BIRDS 



237. Greenshank. Tetanus canescens (Gmelin). 

 Not uncommon as a passing migrant in 



spring and autumn. 



238. Red - breasted Snipe. Afacrorhamphus 

 griseus (Gmelin). 



A rare straggler. One is said to have been 

 seen near Harwich in April 1882 (Birds of 

 Essex, p. 254). 



239. Bar-tailed Godwit. Limosa lapponica 



(Linn.). 



Locally, Prine or Preen. 



Fairly common on the coast when on 

 migration. 



240. Black - tailed Godwit. Limosa belgica 



(Gmelin). 

 As the foregoing, but less common. 



241. Curlew. Numenius arquata (Linn.). 

 Very common on the coast from early 



autumn to late spring. A few non-breeding 

 birds remain throughout the summer. Occa- 

 sionally seen inland when migrating. 



242. Whimbrel. Numeniui phteopus (Linn.). 

 Locally, Titterell. 



Common on our coast during autumn, 

 winter and spring. 



243. Black Tern. Hydrochelidon nigra 



(Linn.). 



Now only an uncommon visitor when on 

 migration, but formerly a regular summer 

 visitor, breeding in the county. Individuals 

 still occur occasionally however in the county 

 during spring and summer. For instance, 

 a pair was shot at Paglesham in the middle 

 of May 1 890, and another pair seen at Colne 

 Point about the same time. 



244. Sandwich Tern. Sterna cantiaca, Gmelin. 

 Now only a scarce passing migrant, but 



formerly a regular summer visitor, breeding 

 on our coast. A few pairs continued to nest 

 within the last twenty years, but they do so 

 no longer. 



245. Roseate Tern. Sterna dougalli, Montagu. 

 A rare summer visitor. 



246. Common Tern. Sterna fluviatllts, Nau- 



mann. 



Locally, Sea-Swallow. 



Formerly a fairly common summer visitor, 

 nesting regularly in the county. Now it is 

 scarce and nests with us no longer. 



247. Arctic Tern. Sterna macrura, Naumann. 

 An uncommon passing migrant in spring 



and autumn. 



248. Little Tern. Sterna minuta, Linn. 

 Locally, Little Sea-Swallow. 



Formerly a fairly common summer migrant, 

 breeding at various suitable spots round our 

 coast. A couple of small colonies at most 

 now exist. 



249. Sooty Tern. Sterna fuliginosa, Gmelin. 

 A very rare straggler. One is recorded to 



have been killed near Colchester in the winter 

 of 1880-1 (Field, April 23, 1881). 



250. Lesser Sooty Tern. Sterna antrstheta 



(Scopoli). 



Another very rare straggler. The only 

 specimen known to have occurred in Britain 

 was obtained on one of the lightships at the 

 Nore in September 1875 (Zoologist, 1877, 

 p. 213). 



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

 A very rare straggler. One was shot on 



the Thames in September 1862 (Harting : 

 Birds of Middlesex, p. 252). 



252. Little Gull. Larus minutus, Pallas. 



An uncommon winter visitor. Most of 

 the individuals which occur are immature. 



253. 



Gull. 



ridibundus, 



Black-headed 

 Linn. 



Locally, Peewit Gull (formerly) or Cob. 

 A resident, though in much smaller num- 

 bers than formerly. There are on our coast 

 (as already stated) at least three islands which 

 have derived the name of ' Pewit Island,' and 

 several which have derived the name of 'Cob 

 Island,' from the former breeding of this gull 

 upon them. It is now the only species of gull 

 which breeds in the county. It has at present 

 only one or two comparatively small breeding 

 colonies among the marshes and saltings on our 

 coast in place of the many large colonies it had 

 formerly. There appears to be no record of 

 it having ever bred inland in Essex. 



Mediterranean Black - headed Gull. 

 Larus melanocephalus, Natterer. 

 A very rare straggler. One was shot near 

 Barking Creek in January 1866 (Seebohm : 

 British Birds, iii. 315). 



255. Common Gull. Larus canus, Linn. 



A common winter visitor. A record that 

 it formerly bred on our coast seems question- 

 able (see Birds of Essex, p. 263). 



256. Herring-Gull. Larus argentatus, Gmelin. 

 Locally, Great Cob. 



A common winter visitor, especially on or 

 near the coast. 



254. 



251 



