BIRDS 



187. Whimbrel. Numenius phceopui [L'mn.). 



A passing migrant, as a rule in early autumn, 

 seldom stopping, or alighting. Only one 

 example seems to have come to hand, near 

 Thorpe Mandeville, May i6th, 1881. 



188. Black Tern. Hydrochelidon nigra {L\nn). 



Formerly abundant, when it bred in the 

 then undrained fens and meres. Now an 

 irregular visitor to Northants, most commonly 

 seen on the larger sheets of water, reservoirs, 

 etc. 



1 89. Common Tern. Sterna Jiuviatilisy Nau- 



mann. 

 A not uncommon bird of passage in early 

 autumn, wandering up the rivers. The Arctic 

 tern has never been obtained in Northants, as 

 far as is known, though it is likely enough to 

 occur on passage. 



190. Little Tern. Sterna minuta, Linn. 



A rarer visitor than the last, but seen under 

 similar conditions. Lord Lilford gives obituary 

 notices of two only. 



191. Brown-headed Gull. Larus ridibundus, 



Linn. 

 This, usually but wrongly called the black- 

 headed gull, is much the commonest gull in 

 Northants, outnumbering all the other species 

 together. Between Peterborough and Wans- 

 ford the brown-headed gull seems often to 

 settle for the winter, as on the Serpentine. It 

 has then, of course, lost the sooty-brown head, 

 which it only wears in summer. For its 

 breeding in Norfolk, see Lilford, ii. 233-235. 



192. Common Gull. Larus canus, Linn. 



Decidedly uncommon, and only recurring 

 singly, or in small parties, as a casual wan- 

 derer ; most often in immature dress in early 

 autumn. 



193. Herring-Gull. Larus argentatus, GmeVm. 



One of the commonest gulls in Northants 

 (of course only a passing wanderer at best). I 

 have noticed it on many occasions. Lord 

 Lilford considers it hard to distinguish on the 

 wing from the next species ; I am inclined to 

 the opposite opinion, for it is a much slenderer 

 bird in outline. 



194. Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus fuscus, 



Linn. 



Not a common visitor to Northants. Lord 

 Lilford only records three undoubted occur- 

 rences, but it is oftener seen at the eastern end 

 of the county, where I have thrice been able 

 to identify it, passing over, in six years. 



195. Great Black-backed Gull. Larus ma- 



rinus, Linn. 

 Not uncommon, but usually seen at a great 

 height in stately flight up or down the river. 

 Considerably the largest of the gulls that visit 

 Northants. 



196. Kittiwake. Rissa tridactyla (Linn.). 



One of the scarcer gulls in Northants, and 

 only a rare accidental visitor. I have only 

 once identified it, and Lord Lilford, with his 

 much greater opportunities, only handled three 

 or four Northamptonshire specimens. 



[Great Skua. Megakstris catarrhactes (Linn.) 



A bird was reported to Lord Lilford from 

 the Oxfordshire border under this name, but 

 the reporter subsequently had reason to doubt 

 the correct identification, and thought it was 

 more likely to have been the Pomatorhine 

 skua, so a valuable record is thrown away.] 



197. Arctic or Richardson's Skua. Stercora- 



rius crepidatus (Gmelin). 



A wandering pirate from autumn to spring, 

 which has once only been obtained in North- 

 ants — near Houghton Mills, Northampton, 

 October 14th, 1890 {Lilford). 



198. Long-tailed or BufFon's Skua. Sterco- 



rarius parasiticus (Linn.). 



A rare wanderer, but one which has thrice 

 occurred in Northants {Lilford, ii. 249). 



1 99. Common Guillemot. Uria troile (Linn.). 

 A common marine bird, breeding in rocks, 



of rare occurrence inland. One was obtained 

 at Kislingbury on November i6th, 1864 {Lil- 

 ford, ii. 266). 



200. Little Auk. Mergulus alle (Linn.). 



A scarce winter visitor to our coasts, occa- 

 sionally, however, in severe winters, appearing 

 in vast numbers, and then driven inland by 

 storms, from which it happens that many more 

 specimens are on record of this arctic species 

 in our inland counties, than of such common 

 British breeding birds as the guillemot and 

 razorbill. 1841 and 1895 were great 'little 

 auk years,' and a good many records are men- 

 tioned by Lord Lilford (ii. 260-262), who also 

 mentions that immature puffins were generally 

 reported to him as ' little auks.' 



201. Puffin. Fratercula arctica {Lmn.). 



A marine species, which seems to appear 

 inland more frequently than most of its con- 

 geners that breed on our coasts in equal abun- 

 dance. Ten occurrences, mostly of immature 

 birds, are reported in Lilford (ii. 262-264). 



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