903,  pp.  25,  26.) 


SOOTY  SHEAKWATEK  553 

In  its  general  habits,  form  of  flight,  and  food,  the  Sooty 
Shearwater  does  not  seem  to  differ  materially  from  its 
larger  congener. 

Nest. — The  nesting-habits  have  been  observed  on  some 
of  the  islands  (notably  the  Chatham  group)  off  the  shores 
of  New  Zealand.  "  According  to  the  experience  of  Mr. 
Travers  in  the  Chatham  Islands,  this  species  makes,  in  the 
peaty  ground,  a  burrow  which  runs  horizontally  for  about 
three  or  four  feet  and  then  turns  to  the  right  or  left ; 
while  a  slight  nest  of  twigs,  and  leaves  at  the  extremity 
serves  as  a  receptacle  for  the  single  white  egg.  From 
a  series  of  measurements  given  by  Dr.  H.  O.  Forbes,  the 
average  appears  to  be  3  in.  by  2  in.  On  the  Island  of 
Kapiti,  off  New  Zealand,  this  species  was  found  breeding 
in  February  and  even  as  late  as  March.  The  male  assists 
in  the  work  of  incubation,  and  the  young  birds,  which  are 
very  fat,  are  esteemed  a  delicacy  by  the  Maories,  who  also 
hold  them  over  their  mouths  in  order  to  swallow  the  oily 
matter  which  is  disgorged.  The  old  birds  roost  on  the 
shore,  and  are  very  noisy  during  the  night"  (Saunders). 

Geographical  distribution.  —  Despite  the  fact  that  this 
Shearwater  is  plentifully  distributed  in  summer  over  the 
North  Atlantic  and  North  Pacific,  there  is  no  evidence  to 
show  that  it  is  other  than  a  visitor  from  the  Southern 
Oceans.  As  a  wanderer  it  reaches  latitudes  even  north  of 
the  British  Isles,  having  occurred  in  the  Faroes,  while 
southward  it  visits  the  western  sea-board  of  Europe.  West- 
ward it  is  generally  distributed  in  the  Atlantic  along  the 
coasts  of  Canada  and  the  States,  especially  at  the  fishing- 
banks.  In  the  North  Pacific  it  may  be  traced  as  high  as 
the  Kurile  Islands.  It  usually  migrates  north  in  our 
summer,  returning  in  late  autumn  to  islands  in  the  Southern 
Oceans,  as  far  as  lat.  50°  S.,  to  breed  during  our  winter 
and  early  spring  months. 


DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  deep  brown,  the  feathers  of  the  back 
being  edged  with  lighter  brown  ;  primaries  and  tail-feathers, 
blackish- brown ;  throat  and  upper  breast,  ash-brown  ; 
lower  breast  and  abdomen,  dark  ash-brown,  the  edge  of 
each  feather  being  darker  than  the  centre. 


554  PUFFINID^E 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Kesembles  the  adult 
plumage. 

BEAK.  Dark  brown,  lighter  at  the  base  of  the  lower 
segment. 

FEET.  Blackish  on  the  outer  side,  shading  from  hazel 
to  purple-grey  on  the  inside. 

IRIDES.  Dark  brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 18  in.    Female  smaller. 

WING     12     „ 

BEAK     2     „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS     ...       2*5  ,, 
EGG  3x2  in. 


MANX  SHEARWATER.     Puffinus1  anglorum  (Temminck). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  'Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi. 
84  ;  Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  615,  fig.  1 ; 
Lilford,  «  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  60. 

The  Manx  Shearwater  is  common  and  widely  distributed 
around  our  coasts,  on  seas  adjacent  to  its  breeding  haunts, 
especially  in  spring  and  summer.  However,  it  may  be  met 
with  at  other  seasons  of  the  year,  and  I  have  observed  it  in 
small  numbers  in  midwinter  (January),  in  the  Irish  Channel. 

The  curious  figure  of  this  bird  as  it  skims  over  or  dips 
into  the  troughs  of  the  waves,  coupled  with  its  wide  spread 
of  wing,  are  points  which  serve  to  distinguish  it  easily 
from  the  Guillemot  or  Razorbill  which  it  resembles  in  size 
and  colour,  and  with  which  it  often  associates.  At  times  it 
may  be  seen  swimming,  and  even  'rushing'  under  water 
with  outspread  wings  in  an  oblique  direction,  but  I  ques- 
tion if  it  goes  very  deep,  though  an  immersion  may  last 

1  Ray  confounded  young  Shearwaters  from  the  Isle  of  Man  with  the 
young  of  the  Puffin.  Hence  the  origin  of  the  generic  name  '  Puffinus,' 
which  has  been  adopted  not  only  for  this  but  for  other  Shearwaters,  and 
is,  no  doubt,  misleading. 


MANX  SHEARWATER  555 

several  minutes.  I  have  never  seen  it  take  a  distinct  head- 
long plunge  after  the  fashion  of  Auks  and  Cormorants. 
As  a  rule  it  is  found  scattered  widely  over  the  sea,  but  small 
flocks  rest  sometimes  on  the  surface.  Though  strongly 
crepuscular  and  nocturnal,  yet  numbers  may  be  seen 
together  in  the  middle  of  the  day. 

Flight. — The  aerial  movements  are  familiar  and  charac- 
teristic. Five  or  six  flaps  of  the  wings  in  rapid  succession 
are  followed  by  a  buoyant  and  graceful  gliding  motion,  and 
one  cannot  fail  to  notice  how,  without  apparent  effort,  the 
bird  wheels  from  side  to  side  on  rigid  and  outspread  pinions. 

Voice. — The  hoarse  crowing  uttered  at  the  breeding- 
colonies  and  in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  sounds  strange 
and  weird.  The  first  note  may  be  syllabled  cuck,  the  second 
varies  from  keck  to  a  loud  cdca,  after  which  there  follows 
a  slight  pause,  then  a  terminal  double  vowel-sound  like  o-o 
or  o-u.  Thus  one  might  attempt  to  describe  the  voice 
syllables  as  ctick-kek-d-o  or  cuck-cacd-o-u,  usually  repeated 
three  times.  I  have  never  heard  the  bird  utter  any  sound 
when  roaming  over  the  sea  by  day. 

Food. — Floating  offal,  especially  oily  substances,  and 
cuttle-fish  form  a  considerable  portion  of  the  diet ;  small 
fish  are  also  rapidly  snatched  up  as  the  bird  immerses  itself 
immediately  beneath  the  surface  of  the  water. 

Nest.  —  In  spring,  about  the  month  of  April,  Manx 
Shearwaters  congregate  at  their  breeding-haunts,  by  far  the 
greater  numbers  resorting  to  islands  rather  than  to  the 
mainland.  They  breed  chiefly  in  burrows  excavated  to  a 
considerable  depth  in  the  soft,  turfy  soil  on  the  slopes  of 
cliffs  of  varying  altitudes.  The  Islanders  off  the  Kerry 
coast  informed  me  that  by  enlarging  the  burrows  they 
could  reach  the  sitting-birds,  which  they  pulled  out  and 
despatched  for  food.  The  birds  bite  hard  to  defend  them- 
selves and  their  offspring.  In  some  instances  they  do  not 
enter  burrows,  laying  in  crevices  or  under  large  stones. 

Grass  is  the  chief  material  of  which  the  nest  is  composed, 
and  this,  in  some  instances,  appears  to  be  carried  to  the 
burrows  in  a  fresh  and  quite  green  condition  (Aplin, 
'Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  213).  In  other  cases  the  egg,  white  in 
colour,  is  deposited  on  the  bare  soil.  Both  birds  share  in 
the  task  of  incubation,  and  it  is  generally  believed  that  the 
males  feed  by  day  over  the  sea.  The  solitary  young  one 
(usually  hatched  about  the  middle  of  June)  remains  in  the 
burrow  dependent  on  its  parents  until  some  time  after  it  is 


556  PUFFINID.E 

fully  feathered.  It  takes  to  the  water  early  in  August, 
having  become  very  fat ;  this  condition  is  manifest  even  in 
the  downy  stage. 

There  are  several  breeding-stations  south  of  the  Isle  of 
Man,  notably  on  the  islands  off  Pembrokeshire,  on  Lundy, 
and  on  the  Scilly  Islands.  It  would  appear  that  this  species 
does  not  breed  anywhere  along  the  eastern  side  of  Great 
Britain. 

On  many  of  the  Scottish  Islands,  including  the  Inner 
and  Outer  Hebrides,  the  Orkneys,  and  the  Shetlands,  it 
nests  abundantly. 

In  Ireland,  it  breeds  on  many  of  the  islands  off  the 
north,  west,  and  south  coasts,  and  more  sparingly  on  the 
east  side.1 

I  found  the  Manx  Shearwater  extremely  plentiful  in 
summer  off  the  Kerry  coast,  where  the  largest  Irish  colonies 
exist.  Regarding  its  distribution  as  a  breeding-species 
round  the  Irish  coast,  Mr.  Ussher  states,  ''There  are  prob- 
ably many  unknown  breeding-haunts  on  remote  spots, 
especially  in  the  West,  as  a  bird  which  never  shows  itself  by 
daylight  on  land  is  difficult  to  discover  ;  but  as  evidence  of 
its  general  distribution  in  June  and  July,  I  may  mention 
that  during  the  cruise  of  Mr.  H.  Evans's  yacht  "  Aster  "  in 
1899  Mr.  Barrett-Hamilton  noticed  some  on  every  section 
of  the  Irish  coast  "  ('  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  392). 

Geographical  distribution. — Abroad,  the  Manx  Shear- 
water breeds  on  the  Faroes,  and  is  common  in  the  south- 
west of  Iceland  ;  it  may  also  be  met  with  along  the 
Norwegian  coast  and  the  North  Sea  generally.  It  is  dis- 
tributed over  the  Atlantic  in  summer,  though  along  the 
American  side  it  would  seem  that  it  is  rare.2  Southward  it 

1  On  May    15th,  1889,   a  man  brought  me  a  Shearwater  which  he 
pulled  out  of  a  hole  on  Bray  Head,  co.  Wicklow.     On  dissection  I  found 
an  egg  ready  for  expulsion  with  the  shell  fully  formed.     This  appears  to 
be  strong  evidence  that  the  bird  was  taken  from  its  nesting-burrow,  and 
it  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  it  was  not  captured  some  hours  later  when 
the  egg  would  have  been  laid,  and  another  breeding-locality  added  to  the 
few  on  the  mainland  on  the  east  coast  of  Ireland. 

2  Mr.  Saunders'  remarks  (Man.  Brit.  Birds,  2nd  Edit.,  p.  742)  that 
he  saw  two  birds,  which  might  have  been  Manx  Shearwaters,  outside 
the  Straits  of  Belle  Isle,  on  August  13th— 14th,  1884.     On  August  15th 
— 16th,  and  on  the  return  journey  on  September  3rd — 4th,  1906,  I  passed 
through   the    Straits,   outside   of   which   were   large  numbers  of   Great 
Shearwaters,  and  not  a  few  Sooty  Shearwaters,  but  I  failed  to  detect 
ii  single  Manx  Shearwater  among  their  number. 


PLATE    LV. 


MANX    SHEARWATER. 


FULMAR. 


LEVANTINE  SHEAEWATEE  557 

0 

is  found  on  many  islands  off  the  west  coast  of  Africa, 
whence  it  can  be  traced  across  the  Equator  into  the  South 
Atlantic.1 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back  of 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  wings,  rump,  and  upper  tail-coverts, 
black ;  sides  of  neck  and  back  of  cheeks,  mottled  with  ashy- 
brown  ;  flanks,  patched  with  brown  ;  outer  under  tail- 
coverts,  marked  with  brown  externally  ;  chin,  throat,  breast, 
abdomen,  and  rest  of  under  tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Eesembles  the  adult 
plumage. 

BEAK.  Blackish -brown,  paler  at  the  base  ;  hooked  at 
the  extremity. 

FEET.     Flesh-colour  ;  outer  toes,  darker. 

IKIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...    ...    ...  15   in. 

WING    9-5   „ 

BEAK    .    T75  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS         T75    „ 

EGG  24  x  T65  in. 


