280 BIRDS OP NORFOLK. 



URIA GRYLLE (Linn^us). 

 BLACK GUILLEMOT. 



The first example of this species known to have 

 occurred on the Norfolk coast is, I believe, one which 

 Mr. Dowell tells me was brought to him on the 16tli 

 November, 1850, by Mr. Brereton ; it was an immature 

 bird, and had been shot at Blakeney by Mr. Loads, a shore 

 gunner there, who noticed it in company with some 

 ducks. Mr. T. E. Gunn recognised in the breast and 

 wings of a bird shot in November, 1866, and sent from 

 Wells to be made up for a lady's hat, an immature black 

 guillemot, and he was told on what he considered good 

 authority that a second example was shot at the same 

 time; about the same date, also, Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., 

 obtained another from Blakeney. On January 21st, 

 1887, an immature male black guillemot was picked 

 up on the beach at Salthouse and sent to Mr. Gunn 

 ("Zoologist," 1867, p. 710). The Rev. R. H. Tillard 

 has a young black guillemot, which was shot at Blakeney 

 " some twenty years ago," but, unfortunately, he does 

 not remember either the year or month in which he 

 received it. An adult male in change, which passed 

 into the possession of Mr. J. S. Dawson, chief officer of 

 the coastguard at Yarmouth, was picked up by one of 

 his men on the beach near Caister, early on the morning 

 of the 22nd March, 1875. It was washed ashore dead 

 with other birds, such as common guillemots, razorbills, 

 &c., during the easterly gales which prevailed about that 

 time. When at Yarmouth, in October, 1879, Mr. J. E. 

 Gurney, jun., ascertained that a black guillemot had 

 been killed there in the winter of 1878-9. Dr. Whitty, 

 of Hunstanton, has a young bird of this species in his 

 collection, which was procured at that plase in 1884, 

 and Mr. Gurney saw on the 20th December, 1886, at 

 Mr. Pashley's, of Cley, an immature black guillemot, 

 which had been sent to him a few weeks before to be 

 preserved. 



Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear include this species 

 in their catalogue, but without comment. 



