BIRDS 



175. Wigeon. Mareca penehfe (Linn). 



A regular winter visitor sometimes in very large 

 numbers all over the county, including Scilly, but 

 usually most abundant in the west. 



1 76. Red-crested Pochard. Neita rufina (Pallas). 



A single specimen shot at Swanpool, Falmouth, in 

 February, 1845, and examined in the flesh by 

 W. P. Cocks. 



177. Pochard. Fuligula ferina (Linn.) 



A regular winter visitor to the west of the county, 

 sometimes in small numbers ; occurs irregularly at 

 Scilly and along the south coast, but rarely on the 

 north. 



178. Ferruginous Duck. FuRgutanyroca (Guldenstadt). 

 A single specimen killed by some boys near Mylor, 



II March, 1905, during very stormy weather. The 

 bird was immature and in good condition, but seems 

 to have been exhausted or dazed. 



179. Tufted Duck. FuRgula cristata (Leach). 



An irregular but frequent winter visitor in small 

 flocks to the south and south-west of the county ; an 

 occasional casual at Scilly and on the north coast. The 

 unpinioned young at Trebartha used to leave in the 

 autumn and return the following spring to breed. 



1 80. Scaup. Fuligula mania (Linn.). 



A scarce but probably regular winter visitor, 

 occasionally in large numbers locally after heavy 

 autumnal gales ; seen about Truro every year from 

 1900 to 1904 inclusive. Occasionally recorded from 

 Scilly. 



1 8 1. Golden-eye. Clangula glaucion (Linn.). 



Locally, Spotty Wigeon (female). 

 A regular annual visitor, sometimes in small 

 numbers, to the freshwater pools throughout the 

 county ; not uncommon on the moors in frost ; very 

 common all along the south coast in the winter of 

 1890-1 ; a frequent visitor to Scilly. 



182. Long-tailed Duck. HareUa glaciaKs (Linn.). 



A casual winter visitor of which about a dozen 

 solitary specimens have been obtained on the mainland 

 and four at Scilly, all in immature plumage ; usually 

 occurs on the south coast, but has once been shot at 

 Padstow, and once inland, at Trevithen. 



183. Eider. Somateria mollissima (Linn.). 



A casual winter visitor ; one shot at Looe many 

 years ago, two in immature plumage killed in 1864 

 on the Fowey river near Lostwithiel, a young male 

 at Marazion in December, 1892, and a female killed 

 at Tophiba, Marazion, about 1899. Six birds, all in 

 immature plumage, have been shot at Scilly, three 

 being killed in Tean Sound 18 December, 189 1, after 

 having been under observation for six weeks. 



184. Common Scoter. OeJemia nigra (Linn.). 



Locally, Black duck. 



A winter visitor occurring in large flocks some 

 miles out at sea ; stragglers often driven into the 

 creeks and estuaries by stormy weather. Seldom seen 

 at Scilly ; one in immature plumage killed on the 

 west of Bryher in 1854, and six shot at Tresco in 

 March, 1881. 



185. Velvet Scoter. OeJemia fasca (Linn.). 



A winter casual that has been recorded five times 

 from the western mainland. 



1 86. Surf-Scoter. Oedemia perspicillata (Linn.). 



An accidental visitor obtained on two occasions at 

 Scilly, one picked up half dead near Cam Thomas, 

 St. Mary's, 22 September, 1865, and a young male 

 shot off Skirt Point, Tresco, in October, 1 867 ; once 

 found in a mutilated condition near Pendennis 

 Castle, Falmouth. 



187. Goosander. Mergus merganser, Linn. 



A casual winter visitor appearing on the south 

 coast singly and at irregular intervals ; obtained four 

 times at Scilly and six times on the mainland. Last 

 recorded for Scilly 5 January, 1884, when a female 

 was obtained in perfect plumage. 



1 8 8. Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus terrator, Linn. 

 A winter visitor of regular occurrence, but in 

 small numbers; in some seasons, as in 1870-1 and 

 1894-5 abundant not only out at sea but on our 

 tidal rivers ; a fairly common winter bird at Scilly ; 

 always in immature plumage. 



189. Smew. Mergus albettus, Linn. 



A casual visitor of irregular occurrence on the south 

 coast during very severe weather, chiefly between 

 Penzance and Truro ; almost invariably immature 

 birds or females. On 13 January, 1891, three were 

 seen on the higher moors, St. Mary's, Scilly, and two 

 shot, both immature males. 



190. Wood Pigeon. Columba palumbus, Linn. 

 Resident ; abundant and generally distributed in the 



wooded districts throughout the county, including 

 Tresco Abbey, and evidently increasing. 



191. Stock-Dove. Columba oenas, Linn. 



Locally, Culver. 



Formerly a winter visitor throughout the county, 

 sometimes in large flocks. In 1885 and 1886 a single 

 pair bred at Trebartha ; is now an established resi- 

 dent along the southern half of the county as fir west 

 as Helford, and locally in the north. Constantly seen 

 at Scilly in the autumn on most of the larger islands, 

 including Tean and St. Helen's. 



192. Rock-Dove. Columba Rvta, ]. F. Gmelin. 



Locally, Cliff culver. 



Formerly considered a casual visitor to the south 

 of the county, but for some years has been a resident 

 at intervals along the north coast from Moorwinstow 

 to Tintagel, and on the south coast near Portscatho 

 and elsewhere ; not known with certainty to have 

 occurred at Scilly. 



193. Turtle-Dove. Turtur communis, Sel by. 



A spring and summer visitor in very irregular numbers 

 to the sheltered spots in the south of the county, but 

 rare on the north ; has nested once at Scilly, but 

 no nest has ever been discovered on the mainland. 



194. Pallas' Sand-Grouse. Syrrhaptes paradoxta (Pallas). 

 Appeared in Cornwall during the remarkable 



irruptions both of 1863 and 1888. In the former an 

 adult female was shot close by Land's End in the 

 second week of June, and an adult male found dead 

 on the 23rd of that month, on St. Agnes, Scilly. 

 F. R. Rodd says there was a small flock on the island 

 at the time. In 1888 a flock of eleven appeared in 

 the Land's End district, of which three were killed 

 and one captured alive. Several were shot by 

 R. G. Lakes in the neighbourhood of St. Austell ; 



341 



