Page:VCH Cornwall 1.djvu/398

 A HISTORY OF CORNWALL on autumn migration. A casual visitor to Scilly ; the latest recorded there seen on Bryher in April, 1904. [Sooty Tern. Sterna fuliginosa, ]. F. Gmelin. In the autumn of 1883 David Smith saw a stranger tern, which he afterwards identified as the Sooty Tern, hawking flies near the Abbey Pool. As he was recovering from a severe illness at the time, he asked one of the servants to kill the bird, but the shot went wide and the bird flew off, and was not seen again.] 267. Sabine's Gull. Xema sabinii (J. Sabine). An accidental wanderer appearing from August to December. At least sixteen specimens have occurred in the county, all immature birds, the most recent being one at Newlyn, October, 1891 ; one at Scilly in 1893 ; one at Wolf Rock, September, 1894; one at Pentillie, between Callington and Saltash, October, 1899 ; and one between Lostwithiel and Doublebois, November, 1902. 268. Bonaparte's Gull. Larus Philadelphia, Ord. An accidental straggler, of which three have been obtained in the county, namely, one in Falmouth Harbour, one at Penryn in January, 1865, and one near Newlyn by Vingoe, October, 1890 ; also seen on the Marazion beach by A. W. Hawey, 3 February, 1901. 269. Little Gull. Larus minutus, Pallas. A casual visitor in late autumn and winter to the coast of the main-land from Falmouth westward. Over a dozen birds have been obtained in the county, of which the more recent are, one at Hayle and one at St. Just in 1889, one at Newlyn 1890, one at Penzance in 1891, one at Hayle 1896, one at Swan pool 1904, the last four being obtained in November. Has not been recorded for Scilly. 270. Black-headed Gull. Larus ridibundus, Linn. Locally, Peeweet. A winter visitor, often in large flocks, especially on the south coast, including the Lizard ; frequently occurs at Hayle in immense numbers ; does not now breed in the county, though it formerly did so at Scilly. 271. Common Gull. Larus canus, Linn. A fairly regular winter visitor throughout the county, usually in small parties, but occasionally in fairly large numbers ; sometimes seen on spring migration. Appeared in considerable numbers at Scilly in the autumn of 1863, and has been occasion- ally noted in small winter parties. 272. Herring Gull. Larus argentatus, J. F. Gmelin. Resident, nesting all round the coast and at Scilly ; often seen inland in spring and early summer. 273. Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus fuscus, Linn. Locally, Black Annie. Resident ; breeds abundantly in Scilly, and on Mullion Island and Gull Rock, Falmouth ; in small numbers at Kynance, Gurnard's Head, Perranporth, and only occasionally farther east ; very common in winter and early spring, though very rarely seen then at the Lizard. 274. Greater Black-backed Gull. Larus marinus, Linn. Locally, Big Black Annie. Resident ; breeds at Scilly, and a few pairs nest annually at the Lizard and at two or three places on the north coast. 275. Glaucous Gull. Larus glaucus, Fabricius. A casual visitor from December to March, often solitary, and at very irregular intervals ; fairly common in January, 1873, and in January, 1895; twice shot at Scilly, namely in Pentle Bay, Tresco, in 1874, and at Cam Nea, Tresco, in 1885. 276. Iceland Gull. Larus kucopterus, Faber. A casual winter visitor to the coast and to Scilly ; most frequently seen from December to February ; appeared in large numbers in January and February, 1873, in the winter of 18745, an< ^ again ' n January, 1895. The latest record for Scilly is one seen in December, 1890. 277. Kittiwake. Rlsia trldactyla (Linn.). Resident ; bred regularly at Scilly up till 1900 ; still nests, but in diminishing numbers at Mullion Island, on the Gull Rock, Falmouth, and on a cliff on the south coast ; in evidence at all times round the coast, especially in winter. 278. Ivory Gull. Pagophila eburnea (Phipps). An accidental straggler, obtained once at Quilquay, Trefusis, and once at Penzance in February, 1847. 279. Great Skua. Megalestrls catarrhactes (Linn.). Often seen a few miles out at sea during the her- ring and mackerel season ; exceptionally abundant off the south coast in the autumn of 1891 ; occasion- ally seen flying west off the Lizard signal-station in October ; stragglers occasionally met with in the estuaries. 280. Pomatorhine Skua. Stercorarius pomatorhinus (Temminck). A casual autumn visitor of somewhat uncertain appearance, but evidently increasing in frequency, as it has been noted every year since 1900 between Truro and the Helford river ; occasionally appears in large flocks on the south coast, as in 1879 and 1891 ; one shot at the Manacles, 15 June, 1883, and one seen at Bossiney Cove, Tintagel, 31 July, 1903. The skuas have to some extent been overlooked at Scilly. In September, 1895, on the Powll Banks, Dorrien-Smith fed a pomatorhine skua and four great shearwaters with bait within two or three feet of the boat. 281. Richardson's Skua. Stercorarius crepidatus (J. F. Gmelin). A rare casual visitor ; one specimen obtained at Rosemullion over forty years ago, and one near Mevagissey in 1879. One seen on Guthers, Scilly, in June, 1852, and another shot on St. Mary's, Christmas, 1901. 282. Buffon's Skua. Stercorarius parasitlcus (Linn.). A casual visitor in autumn and winter, represented by three Cornish specimens till the autumn of 1891, when a large flock visited the south-west of England, and the bird was seen in numbers at Polperro and Fowey. 283. Razor-bill. Alca torda, Linn. Resident ; breeds in great numbers at Scilly, and on the Gull Rock, Falmouth, and in colonies at many places both on the north and south coast. 284. Common Guillemot. Uria troile (Linn.). Resident ; with the same breeding range as the razor-bill, but not nearly so abundant. The ringed guillemot has been obtained several times. 346