Teal, Anas crecca.—At Godrevy, Sept. 27th, 10.15 a.m., light S.S.W. breeze, mist, a flock flying N.E.; Oct. 21st, 2 p.m., a flock flying E. against a mod. E. breeze. At Lundy, Nov. 18th, one male and two females are reported from both stations; mod. E. breeze, clear.
Guillemot and Razorbill, Uria troile and Alca torda,—We hear from Lundy that, on Nov. 21st, numbers of Guillemots and Razorbills came in during the night, and remained during the day; and on the 25th a great many came in during the night, and left in the morning. On Dec. 25th we have the same return as on Nov. 21st; and Dec. 28th, 10 a.m., strong W.S.W. breeze, a great many came during the night. At Godrevy they are reported to be generally seen about.
Cormorant, Phalacrocorax.—At Bull Point, Dec. 21st, light S.S.W. breeze, one (species not identified) flying W., and low to the water. Mr. Roberts reports that, at Bideford, "a few Shags visit to feed on the mussel-beds all the winter"; and, at Godrevy, Mr. Trahair says, "the Cormorant, or Shag and Large Gull(?), resort all the year round." At Trevose Head they are reported as residents of the cliffs all the year round.
Gannet, Sula bassana.—At Morecambe Bay, earliest notice Aug. 26th, one flying N.N.W. before a mod. E.S.E. breeze. At S. Stack, during August and September, a great many were seen passing from N.E. to S.W. At Caernarvon Bay, Sept. 9th, fresh S.E. breeze, two flying S.; and on 11th, mod. W. by S. breeze, two flying S.; 25th, one flying W.S.W., mod. S.W. breeze: these occurrences noted about 10 a.m. in clear weather. At Helwick, Sept. 19th, 6.30 a.m., one male flying W., fresh W.N.W. breeze. At Sevenstones, Sept. 28th, light E.S.E. breeze, gloomy, eight, mixed, flying to N.E. At Helwick, Oct. 4th, 6.40 a.m., fresh E.S.E. breeze, gloomy, two flying S. to N.E. No further occurrences are reported till Nov. 20th, when, at Scarweather, two passed up S.E., mod. N.E. breeze; and on 21st, with S.E. breeze, four passed S.E.; 27th, strong W. breeze, seven passed in different directions; Dec. 6th, two passed N.E., mod. W.N.W. breeze; 12th, four N.E., a fresh W.N.W. breeze. These instances all occurred in the daytime. Mr. Trahair reports that, at Godrevy, "from middle of December to middle of January several about, not flying in any particular direction"; and, again, "a great number of sprats about,—the Gannets appear to be after them,—more so than on the coast, through the influence of the weather."
Tern, Sterna (? sp.).—At Air, Oct. 12th, a large quantity of Sea Swallows seen, mod. N.E. breeze, gloomy, clear; the same on Oct. 12th, gentle E. breeze.
