BIRDS 
184. Black-tailed Godwit. 
(J. F. Gmelin) 
Occurs very occasionally during migration. 
Morris mentions it as having been obtained 
at Cardington, but without any additional re- 
mark. One which I have seen in the posses- 
sion of Mr. H. Manning was shot by him 
near the park at Luton about 1885; the 
third instance is an immature male shot by 
Mr. G. Pestell by the osier bed at Goldington 
during the first week of September -1897 ; 
another was in company with it at the time, 
but though wounded was not secured. 
Limosa _ belgica 
185. Common Curlew. Numenius arquata 
(Linn.) 
Of irregular though by no means un- 
common occurrence with us ; but being wary 
in its habits it is seldom obtained. Mr. A. 
Covington mentions one shot at Longholm 
about 1860, two brought to him from Riseley 
in the month of July, and one shot at Little 
Staughton in September 1896. A variety with 
neck partly pied with white was killed at Wil- 
lington about 1890. During the long severe 
winter 1894-5 one was picked up dead on 
Mr. H. Dillamore’s farm at Sandy, and a few 
curlews frequented the sewage farm at Newn- 
ham in 1894. Mr. H. Pestell has observed 
a solitary curlew occasionally at Elstow, 
the last was seen in December 1897, flying 
over the old racecourse. On 4 January 
1901 one was shot at Roxton, another was 
picked up dead at Kempston on the follow- 
ing day, and on 8 January three were seen 
together at Langford, two of which were 
eventually killed. On 15 and 24 July of that 
year curlews were reported to me passing on 
migration during the night over the town of 
Bedford and at Langford. 
186. Whimbrel. Numenius pheopus (Linn.) 
Evidently a regular passing migrant, occur- 
ring in small flights during the spring and 
autumn. Like the curlew this bird is more 
frequently seen than obtained, and as it 
usually flies high overhead is often unrecog- 
nized. Not more than six locally obtained 
birds have been received by Mr. A. Coving- 
ton, shot either in May or September. Har- 
rold, Kempston, Turvey and Cardington are 
localities in which four of them were obtained. 
The last he saw was one which had killed 
itself against the telegraph wires in 1896. In 
1894 one was killed at Streatley by Mr. 
Osborn, and one in Colonel H. Barclay’s 
possession was killed at Tingrith in 1868. 
* British Birds, by F. O. Morris (1860). 
Mr. J. King mentions a flight of about a 
dozen, which flew quite low over Langford 
on 5 May 1895. One was killed 10 May 
1896 at Brickhill Pasture by Mr. J. Crisp. 
187. Black Tern. Hydrochelidon nigra (Linn.) 
Although for about the last fifty years it 
has not been known to nest in the British 
Islands, this bird is nevertheless fairly com- 
mon as a passing migrant with us. In the 
early part of the last century it must have 
occurred here in considerable numbers whilst 
journeying to and fro from its nesting haunts 
in the Fenlands ; the nearest point—Whittle- 
sea Mere—at which it was known to nest 
until about 1843 not being more than 
twenty miles distant from our county. Mr. 
A. Covington informs me that until about 
1870 it appeared regularly in small com- 
panies along our river every May, and in one 
instance he heard of seven being killed from 
a flock of about thirty. Year by year since its 
numbers have decreased on the spring migra- 
tion, and adult birds are now seldom obtained. 
During one morning in August 1896 he 
counted thirty-two, all immature birds, on 
the Newnham farm. On 15 May 1901 the 
writer observed nine together in Woburn 
Park over the Basin Pool, where they re- 
mained at least all the morning, flying back- 
wards and forwards over the water. 
188. Common Tern. 
Naumann. 
Sterna fluviatilis, 
A common passing migrant with us. The 
buoyant flight of this or the following species 
may often be recognized over many of our 
larger pools, as well as along the Ouse and 
Ivel. Generally single birds will be observed, 
but not infrequently small parties of some six 
or eight together. 
189. Arctic Tern. Sterna macrura, Nau- 
> 
mann. 
Evidently not so numerous as the last 
species. Owing to the difficulty of dis- 
tinguishing these two terns upon the wing— 
even at close quarters—records based on obser- 
vation alone are unsatisfactory. Five which 
were brought to Mr. A. Covington during 
one week, were shot near the Common 
Bridge over the river just above Bedford 
about August 1866. ‘The last he set up was 
one from Bletsoe 19 September 1894. An 
adult was shot near Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, 
in August 1885 (Lilford, Birds of Northamp- 
tonshire and Neighbourhood). The water 
keeper at Luton Hoo has one which was 
killed at the lake there in May 1899. 
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