LEVANTINE  SHEARWATER.    Puffinus  yelkouanus  (Acerbi). 

The  Levantine  Shearwater,  which  inhabits  the  Mediter- 
ranean, and  is  the  ame  damnee  of  the  Bosphorus,  has  been 
taken  on  several  occasions  off  our  coasts.  The  following 
captures  may  be  mentioned :  —  One  obtained  at  Torbay, 
Devon,  August,  1875 ;  a  second  from  Plymouth  Sound, 
about  the  same  time.  Both  these  are  in  the  British 
Museum  (Harting,  Handb.  Brit.  Birds,  2nd  Edit.,  p.  310). 

1  In  the  British  Museum  there  is  a  specimen  from  Brazil,  presented 
by  Mr.  Saunders  (Cat.  Birds.  Brit.  Mus.,  vol.  xxv,  p.  379). 


558  PUFFINID^ 

A  third,  obtained  from  the  same  county,  is  now  in  the 
possession  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney  ;  one  obtained  off  the 
Northumberland  coast  by  the  late  John  Handcock ;  one 
taken  off  Scarborough,  February  5th,  1899,  and  sent  in 
the  flesh  to  the  British  Museum  (Saunders,  Man.  Brit. 
Birds,  2nd  Edit.,  p.  742).  A  second  from  Scarborough 
obtained,  September  13th,  1900  (W.  J.  Clarke,  '  Zoologist,' 
1900,  p.  521)  ;  two  more  procured  in  the  same  locality  in 
1904,  one  an  adult  female,  on  September  17th,  the  other  an 
immature  bird  on  the  27th  (W.  J.  Clarke,  ibid.,  1905,  p.  74). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Very  similar  in  plu- 
mage to  the  Manx  Shearwater,  except  that  the  top  of  head, 
hind-neck,  back,  scapulars,  and  wings  are  of  a  brownish 
shade,  and  the  under  tail-coverts  and  flanks  are  dusky- 
brown. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. —  Somewhat  resembles  the 
adult  plumage,  but  the  abdominal  feathers  are  dusky,  not 
white,  as  in  the  immature  of  P.  anglorum. 

BEAK.      Blackish  horn-colour. 

FEET.      Light  brown. 

IRIDES.    Dark  brown. 

EGG.        White  :  clutch,  one. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH        15'25  in. 

WING  10 

BEAK  1-9      „ 

TARSO-METATARSTJS...        ...         ...  1*9      ,, 

EGG   .  2-3  x  T6  in. 


LITTLE  DUSKY  SHEARWATER.     Puffinus  assimilis  (Gould). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  ix,  pi.  720  ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  61. 

The  Little  Dusky  Shearwater,  which  breeds  on  many 
of  the  islands  off  the  west  coast  of  Africa  and  is  distributed 
over  the  Australian  and  New  Zealand  Seas,  is  only  an 


LITTLE  DUSKY  SHEAKWATEE  559 

accidental  wanderer  to  latitudes  as  far  north  as  our  Isles, 
from  which  it  has  been  but  twice  recorded. 

A  bird  was  obtained  alive  off  the  Bull  Rock,  co.  Cork. 
It  "  settled  on  the  little  sloop  '  Olive  '  when  it  was  passing 
the  group  of  islands  known  as  the  Bull,  Cow  and  Calf 
Rocks,  off  the  western  termination  of  co.  Cork." 

It  was  taken  into  Valentia  Harbour  on  May  6th,  1853, 
and  was  presented  to  the  Dublin  Museum  in  1894  by  Mr. 
A.  B.  Blackburn,  of  Heaton  Moor,  Lancashire ;  it  was 
originally  described  by  Yarrell  as  the  Dusky  Shearwater, 
Puffinus  obscurus  ('  British  Birds,'  3rd  Edit.,  vol.  iii,  p. 
659),  but  on  further  examination  by  Mr.  H.  Saunders,  it 
proved  to  be  the  Little  Dusky  Shearwater,  P.  assimilis. 
It  was  subsequently  exhibited  as  such  at  the  British  Orni- 
thologists' Club  on  March  16th,  1898  (Ussher,  'Birds  of 
Ireland,'  p.  395  ;  also  Watters,  '  Birds  of  Ireland,'  p.  268). 

The  other  specimen  was  found  dead  near  Bungay  in 
Suffolk,  about  April  10th,  1858,  having  been  driven  inland 
by  a  gale.  Its  head  was  wounded,  as  though  in  its  flight  it 
struck  something,  perhaps  a  tree.  It  was  exhibited  before 
the  Zoological  Society  of  London,  by  the  late  Mr.  0. 
Salvin,  on  May  16th,  1882.  This  example  was  also  origin- 
ally described  as  P.  obscurus.  It  is  preserved  in  the 
collection  at  Earsham  Hall  (Saunders,  Man.  Brit.  Birds, 
2nd  Edit.,  p.  743  ;  vide  also  Stevenson,  '  Zoologist,'  1858). 


DESCRIPTIVE  CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  back  of 
neck,  back,  scapulars,  wings,  and  tail,  bluish-black  ;  cheeks, 
chin,  throat,  sides  of  neck,  breast,  abdomen,  and  under 
tail-coverts,  pure  white  ;  under  wing-coverts  also  white  ; 
primaries,  chiefly  black,  showing  some  white  on  the  outer 
portion  of  the  inner  webs. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  adult 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Black. 

EEET.     Blackish  ;  webs,  yellow. 

IRIDES.  Blackish-brown. 

EGG.       Pure  white  :  clutch,  one. 


560 


AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    .........  10*5  in. 

WING        .........  7'4   „ 

BEAK         ...         ...        ...         ..  1*4  ,, 

TARSO-METATARSUS         ...         ...  1/5    ,, 

EGG  1-9  x  1-35  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — P.  obscurus, 
widely  distributed  over  the  Tropical  and  Sub-tropical  Seas, 
is  more  sooty-black  on  the  back  and  wings  than  P.  assimilis, 
and  has  the  under  tail-coverts  blackish-brown  edged  with 
white,  while  the  shorter  central  tail-feathers  are  white  ; 
its  near  ally,  P.  persicus,  which  inhabits  the  Persian  Gulf, 
is  browner  on  the  back  and  wings,  and  possesses  a  longer 
and  a  thicker  beak. 


CAPPED  PETREL.     CEstrelata  hcesitata  (Kuhl). 

Coloured  Figures.— Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  618 ; 
Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  64. 

The  Capped  Petrel,  which  has  been  recorded  chiefly 
from  the  West  Indies,  has  on  one  occasion  been  obtained 
on  British  soil.  The  specimen  was  captured  alive  by  a  boy 
on  a  heath  at  Southacre  near  Swaffham  in  Norfolk,  in 
March  or  April,  1850.  "  Although  exhausted,  it  had  strength 
enough  remaining  to  bite  the  hand  of  its  captor,  who  there- 
upon killed  it"  (Saunders).  It  came  into  the  possession  of 
the  late  Mr.  Newcome,  of  Hockwold  Hall,  near  Brandon, 
who  skinned  and  mounted  it  (Newton,  '  Zoologist,'  1852, 
p.  3691). 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  and  back  of  head, 
blackish-brown ;  hind-neck,  white  ;  cheeks,  greyish  ;  back, 
scapulars,  and  wings,  dark  brown  ;  upper  tail-coverts,  white  ; 
tail-feathers,  whitish,  broadly  banded  terminally  with  brown, 
except  the  central  ones  which  are  dark  brown  throughout ; 
forehead,  chin,  throat,  sides  and  front  of  neck,  breast, 
abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  white. 


COLLAKED  PETEEL  561 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  in  plumage  to  the  male. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — "The  immature  bird  is 
believed  to  be  mottled  with  brown  on  the  forehead  and 
to  be  duller  in  tint  on  the  upper  parts  "  (Saunders). 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.  Dull  yellow;  distal  portion  of  toes  and  webs, 
black. 

IRIDES.  Hazel-brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH    ...         ...         ...  16      in. 

WING         11-3    „ 

BEAK         1'75  „ 

TARSO-METATAESUS                    ...  1'5 


COLLARED  PETREL.     (Estrelata  brevipes  (Peale). 
Coloured  Figures. — Lilford, «  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  63. 

A  specimen  of  this  Petrel,  which  is  a  native  of  the 
Western  Pacific,  breeding  on  the  Fiji  Islands  and  New 
Hebrides  and  wandering  over  the  Southern  Oceans  to 
almost  the  Antarctic  ice-barrier,  lat.  68°  S.,  was  taken 
between  Borth  and  Aberystwith  at  the  end  of  November  or 
beginning  of  December,  1889.  It  was  described  by  the  late 
Mr.  0.  Salvin,  who  exhibited  it  at  a  meeting  of  the  Linnean 
Society  on  November  6th,  1890  ('Ibis,'  1891,  pp.  411-414, 
with  coloured  plate). 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Top  of  head,  slate-grey  ; 
back,  greyish ;  scapulars  and  wings,  greyish  with  an  admix- 
ture of  brown ;  primaries,  blackish ;  upper  tail-coverts, 
grey ;  tail,  blackish  except  the  outer  feathers  which  are 
shaded  grey ;  forehead  and  throat,  white ;  cheeks,  mottled 
grey  and  white ;  a  dark  brown  patch  behind  the  eye ;  dark 
grey  band  across  the  upper  breast,  below  which  the  breast 
and  abdomen  are  light  grey  in  some  specimens,  white  in 
others ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries,  white. 
36 


562  PUFFINID.E 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female. — Eesembles  the  adult 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.  Yellow,  except  the  distal  halves  of  all  but  the 
outer  pairs  of  toes,  which  are  black. 

IRIDES.  Brown. 

AVERAGE   MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH  ...    ...    ...  11'5  in. 

WING   8-7  „ 

BEAK   1-3  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS  1 


BULWER'S  PETREL.     Bulweria  bulweri  (Jardine  and  Selby). 

Coloured  Figures. — Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  614, 
fig.  2  ;  Lilford,  '  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vi,  pi.  62. 

This  Petrel,  which  breeds  in  the  Madeira,  Canary,  and 
neighbouring  Isles,  and  also  inhabits  the  North  Pacific 
Ocean,  has  on  two  occasions  been  captured  on  British  soil. 
The  first  was  found  dead  on  the  banks  of  the  River  Ure 
near  Tanfield  in  Yorkshire,  on  May  8th,  1837  (Gould, 
"Birds  Of  Europe,'  1837).  The  record  of  the  capture  sub- 
sequently became  somewhat  wrapped  in  oblivion  until  1887, 
when  Mr.  Eagle  Clarke  carefully  traced  the  specimen,  and 
had  it  placed  in  the  Museum  of  York  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc., 
1887,  also  '  The  Naturalist,'  1888,  and  *  Zoologist,'  1888). 

The  other  specimen,  a  male,  was  picked  up  dead  on  the 
shore  near  Beechy  Head,  Sussex,  on  February  3rd,  1903, 
after  heavy  south-west  gales.  It  was  exhibited  at  the  British 
Ornithologists'  Club  (vide  Bull.  B.O.C.,  xcv,  also  N.  F. 
'Ticehurst,  '  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  420). 

DESCRIPTIVE    CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Entire  plumage  brown- 
ish-black, with  the  feathers  of  the  chin  and  greater  wing- 
-coverts  edged  with  grey ;  tail,  wedge-shaped. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 


FULMAK  563 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.  —  Resembles  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

BEAK.     Black. 

FEET.  Yellowish  ;  webs,  outer  toe  and  distal  portions 
of  other  toes,  blackish. 

IRIDES.  Deep  brown. 

EGG.       Pure  white  :  clutch,  one. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH 11      in. 

WING         7-7    „ 

BEAK         1'2    „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS        ...         ...      1*05 ,, 

EGG  1-7  X  1'2  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — B.  macgilli- 
vrayi,  with  plumage  quite  uniform  in  shade,  and  possessing 
a  stouter  beak,  inhabits  the  Central  Pacific  Ocean  and  Fiji 
Islands. 

