BIRDS 



in that long-neglected neighbourhood ; the 

 last nest in Norfolk was taken near Sutton 

 Broad in 1858. This species is now only 

 known to us as a somewhat rare passing 

 migrant. 



262. White-winged Black Tern. Hydro- 



chelidon leucoptera (Schinz). 

 The first English specimen of the white- 

 winged black tern was killed at Horsey in 

 May, 1853; since that time several have 

 occurred on that side of the county, chiefly in 

 May and June, and one in August. 



263. Whiskered Tern. Hydrochelidon hybr'tda 



(Pallas). 

 The rare whiskered tern has only twice 

 been obtained here, the first at Hickling Broad 

 in June, 1847, *he second near Dersingham 

 in October, 1890. 



264. Gull-billed Tern. Sterna anglica, Mont. 

 Nine of these birds have been killed near 



Yarmouth at different times between the end 

 of May and September. 



265. Caspian Tern. Sterna caspia, Pallas. 

 The Caspian tern has been met with here 



nine times, all near Yarmouth between the 

 months of May and October. 



266. Sandwich Tern. Sterna cantiaca, Gme- 



lin. 

 The Sandwich tern has always been re- 

 garded here as a rare spring or summer visitor ; 

 but in October, 1891, five were killed, and 

 in September, 1893, seventeen, all at Cley, 

 where two pairs are believed to have bred in 

 that year. 



267. Roseate Tern. Sterna douga/Ii, Mon- 



tagu. 

 This bird has been killed on two occasions 

 on our coast and seen several times ; there is 

 every reason to believe that one or two pairs 

 have nested here more than once. 



268. Common Tern. Sterna Jluviatilis, Nau- 



mann. 

 The common tern had reached a very low 

 ebb as a breeder in Norfolk, where it was 

 once a very numerous species, but judicious 

 protection has worked wonders in at least one 

 favoured locality. All the terns are called 

 ' dars ' or ' pearls.' This is the ' big pearl ' of 

 the natives. 



269. Arctic Tern. Sterna macrura^ Nau- 



mann. 

 The Arctic tern visits us in the summer 

 and young birds later on, but it has never 

 been proved to breed here. 



270. Little Tern. Sterna minuta, Linn. 

 The elegant little tern, once so numerous, 



is now sadly reduced in numbers, but a few 

 nests are still to be seen. It is known as the 

 'chit-pearl.' I have also heard it called by 

 the name of ' dip-ears.' 



271. Sabine's Gull. Xema sabinii (J. Sabine). 



Two specimens of this rare gull were killed 

 on Breydon in October, 1 88 1, since that time 

 four others have been obtained on the coast, 

 all in the month of October, and in immature 

 plumage. 



272. Little Gull. Larus minutus, Pallas. 



This is a fairly constant visitor to our coast, 

 generally in the late autumn. Sometimes 

 considerable numbers are met with, as in 

 February, 1870, when after a severe gale 

 from the east over sixty, mostly in adult 

 plumage, were killed on the Norfolk coast. 

 On April 2nd, 1888, a little gull in lovely 

 breeding plumage was killed on Hickling 

 Broad, a second was seen but not obtained. 



273. Black-headed or Brown-headed Gull. 



Larus ridibundus, Linn. 

 This is our most common species at all 

 seasons, and there are two large breeding- 

 places, Scoulton and Hoveton, in Norfolk, 

 other breeding places formerly existed. 



274. Mediterranean Black - headed Gull. 



Larus melanocepha/us, Natterer. 

 An adult male was killed on December 

 26th, 1886, on Breydon. The first fully 

 authenticated British specimen. 



275. Common Gull. Larus canus, Linn. 

 The common gull is really common at all 



seasons, especially in autumn. 



276. Herring-Gull. Larus argentatus, GmeVin, 



This is a common species here, especially 

 in immature plumage. 



277. Yellow - legged Herring- Gull. Larus 



cachinnans, Pallas. 

 A single specimen of this species, a male by 

 dissection, was killed on Breydon on Novem- 

 ber 4th, 1886. It remained unrecorded till 

 1897 (cf. Zoologist, 1897, p. 572). Mr. 

 Howard Saunders was good enough to confirm 

 the determination of the bird. 



278. Lesser Black - backed Gull. Larus 



fuscus, Linn. 

 The lesser black-backed gull is common at 

 all seasons, especially in immature plumage. 



243 



