662 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



three, the ground colour of pale stone or light brown, with 

 a blotch of reddish purple forming a zone round the broad 

 end (E. G. Potter, Nat. 1895, p. 150). Mr. Potter also 

 mentions a clutch of four found in one nest, but probably 

 these were the produce of two females. 



SABINE'S GULL. 



Xema sabinii {Sabine). 



Bird of passage in autumn from Arctic Asia and America; generally 

 in immature plumage, adult birds being very rare. 



This small Gull nests in the Arctic regions and in eastern 

 Siberia, while in winter it is found as far as Texas, the Bermudas 

 in the Atlantic, and in the Pacific down to 12° south. 



It is now ascertained to be a fairly regular visitant in 

 autumn to this county, and has occurred most frequently off 

 the famous headland of Flamborough and in the adjoining 

 bay of Bridlington, where upwards of forty examples have 

 been obtained ; three others are noted from Scarborough ; 

 two from Filey ; and one from the Tees Bay near Redcar, 

 Most of these were in the immature garb of autumn, but at 

 least ten adults in summer plumage have been chronicled, 

 while four additional specimens are known to me, the particu- 

 lars of which have not hitherto been made public. It will be 

 observed that all the recorded occurrences are between the 

 months of August and November, and it may be well, for 

 convenience of reference, to give a list of these in chronological 

 sequence : — 



The first mention of the species in Yorkshire refers to an 

 adult female at Bridlington on 5th September 1866, as 

 mentioned by the late W. W. Boulton {Zool. 1867, p. 543, 

 and MS.). This specimen is now in Mr. Thomas Boynton's 

 collection, where I have had an opportunity of seeing it. 



The next is also an adult, in full summer plumage, obtained 

 at Bridlington, loth August 1872 (J. H. Gurney, op. cit. 1872, 



