BIRDS old bird brought to him alive in March, 1869 (Ipswich Museum). About 20 November, 1893, the Suffolk coast was visited by a terrific north-easterly gale, and many storm driven sea-birds were picked up, among them an adult puffin within the bounds of Bury. It was found alive and unhurt by some boys, who took it to Mr. Travis, who kept it alive ; but it refused the fish provided for it, and died at the end of a week. 268. Great Northern Diver. Colymbus gla~ cialis, Linn. This fine bird is a winter visitant from the north, and is usually only met with on the coast in hard weather. All those obtained have been in immature plumage. 269. White-billed Northern Diver. Colymbus adamsi, G. R. Gray. This rare arctic species, which is even larger than the great northern diver, has only recently been added to the British list. The first British specimen was shot at Pakefield in the early spring of 1852 (Saunders' Manual, p. 711) and is in Mr. Gurney's collection. 270. Black-throated Diver. Colymbus glacia- lis, Linn. A rare winter visitant, but one which might easily be overlooked in the plain grey and white plumage in which it usually occurs in England. Mr. Gurney has a Lowestoft specimen in nearly full breeding plumage {Birds of Norfolk, iii. 270). 271. Red-throated Diver. Colymbus septen- trionalis, Linn. Locally, Sprat-Loon. This bird is much the most common of the divers, and may be called a regular winter migrant. Specimens are sometimes obtained in autumn in almost perfect summer dress, with the chestnut-red patch on the throat from which the name is derived. None of the divers breed in England, but the black- throated and red-throated breed in fair num- bers in the north of Scotland and on the adjacent islands. 272. Great Crested Grebe. Podicipes crista- tus (Linn.) This splendid bird is a resident breeding in fair numbers on Fritton Lake, where it is carefully protected (Col. Leathes). In west Suffolk it breeds on Ampton Water, and used to do so on Bartonmere when there was suffi- cient water. The pike is its worst enemy, and this voracious fish devours many young grebes during the early days of their exist- ence. In winter the crested grebes go to the sea and tidal rivers. 273. Red-necked Grebe. Podicipes grise'igena (Boddaert) A rather rare winter visitant, and in Suffolk almost entirely a marine species. 274. Slavonian Grebe. Podicipes auritus (Linn.) This species, which breeds abundantly in Iceland, is not uncommon as a winter visitant to the east coast, but has not been recorded from Suffolk in its very handsome summer plumage. 275. Eared Grebe. Podicipes nigruollis (C. L. Brehm) A southern species, only occurring in the spring and summer months. On 3 August, 1878, a fine male was shot near the martello tower at Aldeburgh. In winter dress it much resembles the Slavonian grebe at the same season, but is smaller and has a slightly up-turned bill. 276. Little Grebe or Dabchick. Podicipes fluviatilis (Tunstall) Locally, Dabchick, Deve-dobbler ; Dobchicken (Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain). A common resident, which breeds not only on large pieces of water, but also on ponds and even in meadow dykes. Its nest with the eggs covered might easily be taken for a mass of weeds, and this has been well illus- trated by Mr. Kearton's photographs, which he obtained in east Suffolk. The dabchick is an early breeder, having eggs by the end of April, and as the young in down have been found late in August {Zoologist, 1873, p. 3798) it must sometimes breed twice in a year. The eggs of this and all the other grebes are protected in west Suffolk. 277. Storm-Petrel. Procellaria pelagica,'Li n. This tiny sea-bird is an autumn visitant, and is well known to the lighthouse and lightship keepers, as in its ocean wanderings it frequently strikes the lanterns, and more than one has been thus obtained at the Languard station. Storm-petrels are occa- sionally picked up inland, and after the gale mentioned above in the note on the puffin one was found at Livermere. Except in very rough weather it rarely approaches the land. 278. Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel. Oceanodro- ma leucorrhoa (Vieillot) This species is easily recognized by its larger size and forked tail, and is much rarer 213
