BIRDS bird was shot at Handsworth on 29 April 1886, and an immature one at Cheadle in July 1899. 20 1. Great Black-backed Gull. Larus mari- nus, Linn. An occasional visitor to the Trent valley. One recorded from near Stafford in 1899 (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1900). 202. Kittiwake. Rissa tridactyla (Linn.) An occasional visitor, common in the Trent valley. Several were observed near Tunstall in January 1891 ; also recorded from Cheadle and Uttoxeter (Reports North Staffs Field Club, 1892, p. 57, and 1896, p. 48), and from Madeley in 1889. 203. Pomatorhine Skua. Stercorarius poma- torhinus (Temminck) There is a rather doubtful reference to this species in the Natural History of Tutbury (p. 58), but Mr. R. W. Chase has recorded one as shot at Oldbury in October 1879 (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 138). 204. Arctic or Richardson's Skua. Stercora- rius crepidatus (J. F. Gmelin) Two immature birds killed near Rolleston (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, pp. 58, III). 205. Long-tailed or Buffon's Skua. Stercora- rius parasiticus (Linn.) Under the name of Arctic skua Sir O. Mosley doubtfully refers to this species as killed near Burton, but Mr. Brown makes no mention of it in his list. There is however in the Derby Museum a Staffordshire speci- men which formed part of the Blurton col- lection when dispersed in 1883, and an immature bird was shot on the Lichfield race- course on 7 October 1874 (Birds of Stafford- shire, p. 139). 206. Guillemot. Uria troile (Linn.) One recorded by Garner near Stoke-on- Trent in 1841 during a severe frost (p. 289). 207. Little Auk. Mergulus alle (Linn.) Several were shot on the Trent after a storm about 1843 (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, pp. 57, 109). One was picked up exhausted between Walsall and Birmingham about 1870 (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 144), and another in a similar state at Wheaton Aston near Stafford in January 1901 (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1902). 208. Great Northern Diver. Colymbus glaci- alis, Linn. This fine bird has occurred several times in winter within the county at Aqualate (Garner) on the Tame near Comberford, the Dove near Uttoxeter and several times on the Trent (Sir O. Mosley) and near Macclesfield (Sainter). More recent occurrences are at Rolleston, a female shot on 29 November, 1869, and another about the same time at Wombourne near Wolverhampton, while a third was killed at Tipton on 8 January 1877. 209. Red-throated Diver. Colymbus septen- trionalis, Linn. An occasional straggler. Garner records it from Rocester and near Uttoxeter. One was shot at Swythamley in 1880 and in 1871 one was taken alive near Tean (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1886). An immature bird was also killed on the Dove below Okeover in the winter of 1895. 210. Great Crested Grebe. Podicipes cristatus (Linn.) Dr. McAldowie says truly : ' This fine bird is the greatest ornithological ornament of our county.' It breeds in some numbers at Aqualate and usually at Copmere and occa- sionally on other pieces of water such as Trentham Lake, Beech Pool, Knypersley (1892), etc. (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 142). 211. Red-necked Grebe. Podicipes griseigena (Boddaert) Included in Garner's list without any particulars. One shot at Burton, April 1849 (J. C. Garth, Zoologist, 1850, p. 2706). One obtained at Burton, 20 November 1 898 (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1903). 212. Slavonian Grebe. Podicipes auritus (Linn.) This species is figured by Plot in his History of Staffordshire (tab. 22, fig. i), and a description is given of a specimen killed at Comberford which had apparently assumed the full breeding plumage. Garner includes it in his list, and in December 1893, one was obtained at Brewood reservoir (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1901). [Eared Grebe. Podicipes nigricollis (C. L. Brehm) Included in Garner's list without data.] 213. Little Grebe or Dabchick. Podicipes fluviatilh (Tunstall) Locally, Dipper, Doucker (obs.) A resident on our larger rivers and pools, and a summer visitor to small sheets of water, but not so plentiful as in former years. 159