Note. — "  Examples  of  the  Petrel  familiarly  known  as 
the  Cape  Pigeon  (Daption  capensis)  are  recorded  by  More 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  Dublin  on  October  30th  1881, 
by  the  Rev.  M.  A.  Mathew  from  near  Bournemouth  (Zool., 
1894,  p.  396),  and  by  Mr.  Salter  from  the  Dovey  in  1879 
(Zool.,  1895,  p.  254).  This  species  belongs  essentially  to 
the  southern  hemisphere,  and  I  am  not  aware  that  it  has 
ever  been  proved  to  follow  ships  across  the  equator ;  but 
the  ease  and  frequency  of  its  capture  with  hook  and  line  are 
notorious,  and  many  birds  have  been  carried  hundreds  and 
thousands  of  miles  before  being  liberated.  I  do  not  believe 
that  this  species  has  ever  wandered  to  the  United  Kingdom" 
(Saunders,  '  Man.  Brit.  Birds,'  2nd  Edit.,  p.  750). 


FULMAR.     Fulmarus  glacialis  (Linnaeus). 

Coloured  Figures. — Gould,  '  Birds  of  Great  Britain,'  vol.  v,  pi.  52 ; 
Dresser,  '  Birds  of  Europe,'  vol.  viii,  pi.  617 ;  Lilford, 
'  Coloured  Figures,'  vol.  vii,  pi.  65  ;  Booth,  <  Bough  Notes,' 
vol.  iii,  pi.  48. 

This  common  oceanic  species,  abundant  in  the  North 
Atlantic  Ocean,  is  seldom  seen  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of 


564  PUFFINUXE 

the  British  coast-lands,  except  in  those  districts  adjacent 
to  its  breeding-haunts.  It  apparently  does  not  frequent  the 
waters  which  separate  Great  Britain  from  Ireland  ;  even 
in  tempestuous  weather  I  have  not  noticed  it  in  mid-channel 
in  the  Irish  Sea.  On  the  east  side  of  England,  however,  it 
has  been  met  with  some  thirty  miles  off  the  coast,  especially 
near  the  fishing-grounds  (Saunders). 

Mr.  Harting,  in  his  '  Handbook  of  British  Birds,'  1901, 
states  that  at  least  fifteen  specimens  have  been  obtained  off 
Yarmouth,  between  October,  1878,  and  December,  1885 
(Trans.  Norf.  Nat.  Soc.,  iv,  1886,  p.  223). 

Off  the  Scottish  coast,  this  bird  is  frequently  seen, 
particularly  about  the  North  and  North-west,  where  its 
breeding-haunts  are  at  no  great  distance. 

It  is  of  rare  occurrence  round  the  Atlantic-facing  shores 
of  Ireland,  and  while,  as  Mr.  Ussher  points  out,  Mr.  Warren 
has  obtained  several  specimens  off  the  coasts  of  Mayo  and 
Sligo,  the  majority  were  water-logged  and  had  been  washed 
ashore  dead,  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  say  at  what  distance 
from  land  they  died. 

In  addition,  the  Fulmar  has  also  been  recorded  from  the 
following  counties  : — Donegal,  Londonderry,  Antrim,  Dublin, 
Cork  and  Kerry.  Moreover,  there  are  exceptional  instances 
of  its  having  been  shot  or  taken  alive  at  no  great  distance 
from  the  coast  (Thompson). 

On  August  10th,  1906,  I  observed  this  species  about 
seven  miles  off  the  coast  of  Antrim,  while  later  in  the  day 
when  some  eighty  miles  farther  out,  it  was  plentiful ;  in 
Trans-Atlantic  voyages  I  have  found  it  to  be  the  most 
constant  of  oceanic  birds  in  attendance  on  ships. 

Fulmars  may  be  seen  to  advantage  from  the  deck  of  a 
steamer  by  taking  up  one's  position  about  midship,  and 
keeping  a  steady  look-out  to  sea  through  a  powerful  binocu- 
lar. As  the  birds  glide  backwards  and  forwards  alongside 
the  vessel,  they  constantly  come  into  view,  while  a  single 
individual,  indulging  in  a  series  of  circling  manoeuvres,  may 
be  kept  for  a  considerable  time  within  the  field  of  vision.1 
Not  only  have  I  been  able  to  follow  closely  the  general 
movements,  but  in  many  cases  have  distinguished  the  form 
of  offal  or  other  food  picked  up. 

Flight. — For  the   most   part   the   flight    is   not   unlike 

1  A  prism-binocular  with  a  wide  field  of  vision  is  essential  for  this 
method  of  observation. 


FULMAK  565 

that  of  a  Shearwater,  six  to  a  dozen  beats  of  the  wing 
being  followed  by  a  graceful  glide  on  motionless  and  out- 
stretched pinions,  during  which  the  bird  often  describes 
a  complete  circle. 

In  size,  in  colour,  and  in  the  occasional  slow-flapping 
flight,  the  Fulmar  bears  a  superficial  resemblance  to  a  Gull, 
but  on  watching  the  former  for  a  little  time,  one  sees  that 
the  flapping  motion  occurs  at  infrequent  intervals,  and  is  of 
brief  duration,  whereas  the  gliding  movement,  so  charac- 
teristic, is  very  prolonged. 

Food. — Like  other  Petrels,  the  Fulmar  delights  in  a 
meal  of  offal,  and  it  has  a  most  voracious  appetite.  It 
accompanies  fishing-vessels,  and  will  take  a  baited  hook,1 
becoming  bold  to  a  degree  when  the  nets  are  being  with- 
drawn, and  approaching  so  closely  that  it  can  easily  be 
struck  with  a  stick.  Whale-blubber2  and  oily  substances 
are  greedily  devoured,  and  the  bird  is  said  to  be  fond  of 
cuttle-fish.  It  usually  settles3  on  the  water  to  pick  up  its 
food,  though  I  have  seen  it  lift  a  long  ribbon-like  piece  of 
offal  from  the  surface  just  before  alighting. 

Voice. — A  soft  note,  which  may  be  syllabled  re-re-re, 
ur-ur-ur,  is  sometimes  heard,  but,  on  the  whole,  the  bird  is 
rather  silent. 

When  the  Fulmar  is  taken  in  the  hand  it  vomits  a 
quantity  of  clear,  light  brown  oil ;  this,  and  the  feathers  are 
a  source  of  profit  to  the  people  of  St.  Kilda,  where  the  bird 
nests  numerously ;  the  flesh  is  also  used  by  them  for  food. 

Nest. — In  May,  this  species  comes  to  land  for  breeding- 
purposes  ;  it  is  then  gregarious,  assembling  in  some  places 
in  colonies  consisting  of  several  hundreds.  Some  colonies 
are  so  densely  crowded  that  every  available  spot  on  the 
cliff  is  occupied,  and,  as  one  might  expect,  much  variety 
in  the  nesting-sites  is  to  be  seen.  Thus  the  nest  may  be 


1  "  Mr.  Gurney  has  a  barbed  fish-hook  2^  inches  long,  with  28  inches 
of  twisted  cord,  which  was  taken  out  of  a  Fulmar  Petrel  caught  off 
Yarmouth  in  November,  1885"  (A.  Patterson,  'Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  299). 

2 "  It  is  well  known  to  the  whalers  as  a  constant  attendant  on  the 
stricken  whale,  feeding  voraciously  on  the  carcases  after  the  flensing 
operations  have  terminated"  (Jardine). 

3 1  have  observed  a  flock  of  about  sixty  alight  on  the  water,  crowd 
round  and  peck  at  the  remains  of  a  roast  goose  which  had  been  cast 
overboard.  Though  closely  packed  when  feeding,  they  were  most  peace- 
ful in  their  demeanour,  nor  were  they  disconcerted  when  a  Great  Skua 
suddenly  passed  them  with  rapid  sweep  of  wing. 


566  PUFFINID^E 

found  on  a  ledge,  in  the  interstices  of  large,  irregular  rock- 
masses,  or  sometimes  in  a  hollow  in  soft  soil  on  the  face 
or  slope  of  a  cliff.  In  many  cases  no  building-material  is 
used,  the  eggs  resting  on  the  bare  soil  or  rock  ;  but  fre- 
quently dry  vegetation  and  small  fragments  of  stone  form 
a  lining. 

Dr.  Wiglesworth  observed  that  "  when  the  nest  was 
placed  amidst  bare  rocks,  it  was  very  usual  to  find  the 
shallow  cavity  lined  with  these  little  flat  pieces  of  stone, 
often  mere  flakes,  which  had  obviously  been  collected  by 
the  bird ;  but  when  the  nesting  cavity  was  formed  on  the 
herbage-covered  ledges  and  grassy  slopes,  the  tendency  to  line 
the  cavity  with  these  flakes  of  stone  was  not  so  pronounced, 

although  still  apparent 

This  tendency,  indeed,  to  line 

the  nesting  cavity  with  small  fragments  of  stone  seems  to 
be  the  most  characteristic  thing  about  the  Fulmar's  nest " 
('  St.  Kilda  and  its  Birds,'  pp.  64,  65). 

The  single  egg  is  white  in  colour,  marked  in  some  cases 
with  a  few  minute  reddish  spots.  The  shell  is  of  a  coarse 
granular  texture,  and  has  a  peculiar,  persisterit,  musky 
smell.1 

Incubation,  in  which  both  sexes  take  part,  begins  about 
the  middle  of  April. 

This  species  has  many  breeding-resorts  round  the  north- 
west coast  of  Scotland,  chief  among  which  may  be  men- 
tioned St.  Kilda,  where,  in  Soay  especially,  it  nests  in  great 
numbers ;  in  the  Shetlands  it  has  spread  considerably  of 
late  years,  as  also  in  the  Hebrides. 

Mr.  Eagle  Clarke  states  that  "the  extension  of  the  range 
of  the  Fulmar  to  Fair  Isle  and  the  Western  and  Northern 
Isles  of  Scotland,  as  well  as  to  the  north  coast  of  the 
mainland,  may  be  due  to  the  congestion  that  has  probably 
taken  place  in  St.  Kilda,  which  until  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago  was  its  only  native  British  habitat.  During  recent 
years  the  human  population  of  St.  Kilda  has  markedly 
decreased,  and  this,  taken  with  the  fact  that  the  people  are 
no  longer  dependent  on  the  Fulmar  for  food  to  the  same 
extent  as  formerly,  has  led  to  fewer  of  these  birds  being 
killed,  and  hence  a  considerable  increase  in  their  numbers 
would  naturally  result,  and  the  seeking  of  new  haunts 


Dried  skins  retain  this  odour  for  many  years. 


FULMAK  567 

become  a  necessity  "  ('  Birds  of  Fair  Isle,'  Ann.  Scot.  Nat. 
Hist.,  1906,  p.  80). 

Geographical  distribution. — Beyond  our  Isles  the  Fulmar 
breeds  plentifully  on  the  Faroes,  in  Iceland,  and  in  several 
other  Islands  of  Arctic  and  Sub-arctic  Europe,  Asia,  Canada, 
and  Greenland.  In  winter  it  migrates  as  far  south  as  about 
lat.  40°  N.,  frequenting  both  the  European  and  American  sea- 
board of  the  North  Atlantic. 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial.  —  Head,  neck,  breast, 
abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts,  pure  white,  or  shaded  with 
grey ;  flanks  washed  with  pale  blue-grey  or  shaded  with 
grey  ;  back,  scapulars,  wings,  and  tail,  light  bluish-grey ; 
primaries,  dusky  greyish-blue. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature,  male  and  female.1  —  Kesembles  the  adult 
plumage. 

BEAK.  Yellow  towards  the  tip,  lighter  on  the  sides,  dark 
towards  the  base  ;  nasal-tubes,  greenish-yellow. 

FEET.     Greyish-brown  ;  outer  toes,  darker. 

IRIDES.  Dark  hazel-brown. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH      19       in. 

WING         13-25  „ 

BEAK          2 

TARSO-METATABSUS          2        ,, 

EGG  ...  2-9  X  1*9  in. 


