THE ORXITHOLOGY OF BEKWICKSHIRE . 255 



Entering upon the orrlei- Natatores, we enumerate as niemhers of 

 the AnatidfB three permanent residents, one periodical summer 

 visitant, the beautiful piebald sheldrake, which breeds annually in the 

 rabbit-holes upon the links at Holy Island and Ross ; seven periodical 

 winter visitants, and seven occasional visitants. Amongst the latter 

 are the two species of wild swan {^Cygnus fenis, and C. Bewichii), the 

 bernicle or clake- goose {Bernicia leucojysis)^ which I have received from 

 Holy Island ; also that very rare bird tlie Anser ruJicoUis, a specimen 

 liaving been shot near Berwick seA'oral years ago, which found its 

 vray into Bullock's museum, and from thence, we believe, into that of 

 St Petersburg!!. The Shoveller {Sjmthulea chjpeata) has also been 

 killed upon the Tweed. 



Of the true divers or Colymbidfe, tlie list contains eight meml.)ors ; 

 one of which, the little grebe or dabchick ( Podiceps minor), though not 

 niimerous, is a })ermanent resident. Six are periodical winter visitants, 

 four of which belong to the genus Podiceps, the other two arc the great 

 northern and red-throated divers [Coli/mhus glacinlis and ('. septentrio- 

 nalis), botli of which frequent the mouth of the Tweed and Berwick 

 Bay during tlie winter and early spring months ; the eiglitli member 

 is the Coh/mbii'^ rtrcficus, Idack-throated diver, a rare visitant. A fine 

 specimen, caught in a salmon-net in the Tweed, is now in my 

 possession. 



Of the Auk family, Alcadere, there are three periodical summer 

 A'isitants, all of which breed in great numbers in the precipitous cliffs 

 of St Abb's Hpad ; and two occasional winter visitants, viz., the Urin 

 ffn/lle, black gxillemot, and the Ilergulus alee, rotch, a species that 

 breeds in very high latitudes, and is frequrently mentioned in the 

 writings of arctic navigators. 



The Pelicanidee are three in number, two of which, the common 

 cormorant [Phalacrocorax carlo), and the crested shag, {P. cristatus), 

 are permanent residents ; the SuJa hassana, solan goose, we may con- 

 sider as a periodical summer visitant, as it is to be seen almost daily 

 skimming along the surface of the water, or precipitating itself upon 

 its prey within our limits, on its flight to and from the isle of Bass, 

 its great breeding station on the eastern coast. 



Of the Laridpe, or GruU family, there appears to be onl}' one we can 

 properly designate a permanent resident, viz. the Larufi ridihandus, 

 black-headed gull. Within our district this species has several breed- 

 ing stations, tiio principal of which are tlie pieces of water at Pallins- 

 bnrn, Paston, and Dunse Castle. Six species appear as periodical 

 summer visitants, four of which belong to tlie Terns, a genus dis- 

 tinguished from the gulls b}' their swallow-like form and a more 

 rapid and powerful flight ; the other two are the herring-gull (Lams 

 argenfatusj, and lesser black-backed gull {L. fuscus), the first breeding 



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