356 NOTES ON CORNISH BIRDS. 



(Read 13th December, 190b). 



The tentative list of Cornish birds that I had the honour to 

 lay before this Institution in the autumn of 1901 contained 

 altogether 294 authenticated species, exclusive of such as had 

 been introduced or had strayed from captivity. The investi- 

 gations of the last four years have not only greatly extended our 

 knowledge of the occurrence, migration, distribution and status 

 of Cornish birds but have increased the number of species 

 obtained in the county to 303. These may be classified as 

 residents 83, summer migrants 27, winter visitors 38, birds of 

 passage 15, casuals 68, accidentals 67, miscellaneous 5. The 

 most interesting ornithological event of the present year has been 

 the occurrence of a Yellow Browed Warbler at Scilly. The bird, 

 an adult male, was killed at Tresco by David Smith, the veteran 

 ex-gamekeeper, on the 1st of November last. This is the third 

 specimen that has been recorded for the Scilly Isles. Another 

 bird of great interest obtained this autumn at Scilly is the Snowy 

 Owl, captured on St. Martin's. The only other instance of its 

 occurrence in Cornwall was in 1838 when a storm-battered 

 specimen was found at St. Grermans. The long-lost Cornish 

 resident, the Dartford Warbler, was discovered breeding this year 

 at St. Buryan, its favourite haunt in the seventies, and also near 

 Linkinhorn, so that during the past four years it seems to have 

 gradually re-established itself in the county. Since the middle 

 of October black redstarts, hawfinches and bramblings have been 

 much commoner in the county than usual. Tor a week or so in 

 middle November firecrests were nearly as common as goldcrests 

 along the banks of the Fal, and in no previous autumn on record 

 have so many hoopoes been observed. In Cornwall this bird is 

 chiefly a spring bird of passage and its occurrence in the 

 autumn is a rare event. 



