ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 257 



manner as the Solan Goose does when fishing), immersing itself 

 entirely under the surface. In a second or two it appeared with a 

 small fish in its beak, which it seemed to pouch ; rose to the same 

 height, began again searching the water, and very soon repeated the 

 same process, with the same result. This occurred three times ; it 

 then flew away and disappeared behind some rocks. It soon, how- 

 ever, returned, and commenced the same tactics, with the same 

 result, always flying off in the same direction. I watched the bird 

 for over twenty minutes, and it made four visits to this part of the 

 loch, acting in the same manner at every visit. After the fourth 

 time, I suppose the young ones were satisfied for the time, as I 

 observed both the old birds settle on a more distant part of the 

 loch. EDWARD HAMILTON, London. 



An Adult Sabine's Gull (Xema sabinii) in Aberlady Bay, Firth 

 of Forth. On 24th August last (1896) my friend the Rev. Alfred 

 Thornley came to see me at Aberlady that we might have a 

 "beetle-hunt" together on Luffness Links. Under the disadvantage 

 of a strong westerly wind, we worked along the edge of the links and 

 over the sandhills till near the north-east (locally the Jovie's neuk) 

 corner of the bay, when, leaving the beetles, we proceeded to the 

 shore to see what birds were there. It was then about high-water 

 (3 o'clock or so), and close at hand numbers of young Sanderlings 

 were feeding on the wet sands. A little farther off hundreds of 

 Common Terns were resting, and near them a solitary small gull, to 

 which Mr. Thornley drew my attention, was standing at the water's 

 edge. Moving cautiously towards it, we soon perceived that we had 

 something out of the common before us. " Can it be a Bonaparte's 

 Gull?" inquired Mr. Thornley. "More like a Sabine's," I replied; 

 and a few seconds later, as we stood some 27 or 28 paces from it 

 (I paced the distance afterwards) discussing its various features slate- 

 coloured head and darker collar, black bill with yellowish tip, dark legs, 

 etc. all uncertainty on the point was at an end. "We must look 

 out for the forked tail when it gets on wing," I remarked, as we 

 moved on again. At first it only flew a few yards, but on rising a 

 second time it proceeded towards the inner portion of the bay, 

 passing to landward of us, and disappearing behind the sandhills. 

 As it passed, the forked tail which, by the way, was entirely white 

 was clearly made out ; and we also noted what seemed a character 

 by which the bird might readily be distinguished when flying from 

 any of the common British Gulls, namely the large amount of black 

 along the terminal half of the wing, contrasting finely with the broad 

 white of the inner margin. The bird was unmistakably adult, and 

 to all appearance still in full summer plumage. Although on the 

 outlook for days afterwards, I failed to see the stranger again. 



So far as I know, only four previous instances of the occurrence 

 of Sabine's Gull in Scotland are on record, namely : one said to 