Allied  Species  and  Representative  Forms. — There  appear 
to  be  two  races  of  the  Fulmar,  one  in  which  the  head,  neck, 

1  According  to  Dr.  Wiglesworth,  the  Fulmar  in  first  plumage  differs 
from  the  adult  in  having  the  general  hue  of  the  back  and  upper  parts  of 
the  wings  of  a  uniform  bluish-grey,  whereas  in  the  adult  many  of  the 
wing-coverts  are  shaded  on  their  outer  webs  with  light  brown,  which 
produces  an  irregularly  shaped  pattern  on  the  wing,  conspicuous  in 
flight. 


568  PUFFINID^ 

and  under  parts,  are  pure  white,  the  other  in  which  they 
are  shaded  grey.  In  Iceland,  and  on  the  western  side  of 
Davis  Strait  and  Baffin  Bay,  the  latter  is  chiefly  to  be  found, 
while  at  Ovifak  in  Greenland,  the  former  abounds.  Both 
forms  occur  round  Spitzbergen,  but  the  grey-plurnaged  birds 
are  in  the  majority.  F.  rodgersi,  with  only  a  light  phase, 
and  with  the  back  and  rump  interspersed  with  white, 
inhabits  Behring  Sea,  and  F.  glupischa,  with  pale-coloured 
nasal-tubes,  the  North  Pacific.  The  latter  has  a  light  and 
a  dark  phase  of  plumage  (Saunders). 


569 


-,.•• 
Family   DIOMEDEID^E. 

BLACK-BROWED   ALBATROSS.     Diomedea  melanophrys 

(Boie). 

This  bird,  abundant  in  the  Southern  Oceans,  and 
breeding  on  many  of  the  islands  of  the  Antipodes,  has  on 
several  occasions  wandered  to  latitudes  even  north1  of  the 
British  Isles.  But  as  a  British  species  it  has  been  only 
once  recorded.  An  exhausted  specimen  was  captured  near 
Linton  in  Cambridgeshire,  on  July  9th,  1897  ('  Ibis,'  1897, 
p.  625).  "  Mr.  Southwell  has  neatly  remarked  that  after  all 
the  species  was  only  revisiting  the  haunts  of  its  remote 
ancestors,  for  the  bones  of  an  Albatross  of  medium  size,  from 
the  Suffolk  '  red  crag,'  near  Ipswich,  have  been  described 
and  figured  by  Mr.  R.  Lydekker  "  (Saunders). 

DESCRIPTIVE   CHARACTERS. 

PLUMAGE.  Adult  male  nuptial. — Head,  neck,  breast,  and 
abdomen,  white  ;  over  the  eye  there  is  a  dark  bluish-black 
stripe ;  scapulars  and  wings,  very  dark  brown  ;  middle  of 
the  back,  light  greyish-brown ;  tail-feathers,  slate-grey,  with 
white  shafts  ;  under  wing-coverts,  white  ;  a  wide  greyish- 
black  border  extends  along  the  edges  of  the  wing. 

Adult  female  nuptial. — Similar  to  the  male  plumage. 

Adult  winter,  male  and  female. — Similar  to  the  nuptial 
plumage. 

Immature. — Eesembles  the  adult  plumage. 

1  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  north  of  our  Isles  this  species  has  been 
recorded  of  recent  years  as  follows  : — (1)  A  specimen  shot  near  Myg- 
ganaes,  in  the  Faroes,  in  1893,  the  bird  having  frequented  that  Island  for 
some  thirty  or  forty  years  (Saunders). 

(2)  An  Albatross,  probably  of  this  species,  observed  about  twenty 
miles  off  the  Orkneys,  on  June  18th,  1894,  and  another  shot  at  sea  oil 
the  Faroe  banks,  about  seventy  or  eighty  miles  south-west  of  Thorshavn 
in  1900  (Harvie-Brown). 


570  DIOMEDEIDJ3 

BEAK.     Light  horn-colour,  darker  at  the  tip. 
FEET.     Yellow. 
IEIDES.  Light  brown. 

EGG.       Creamy-white  with  light  yellowish-brown  spots 
clutch  one,  exceptionally  two. 

AVERAGE  MEASUREMENTS. 

TOTAL  LENGTH     ...         ...         ...  29      in. 

WING        19      „ 

BEAK         5'2  „ 

TARSO-METATARSUS 3*3  ,, 

EGG  4-3  X  2'2  in. 


571 


APPENDIX. 


Species,  additional  to  those  mentioned  in  the  text,  recorded 
as  occurring  for  the  first  time  in  the  British  Isles. 


Order   ANSERES. 

Family  ANATID^E. 

BAER'S  POCHARD.     Nyroca  baeri  (Blanford). 

An  example  of  this  Pochard  was  shot  on  Tring  Keservoir 
on  November  5th,  1901.  Its  skin  was  exhibited  by  the 
Hon.  N.  Charles  Rothschild,  at  a  meeting  of  the  British 
Ornithologists'  Club,  held  November  20th,  1901.  From 
evidence  adduced,  it  was  in  all  likelihood  a  genuine  wild 
bird  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xii,  pp.  25,  26). 

PACIFIC  EIDER.     Somateria  v-nigrum  (Linnaeus) . 

An  adult  male  Pacific  Eider  was  shot  at  Graemsay, 
Orkney,  in  the  early  morning  of  December  14th,  1904,  by  a 
wild-fowler,  named  George  Sutherland.  It  was  seen  in  the 
flesh  by  Mr.  Charles  Oldham,  and,  when  mounted,  was 
exhibited  by  Dr.  Bowdler  Sharpe  (on  behalf  of  Mr.  Frederick 
Stubbs  who  received  it  in  the  flesh  from  a  Scarborough 
dealer  on  December  17th,  1904),  at  a  meeting  of  the  British 
Ornithologists'  Club,  held  January  18th,  1905.  This  species 
had  not  been  previously  detected  in  European  waters  (Bull. 
B.O.C.,  vol.  xv,  p.  32  ;  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1905,  pp.  183, 
184;  'Zoologist,'  1905,  pp.  74,  142,  143,  185;  'Field,' 
February  4th,  1905,  p.  190,  and  ibid.,  February  18th,  1905, 
p.  277). 


572  APPENDIX 

Order  GRALLJE. 

Sub-Order  FULICABLSJ. 

Family  KALLHXE. 
INDIAN   PORPHYRIO.     Porphyrio  poliocephalus  (Temminck). 

A  specimen  of  this  Porphyrio  was  shot  in  a  meadow 
immediately  adjoining  a  farm  situated  on  Lyde  Kiver,  a 
tributary  of  the  Loddon,  in  Hampshire,  on  October  12th, 
1899,  by  Mr.  Henry  Smallbone.  It  was  exhibited  by  Dr. 
Sclater  at  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club, 
held  October  22nd,  1902.  It  is  believed  to  be  the  first 
record  of  the  occurrence  of  this  species  in  the  British  Isles, 
though  P.  cceruleus  and  P.  smaragdonotus  have  already 
occurred  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xiii,  pp.  17,  18). 

ALLEN'S  GALLINULE.     Porphyriola  alleni  (Thompson). 

An  immature  example  of  this  Gallinule,  a  native  of 
Africa,  was  captured  alive  on  a  fishing-boat,  off  Hopton,  a 
village  near  Yarmouth,  on  the  morning  of  January  1st, 
1902,  and  was  taken  to  Mr.  Walter  Lowne.  Mr.  J.  H. 
Gurney  is  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  a  wanderer  from  the 
South,  and  not  an  escaped  fugitive  from  British  aquatic 
preserves  (J.  H.  Gurney,  'Zoologist,'  1902,  pp.  98,  99,  150). 


Order   LIMICOL^E. 

Family  GLAKEOLID^E. 

BLACK-WINGED  PRATINCOLE.     Glareola  melanoptera 
(Linnaeus). 

A  male  example  of  this  Pratincole  was  shot  near  Jury 
Gap,  Komney  Marsh,  on  June  1st,  1903,  by  Mr.  F.  Mills. 
It  was  exhibited  by  Dr.  Ticehurst  at  a  meeting  of  the 
British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held  June  30th,  1903,  and  is 
now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Fleetwood  Ashburnham,  of 
Broomham  Park,  Sussex  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xiii,  pp.  77,  78  ; 
N.  F.  Ticehurst,  '  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  421). 


APPENDIX  573 

Another  specimen,  an  adult  female,  was  shot  in  Eye 
Harbour,  Sussex,  on  June  18th,  1903,  by  a  man  named 
Kansom,  and  brought  to  Mr.  Bristow,  at  St.  Leonard's.  It 
was  seen  in  the  flesh  by  Mr.  Kuskin  Butterfield,  and  was 
exhibited  by  Lieut.  Boyd  Alexander  at  a  meeting  of  the 
British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held  October  21st,  1903.  At 
the  same  meeting,  another  specimen,  an  adult  male,  shot  on 
Eomney  Marsh,  on  June  17th,  1903,  by  a  man  named  Jones, 
was  also  exhibited.  The  last-named  bird  is  now  in  the 
collection  of  Mr.  Fleetwood  Ashburnham,  at  Broomham 
Park,  Hastings,  and  is  additional  to  the  one  recorded  in 
vol.  xiii.  of  the  '  Bulletin  of  the  British  Ornithologists' 
Club.'  Thus  three  examples  of  this  species,  new  to  the 
British  list,  were  obtained  almost  at  the  same  time  (Bull. 
B.O.C.,  vol.  xiv,  p.  17  ;  W.  Kuskin  Butterfield,  'Zoologist,' 
1903,  p.  392). 

Family  CHAEADEIID^E. 
BAIRD'S   SANDPIPER.     Tringa  bairdi  (Coues). 

An  immature  female  example  of  this  Sandpiper  was  shot 
at  Eye  Harbour,  Sussex,  on  October  llth,  1900,  and  sent  to 
Mr.  Hartert  by  its  discoverer  and  owner,  Mr.  Michael  John 
Nicoll.  It  was  seen  in  the  flesh  by  Mr.  W.  Euskin  Butter- 
field,  and  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  Hartert  at  a  meeting  of 
the  British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held  November  21st,  1900 
(Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xi,p.  27;  M.  J.  Nicoll,  'Zoologist/  1901, 
pp.  31,32;  '  Ibis,'  1901,  p.  158). 


Order   TURBINARES. 

Family  PUFFINID^E. 

MEDITERRANEAN    SHEARWATER.     Puffinus  kuhli  (Boie). 

A  female  specimen  of  this  Shearwater  was  picked  up 
dead  on  the  Pevensey  beach,  Sussex,  on  February  21st, 
1906,  by  a  man  named  Jenner.  The  bird  was  carefully 
examined  in  the  flesh  by  Mr.  W.  Euskin  Butterfield,  who 
exhibited  it  at  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists' 
Club,  held  March  21st,  1906  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xvi,  p.  71). 


574 


ADDENDUM. 


WHITE  PELICAN.     Pelicanus  onocrotalus  (Linneeus). 

In  the  'Zoologist,'  1906,  pp.  141,  142,  the  Eev.  Francis 
C.  R.  Jourdain  mentions  that  a  White  Pelican  was  shot 
in  a  field,  close  to  the  River  Derwent,  in  Derbyshire, 
on  November  4th,  1905 ;  another  has  been  observed  fre- 
quenting the  shore  near  Whitstable  from  July  to  October 
20th,  1906  (S.  Saunders,  ibid.,  pp.  431,  432). 

COMMON   BITTERN.     Botaurus  stellaris  (Linnaeus). 

Two  examples  have  recently  been  obtained  in  Ireland. 
One  in  co.  Waterford,  February  5th,  1904  (W.  W.  Flemying, 
'  Irish  Naturalist,'  1904,  p.  120)  ;  the  other  in  co.  Wexford, 
November,  1904  (J.  H.  Johnston,  ibid.,  1905,  p.  119). 

AMERICAN   BITTERN.     Botaurus  lentiginosus  (Montagu). 

A  specimen  of  this  Bittern  was  caught  in  a  bramble- 
bush  on  Bryher,  Scilly  Isles,  at  the  end  of  September  or 
early  in  October,  1903.  The  capture  was  reported  by  Mr. 
Digby  Pigott,  on  behalf  of  Mr.  Dorrien  Smith,  at  a  meeting 
of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held  December  16th, 
1903  (Bull  B.O.C.,  vol.  xiv,  p.  32). 

