l68 FAUNA OF SHROPSHIRE. 



inland county like Shropshire. Many of them, neverthe- 

 less, travel here when there is no gale to drive them over, 

 and there is no doubt that the Herring and Lesser Black- 

 backed Gulls often go far from the sea in search of food, 

 especially in winter. The Black Tern has occurred 

 several times in different parts of the County, the most 

 recent being at Oxon Pool, May, 1871, Rednal, 1873, 

 Gobowen, July, 1883, and a fine female at Walcot Park 

 in the spring of 1894. The tail in this species is only 

 slightly forked. The name Black Tern is misleading for, 

 even in the dark summer dress, the bird is far from black. 



Sandwich Tern. A fine male was found dead near 



Sterna Cantiaca. Shrewsbury in Aug., 1897. It is now 



in the possession of Mr. Dumville Lees. 



Roseate Tern. One was shot, about 1830, at Longden-on- 

 S. Dougalli. Tern. 



Common Tern, or Sea Swallow. The last name is not 



5. fluviatilis. at all inappropriate, for the Terns all 



May Sept. have long wings and forked tails and 



are swift and graceful in their flight. 



This Tern is often seen on or near the Severn in autumn 



and spring. The most recent are : one found dead at 



Shrewsbury Aug. 2ist, 1894, an< ^ one snot near Alberbury 



March 9th, 1898. In the summer of 1898 one of these 



pretty birds stayed for more than a week on the Severn 



below the English Bridge, Shrewsbury. 



Arctic Tern. Closely resembles the last but is slightly 



5. macmra. darker in colour and has legs and beak 



of a brighter red. It frequently occurs 



in Shropshire, and in May, 1842, immense numbers 



