BIRDS 



found dead or in an exhausted condition after 

 storms on both the north and south coasts of 

 the county. It was very numerous in 1868 

 and again in 1873. 



278. Puffin. Fratercula arctica (Linn.) 



Locally, Sea Parrot, Lundy Parrot, Coulter- 

 neb, Nath, Pope. 



A resident bird, examples being found on 

 some part of our coasts at all times of the 

 year, but excepting during the breeding sea- 

 son keeps far out at sea. Vast numbers breed 

 in burrows on the slopes of Lundy Island, 

 arriving early in May and leaving again in 

 August. This island is supposed to derive 

 its name from the Scandinavian lunde^ a puffin, 

 and ey, an island. On the south coast adults 

 occasionally occur in summer as well as in 

 winter, but they are most numerous in Feb- 

 ruary, when examples are sometimes picked 

 up dead on the shore. Young birds have 

 also been obtained several times in summer 

 on the south coast. 



279. Great Northern Diver. Colymbus gla- 



cialis (Linn.) 

 Locally, Loon, Imber (young). 

 A winter visitor of frequent occurrence 

 both on the north and south coasts, and it has 

 been observed a few times in summer. The 

 specimens obtained are usually either imma- 

 ture birds or adults in winter plumage, but 

 old birds in partial summer dress are not un- 

 frequent, examples in full breeding plumage 

 being rather rare. Although this fine diver 

 is usually found in our bays and estuaries, 

 individuals occasionally make their way far 

 up our larger rivers, and even visit inland 

 ponds. It is sometimes very numerous (from 

 November to March) in Plymouth Sound, 

 where the late Mr. Gatcombe once saw to- 

 wards the end of winter between twenty 

 and thirty birds apparently in pairs. 



280. Black-throated Diver. Colymbus arcti- 



cusy Linn. 

 A casual visitor of occasional occurrence, 

 from October to March, in Plymouth Sound, 

 Kingsbridge estuary, Torbay, the estuary of 

 the Taw, etc. The specimens met with are 

 nearly always immature birds. One in full 

 plumage was shot on Slapton Ley 8 Novem- 

 ber 1865. 



281. Red-throated Diver. Colymbus septen- 



trionalis, Linn. 

 Locally, Herring-bone, Sprat Loon, Speckled 

 Diver, Wabble (young). 

 A winter visitor, arriving about the end of 

 October and remaining till May ; sometimes 



numerous on the estuaries of our larger rivers, 

 in the bays and along the sea coasts, following 

 the shoals of sprats. It is more frequently 

 seen on the south than on the north coast. 

 The specimens obtained are usually in imma- 

 ture plumage, but adult birds have not un- 

 commonly occurred, and some have been 

 killed in spring in full breeding dress. 



282. Great Crested Grebe. Podicipes cristatus 



(Linn.) 

 Locally, Tippet Grebe, Great Dabchick. 

 A winter visitor of frequent occurrence off 

 the coasts and in the estuaries, but rarely seen 

 inland and never numerous, but generally met 

 with singly or in small parties. It is seldom 

 obtained in full breeding plumage and does 

 not often remain until spring. 



283. Red-necked Grebe. Podicipes griseigena 



(Boddaert) 

 A casual winter visitor, of occasional occur- 

 rence in late autumn and winter, in the bays 

 and estuaries of our south coast, usually in 

 immature plumage. It is rare in north 

 Devon. Some adults have been obtained on 

 Slapton and other leys, and on the Kings- 

 bridge estuary. A very young bird with 

 striped neck occurred in July 1892 at Kings- 

 bridge. 



284. Slavonian or Horned Grebe. Podicipes 



auritus (Linn.) 

 A winter visitor from the north, of not un- 

 common occurrence in bays and estuaries, 

 almost always in immature plumage. The 

 only adult that has been obtained in full 

 breeding plumage was shot in Torbay. 



285. Black-necked or Eared Grebe. Podicipes 



nigricollis (C. L. Brehm.) 

 A casual visitor to our bays and estuaries in 

 the winter and spring months, coming from 

 the south, and specimens in full summer dress 

 are occasionally obtained in spring. A party 

 of five was seen flying over the river Exe 

 between Exmouth and Starcross on 10 April 

 1903, and having been fired at three were 

 killed, all of which were in adult breeding 

 plumage. 



286. Little Grebe. Podicipes Jluviatilis 



(Tunstall) 

 Locally, Dabchick, Dipchiek. 

 This grebe, the smallest of the family, is 

 also the most common, being the only resi- 

 dent species throughout the county. It 

 breeds on quiet ponds, leys and sluggish 

 streams, but is most frequently seen in small 

 parties in winter (October to March), when 

 probably immigrants arrive from other parts 



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