WHITE-WINGED GULL. 569 



Edward, In the end of October^, 1846, Mr. Alexander Chal- 

 mei's, then one of my pupils, shot one on the sands near 

 Aberdeen. The three last specimens were in their first winter 

 plumage. Mr. Selby states that a feAv occasionally stray as 

 far southward as the coast of Northumberland, where he has 

 obtained three or four specimens, all immature birds. Mr. 

 Yarrell mentions an adult specimen taken in Yorkshire, 

 another in the collection of John Malcolm, Esq., and a young 

 bird obtained in the London market by Mr. Bartlett in the 

 winter of 1838. On the west coast of Britain, it has been 

 seen by John Sinclaire, Esq., in the Island of Arran, and at 

 Ballantrae, in Ayrshire, as stated by Mr. Thompson, who also 

 gives a few instances of its occurrence in Ireland. 



Its habits are described by Faber, as observed by him in 

 Iceland, where, however, it does not breed, it being the only 

 Gull that passes the Avinter there wdthout breeding in sum- 

 mer. He represents it as so tame that it came to the house 

 to obtain the garbage thrown away by the inhabitants. Mr. 

 Yarrell, in his condensed account of Faber's remarks, says : — 

 " Its manners differ from those of the Glaucous Gull, w^hich 

 has the habits of the Great Black-backed Gull, and moves 

 with more energy. The nature of the White-winged Gull 

 more resembles that of the Herring Gull ; its deportment 

 and flight are more graceful ; it hovers over its prey, is some- 

 what greedy, always active, and is not afraid to fight with 

 equal or superior antagonists for its food." Dr. Edmondston 

 states that it is of much less frequent occurrence in Shetland 

 than the Glaucous Gull, with which, however, it associates, 

 and to which it is similar in its habits and instincts, although 

 somewhat more lively and active. 



Young. — When they appear on our coasts in the end of 

 autumn, the young are as follows : — The bill is very pale 

 flesh-coloured as far as the anterior extremity of the nostrils, 

 beyond which both mandibles are brownish-black. The feet 

 are pale flesh-coloured, the claws brownish-black. The plu- 

 mage is very pale yellowish-grey ; the head and neck streaked, 

 the upper parts marked Avith narrow, undulated bars of pale 

 greyish-brown ; the tail spotted and barred with the same ; 



