172 FAUNA OF SHROPSHIRE. 



Long-tailed (or BufFon's) Skua. Resembles the lighter 



S.pavasiticus. form of the last species but has 



Oct. Mar. longer tail feathers. There is a young 



bird in the Hawkstone collection, shot 



near Astley, and one was found dead near Garmston, 



October i/j-th, 1891. 



RAZORBILL. All the Gulls and Terns obtain their food 



Alca torda. from the sea, but do not dive. The 



Razorbill and all the following birds 



except the Petrels, are expert divers, and successfully 



pursue fishes in their native element. Most of them fly 



heavily and are far more at home in the water than on 



land. The Razorbill and Guillemots are so essentially 



sea birds that we should hardly expect them to reach 



Shropshire. Nevertheless, a Razorbill was caught at 



Bromfield in the winter of 1878-9. 



GUILLEMOT. Very abundant on the neighbouring coasts 



Una troile. of North Wales, the Guillemot has 



occurred several times in the County, in 



autumn and spring. In January and February, 1885, 



about fourteen were on the Canal at Ellesmere : several 



were shot. Its single large egg is very beautiful and 



noted for the extraordinary variety of colour and markings. 



BLACK GUILLEMOT. A smaller bird, black, with a 

 U. grylle. white patch on the wings. Very rare, 



but has visited Shropshire in winter. 



Little Auk. Somewhat resembles a Guillemot but is much 



Mergulus alle. shorter and more stoutly built. It is 



Oct. Mar. only a rare winter visitor to Britain 



but a specimen, in the Hawkstone col- 



