A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



some of the meres. Considerable numbers are 

 annually taken in the decoy at Hale, now the 

 only remaining one in Lancashire. 



159. Pochard. Fuligula ferina (Linn.). 



A winter visitor, more numerous in some 

 seasons than in others. 



160. Ferruginous Duck. Fuligula nyroca (Gtll- 



denstadt). 

 Locally, White-eye. 

 None of the records of the occurrence of this 

 duck in Lancashire are sufficiently authenticated. 

 The same applies to that reported from near 

 Runcorn on the Cheshire side of the Mersey. 

 (Mitchell, Birds of Lancashire, ed. 2, p. 175.) 



161. Tufted Duck. Fuligula cristata (Leach). 

 A winter visitor, never very common, but 



apparently increasing in numbers. Although 

 some pairs usually remain over the summer there 

 are only a few records of this species breeding 

 within the county. 



162. Scaup Duck. Fuligula marila (Linn.). 

 Locally, Bluebill, Cockle Duck. 



An annual winter visitor to our ofF-shore 

 sandbanks and estuaries, where it is caught in 

 vast numbers in the douker nets set by the 

 Morecambe Bay fowlers. This very maritime 

 species has been taken on our inland lakes (Win- 

 dermere) and reservoirs (near Hyde Park Road 

 Station, Manchester). 



163. Goldeneye. Clangula glaucion (Linn). 

 Locally, Mussel Cracker. 



An annual winter visitant. 



164. Long-tailed Duck. Harelda glacialis 



(Linn.). 

 This species has been recorded only three or 

 four times from Lancashire, and always in 

 winter. A female specimen was shot in the 

 River Keer, in 1 90 1. 



165. Eider Duck. Somateria mollissima (Linn.). 

 A very rare winter visitant. 



166. Common Scoter. (Edemia nigra (Linn.). 

 Locally, Black Douker. 



The Common Scoter arrives in great flocks on 

 migration in our larger estuaries and Morecambe 

 Bay. It derives its local appellation from being 

 the duck taken in largest numbers by the douker 

 netters. 



167. Velvet Scoter. (Edemia Jtisca (Linn.). 

 An infrequent winter visitor to ofiF-shore sand- 

 banks and to the larger estuaries ; occasionally 

 it frequents the lakes and inland open waters. 



168. Surf Scoter. (Edemia perspicillata (Linn.). 

 A specimen shot by Mr. R. H. Thompson 



off the shore at Lytham, 9 December, 1882 

 {Zoologist, 1884, p. 29), is the only recorded 

 occurrence of this species in the county. 



169. Goosander. Mergus merganser, Linn. 

 Ltcallf, Sparling-fisher (Leigh), Dun-diver (the 



female), Sparlin' Fowl (Willoughby), Gravel 

 Duck. 

 An occasional winter visitor in small flocks. 



170. Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus serrator, 



Linn. 

 A winter visitor in considerable numbers to the 

 larger estuaries and Morecambe Bay, visiting also 

 Lake Windermere. 



171. Smew. Mergus albellus, Linn. 



A rare winter visitant during specially severe 

 weather. 



172. Ring-Dove or Wood-Pigeon. Columba 



palumbus, Linn. 

 Locally, Cushat, Queeze. 

 A widely distributed resident. 



173. Stock-Dove. Columba osnas, Linn. 



A resident, common along the coast on the 

 sand-dunes, among which it nests. Its numbers 

 are increasing. It is met with occasionally 

 inland. 



174. Rock-Dove. Columba livia, ]. F.Gmdin, 

 To the absence in Lancashire of rocks suitable 



for the nidification of this bird is due the rarity 

 of its occurrence within the county. Mr. W. 

 Farrer of Carnforth mentions that several breed 

 yearly on Jackscar, between Carnforth and 

 Silverdale. 



175. Turtle-Dove. Turtur communis, Selby. 

 A rare straggler in summer. 



176. Pallas's Sand-Grouse. Syrrhaptes paradoxus, 

 (Pallas). 



To two at least of those extraordinary irregular 

 (and at present inexplicable) migratory move- 

 ments, originating on the Asiatic steppes in special 

 force in 1863-4 and 1888-9, during which 

 hordes of this species travelled across Europe and 

 reached its western shores, we are indebted for 

 the inclusion of a considerable number of this 

 beautiful species in the avifauna of Lancashire. 

 During both these irruptions large flocks reached 

 the British Isles, of which a portion appeared in 

 the Island of Walney on 22 May, 1863, the day 

 after their being observed in Northumberland. 

 In 1888 a larger number of birds visited Lanca- 

 shire, the earliest of them reaching Walney Island 

 on 19 May. 



177. Black Grouse. Tetrao tetrix, Linn. 

 Locally, Black-cock. 



An introduced species, at one time fairly 

 abundant on certain of the Fells and Dales, but 

 now very rare if not exterminated. 



178. Red Grouse. Lagopus scoticus (Latham). 

 Resident and abundant on the upland moors, of 



Furness specially. 



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