A HISTORY OF CORNWALL 



on autumn migration. A casual visitor to Scilly ; the 

 latest recorded there seen on Bryher in April, 1904. 

 [Sooty Tern. Sterna fuliginosa, ]. F. Gmelin. 



In the autumn of 1883 David Smith saw a stranger 

 tern, which he afterwards identified as the Sooty Tern, 

 hawking flies near the Abbey Pool. As he was 

 recovering from a severe illness at the time, he asked 

 one of the servants to kill the bird, but the shot went 

 wide and the bird flew off, and was not seen again.] 



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



An accidental wanderer appearing from August to 

 December. At least sixteen specimens have occurred 

 in the county, all immature birds, the most recent 

 being one at Newlyn, October, 1891 ; one at Scilly in 

 1893 ; one at Wolf Rock, September, 1894; one at 

 Pentillie, between Callington and Saltash, October, 

 1899 ; and one between Lostwithiel and Doublebois, 

 November, 1902. 



268. Bonaparte's Gull. Larus Philadelphia, Ord. 



An accidental straggler, of which three have been 

 obtained in the county, namely, one in Falmouth 

 Harbour, one at Penryn in January, 1865, and one 

 near Newlyn by Vingoe, October, 1890 ; also seen 

 on the Marazion beach by A. W. Hawey, 3 February, 

 1901. 



269. Little Gull. Larus minutus, Pallas. 



A casual visitor in late autumn and winter to the 

 coast of the main-land from Falmouth westward. 

 Over a dozen birds have been obtained in the county, 

 of which the more recent are, one at Hayle and one 

 at St. Just in 1889, one at Newlyn 1890, one at 

 Penzance in 1891, one at Hayle 1896, one at 

 Swan pool 1904, the last four being obtained in 

 November. Has not been recorded for Scilly. 



270. Black-headed Gull. Larus ridibundus, Linn. 



Locally, Peeweet. 



A winter visitor, often in large flocks, especially on 

 the south coast, including the Lizard ; frequently 

 occurs at Hayle in immense numbers ; does not now 

 breed in the county, though it formerly did so at 

 Scilly. 



271. Common Gull. Larus canus, Linn. 



A fairly regular winter visitor throughout the 

 county, usually in small parties, but occasionally in 

 fairly large numbers ; sometimes seen on spring 

 migration. Appeared in considerable numbers at 

 Scilly in the autumn of 1863, and has been occasion- 

 ally noted in small winter parties. 



272. Herring Gull. Larus argentatus, J. F. Gmelin. 

 Resident, nesting all round the coast and at Scilly ; 



often seen inland in spring and early summer. 



273. Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus fuscus, Linn. 



Locally, Black Annie. 



Resident ; breeds abundantly in Scilly, and on 

 Mullion Island and Gull Rock, Falmouth ; in small 

 numbers at Kynance, Gurnard's Head, Perranporth, 

 and only occasionally farther east ; very common in 

 winter and early spring, though very rarely seen 

 then at the Lizard. 



274. Greater Black-backed Gull. Larus marinus, Linn. 



Locally, Big Black Annie. 



Resident ; breeds at Scilly, and a few pairs nest 

 annually at the Lizard and at two or three places on 

 the north coast. 



275. Glaucous Gull. Larus glaucus, Fabricius. 



A casual visitor from December to March, often 

 solitary, and at very irregular intervals ; fairly common 

 in January, 1873, and in January, 1895; twice shot at 

 Scilly, namely in Pentle Bay, Tresco, in 1874, and at 

 Cam Nea, Tresco, in 1885. 



276. Iceland Gull. Larus kucopterus, Faber. 



A casual winter visitor to the coast and to Scilly ; 

 most frequently seen from December to February ; 

 appeared in large numbers in January and February, 

 1873, in the winter of 18745, an< ^ again ' n January, 

 1895. The latest record for Scilly is one seen in 

 December, 1890. 



277. Kittiwake. Rlsia trldactyla (Linn.). 

 Resident ; bred regularly at Scilly up till 1900 ; 



still nests, but in diminishing numbers at Mullion 

 Island, on the Gull Rock, Falmouth, and on a cliff 

 on the south coast ; in evidence at all times round 

 the coast, especially in winter. 



278. Ivory Gull. Pagophila eburnea (Phipps). 



An accidental straggler, obtained once at Quilquay, 

 Trefusis, and once at Penzance in February, 1847. 



279. Great Skua. Megalestrls catarrhactes (Linn.). 

 Often seen a few miles out at sea during the her- 

 ring and mackerel season ; exceptionally abundant 

 off the south coast in the autumn of 1891 ; occasion- 

 ally seen flying west off the Lizard signal-station in 

 October ; stragglers occasionally met with in the 

 estuaries. 



280. Pomatorhine Skua. Stercorarius pomatorhinus 



(Temminck). 



A casual autumn visitor of somewhat uncertain 

 appearance, but evidently increasing in frequency, as 

 it has been noted every year since 1900 between 

 Truro and the Helford river ; occasionally appears 

 in large flocks on the south coast, as in 1879 and 

 1891 ; one shot at the Manacles, 15 June, 1883, and 

 one seen at Bossiney Cove, Tintagel, 31 July, 1903. 

 The skuas have to some extent been overlooked at 

 Scilly. In September, 1895, on the Powll Banks, 

 Dorrien-Smith fed a pomatorhine skua and four great 

 shearwaters with bait within two or three feet of the 

 boat. 



281. Richardson's Skua. Stercorarius crepidatus (J. F. 



Gmelin). 



A rare casual visitor ; one specimen obtained at 

 Rosemullion over forty years ago, and one near 

 Mevagissey in 1879. One seen on Guthers, Scilly, 

 in June, 1852, and another shot on St. Mary's, 

 Christmas, 1901. 



282. Buffon's Skua. Stercorarius parasitlcus (Linn.). 

 A casual visitor in autumn and winter, represented 



by three Cornish specimens till the autumn of 1891, 

 when a large flock visited the south-west of England, 

 and the bird was seen in numbers at Polperro and 

 Fowey. 



283. Razor-bill. Alca torda, Linn. 



Resident ; breeds in great numbers at Scilly, and 

 on the Gull Rock, Falmouth, and in colonies at many 

 places both on the north and south coast. 



284. Common Guillemot. Uria troile (Linn.). 

 Resident ; with the same breeding range as the 



razor-bill, but not nearly so abundant. The ringed 

 guillemot has been obtained several times. 



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