A HISTORY OF NORFOLK 279. Great Black-backed Gull. Larus marinus, Linn. This fine gull is common along the coast. Many adult birds frequent the sand-banks and the shores of the Wash in summer. 280. Glaucous Gull. Larus g/aucus, Fzhrkius. This gull is not uncommon in winter, though rare in the adult plumage. 281. Iceland Gull. Larus kucopterus, Faber. The Iceland gull is extremely rare on our coast. One in the Dennis collection in Bury Museum was most probably killed near Yar- mouth, about the year 1 848 ; another was shot at Caister in November, 1874 ; and two others in 1892, on the 6th and 28th Decem- ber, at Yarmouth and Scratby respectively ; and another on Breydon on January 15th, 1899. 282. Kittiwake. Rissa tridactyla (Linn.). The kittiwake occurs on our coast at all seasons of the year, mostly in spring and autumn, but is not so numerous as might be expected for so abundant a species. The adults are more frequent than young birds, which is the reverse of what is the case with the other gulls. 283. Great Skua. Megalestris catarrhactes (Linn.). The great skua is an occasional autumn visitor, but rarely met with near the shore. They are sometimes brought in by the herring- boats. 284. Pomatorhine Skua. Stercorarius poma- torhinus (Temminck). The Pomatorhine skua is a regular autumn visitor on our coast. In October, 1 879, when there was a great influx of skuas, over one hundred were shot. 285. Arctic or Richardson's Skua. Stercorarius crepidatus (Gmelin). Not uncommon on our coast in autumn. 286. Long-tailed or Buffon's Skua. Stercora- rius parasiticus (Linn.). This skua, although an occasional autumn visitor, is not so often met with as the two preceding. In the great visitation of 1879 some very fine examples of this species and the Pomatorhine skua were obtained. 287. Razorbill. Alca torda, Linn. The razorbill is fairly common off the coast during the greater part of the year. 288. Guillemot. Uria triole (Linn.). This is a common species off our coast. The ringed guillemot has been killed four or five times in Norfolk. 289. Black Guillemot. Uria grylle (Linn.). A few specimens of the black guillemot have occurred in winter and in immature plumage, but an adult was washed ashore at Caister in March, 1875. 290. Little Auk. Mergulus alle (Linn.). The little auk is not rare in winter, occa- sionally it visits us in considerable numbers, and has often been found far inland under stress of weather. It has occurred three or four times in full breeding plumage in the months of May and July. One was found inland at Downham Market in July, 1846, no description of the plumage is given, but there can be no doubt at that season it must have had the black throat. 291. Puffin. Fratercula arctica (Linn.). Puffins are not so often met with off our coast as might be expected. Occasionally they share the fate of the other members of this family, and are washed ashore in a dead or dying state. 292. Great Northern Diver. Colymbus gla- cialis, Linn. The great northern diver is not uncommon at sea in winter, but has not been met with here in breeding plumage, 293. White-billed Northern Diver. Colym- bus adamsi, G. R. Gray. A specimen has been killed bn Hickling Broad by Mr. E. T. Booth in December, 1872 (cf. Zoologist, 1896, p. 14). One was also killed at Pakefield, Suffolk, in the spring of 1852. 294. Black-throated Diver. Colymbus arcticus, Linn. The black-throated diver is not uncommon in winter, but more seldom met with than the great northern diver. 295. Red-throated Diver. Colymbus septen- trionalis, Linn. Locally, Sprat-Loon. The red-throated diver is found at sea at all seasons of the year, and is much more frequent than either the black-throated or great northern divers, but it is rare in full breeding plumage. 296. Great Crested Grebe. Podicipes cristatus (Linn.). The great crested grebe is one of the glories of the Norfolk broads, where it arrives in 244
