A HISTORY OF KENT species. On 20 February 1882 an adult and an immature bird were killed near Rochester. There are two specimens in the Plomley collection from Lydd, and an adult female killed on 12 December 1898 at Broomhill farm, Lydd, is now in my collec- tion. 248. Arctic or Richardson's Skua. Stercorarlus crepidatus (J. F. Gmelin) A regular migrant along our coast in autumn. It is generally observed at sea, whenever the fishing smacks are out. It often attacks the gulls and common terns in order to rob them of their prey. I have seen handsome specimens varying from a dark chocolate to a pale brown. 249. Long-tailed or Buffon's Skua, Sterco- rarlus parasiticus (Linn.) Next to the great skua this is the rarest of the skuas that visits our coast line. There are two specimens, locally taken, in the Dover Museum. 250. Razorbill. Aka tarda, Linn. Found off the coast, and after severe gales it is now and again blown inland. In the win- ter of 1893 a specimen was picked up in a hop garden at Hartley near Cranbrook. It has been obtained in the Thames at Sheerness (Maidstone Museum). 251. Guillemot. Vria troile (Linn.) Locally, Willock, Willy. Has bred on the inaccessible portions of the cliffs between St. Margaret's Bay and Dover. In October it is found in large parties at sea off Rye, following the fishing smacks. 252. Little Auk. Mergulus alle (Linn.) An uncommon winter visitor. It has been obtained after severe storms far inland : one example at Dover, November 1870 (Gordon); one at Boxley (Maidstone Museum) ; one at Goudhurst (near Cranbrook), male, 7 Jan- uary 1895 ; one at Sissinghurst, picked up exhausted, 20 November 1900. 253. Puffin. Fratercula arctica (Linn.) I have seen this species off the Rye coast in September. Mr. Prentis writes : ' A storm- driven puffin was picked up dead on our marsh after the November gale of 1893. 254. Great Northern Diver. Colymhus glaci- alis, Linn. Locally, Herring-bar. I have had no acquaintance with this bird. Mr. Prentis writes : ' Young, immature great northern divers are sometimes met with and shot on the Medway.' It is met with off Whitstable and in the river Stour (Dowker). In the Maidstone Museum there is a fine example, obtained at Boxley by Major Best. 255. Black-throated Diver. Colymhus arcticus, Linn. Locally, Herring-bar. Rare. Immature birds are sometimes met with. On II February 1871 an adult female was obtained at Folkestone (Charles Gordon). 256. Red-throated Diver. Colymhus septen- trionalis, Linn. Locally, Spratt Loon, Herring-bar. Common about our estuaries in winter and spring. Examples with red throats are seldom obtained. 257. Great Crested Grebe. Podicipes cristatus (Linn.) An uncommon migrant, making its appear- ance sometimes in winter about our creeks and rivers. They are nearly always immature birds. On 24 September 1899 an adult was shot at Littlestone and preserved by Mr. Bristow of St. Leonards. 258. Red-necked Grebe. Podicipes griseigena (Boddaert) A rare winter migrant. I have an adult in winter plumage, obtained on the lake at Bedgebury, Cranbrook, on 31 December 1895. 259. Slavonian Grebe. Podicipes auritus (Linn.) A winter visitor. I have seen specimens obtained near Lydd by the Southerden brothers. 260. Eared Grebe. Podicipes nigricollis{Brehm.) A rare visitor. The recorded occurrences are all immature birds ; two at Rainham, September 1 88 1 (Prentis) ; one at Stour- mouth, February 1875 (Dowker). 261. Little Grebe or Dabchick. Podicipes fuviatilis (Tunstall) Locally, Spider Diver or Dab-chick. A resident, breeding in our marsh ditches and ponds, but of late years its numbers have decidedly decreased owing to increased drain- age and the droughts of the last few summers. 262. Storm-Petrel. Procellaria pelagica, Linn. Locally, Storm Finch. During stormy weather in autumn and winter this bird is occasionally driven inland. JOO