WHITE    STORK.     Ciconia  alba  (Bechstein). 

An  example  of  this  rare  British  visitor  was  obtained 
at  South  Wootton,  Norfolk,  on  May  19th,  1905  (J.  H. 
Gurney,  '  Zoologist,'  1906,  p.  127). 

GLOSSY   IBIS.     Plegadis  falcinellus  (Linnaeus). 

There  appear  to  have  been  visitations  of  this  species 
to  Scotland  during  the  autumns  of  1902-3.  A  bird  was 
obtained  near  Forres,  October  2nd,  1902  ;  another  on  Loch 


ADDENDUM  575 

Strathbeg,  in  Aberdeenshire,  a  fortnight  later  (W.  Macleay, 
Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1903,  p,  186) ;  a  third  was  obtained  in 
Islay,  October  30th,  1902  (C.  Kirk,  ibid.,  p.  50) ;  a  fourth 
was  obtained  in  Eoxburgh shire,  November  17th,  1902  (A. 
Steel,  ibid.,  p.  49) ;  a  sixth  was  obtained  in  Stromness, 
Orkney,  September  19th,  1903  (Eagle  Clarke,  ibid.,  1904, 
p.  127)  ;  a  seventh  was  obtained  on  the  Earn,  near  Perth, 
October  18th,  1903  (T.  G.  Laidlaw,  ibid.,  p.  55).  In  Ireland, 
one  was  obtained  in  Buttevant,  co.  Cork  ;  another  in  Conna, 
October  1st  (F.  K.  Kohu  and  Son,  'Irish  Naturalist,'  1904, 
p.  98) ;  a  third  from  Belfast  Lough,  September  7th,  1906 
(R.  Patterson,  ibid.,  1906,  p.  236). 


FLAMINGO.     Phoenicopterus  roseus  (Pallas). 

A  Flamingo  was  shot  on  the  coast  of  Merionethshire, 
on  October  21st,  1898,  by  Mr.  Caton  Haigh  ('  Zoologist,' 
1899,  p.  29) ;  another,  supposed  to  have  been  released 
by  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  was  shot  on  the  Wash,  on 
November  22nd,  1902  (J.  H.  Gurney,  ibid.,  1903,  p.  136) ; 
while  Mr.  J.  H.  Gurney  records  one  seen  in  Norfolk,  in 
November,  1904,  which  may  have  escaped,  but  did  not 
belong  to  the  Duke  of  Bedford  or  to  Mr.  W.  H.  St.  Quintin 
(ibid.,  1905,  p.  89)  ;  another  has  been  recorded  as  seen  on 
the  Kiver  Aide,  Suffolk,  on  August  22nd,  1906  (J.  Mune, 
ibid.,  1906,  pp.  393-394,  and  J.  H.  Gurney,  ibid.t  p.  432). 


LESSER   WHITE-FRONTED   GOOSE.1     Anser  erythropus 
(Linnaeus). 

An  adult  female  example  of  this  Goose,  which  by  some 
authorities  is  looked  upon  as  a  distinct  species,  by  others  as 
a  representative  form  of  A.  albifrons,  was  shot  near  King's 
Lynn,  Norfolk,  on  January  24th,  1900.  It  was  exhibited  by 
Mr.  F.  Coburn  at  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists' 
Club,  held  October  23rd,  1901  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xii,  p.  15  ; 
F.  Coburn,  '  Zoologist,'  1901,  p.  317  ;  J.  H.  Gurney,  ibid., 
1902,  p.  85). 


1  In  the  '  Zoologist '  for  1902  and  1903,  some  interesting  information 
will  be  found  regarding  the  question  of  the  validity  of  various  species 
of  '  Grey  Geese,'  and  of  their  occurrence  in  our  Isles,  other  than  those 
which  at  present  are  admitted  to  the  British  List. 


576  ADDENDUM 

Two  other  occurrences,  of  less  recent  date,  may  here  be 
mentioned  : — A  specimen  shot  in  Northumberland  in  Sep- 
tember, 1886,  by  the  late  Mr.  Alfred  Chapman  ('  Zoologist,' 
1887) ;  and  another  obtained  in  Somerset  at  a  subsequent 
date  (ibid.,  1888). 

BEAN-GOOSE.     Anser  segetum  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

A  curious  specimen  of  the  Bean-Goose  was  shot  at  St. 
Abb's  Head,  Scotland,  on  February  25th,  1896.  It  was 
exhibited  by  Mr.  F.  Coburn  at  a  meeting  of  the  British 
Ornithologists'  Club,  held  June  18th,  1902  (Bull.  B.O.C., 
vol.  xii,  p.  81).  In  the  'Zoologist,'  1902,  p.  442,  Mr. 
Coburn  states  that  there  need  be  no  doubt  that  this 
specimen  is  the  Long-billed  Carr-lag  Goose,  A.  paludosus, 
of  Strickland,  which  is  said  to  have  bred  formerly  in  our 
Isles,  but  is  now  completely  banished.  The  distinctive 
characters  of  this  and  the  ordinary  Bean-Goose  are  pointed 
out  in  Mr.  Coburn's  article. 

CANADA  GOOSE.     Bernicla  canadensis  (Linnaeus). 

An  adult  and  an  immature  male  of  this  species  were 
obtained  in  South  Uist  at  the  end  of  February,  1903,  and 
sent  to  Mr.  Bisshopp  for  preservation.  They  were  wary 
of  approach,  which  points  to  the  possibility  of  their  being 
genuine  wild  birds  (Donald  Guthrie,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist., 
1903,  p.  119). 

MALLARD.     Anas  boscas  (Linnaeus). 

In  the  'Irish  Naturalist,'  1905,  p.  200,  Mr.  W.  S.  Smith 
records  the  occurrence  of  a  Mallard's  nest  in  a  spruce  fir- 
tree.  The  nest  was  about  eighteen  feet  from  the  ground,  nine 
eggs  were  hatched,  and  the  young  were  safely  removed. 


PINTAIL.     Dafila  acuta  (Linnaeus). 

In  the  '  Annals  of  Scottish  Natural  History/  1906,  p.  53, 
Mr.  Thomas  Henderson,  Junr.,  mentions  seeing  a  pair  of 
Pintails  with  six  young  ones  in  Dunrossness,  Shetland,  on 
June  4th,  1905.  It  would  appear  that  this  Duck  had  not 
been  known  to  nest  previously  in  this  locality. 


ADDENDUM  577 

RED-CRESTED  POCHARD.     Netta  rufina  (Pallas). 

An  adult  pair  of  this  species  were  shot  on  Thorpe  Mere, 
Aldeburgh,  Suffolk,  on  January  16th,  1904,  by  Mr.  Frank  G. 
Garrett,  Junr.  The  birds  were  exhibited  by  Mr.  F.  M. 
Ogilvie  at  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club, 
held  March  16th,  1904  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xiv,  p.  62; 
J.  H.  Gurney,  '  Zoologist,'  1905,  p.  90). 

POCHARD.     Fuligula  ferina  (Linnaeus). 

In  addition  to  the  counties  mentioned  in  the  text,  this 
bird,  according  to  Sir  Herbert  Maxwell,  breeds  in  consider- 
able numbers  in  Mochrum,  Wigtownshire  (Ann.  Scot.  Nat. 
Hist.,  1901,  p.  117). 

TUFTED  DUCK.     Fuligula  cristata  (Leach). 

In  the  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1905,  p.  165,  Mr.  Warren  men- 
tions that  the  Tufted  Duck  has  extended  its  breeding-range 
to  Lough  Conn,  co.  Mayo,  where,  in  June,  1905,  Mr.  S. 
Scroope  found  a  nest  containing  eleven  eggs  and  saw  several 
adult  pairs. 

EIDER  DUCK.     Somateria  mollissima  (Linnaeus). 

At  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held 
April  12th,  1905,  Mr.  H.  Saunders  exhibited  a  male  Eider 
Duck  with  a  faintly  indicated  black  V-shaped  mark  on  the 
throat,  characteristic  of  S.  v-nigrum.  The  specimen  was 
obtained  at  Holy  Island,  in  January,  1898,  by  Mr.  Abel 
Chapman  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xv,  pp.  69,  70).  Al  a  subse- 
quent meeting,  held  January  17th,  1906,  Mr.  Saunders 
exhibited  another  male  specimen  of  the  same  Duck, 
showing  a  well-defined  but  not  very  black  V-shaped  mark 
on  the  throat.  This  bird  was  shot  near  Stromness,  Orkney, 
on  December  7th,  1905,  and  was  sent  by  Mr.  H.  W. 
Eobinson,  of  Lansdowne  House,  Lancaster  (Bull.  B.O.C., 
vol.  xvi,  p.  44). 

KING-EIDER.     Somateria  spectabilis  (Linnaeus). 

A  male  King-Eider  was  shot  in  Foreland  Bay,  off 
Donaghadee,  co.  Down,  on  November  10th,  1897,  by  Mr. 
W.  H.  Shaw  (K.  Patterson,  'Irish  Naturalist,'  1901,  p.  50)  ; 
another,  an  adult  female,  was  shot  off  Graemsay,  Orkuey, 
on  February  21st,  1906,  by  Mr.  S.  Sutherland  (H.  W. 
Robinson,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1906,  pp.  116,  117). 
37 


578  .    ADDENDUM 

CAROLINA  CRAKE.     Porzana  Carolina  (Linnaeus). 

An  immature  male  of  this  species  was  obtained  in  Tiree, 
Inner  Hebrides,  on  October  25th,  1901,  by  Mr.  E.  Lort 
Philipps,  who  exhibited  it  at  a  meeting  of  the  British 
Ornithologists'  Club,  held  November  20th,  1901.  The 
specimen  was  examined  by  Dr.  R.  Bowdler  Sharpe  (Bull. 
B.O.C.,  vol.  xii,  p.  26  ;  F.  G.  Gunnis,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist., 
1902,  pp.  9,  10). 

BAILLON'S  CRAKE.     Porzana  bailloni  (Vieillot). 

A  specimen  of  this  Crake  was  obtained  near  Thurso  in 
September,  1898  (W.  Arkwright,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist., 
1899,  p.  50). 

WATER-HEN.     Gallinula  Moropus  (Linnaeus). 

In  the  '  Field,'  November  7th,  1903,  p.  803,  Mr.  A.  C. 
Smith  mentions  an  instance  of  a  Water-hen  which  was 
captured  on  a  Dundee  trawler  sixty-five  miles  east  of  the 
Bell  Rock. 

GREEN-BACKED    GALLINULE.     Porphyrio  smaragdonotus 
(Temnrinck). 

A  specimen  of  this  Gallinule  was  obtained  on  Hickling 
Broad,  Norfolk,  on  October  llth,  1902  (J.  H.  Gurney, 
4  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  135). 

CRANE.     Grus  communis  (Bech stein). 

An  immature  Crane  was  obtained  at  the  Pentland 
Skerries,  about  May  3rd,  1903  (James  Tomison,  Ann.  Scot. 
Nat.  Hist.,  1903,  pp.  186,  187). 

GREAT  PLOVER.     (Edicnemus  scolopax  (S.  G.  Gmelin). 

A  Great  Plover  was  obtained  at  Towyn,  Merionethshire, 
•on  January  6th,  1903,  by  Mr.  D.  W.  Kirkley.  This  appears 
to  be  the  first  example  recorded  from  North  Wales  (H.  E. 
Forrest,  '  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  154). 

PRATINCOLE.     Glareola pratincola  (Linnaeus). 

A  male  example  of  this  species  was  shot  at  Jury  Gap, 
Romney  Marsh,  on  May  30th,  1903,  by  Mr.  Southerden. 
It  was  seen  in  the  flesh  by  Dr.  Ticehurst,  who  exhibited 


ADDENDUM    .  579 

it  at  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held 
June  17th,  1903  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xiii,  pp.  77,  78  ;  N.  F. 
Ticehurst,  '  Zoologist,'  1903,  p.  420).  It  would  appear  that 
this  is  the  first  record  of  the  occurrence  of  the  bird  in  Kent. 

