212 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



coast. A male bird of this species was caught in the 

 river at Fenny Stratford, on the I3th of November, 

 1852, during the great floods which then prevailed,* 

 and another was seen near Simpson, in Buckingham- 

 shire, upon the I4th of November, 1852. 



Few eggs of British Birds vary more than those of 

 the Guillemot ; in an extensive series of many dozens 

 perhaps scarcely two will be found alike. 



LITTLE AUK (Merguhis melanoleucos^^wwti}. 

 A scarce winter visitant to our shores, occasionally 

 driven inland by high winds. The Rev. Bryant 

 Burgess, of Latimer, near Chesham, informed me 

 that a single specimen was taken on one of the 

 large pieces of water in the vicinity of 'Drayton 

 Beauchamp, in December, 1841. According to the 

 Rev. F. O. Morris, this bird has also occurred near 

 Newbury, in Berkshire. It is a truly oceanic bird, 

 preferring deep water, and seldom approaching the 

 shore except for the purpose of nidification, or when 

 driven by high winds from its native element. 



PUFFIN (Fratercula arctica}. So far as I am 

 aware, this remarkable-looking bird has only once 

 been obtained in Berkshire. Like the last-named 

 species, it is seldom seen inland, and then only in 

 stormy weather. 



The Rev. F. O. Morris states that a Puffin was 

 taken alive upon the i6th of March, 1816, in North- 

 brooke Street, Newbury. It had probably been 



* Morris's ' British Birds. ' 