Gull, Larus argentatus, L. canus, L. tridactylus.—From S. Stack we hear that, on Aug. 10th, Gulls left after breeding. At Bideford, Sept. 1st, hundreds of common Gulls are reported as coming every day (presumably from this date) from N.W., with Sea-pies and Curlews, from half-ebb to half-flow. At Bishop Rock, Sept. 6th, in calm weather and clear, a "Mackerel Bird" (? young Kittiwake) struck (11 p.m.), but was not killed; and on 7th, 1.30 a.m., another struck. At Usk, from Sept. 7th to Oct. 8th, large numbers of Gulls (on one occasion three varieties) seen, with Curlews and Stints. At Caldy, Sept. 9th, Grey Gulls seen; 10th, about a hundred Gulls, with the note, "Bred on the island, and constantly passing." At N. Stack, Sept. 11th, fourteen (six males and eight females) flying S., mod. S.W. breeze. At Nash, Sept. 13th and 20th, 6 p.m., from both stations large flocks were seen passing W., with fresh W. and W.N.W. breeze. At N. Stack, Sept. 17th, twenty-five (thirteen males and twelve females) are reported as flying N.E., before a strong S.W. breeze; 25th, a flock flying S., mod. S.W. breeze. At Caldy, Sept. 29th, 10 p.m., one White Gull appeared; fog and light S.E. breeze. Except Usk, the only notices in October are from Nash, where at both stations, on five or six occasions, flights of Gulls and young Gulls were seen passing N. or N.W.; wind various, but more or less easterly. At Caernarvon Bay, Sept. 30th, 4.15 p.m., a flock passed E.S.E., with strong S.W. by W. breeze. We have no return in November. In December one occurrence alone is noted:—At Nash (E. or high), Dec. 16th, 10 a.m., four passed N., fresh E.N.E. breeze; Jan. 9th, a small flock of Gulls passed N. At Bull Point, Jan. 11th, 4 p.m., twenty-six Grey Gulls passed, flying S.W., rather high; mod. N.W. breeze, cloudy, squally, and snowy. At St. Bees, Mr. Pizey, speaking of the scarcity of birds, says, "Even the Common Gull only makes an appearance just before heavy weather, or in following the plough, and then in but small numbers." From Godrevy Mr. Trahair reports, "Very few Skua Gulls (Lestris) observed this season."
Petrel, Thalassidroma pelagica.—At Godrevy, Sept. 28th, 9 p.m., one struck, fog, light S. breeze; Oct. 4th, from 1 to 2 a.m., mod. E.N.E. breeze, one was seen with a Lark and Wrens. Mr. Trahair adds, "Breeds on the island, most plentiful in July; never seen in daytime, except among loose stones, where they breed."
*Dotterel, Charadrius morinellus.—Reported to be seen at Smalls, every day from October to January, with various Gulls.
Besides the above, we have a few instances of birds unknown, of which, perhaps, the most puzzling is reported from Longships, Sept. 8th, midnight, mod. S.S.E. gale, misty, with showers, "one strange bird, the shape and size of a Starling, pattern and hue of a Partridge, with its legs covered over with stiff feathers." At Godrevy, Oct. 4th, two foreign Wrens (? Goldcrests) killed, with Lark and Petrel. At Skerries, Oct. 13th, 16th and 17th, flocks of small birds passed during the day, flying E. At Smalls, Oct. 26th, before sunrise, birds unknown passed; Nov. 3rd, before sunrise, continuous flocks were flying round the light, three struck and fell overboard, mod. E. breeze, cloudy, but clear horizon. At N. Stack, Nov. 12th, 7.35 a.m., fresh W. breeze, cloudy, two flocks of birds, name unknown, flying N.E.; 26th, 3 p.m., mod. S.W. gale, drizzling rain, fifty grey birds passed, also flying N.E. On Jan. 16th, we hear from Longships, that at 8.15 a.m., gentle W. breeze, cloudy, but clear horizon, "flocks of small birds were noticed at sunrise passing westward, leaving the land, upon a change of weather from a sharp frost and snow, and a change of wind from E. to W."
The stations are not all equally favourably situated for observing, and a general scarcity of birds is reported from the following:—St. Bees, Mr. Pizey writes that, for over five years that he has been there, he has remarked "the extreme scarcity of birds of any sort As for flocks of birds I have never witnessed them here, an occasional Robin, Blackbird or Thrush being all the variety we see Common Sparrows few in number." Mr. G. Knott says, "very few birds are seen at Bull Point." From Flatholm and Usk we hear "very few land-birds are seen, and at the former only Gulls, and they in the three winter months alone." "The lighthouse at Avon is so close to the docks and village that no birds come to the light "; and that at Burnham, having "only four panes facing west, does not attract many birds." "The land-birds to be seen in the immediate neighbourhood of Trevose Head are very scarce." From Wolf Rock Mr. Crask writes, "Hardly ever any birds come nigh us but Gulls, which come by thousands after fish; the only others ever seen being Starlings, and these few and far between."