WINTER OCCURRENCE OF COMMON TERN IN SCOTLAND 133 
WINTER OCCURRENCE OF THE COMMON 
ee NGIN SCOT WAND 
By WALTER E. COLLINGE, D.Sc., F.L.S., Keeper of the Museum, York. 
HITHERTO the Common Tern (Séerna hirundo, Linn.) or Sea 
Swallow of our coasts has been regarded as only a summer 
visitor to these islands. Thus Yarrell states, “Its arrival in 
the British Islands takes place in May, and the autumnal 
migration lasts from August to October.” Similar state- 
ments are to be found in almost any work on British birds. 
That such statements are not absolutely correct the 
following facts will show. On 9th December 1918, I received 
two male specimens from near Aberdeen; on 24th January 
I919, one female from near St Andrews; and a male from 
the same locality was received on 19th December. During 
1920, a male specimen was received on 12th January, and 
two females on the 22nd, all from near St Andrews. On 4th 
February, two males from Aberdeen, and two females on the 
14th from near St Andrews, came to hand. During October 
eight specimens were received from different parts of the 
east coast of Scotland, four in November, and five in 
December, or a total of twenty-eight birds between the 
months of October and February. With the exception of 
one of the October birds all were adults, sixteen males, and 
twelve females. 
From the above remarks it will be seen that this bird 
does occasionally remain longer with us, and also arrives 
here earlier than April. Moreover, it seems clear that 
stragglers visit our coast between October and April, either 
as occasional visitors or as birds of passage. 
The purpose of this note is to direct the attention of 
ornithologists to these facts, in the hope that further infor- 
mation may be published on one of our most interesting and 
beautiful sea birds. 
