ON THE BIRDS. XV 



tioned species breeds regularly in some numbers in Possil Marsh, 

 which is only two miles from the centre of the town. 



Although the GREAT NORTHERN and BLACK-THROATED DIVERS 

 have both occurred frequently in the Firth of Clyde and on Loch 

 Lomond, 'they have not, so far as I am aware, been seen at any time 

 within our limits. The RED-THROATED DIVER, however, has been 

 taken on Possil Marsh and other similar sheets of water within two 

 or three miles of the city. The COMMON GUILLEMOT, PUFFIN, and 

 RAZORBILL are all well known, and are seen occasionally in great 

 numbers in the firth. In the autumn of 1859 a mysterious epidemic 

 broke out among the sea-fowl of the Clyde, and thousands of birds 

 fell victims to it. On that occasion many Guillemots and Razorbills 

 were met with in the river near Renfrew. The COMMON CORMORANT 

 and GREEN CORMORANT are very numerous in the firth as far up the 

 estuary as Dumbarton, chiefly in autumn. The SOLAN GOOSE is 

 often seen in the firth near Greenock. Terns are also very numerous 

 in spring, the two most frequently met with being the COMMON and 

 ARCTIC TERNS. The SANDWICH TERN is not found nearer than Loch 

 Lomond. The BLACK TERN has occurred in the same district. The 

 ROSEATE TERN, a large colony of which formerly existed in the 

 Cumbrae Islands, has entirely left that locality. A small colony on 

 Inchmoin, Loch Lomond, has also disappeared. BONAPARTE'S GULL 

 has occurred once in Loch Lomond, and the LITTLE GULL has also 

 been seen there and on the Clyde. The BLACK-HEADED GULL is 

 abundant even in the heart of the city, where hundreds at a time 

 may occasionally be seen hovering above the waters of the Clyde 

 between the bridges. There is a large breeding colony yearly in 

 Hairlaw Darn, near Barrhead, within six or eight miles of Glasgow, 

 and another very large colony on Inchmoin, Loch Lomond. Many 

 Black-headed Gulls frequent the river Kelvin between the Park 

 Museum and the University grounds. The KITTIWAKE is frequently 

 observed on brackish water near Dumbarton, and comes regularly to 

 the shores of the Gareloch in winter. The IVORY GULL has at various 

 times been shot on the Clyde, the nearest to our district being a 

 specimen shot near Greenock in the winter of 1858. The COMMON 

 GULL flies up the river as far as Renfrew, where I have seen it 

 repeatedly; and the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL is seen in some 

 numbers nearly all the year round on the river among the shipping 

 at the Broomielaw. The HERRING GULL is scarce in the firth. The 

 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL breeds on Inchmoin, Loch Lomond, 

 and the GLAUCOUS GULL has occurred near Gourock. The ICELAND 

 GULL has been met with in Arran. The POMERINE SKUA and 

 RICHARDSON'S SKUA have both occurred on the Clyde, and the MANX 

 SHEARWATER has also been observed frequently. The FORK-TAILED 

 PETREL has been obtained from various localities on the Clyde in 

 winter, and the STORM PETREL has been taken as far up the firth as 

 Port-Glasgow. 