TURNSTONE.     Strepsilas  interprets  (Linnaeus). 

In  the  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1902,  p.  221,  Mr.  R.  Patterson 
states  that  on  May  24th,  1902,  he  observed  a  small  flock 
of  Turnstones  on  Ram's  Island,  Lough  Neagh ;  five  of  the 
birds  were  in  full  nuptial  plumage.  Again  in  the  *  Irish 
Naturalist,'  1905,  p.  165,  Mr.  E.  L.  L.  M'Clintock  mentions 
that  on  May  18th,  1905,  he  observed  two  of  these  birds 
in  the  same  locality.  It  is  unusual  to  find  this  species 
away  from  the  coast,  though  in  some  districts  it  is  known 
to  resort  inland  for  breeding  purposes. 

GREAT  SNIPE.     Gallinago  major  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

A  Great  Snipe  was  obtained  in  Shetland  on  September 
26th,  1901,  by  Mr.  J.  Grierson,  and  was  sent  to  Mr.  Harvie- 
Brown  (J.  A.  Harvie-Brown,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1902, 
p.  54)  ;  two  others  were  shot  on  the  Island  of  Stronsay, 
Orkney,  on  Septembr  25th,  1901  (R.  B.  Bell,  ibid.} ;  a  third 
was  obtained  in  Orkney  on  September  12th,  1905,  by  Mr. 
R.  B.  Bell  (ibid.,  1906,  p.  54). 

SABINE'S  SNIPE.     Gallinago  ccelestis,  var.,  sabini  (Frenzel). 

An  example  of  Sabine's  Snipe  was  obtained  on  an  island 
off  Mull,  on  November  26th,  1903  (W.  A.  Churchman, 
'  Field,'  December  5th,  1903,  p.  962). 

BROAD-BILLED  SANDPIPER.     Limicola  platyrhyncha 
(Temminck). 

An  immature  female  example  of  this  species  was  shot  at 
Rye,  Sussex,  on  August  29th,  1904,  and  was  sent  to  Mr. 
Bristow,  of  St.  Leonards.  Its  capture  was  reported  by 
Mr.  Nicoll  at  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists' 
Club,  held  October  19th,  1904  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xv,  p.  12). 

KNOT  Tringa  canutus  (Linnaeus). 

At  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held 
June  28th,  1905,  Dr.  Bianchi  exhibited  twelve  authentic  eggs 
of  the  Knot  with  nestlings,  procured  on  the  Taimyr  Penin- 


580  ADDENDUM 

sula,  and  on  the  New  Siberian  Islands.  In  every  instance 
the  old  birds  were  obtained,  rendering  identification  certain 
(Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xv,  p.  92). 

SPOTTED  SANDPIPER.     Totanus  macularius  (Linnaeus). 

A  pair  of  Spotted  Sandpipers  were  shot  in  a  ditch 
between  Lydd  and  Brookland  in  Romney  Marsh,  Kent,  on 
May  5th,  1904.  The  birds  were  sent  to  Mr.  Bristow,  at 
St.  Leonards,  and  were  examined  in  the  flesh  by  Dr.  Tice- 
hurst,  on  May  7th.  The  specimens  were  exhibited  by  Mr. 
J.  L.  Bonhote,  on  behalf  of  Dr.  N.  F.  Ticehurst,  at  a 
meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held  May  18th, 
1904.  This  species  had  not  been  recorded  previously  from 
co.  Kent  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xiv,  pp.  84,  85). 

WOOD-SANDPIPER.     Totanus  glareola  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

A  Wood-Sandpiper  was  obtained  on  the  Island  of  Eday, 
Orkney,  on  September  1st,  190*2  (C.  S.  Buxton,  '  Zoologist,' 
1902,  p.  391). 

SOLITARY  SANDPIPER.     Totanus  solitaries  (Wilson). 

A  specimen  of  this  very  rare  American  visitor  was  shot 
in  Bye  Harbour,  Sussex,  on  August  7th,  1904,  by  a  man 
named  Peters,  who  sent  the  bird  to  Mr.  Bristow,  of  St. 
Leonards,  who  mounted  it.  It  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  C.  B. 
Ticehurst  at  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club, 
held  October  19th,  1904.  This  is  the  fourth  occurrence  in 
the  British  Isles  of  the  species  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xv,  p.  12). 

SANDWICH  TERN.     Sterna  cantiaca  (J.  F.  Gmelin). 

In  the  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1906,  p.  192,  Mr.  E.  Patterson 
records  two  new  breeding-stations  of  the  Sandwich  Tern, 
both  in  the  co.  Down,  one  of  which  he  visited  on  May 
27th,  1906,  and  there  found  six  or  eight  pairs  of  adult  birds 
and  one  egg.  On  July  16th,  following,  he  received  from  the 
second  locality  four  eggs  from  Mr.  S.  M.  Stears. 

SABINE'S  GULL.     Xema  sabinii  (J.  Sabine). 

An  immature  male  Sabine's  Gull  was  obtained  at  Eas- 
dale,  on  the  Argyllshire  coast,  on  October  30th,  1903  (C.  H. 
Bisshopp,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1904,  p.  57). 


ADDENDUM  581 

WEDGE-TAILED  GULL.     Ehodosthetia  rosea  (Macgillivray). 

At  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held 
May  16th,  1906,  Mr.  H.  E.  Dresser  exhibited  eggs1  of  this 
species  obtained  by  Mr.  S.  A.  Buturlin  on  the  delta  of  the 
Kolyma  Kiver  in  North-east  Siberia.  These  were  the  first 
authentic  eggs  of  this  rare  Gull  which  had  ever  been  seen 
in  the  country  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xvi,  p.  97,  also  ibid.,  p. 
41,  and  'Ibis,'  January,  1906). 

LITTLE  GULL.     Larus  minutus  (Pallas). 

A  Little  Gull  was  obtained  near  Lendalfoot,  in  the  south 
of  Ayrshire,  on  December  16th,  1902,  by  Mr.  Charles  Berry 
(John  Paterson,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1903,  p.  119). 

GLAUCOUS  GULL.     Larus  glaucus  (O.  Fabricius). 

An  immature  example  of  this  Gull,  probably  in  its  first 
year's  plumage,  was  obtained  at  Moyview,  co.  Sligo,  Feb- 
ruary 14th,  1905,  by  Mr.  K.  Warren  (R.  Warren,  '  Irish 
Naturalist,'  1905,  p.  71). 

ICELAND  GULL.     Larus  leucopterus  (Faber). 

An  Iceland  Gull,  in  the  white  phase  of  plumage2  which 
immediately  precedes  maturity,  was  shot  on  the  Moy  estuary 
on  April  26th,  1905,  by  Mr.  R.  Warren  (R.  Warren,  *  Irish 
Naturalist,'  1905,  p.  135). 

IYORY  GULL.     Pagophila  eburnea  (Phipps). 

A  fine  adult  Ivory  Gull  was  obtained  at  Broadford,  Skye, 
about  February  6th,  1901 ;  it  was  sent  to  Inverness  by  Mr. 
James  Ross  (T.  E.  Buckley,  Ann.  Scot.  Nat.  Hist.,  1901, 
p.  116). 


1  The  reader's  attention  is  drawn  to  a  quotation  inserted  on  p.  408 
of  the  text  with  regard  to  the  eggs  of  this  Gull,  which,  when  the  article 
was  written,  were  still  undiscovered. 

3  The  reader's  attention  is  directed  to  a  foot-note  on  p.  445  of  the 
text,  where  I  have  stated  that  I  have  not  seen  the  pure  white  phase  of 
plumage  in  this  Gull.  This  plumage  is  evidently  not  well  known,  thus  in 
Cat.  Birds  Brit.  Mus.,  vol.  xxv,  p.  296,  Mr.  Saunders  remarked  that  of 
the  white  phase  of  plumage  he  had  110  certain  knowledge,  though  it 
probably  existed.  The  capture  of  Mr.  Warren's  specimen  is  therefore  of 
considerable  interest. 


582  ADDENDUM 

LITTLE  AUK.     Mergulus  alle  (Linnaeus). 

A  Little  Auk  was  taken  alive  in  a  field  at  Portrnarnock, 
co.  Dublin,  in  an  exhausted  state,  on  November  27th,  1904, 
(J.  Trumbuli,  '  Irish  Naturalist,'  1905,  p.  44). 

LEVANTINE    SHEARWATER.     Puffinus  yelkouanus  (Acerbi). 

An  example  of  this  species,  obtained  at  Bridlington 
Quay,  Yorkshire,  October,  1898,  was  exhibited  by  Dr. 
Bowdler  Sharpe  at  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists' 
Club,  held  February  21st,  1900.  The  specimen  was  sent 
for  exhibition  by  Mr.  Charles  Smoothy,  of  Little  Badow,  near 
Chelmsford  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  x,  p.  48). 

LITTLE  DUSKY  SHEARWATER.     Puffinus  assimilis  (Gould). 

A  female  example  of  this  bird  was  picked  up  on  the 
beach  near  Bexhill,  Sussex,  during  a  hard  gale,  on  December 
28th,  1900.  It  was  examined  by  Mr.  Hartert  and  Mr.  Saun- 
ders.  It  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  W.  Kuskin  Butterfield  at  a 
meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held  February 
13th,  1901.  On  comparing  it  with  the  skins  of  P.  assimilis, 
collected  by  Capt.  Boyd  Alexander,  it  was  suggested  by  the 
Hon.  N.  Charles  Rothschild  and  Mr.  Hartert  that  the  bird 
might  be  called  Puffinus  obscurus  bailloni,  rather  than 
P.  assimilis  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xi,  p.  45).  This  is  the  third 
example  obtained  in  the  British  Isles. 

Another,  a  male  of  this  species,  was  caught  alive  near 
Lydd,  Kent,  after  a  severe  gale,  on  November  26th-27th,  by 
Mr.  Wallace  who  kept  it  alive  for  two  days  in  a  pool  of 
water.  The  dead  bird  was  received  by  Mr.  Bristow,  St. 
Leonards,  on  November  30th.  It  was  exhibited  by  Mr. 
C.  B.  Ticehurst,  on  behalf  of  Dr.  N.  F.  Ticehurst,  at  a 
meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held  Decem- 
ber 13th,  1905  (Bull.  B.O.C.,  vol.  xvi,  pp.  38,  39).  This  is 
the  fourth  British-taken  example. 

BULWER'S   PETREL.     Bulweria  bulweri  (Jardine  and  Selby). 

A  female  example  of  this  Petrel  was  found  dead  on  the 
beach  near  St.  Leonards-on-Sea,  on  February  4th,  1904, 
after  prolonged  gales.  The  specimen  was  examined  in 
the  flesh  by  Mr.  W.  Euskin  Butterfield,  who  exhibited 
it  at  a  meeting  of  the  British  Ornithologists'  Club,  held 
February  17th,  1904.  This  is  the  third  British-taken  speci- 
men and  the  second  for  Sussex,  vide  p.  562,  text  (Bull. 
B.O.C.,  vol.  xiv,  pp.  49,  50). 


583 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


(/.)  is  suffixed  when  a  name  occurs  in  a  foot-note. 


JKgialitis  asiatica,  213. 

cantiana,  221. 

curonica,  220. 

hiaticola,  214. 

nivosa,  223. 

semipalmata,  219. 

vocifera,  224. 
Albatross,  Black-browed,  569. 
ALOE,  468. 
Alca  impennis,  472. 

„     torda,  468. 
ALCID.E,  468. 
ALCIN.E,  468. 

Ame  damnee,  557. 
Anas  boscas,  91,  576. 
„      obscura,  94. 
„     strep  era,  95. 
ANATID.E,  55,  571. 
Anous  stolidus,  403. 
ANSEBES,  55,  571. 
Anser  albifrons,  58,  575. 

brachyrhynchus,  62. 

cinereus,  55. 

erytliropus,  60,  575. 

gambeli,  60. 

paludosus,  576. 

rubrirostris,  57. 

segetum,  60,  576. 

serrirostris,  62. 

o-Z6a,  19. 

bubulcus,  23. 

cinerea,  12. 

garzetta,  20. 

manillensis,  19. 

purpurea,  17. 

ralloides,  24. 
AKDEID.E,  12. 
Ardetta  cinnamonea,  32. 
„       minuta,  30. 
„       podicipes,  32. 
„        sinensis,  32. 


