BIRDS 



south coast of the county, where several have 

 been shot in breeding plumage. It is very 

 rare in north Devon, only two specimens in 

 immature plumage having been obtained on 

 the Taw, 



247. Common Curlew. Numenius arquata 



(Linn.) 

 Locally, Whistling Curlew. 

 A common resident, considerable numbers 

 breeding in April in some parts of Dartmoor, 

 and also in many places on the rough high 

 ground in the north-east and north-west of 

 north Devon. After the adults have left for 

 the moors in spring a few non-breeding or 

 immature birds may be seen feeding on the 

 mud-flats in the estuaries throughout the 

 summer. At the end of August and the 

 beginning of September large flocks appear 

 on the marsh lands on their return from the 

 moors, and pass the winter on the sea coasts 

 and estuaries. 



248. Whimbrel. Numenius pheeopus (Linn.) 

 Locally, Cuckoo Curlew, Half Curlew, Jack 



Curlew, May-bird, Seven Whistlers. 

 A passing visitor, arriving in April and May 

 on our coasts. After a short stay with us in 

 spring, it leaves for its breeding places, re- 

 turning in July and August, remaining until 

 the end of September, and frequenting the 

 mud-flats and marshes in our estuaries. Some 

 occasionally remain with us all the winter. 



249. Black Tern. Hydrochelidon nigra (Linn.) 

 A spring and autumn visitor, usually in 



small numbers, but at long intervals vast 

 numbers have appeared at the latter season on 

 our shores and estuaries. In 1849 a large 

 flight of immature birds came up the Exe as 

 far as Exeter, and numbers were knocked down 

 by boys with their caps and sticks. In 1859 

 large flights appeared on the sand-flats at Barn- 

 staple. Young birds were plentiful at Ply- 

 mouth and Exmouth in September 1866, 

 and in 1868 many came up the Exe as far as 

 Stoke Canon. The black tern has rarely 

 been seen in winter in Devonshire. Adult 

 examples are sometimes obtained in April on 

 the south coast. 



250. White-winged Black Tern. Hydro- 



chelidon leucoptera (Schinz) 

 An example, in full moult, was shot in the 

 harbour at Ilfracombe on 2 or 3 November 

 1870. A specimen stated to have been 

 obtained at Kingsbridge was in the collection 

 of the late Mr. Marsh-Dunn of Teignmouth ; 

 and another in Pincombe's collection at 

 Plymouth was said to have been killed on the 



breakwater there. An immature specimen 

 in the Albert Memorial Museum at Exeter 

 was probably killed on the Exe. 



251. Whiskered Tern. Hydrochelidon hybrida 



(Pallas) 

 An adult example was picked up on the 

 water by some fishermen, alive, but apparently 

 in an exhausted state, off Plymouth, lo May 

 1865. The late Mr. J. Gatcombe presented 

 this bird to Mr. Howard Saunders, and it is 

 now in the Natural History Museum at 

 South Kensington. 



252. Gull-billed Tern. Sterna anglica, 



Montagu. 

 An immature bird was killed near Plymouth 

 in October 1866, and is in the possession of 

 Mr. J. Brooking Rowe of Plympton. 



253. Caspian Tern. Sterna caspia, Pallas. 



A specimen was shot on the Exe near 

 Topsham by Mr. Rudd, a well known 

 sportsman, and was figured by the late Mr. 

 F. W, L. Ross in his MS. ' British Laridas,' 

 now in the Exeter Free Library. An imma- 

 ture bird occurred at Teignmouth in October 

 1 86 1. Another is said to have been shot on 

 Torbay, 28 September 1873. 



254. Sandwich Tern. Sterna cantiaca, J. F. 



Gmelin. 

 An occasional spring, summer and autumn 

 visitor to our shores and estuaries. The 

 specimens obtained in autumn are usually 

 immature. Adult birds occur in spring and 

 summer, but are rare. 



255. Common Tern. Sterna fluviatilis, 



Naumann. 



Locally, Miret, Mackerel-Bird, Sea-Swallow, 



Gull-Teaser (N. Devon). 



A passing visitor in spring and autumn, 



most frequently seen at the latter season, 



especially after storms, when it ascends the 



river estuaries. Extraordinary numbers are 



sometimes met with on our coasts in a weak 



and exhausted condition. It has occurred on 



the Exe in July and August, and rarely in 



winter. There is a large breeding-place of 



this tern on the Chesil Bank on the coast of 



Dorset, and it also breeds on the Scilly 



Islands and the Cornish coast, but nowhere 



in Devon. 



256. Arctic Tern. Sterna macrura, Nau- 



mann. 

 Locally, Pearl Gull. 

 Like the common tern, with which it is 

 often confused, the arctic tern is a common 

 spring and autumn visitor to our coasts, much 



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