Page:VCH Cornwall 1.djvu/399

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BIRDS 285. Brilnnich's Guillemot. Uria bruennichi (E. Sabine). An accidental straggler, shot about 1858 by George Copeland at Rosemullion. 1 286. Black Guillemot. Uriagrylle (Linn.). A casual visitor, represented by a specimen obtained at Mount's Bay, another at Gyllyngvase, and a third picked up dead near the St. Anthony Lighthouse, Falmouth, 12 March, 1905, during very stormy weather. 287. Little Auk. Mergulus alle (Linn.). A winter visitor, evidently appearing annually round the coast and driven into the estuaries in stormy weather ; has been seen about Falmouth for the last six years ; one picked up dead on St. Agnes, Scilly, about midwinter, 1900. 288. Puffin. Fratercula arctica (Linn.) Locally, Welsh Parrot, Sea Parrot. Resident ; breeding in immense numbers at Scilly, in considerable numbers about Tintagel and Trevalga, and in small colonies at two or three localities on the south coast ; single specimens not unfrequently found inland in severe winters ; at the Lizard an autumn migrant, flying westward in considerable numbers. 289. Great Northern Diver. Colymbus gladalis, Linn. A winter visitor to the south coast, increasing in numbers in the west of the county ; common at Scilly. It occasionally occurs in small flocks, and in some seasons is fairly abundant, as in 1874-5, 1886-7, 1890-1, and at Scilly in 1901-2. The birds are usually, though not always, in immature plumage. 290. Black-throated Diver. Colymbus arcticus, Linn. A casual autumn and winter visitor to the south coast from St. Germans to Mount's Bay ; scarce at all times, and irregular in its visits ; since 1890 has been not infrequently seen at Portscatho. A specimen, reported by Stephen Clogg, from Looe, in June, 1 879, is the only one seen and recorded in full summer plumage. 291. Red-throated Diver. Colymbus septentrionalis, Linn. A regular winter visitor off the south coast, of fairly common occurrence, but numbers fluctuate consider- ably from year to year ; once shot at Scilly by David Smith, in the spring of 1894. 292. Great Crested Grebe. Podlcipes cristatus (Linn.). A regular winter visitor, not uncommon on our south coast and on the marsh pools in the Land's End district seen in flocks of twelve to fifteen ; only twice obtained in its remarkable summer plumage. 293. Red-necked Grebe. PoJicipet griseigena (Bod- daert). A winter visitor, appearing annually along the south coast ; usually scarce, but in some years plentiful, as in January, 1891, January, 1895, and in December and January, 1901-2 ; only two specimens obtained in full nuptial plumage, though birds are occasionally obtained in the spring with the red neck feathers just showing. 294. Slavonian Grebe. Podictpes auritus (Linn.). A casual winter visitor, formerly confined to the Land's End district, but now not uncommon some years in estuaries and creeks round the coast ; observed 1 Bullmore, Cornish Fauna, 39. in considerable numbers at Padstow early in 1900, and from 1898 to 1903 seen every winter on the Fal ; occasionally obtained at Scilly ; never seen in summer plumage. 295. Eared Grebe. Podlcipes nigricollis (Brehm). A casual winter visitor, occurring at intervals of two or three years in most of our estuaries, but most frequently on Helford river and creeks of the Fal ; twice shot at Scilly ; obtained at least three times in nuptial plumage. 296. Little Grebe or Dabchick. Podictpes fluviatilis (Tunstall). Locally, Dipchick. Our only resident grebe, nesting in small numbers in suitable localities throughout the county ; rare inland during winter and scarce at the Lizard, but fairly common in flocks of six to ten at Looe, on the Fowey, Fal, and Helford rivers ; not infrequent at Scilly in autumn and winter. 297. Stormy Petrel. Procellaria pelagica, Linn. Locally, Pinnick (see also Rock Pipit). Resident ; breeds on Annett and in greatly dimin- ished numbers at Rosevear, Scilly, at the Godrevy Rocks near Hayle, and probably at the Logan Rock, and near Tintagel ; in 1 866 bred on the Gull Rock, Falmouth ; occasionally driven on to the land by stormy weather in winter, large flocks appearing in 1891, and at least one flock of about thirty in the middle of March, 1905. 298. Leach's Petrel or Fork-tailed Petrel. Oceano- droma leucorrhoa (Vieillot). An occasional winter visitor, not often seen except after violent gales or during long-continued stormy weather, when birds appear not only in our estuaries but may at times be picked up dead or exhausted many miles inland, occasionally even in the heart of the Bodmin Moors. 299. Wilson's Petrel. Oceanites oceanus (Kuhl.). An accidental storm-driven waif picked up dead at Polperro in 1838. 300. Great Shearwater. Puffinus gravis (O'Reilly). Locally, Hackbolt. A fairly regular visitor in autumn and winter to Scilly, but being essentially oceanic is not often seen from the main land. In August, 1899, large numbers appeared off the south coast ; has been reported recently from Bude and Hayle. 301. Sooty Shearwater. Puffinus griseus (J. F. Gmelin). For many years confused with the great shearwater ; but there are Cornish specimens in the museum of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, and in the collec- tion of the late W. E. Bailey of Penzance ; one shot at Looe, 21 August, 1899. 302. Manx Shearwater. Puffinus anglorum (Temminck). Locally, Cockathodon. Resident ; breeding in immense numbers on Annett, Scilly, and in a small colony near Newquay ; large flocks pass the Lizard every autumn. The Scillonian birds go out to sea in August, and are rarely seen again till the spring. 303. Fulmar. Fulmarus glaciaRs (Linn.). A casual winter visitor of which at least ten speci- mens have been found on the south coast, and three on the north. 347