Auk,  Great,  472. 

„     Little,  493,  582. 
Avocet,  252. 

Balearica  pavonina,  192. 
1  Barker  '  (Avocet),  254. 
Bartramia  longicauda,  326. 
'Bernacle,''70.' 
Bernicla  brenta,  71. 

„         canadensis,  75,  576. 
,,         leucopsis,  69. 
,,         nigricans,  74. 
„         ruficollis,  67. 
Bittern,  American,  37,  574. 
,,        Common,  33,  574. 

Little,  30. 

'  Black  Curlew '  (Glossy  Ibis),  44. 
Botaurus  capensis,  36. 

„         lentiginosus,  37,  574. 
„         stellaris,  33,  574. 
Buliueria  buhveri,  562,  582. 

„         macgillivrayi,  563. 
Bustard,  African  Buffed,  201. 
Great,  193. 
Little,  197. 
„        Macqueen's,  200. 
Butorides  virescens,  38. 

Caccabis  rufa,  162. 
Calidris  arenaria,  314. 
Cape  Pigeon,  563. 
Capercaillie,  162. 
Cepphus  (/.),  489. 
CHABADBIID^],  211,  573. 
Charadrius  dominicus,  229. 

,,  pluvial  is,  225. 

(7^en  coerulescens,  67. 

,,      hyperboreus,  64. 

„     rossi,  67. 

„     nivalis,  65,  67. 
Chenalopex  cegyptiaca,  76. 


584 


GENEEAL   INDEX 


Chionis  alba,  251. 
Ciconia  alba,  39,  574. 
,,        boyciana,  42. 

nigra,  43. 
CICONIID^E,  39. 
Clangula  albeola,  132. 
„         glaucion,  129. 
„         islandica,  132. 
4  Clinker  '  (Avocet),  254. 
*  Cobbler's-awl  Duck '  (Avocet)  (/.), 

253. 

Columba  cenas,  162. 
„        livia,  162. 
,,        palumbus,  162. 
COLUMBA,  162. 
COLUMBID.E,  162. 
COLYMBID.E,  502. 
Colymbus  adamsi,  506. 
„          arcticus,  508. 
„          glacialis,  502. 
„         pacificus,  510. 
„          septentrionalis,  510. 
'  Common     Gull '     (Black  -  headed 

Gull),  421. 
Coot,  185. 

,,     North  American,  188. 
Cormorant,  1. 
Corn-Crake,  163. 
Cosmonetta  histrionica,  136. 
Coturnix  communis,  162. 
Courser,  Cream-coloured,  208. 
Crake,  Bailloii's,  174,  578. 
„      Carolina,  172,  578. 
„      Corn-,  163. 
„      Little,  172. 
„      Spotted,  169. 
Crane,  189,  578. 

,,      African  Crowned,  192. 
„      Demoiselle,  192. 
'  Crane  '    (Common    Heron)    (/.), 

12,  189. 

Cream-coloured  Courser,  208. 
Crex  pratensis,  163. 
'Cricket  Teal3  (Garganey),  109. 
Curlew,  Common,  359. 
,,       Eskimo,  370. 
„       Stone-  (/.),  202. 
Curlew-Sandpiper,  302. 
Cursorius  gallicus,  208. 
Cygnus  bewicki,  80. 
„       musicus,  77. 
oZor,  83. 

Dafila  acuta,  99,  576. 


Daption  capensis,  563. 
Darter,  American,  8. 
DIOMEDEID7E,  569. 
Diomedia  melanophrys,  569. 
Diver,  Black-throated,  508. 
„      Great  Northern,  502. 
„      Eed-throated,  510. 
.,      White-billed  Northern,  506. 
'  Divers  '  (/.),  468. 
Dotterel,  211. 
Dove,  Ring-,  162. 
„      Rock-,  162. 
„      Rufous  Turtle-,  162. 
„      Stock-,  162. 
„      Turtle-,  162. 
Duck,  Buffel-headed,  132. 
Common  Sheld-,  86. 
Eider,  137. 
Ferruginous,  121. 
Harlequin,  136. 
Long-tailed,  133. 
Ruddy  Sheld-,  89. 
„      Scaup-,  126. 
„      Tufted,  123,  577. 
„     Wild,  91. 
Dunlin,  288. 

Egret,  Little,  20. 
Eider  Duck,  137,  577. 

„      King-,  140,  577. 

„      Steller's,  142. 

„      Pacific,  571. 
Eudromias  morinellus,  211. 

Flamingo,  52,  575. 
Fratercula  arctica,  497. 

,,  glacialis,  501. 

FRATERCULIN.E,  497. 
Fuli c a  atra,  185. 

,,       cristata,  188. 
FULICARLE,  163,  572. 
Fuligula  affinis,  128. 

,,        americana,  121. 

„        bceri,  123. 

cristata,  123,  577. 

„        ferina,  118,  577. 

,,        marila,  126. 

,,        nyroca,  121. 
Fulmar,  563. 
Fulmarus  glacialis,  563. 

,,          glupischa,  568. 

„          rodgersi,  568. 

Gadwall,  95. 
GALLING,  162. 


GENEBAL  INDEX 


585 


Gallinago  australis,  279. 
„          brehmi,  279. 
„          ccelestis,  276. 
, ,          coelestis,  var. ,  sabini,  579. 
,,          gallinula,  280. 
„          major,  272,  579. 
,,          russata,  279. 
„  sternura,  279. 

Gallinula  chloropus,  181,  578. 
,,          galeata,  185. 
,,          nesiotis,  185. 
„  sandvicensis,  185. 

„          tenebrosa,  185. 
Gallinule,  Allen's,  572. 

„          Green-backed,  185,  578. 
„          Martinique,  185. 

Purple,  185. 
Gannet,  8. 

Gare-fowl  (Great  Auk),  472. 
Garganey,  108. 
GAVI.E,  373. 
Glareola  melanoptera,  208,  572. 

,,       pratincola,  206,  578. 
GLAREOLID.E,  206,  572. 
Godwit,  Bar-tailed,  353. 

Black-tailed,  356. 
Golden-eye,  129. 

„    '        Barrow's,  132. 
Goosander,  151. 
Goose,  Bean-,  60,  576. 
„      Bernacle,  69. 
„      Brent,  71. 

Canada,  75,  576. 
Egyptian,  76. 
Grey  Lag-,  55. 
Lesser  White-fronted,  60, 575 
Pink-footed,  62. 
Eed-breasted,  67. 
Snow-,  64. 
„      Spur-winged,  76. 
„      '  Tortoise-shell,'  58. 
„      White -fronted,  58. 
GRALL.E,  163,  572. 
Grebe,  Black-necked,  525. 
„      Eared,  525. 
„      Great  Crested,  514. 
„      Horned,  522. 
„      Little,  528. 

,,      American,  Pied-billed,  533. 
,,      Red-necked,  519. 
,,      Slavonian,  522. 
Grouse,  Black,  162. 
„       Red,  162. 

Pallas's  Sand-,  162. 


GRUES,  189. 

GRUID^E,  189. 

Grus  communis,  189,  578. 

„    virgo,  192. 
Guillemot,  Black,  489. 
Bridled,  487. 
Brunnich's,  488. 
Common,  482. 
Ringed,  487. 
Gull  Black-headed,  411. 

„     Bonaparte's,  408. 

,,     Common,  421. 

„     Glaucous,  438,  581. 

„     Great  Black-backed,  434. 

„     Great  Black-headed,  419. 

„     Herring-,  425. 

„     Iceland,  442,  581. 

„     Ivory,  451,  581. 

„     Kittiwake,  446. 

,,     *  Laughing,'  414. 

,,     Lesser  Black-backed,  430. 

„     Little,  409,  581. 

,,     Mediterranean,  Black-headed, 
418. 

„     Sabine's,  405,  580. 

.,     'Tarrock5  (/.),  450. 

„     Wedge-tailed,  407,  581. 

,,     Yellow-legged  Herring-,  429. 

Hcematopus  ostralegus,  247. 
Harelda  glacialis,  133. 
'  Harlequin  '  (/.),  136. 
Heiodromas  (/".),  335. 
Hen,  Moor-,  181. 

„    Water-,  181,  578. 
HERODIONES,  12. 
Heron,  Buff-backed,  23. 

Common,  12. 

Great  White,  19. 

Night-,  26. 

Purple,  17. 

Squacco,  24. 
Herring-Gull,  425. 
Himantopus  candidus,  256. 
Hydrochelidon  hybrida,  377. 

„  leucoptera,  375. 

,,  nigra,  373. 

,,  surinamensis,  375. 

IBIDID^,  44. 

Ibis,  Glossy,  44,  574. 

1  Ice-bird '  (Little  Auk),  494. 

Jack  Snipe,  280. 


586 


GENEKAL  INDEX 


King-Eider,  140,  577. 
Knot,  309,  579. 

Lagopus  mutus,  162. 

,,       scoticus,  162. 
Land-Bail,  163. 
Lapwing,  237. 
LABID.E,  373,  405. 
LABIN.E,  405. 
Larus  affinis,  434. 
,,      argentatus,  425. 
,,      barrovianus,  441. 
„      brachyrhynchus,  425. 
,,      brunneicephalus,  418. 
,,      cacliinnans,  429. 
„      canus,  421. 

delawarensis,  425. 
fuscus,  430. 
glaucescens,  441. 
'glaucus,  438,  581. 
hutchinsi,  441. 
ichthyaetus,  419. 
islandicus  (/.),  438. 
kumlieni,  441. 
leucopterus,  442,  581. 
marinus,  434. 
melanocephalus,  418. 
minutus,  409,  581. 
nelsoni,  441. 
occidentalis,  434. 
Philadelphia,  408. 
ridibundus,  411. 
schistisagus,  438. 
ve#«j,  430. 
'Laughing  Gull,'  Black-headed  Gull, 

414. 

Leach's  Petrel,  538. 
LIMICOL^,  202,  572. 
Limicola  platyrhyncha,  282,  579. 
Limosa  belgica,  356. 
,,       hudsonica,  359. 
,,       lapponica,  353. 
'  Long-tailed  Duck '  (/.),  Pintail,  99. 

Machetes  pugnax,  321. 
Macrorhamphus  griseus,  352. 
Macrorliamphus  griseus,  var.  scolo- 

paceus,  352. 

'Magpie  Diver'  (Golden-eye),  130. 
„      (Tufted  Duck),  123. 
Mallard,  91,  576. 
Mareca  americana,  116. 

,,       penelope,  111. 
'  May  Bird  '  (Whimbrel),  366. 


Megalestris  antarctica,  457. 
„  catarrhactes,  454. 

,,  chilensis,  457. 

,,  maccormicki,  457. 

Merganser,  Hooded,  159. 

„  Bed-breasted,  154. 

Mergulus  alle,  493,  582. 
Mergus  albellus,  157. 
„        cucullatus,  159. 
,,        merganser.  151. 
„        serrator,  154. 
Moor-Hen,  181. 
'  Morillons  '  (Golden-eye),  130. 


na,  117,  577. 
Nettion  carolinense,  105,  106. 

,,        crecca,  102. 
Night-Heron,  26. 
Noddy  Tern,  403. 
Numenius  arquata,  359. 

borealis,  370. 

cyanopus,  366. 

Jiudsonicus,  370. 

longirostris,  366. 

phoeopus,  366. 

tenuirostris  ,  366. 

variegatus,  370. 
Nycticorax  calidonicus,  30. 

,,  griseus,  26. 

Nyroca  baeri,  571. 

Oceanites  gracilis,  546. 

„         oceanicus,  544. 
OCEANITIN^,  544. 
Oceanodroma  castro,  542. 

,,  fuliginosa,  544. 

,,  furcata,  543. 

,,  homochroa,  543. 

