A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



in association with lesser black-backed gulls. 

 (Macpherson, Fauna of Lakeland, p. 428.) 



241. Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus frscm, 



Linn. 

 Resident, and numerous all the year round ; 

 but now its nesting places are confined to small 

 colonies ' on the low grounds round the estuary 

 of the Kent ' (Mitchell) ; also on Walney 

 Island and Foulshaw Moss, near Morecambe 

 Bay. It formerly bred on Piling and Cockerham 

 Mosses, but of late years it has not been observed 

 nesting there. 



242. Great Black-backed Gull. Larus marinus, 



Linn. 

 Locally, Devoke Water Maw. 

 A resident species, frequently seen on the 

 Mersey during winter, and numerous a few 

 miles off shore all the year round. It nests on 

 Piling Moss in numbers, and on the Fells near 

 Rusland, not far from Morecambe Bay (Mac- 

 pherson, Fauna of Lakeland, p. 432). 



243. Glaucous Gull. Larus glaucus, Fabricius. 



A very rare visitant. 



244. Iceland Gull. Larus leucopterus, Faber. 

 Seen on Duddon Estuary, 24 October, 1885. 



(Macpherson, Fauna of Lakeland, p. 437.) 



245. Kittiwake. Rissa tridactyla (Linn.). 



A resident, abundant all the year round, but 

 because of the absence of rocks it does not nest 

 within our boundaries. 



246. Ivory Gull. Pagophila ehurnea (Phipps). 



This species is said to have been killed on 

 several occasions in Morecambe Bay, but none 

 of the records seem quite sufficiently authenti- 

 cated ; Mr. Macpherson, however, vouches for 

 one taken near Kendal ' within a short flight of 

 the sea coast ' (Fauna of Lakeland, p. 438). One 

 shot on Foulshaw Moss in 1847 '^ "°^ '" *he 

 collection of Dr. Jackson, of Carnforth. 



247. Great Skua. Megalestris catarrhactes 



(Linn.). 

 A rare visitant at various seasons of the year ; 

 but as it keeps off-shore its visits are probably 

 not so rare as supposed. 



248. Pomatorhine Skua. Stercorarius pomato- 



rhinus (Temminck). 



A more frequent visitor than the great Skua. 



249. Arctic or Richardson's Skua. Stercorarius 



crepidatus (J. F. Gmelin), 



A few specimens are observed in most years. 



250. Long-tailed or Buffon's Skua. Stercorarius 



parasiticus (Linn.). 



A goodly number of occurrences have been 

 recorded, but at long intervals of time. 



251. Razor-bill. Alca tarda, Linn. 



A resident, but chiefly an off-shore living 

 species, rarely, if ever, breeding in Lancasliire, 

 purely through lack of such suitable localities as 

 it finds abundantly on the Isle of Man and in 

 N. Wales. Mitchell records evidence of the 

 nesting of this species once on the Furness 

 coast. 



252. Guillemot. Uria troile (Linn.). 



The guillemot, being like the razor-bill a 

 rock-loving species, does not nest in Lancashire. 

 It is quite commonly met with a few miles off 

 shore. After storms it is very frequently thrown 

 on the beach dead. 



253. Black Guillemot. Uria grylle {LAnn.). 

 An extremely rare visitor, and then generally 



in the winter. It would doubtless find a home 

 on our coasts if they had been furnished with 

 rocks, which this bird invariably loves to frequent. 



254. Little Auk. Mergulus alle (Linn.). 



The little auk is seen mainly on our shores as 

 flotsam and jetsam after very cold and stormy 

 weather. Macpherson records the capture alive 

 of specimens near Coniston and Windermere 

 {Fauna of Lakeland, p. 446). 



255. Puffin. Fratercula arctica (Linn.). 

 Locally, Coulterneb. 



The puffin, like the last species, is generally 

 seen on our shores dead after storms. It would 

 no doubt nest in Lancashire if there were such sites 

 as the Welsh coast and the Isle of Man provide. 



256. Great Northern Diver. Colymbus glacialis, 



Linn. 

 An annual winter visitant in small numbers. 

 It is occasionally taken in nets set for ducks. 



257. Black-throated Diver. Colymbus arcticus, 



Linn. 

 Only a very occasional visitant. 



258. Red- throated Diver. Colymbus septentri- 



onalis, Linn. 

 An annual visitor in winter. 



259. Great Crested Grebe. Podicipes cristatus 



(Linn.). 

 Locally, Diver. 

 A resident, and numerous on our inland meres 

 and lakes, nesting annually in suitable localities. 

 In severe weather it frequents estuaries and the 

 sea coast. 



260. Red-necked Grebe. Podicipes griseigena 



(Boddaert). 

 Only a very occasional winter visitant, 

 especially in severe weather. 



261. Slavonian Grebe. Podicipes auritus (Linn.). 



Of the occurrence of this species only a few 

 records exist ; but the bird has not been observed 

 during the past twenty-five years. 



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