56 



Case 227 — continued. 



LITTLE AUK {Merguhis die). 



An irregular winter visitor, occasionally met with in the local area. 

 For eggs see Case 231, drawer 33. 



GREAT AUK {Aha impennis). 



The Great Auk (now extinct) used to breed in St. Kilda, but even 

 by the middle of the 18th century the birds had become very irregular 

 in their visits. The bird made no nest, but the single egg was laid on 

 the bare rock. The Museum possesses a good example of the Great 

 Auk's Egg. 



The exhibited specimens include the skull of the Great Auk, 

 photographs of the restoration of the bird and an egg in the possession 

 of the Norwich Corporation, and a case of an egg (see Case 231, 

 drawer A). 



LITTLE STINT {Tringa minuta). 



The Little Stint visits the British Islands in the spring and in the 

 autumn on its migrations to and from the North. It is occasionally 

 met with in the estuaries of the Dee and Mersey in the autumn. 



TEMMINCK'S STINT {Tringa temmincki). 



Temminck's Stint is a rare and irregular migrant, chiefly in autumn, 

 and is very rarely met with in the spring. In the local area it is, 

 recorded from Ribbleton Moor, 1864, Pilling, 1873 (Mitchell, " Birds of 

 Lancashire," p. 191), and the Dee Marshes near Shotwick, 1862 (August) 

 (Coward, " Birds of Cheshire," p. 215). For eggs see Case 231, 

 drawer 32. 



GREY PLOVER {Squatarola helvetica). 

 A winter visitor to the local area. 



AVOCET {Recurvirostris avocetta). 



The Avocet was formerly one of our regular summer migrants, but 

 it is now merely a straggler. It has occurred in the local area on 

 Walney Island and on the Ribble. For eggs see Case 231, drawer B. 



WOOD SANDPIPER {Totanus glareola). 



A passage-migrant and a rare autumn and winter straggler to the 

 local area. For eggs see Case 231, drawer 21. 