„  hornbyi,  543. 

leucorrhoa,  538. 
macrodactyla,  543. 
markhami,  543. 
melania,  543. 
monorhis,  543. 
socorrcensis,  543. 
tristrami,  543. 
ODONTOGLOSS^E,  52. 
CEdemia  americana,  146. 
carbo,  148. 
fusca,  146. 
nigra,  143. 
perspicillata.  148. 
velvetina,  148. 
(EDICNEMID.E,  202. 


GENEEAL  INDEX 


587 


(Edicnemus  affinis,  205. 
,,  capensis,  205. 

scolopax,  202,  578. 
CEstrelata  brevipes,  561. 
,,  licesitata,  560. 

OTIDES,  193. 
OTIDID.E,  193. 
Otis  dybowskii,  197. 
,,     macqueeni,  200. 
„     tarda,  193. 
,,     tctrax,  197. 
,,     undulata,  201. 
Oyster-catcher,  247. 

Pagopliila  eburnea,  451,  581. 
Partridge,  Common,  162. 

„          Eed-legged,  162. 
Peewit,  237. 

Pelagodroma  marina,  547. 
Pelican,  White,  574. 
PELICANLD.E,  1. 
Pelicanus  onocrotalus,  574. 
'  Penguins  '  (/.),  468. 
Petrel,  Bulwer's,  562,  582. 
,,       Capped,  560. 

Collared,  561. 

Fork-tailed,  538. 

Frigate,  547. 

Leach's,  538. 

Madeiran  Fork-tailed,  542. 

Storm-,  534. 

Wilson's,  544. 
Plicetlion  cetliereus,  11. 
Plialacrocorax  carbo,  1. 

„  desmaresti,  8. 

„  (jraculus,  5. 

„  novcB-Jiollandice,  4. 

Phalarope,  Grey,  259. 

Eed^-necked,  263. 
Plialaroims  fulicarius,  259. 
„  hyperboreus,  263. 

„  wilsoni,  268. 

PHASIANLD.E,  162. 
Pliasianus  colchicus,  162. 
Pheasant,  162. 
PHCENICOPTEKID^,  52. 
Plicenico2)tents  roseus,  52,  575. 
Pintail,  99,  576. 
Platalea  leucorodia,  47. 
PLATALEID^,  47. 
Plectropterus  gambensis,  76. 
Plegadis  falcinellus,  44,  574. 

„         guarauna,  46. 
Plotus  anliinga,  8. 


Plover,  Caspian,  213. 
Golden,  225. 
Great,  202,  578. 
Green,  237. 
Grey,  231. 
Keiitish,  221. 
Killdeer,  224. 
Lesser  Golden,  229. 
Little  Einged,  220. 
Norfolk,  202. 
Einged,  214. 
Sociable,  235. 
Pochard,  Baer's,  571. 

„         Common,  118,  577. 

Eed-crested,  117,  577. 
PODICIPEDLTLE,  514. 
Podicipes  auritus,  522. 

„          californicus,  528. 
capensis,  533. 
cristatus,  514. 
dominicus,  533. 
fluviatiUs,  528. 
griseigena,  519. 
'holboelli,  522. 
,,          nigricollis,  525. 
,,          novce-liollandice,  533. 
,,          pliilippensis,  533. 

tricolor,  533. 

Podilymbus  podicipes,  533. 
'  Popeler'  (Spoonbill),  49. 
Porphyrio,  Indian,  572. 
Porpliyrio  cceruleus,  185,  572. 
,,          melanotus,  185. 
,,          polioceplialus,  185,  572. 
„          smaragdonot n  s,  185, 572, 
578. 

Porpliyriola  alleni,  572. 
Porzana  bailloni,  174,  578. 
„         Carolina,  172,  578. 
„         maruetta,  169. 
,,        parva,  172. 
,,        pusilla,  177. 
Pratincole,  206,  578. 

„  Black-winged,  572. 

Procellaria  pelagica,  534. 

„  wilsoni,  544. 

PEOCELLAEIID^,  534. 
Ptarmigan,  162. 
PTEEOCLETES,  162. 
PTEEOCLID.E,  162. 
Puffin,  497. 

PUFFINID.E,  548,  573. 
'  Puffinus  '  (/.),  554. 
Puffinus  anglorum,  554. 


588 


GENEKAL  INDEX 


Puffinus  assimilis,  558,  582. 

borealis,  551. 

gravis,  548. 

griseus,  551. 

'kulili,  551,  573. 

obscurus,  559,  560. 

,,.        bailloni,  582. 

persicus,  560. 

yelkouanus,  557,  582. 
PYGOPODES,  502. 


Quail,  162. 

Querquedula  circia,  108. 
,,  discors,  107. 


Kail,  Land-,  163. 

„     Water-,  177. 
RALLID.E,  163,  572. 
Rallus  aquaticus,  177. 

,,       ccerulescens,  181. 

,,       indicus,  181. 
'  Eattle-wing  '  (Golden-eye),  130. 
Razorbill,  468. 
Recurvirostra  avocetta,  252. 
'  Red-Headed  Smew,'  158. 
Redshank,  Common,  341. 
'  Redshank '    (Black-headed    Gull) 

(A  341. 

Redshank,  Spotted,  345. 
RhodostetJiia  rosea,  407,  581. 
Rliyacophilus  (/.),  335. 
Ring-Dove,  162. 
Rissa  brevirostris,  451. 

,,      tridactyla,  446. 
Rock-Dove,  162. 
Ruff,  321. 


Sanderling,  314. 

Sand-Grouse,  Pallas' s,  162. 

'  Sand-Larks,'  289. 

Sandpiper,  American  Pectoral,  284. 

Baird's,  573. 

Bartram's,  326. 

Bonaparte's,  287. 

Broad-billed,  282,  579. 

Buff-breasted,  325. 

Common,  328. 

Curlew-,  302. 

Green,  335. 

Purple,  306. 

Siberian  Pectoral,  286. 


Sandpiper,  Solitary,  339,  580. 
„          Spotted.  331,  580. 

Wood-,  332,  580. 
'  Saw-Bill,'  151. 
Scaup,  126. 

„      Lesser,  128. 
Scolopax  rusticula,  268. 
,,         sabini,  279. 
„         wilsoni,  279. 
Scoter,  Common,  143. 
„       Surf-,  148. 
„      Velvet-,  146. 
'  Sea  Bernacle,'  71. 
'Sea-pie'  (Oyster-catcher),  247. 
'  Sea-swallow  '     (Common     Tern), 

390. 

'  Sea-swallows,'   385. 
Shag,  5. 

Shearwater,  Dusky,  559. 
Great,  548. 

,,  Levantine,  557,  582. 

„  Little  Dusky,  558,  582. 

,,  Manx,  554. 

,,  Mediterranean,  573. 

„  Sooty,  551. 

Sheathbill,  251. 
Sheld-Duck,  Common,  86. 

Rudely,  89. 

'  Shoeing-horn  '  (Avocet)   (/.),  253. 
Shovelard,  Shovelar,  49. 
"  Shovelars,"  "  Shovelers,"  "  Shov- 
ler,"    "Shouelard"    (Spoonbill), 
50. 

Shoveler  (Duck),  97. 
Skua,  Arctic,  460. 
„      Buffon's,  463. 
„      Great,  454. 
„      Long-tailed,  463 
,,      Pomatorhine,  457. 
,,      Richardson's,  460. 
Smew,  157. 

„      '  Red-Headed,'  158. 
Snipe,  Common,  276. 
Great,  272,  579. 
Jack,  280. 
Red-breasted,  352. 
Sabine's,  279,  579. 
Solitary,  272. 
1  Summer,'  328. 
Snow-Goose,  64. 
Somateria  dresseri,  140. 

,,          mollissima,  137,  577. 
,,          mollissima  borealis,14Q. 
,,          v-nigrum,  140,  571. 


GENEEAL  INDEX 


589 


Somateria  apectabilis,  140,  577. 

„          stelleri,  142. 
Spatula  ctypeata,  97. 
Spoonbill,  47. 

,,          Roseate,  51. 
Squatarola  helvetica,  231. 
STEGANOPODES,  1. 
STERCORARIID.E,  454. 
Stercorarius  crepidatus,  460. 
,,  parasiticus,  463. 

„  potnatorhinus,  457. 

Sterna  ancestheta,  402. 
„      anglica,  379. 
,,      antillarum,  401. 
„      cantiaca,  383,  580. 
„      caspia,  381. 
,,      dougalli,  386. 
flumatilis,  390. 
fuliginosa,  401. 
longipennis,  397. 
lunata,  403. 
maerotarsa,  381. 
macrura,  393. 
minuta,  397. 
saundersi,  401. 
sinensis,  401. 
superciliaris,  401. 
STERNIN.E,  373. 
Stilt,  Black-winged,  256. 
Stint,  American,  298. 
„      Little,  295. 
„      Teinmiiick's,  300. 
Stock-Dove,  162. 
Stone- Curlew  (/.),  202. 
Stork,  Black,  43. 

„      White,  39,  574. 
Strepsilas  interpres,  242,  579. 
Sz^Za  bassana,  8. 

'  Summer  Snipe,'    Common  Sand- 
piper, 328. 
Surf -Scoter,  148. 
Swan,  Bewick's,  80. 
„     Mute,  83. 
„     'Polish,' 85. 
„     Whooper,  77. 
Sijrrliaptes  paradoxus,  162. 


Tadorna  cana,  91. 

,,        casarca,  89. 

,,        cornuta,  86. 
'Tarrock3    Gull    (Kittiwake)    (/), 

450. 
Teal,  102. 


Teal,   American  Green-winged,  106. 
,,     Blue -winged,  107. 
„     '  Cricket,'  109. 
Tern,  Arctic,  393. 
„      Black,  373. 
„      Caspian,  381. 
„      Common,  390. 
„      Gull-billed,  379. 
„      Little,  397. 
„      Noddy,  403. 
„      Roseate,  386. 
„      Sandwich,  383,  580. 
„      Sooty,  401. 
„      Smaller  Sooty,  402. 
„     Whiskered,  377. 
„      White-winged  Black,  375. 
Tetrao  tetrix,  162. 

,,       urogallus,  162. 
TETRAONID^],  162. 
'  Tortoise-shell     Goose  '      (White- 
fronted  Goose),  58. 
Totanus  calidris,  341. 
,,        canescens,  348. 
„       flavipes,  340. 
„       fuscus,  345. 
„       glareola,  332,  580. 
,,        hypoleucus,  328. 
„       macularius,  331,  580. 
„       ocJiropus,  335. 
,,        solitarius,  339,  580. 
Tringa  acuminata,  286. 
„       alpina,  288. 
,,       bairdi,  573. 
„       canutus,  309,  579. 
„       couesi,  309. 
,,       eras  sir  ostris,  314. 
,,      fuscicollis,  287. 
,,       maculata,  284. 
tninuta,  295. 
minutilla,  298. 
ptilocnemis,  309. 
ruficollis,  298. 
schinzi,  291. 
striata,  306. 
,,       subarquata,  302. 
,,       temmincki,  300. 
Tringites  rufescens,  325. 
Tropic  bird,  11. 
TURBINARES,  534,  573. 
Turnstone,  242,  579. 
Turtle-Dove,  162. 

„  Rufous,  162. 

Turtur  communis,  162. 
„        orientalis,  162. 


590 


GENEKAL  INDEX 


Uria  bruennichi,  488. 
carlo,  493. 
columba,  493. 
grylle,  489. 
mandti,  493. 
snowi,  493. 
troile,  482. 

Vanellus  yregarius,  235. 

,,       vulgaris,  237. 
Velvet- Scoter,  146. 

Water-Hen,  181,  578. 
Water-Bail,  177. 


Whimbrel,  366. 

'  Whistler  '  (Golden-eye),  130. 

Whooper,  77. 

Wigeon,  111. 

,,        American,  116. 
Woodcock,  268. 
Wood- Sandpiper,  332,  580. 


Xema  sabinii,  405,  580. 


Yellowshank,  340. 

'  Yelper '  (Avocet),  254. 


FINIS. 


JOHN  BALK,  SONS  &  DANIKI,SSON,  LTD.,  83-91,  GREAT  TITCHFIELD  STREET,  LONDON,  W, 


J//€ 


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