: Birds of Guernsey (1879) And the Neighbouring Islands: Alderney Sark Jethou Herm; Being a Small Contribution to the Ornitholony of the Channel Islands by Smith Cecil - Birds Channel Islands Natural History; Animals-Wild-Birds; Biology

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BIRDS OF GUERNSEY

AND THE NEIGHBOURING ISLANDS

ALDERNEY, SARK, JETHOU, HERM;

BEING A SMALL CONTRIBUTION TO The Ornitholony of the Channel Islands

CECIL SMITH, F.Z.S.,

MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGIST'S UNION.

LONDON: R.H. PORTER, 6, TENTERDEN STREET, HANOVER SQUARE. 1879.

PREFACE

Though perhaps not possessing the interest to the ornithologist which Lundy Island or the Scilly Islands possess, or being able to produce the long list of birds which the indefatigable Mr. G?etke has been able to do for his little island, Heligoland, the avifauna of Guernsey and the neighbouring islands is by no means devoid of interest; and as little has hitherto been published about the Birds of Guernsey and the neighbouring islands, except in a few occasional papers published by Miss C.B. Carey, Mr. Harvie Browne, myself, and a few others, in the pages of the 'Zoologist,' I make no excuse for publishing this list of the birds, which, as an occasional visitor to the Channel Islands for now some thirty years, have in some way been brought to my notice as occurring in these Islands either as residents, migrants, or occasional visitants.

Channel Island specimens of several of the rarer birds mentioned, as well as of the commoner ones, are in my own collection; and others I have seen either in the flesh or only recently skinned in the bird-stuffers' shops. For a few, of course, I have been obliged to rely on the evidence of others; some of these may appear, perhaps, rather questionable,--as, for instance, the Osprey,--but I have always given what evidence I have been able to collect in each case; and where evidence of the occurrence was altogether wanting, I have thought it better to omit all mention of the bird, though its occasional occurrence may seem possible.

No doubt many of the birds included in Professor Ansted's list were included merely on the authority of specimens in the museum of the Mechanics' Institute, which at one time was a pretty good one; and had sufficient care been taken to label the various specimens correctly as to place and date, especially distinguishing local specimens from foreign ones, of which there were a good many, would have been a very interesting and useful local museum; as it is, the interest of this museum is considerably deteriorated. Some of the birds in the museum are confessedly foreign, having been brought from various parts of the world by Guernsey men, who when abroad remembered the museum in their own Island, and brought home specimens for it. Others, as Mr. Gallienne, who during his life took much interest in the museum, himself told me had been purchased from various bird-stuffers, especially from one in Jersey; and no questions were asked as to whether the specimens bought were local or set-up from skins obtained from the Continent or England. Amongst those so obtained may probably be classed the Blue-throated Warblers, included in Professor Ansted's list and marked as Jersey , the Great Sedge Warbler, the Meadow Bunting, the Green Woodpecker, and perhaps a few others.

This museum, partly from want of interest being taken in it and partly from want of money, has never had a very good room, and has been shuffled and moved about from one place to another, and consequently several birds really valuable, as they could be proved to be genuine Channel Island specimens, have been lost and destroyed; in fact, had it not been for the care and energy of Miss C.B. Carey, who took great pains to preserve what she found remaining of the collection, and place it in some sort of order, distinguishing by a different coloured label those specimens which could be proved to be Channel Island , the whole of the specimens in the museum would undoubtedly have been lost; as it is, a good many valuable local specimens--valuable as being still capable of being proved to be genuine Channel Island specimens--have been preserved, and a good nucleus kept for the foundation of a new museum, should interest in the subject revive and the local authorities be disposed to assist in its formation. In my notices of each bird I have mentioned whether there is a specimen in the museum, and also whether it is included in Professor Ansted's list, and if so in which of the Islands he has marked it as occurring.

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