230 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



he is not near such a fine bird on the wing as the Greater 

 Black-backed Gull ; and he is quite as shy, for we never 

 obtained so much as a shot. By the 23rd of January this 

 species had already partly put on its summer plumage, and 

 in connection with this, I may mention, that I have fre- 

 quently known the English Black-headed Gull* to have a 

 nearly black head in winter. 



■^202. Common Gull, Lams canus, Linn. 



We found this common in the Delta. We first certainly 

 identified it at Damietta on the 23rd of January, when five 

 specimens were shot. Near Samanhoude a sixth was shot, 

 and I am sure several flocks were seen between those places, 

 yet it has been considered very rare. 



203. Mediterranean Herring Gull, Lams 

 leucophccus, Lict. ; " Norasa," 



A good many were seen in Lower, and I believe a few in 

 Middle Egypt. A young one, obtained at Damietta, had 

 the legs white, tinged with flesh colour. Compared with 

 some young English Herring Gulls, its plumage was whiter. 



204. Lesser Black-back Gull, Lamts fjiscus, Linn. ; 

 L. fiisccsccns (Licht.) ; " Goka." 



This Gull is a resident in Egypt, though where it breeds 

 I cannot say. They were to be seen in the harbour at 

 Alexandria on the 7th of January, and again on the 20th of 

 June. I met with them at the Faioum, and in Upper 

 Egypt also ; this species was very frequently shot in the 

 beginning of May. I do not know a bird of more unsullied 



Larus ridibundus. 



