A HAND-LIST OF BRITISH BIRDS. 201 



432. Larus argentatus cachinnans Pall. — THE YELLOW- 

 LEGGED HERRING-GULL. 



Labus cachinnans Pallas, Zoogr. Rosso- Asiat., it, p. 318 (1827 — Caspian 



Sea, Volga to Lake Baikal). 



Larus cachinnans Pallas, Saunders, pp. 073, 074. 



Distribution. — England. — One or two. One shot Breydon (Nor- 

 folk) Nov. 4, 1886 (T. Southwell, ZooL, 1897, p. 572). One seen 

 Dover (Kent) April 18, 1904 (N. C. Rothschild, Bull. B.O.C., xiv, 

 p. 91 ; c/. Brit. B., u, p. 328). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds from Azores, Canaiy and Ma- 

 deiran Islands throughout basin of Mediterranean, and from Black 

 and Caspian Seas through west Asia to Lake Baikal. According to 

 Buturlin also in White Sea, Gulf of Finland, and Lake Onega. In 

 winter in India, in Red Sea, and in Africa to Senegambia and 

 Abyssinia. 



LARUS FUSCUS 



433. Larus fuscus fuscus L.— THE LESSER BLACK-BACKED 



GULL. 



Larus fuscus Limiseus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 136 (17^8 — Europe. 



Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Larus fuscus Linnaeus, Yarrell, iii, p. 624 ; Saunders, p. 675, 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident. Breeds coasts Isle of 

 Wight (increased recently), Cornwall, Devon (nested Kent, 1908), 

 inland and coasts of Wales and isles, Cumberland, Northumberland, 

 and Fame Isles ; many places coast, inland and isles of Scotland ; 

 several islands, lakes, and some inland places in Ireland. In winter 

 more widely distributed on coasts, but most general on passage 

 autumn and spring, w^hen often seen inland. Considerable numbers 

 emigrate in winter, Shetlands and Orkneys being abandoned, 

 extreme north mainland nearly so, and species becoming rare in 

 Ireland. Non-breeding birds frequent in summer on all coasts. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Northern Europe from the Dwina to 

 Fseroes (not in Iceland), southward to Mediterranean (breeding in 

 one place off Maroccan coast), in winter to Canaries (but breeds 

 on Azores), Senegal, Fanti, Bonny, Egypt, Nubia, Red Sea (where 

 said to be resident), and Persian Gulf.' Very rare in north Caspian 

 (Saunders). A close study of local races has not yet been 

 made, but this form seems to be replaced in north Russia 

 east of the Dwina, and in Siberia, by the allied form called Lanis 

 fuscus affinis, which winters in w^est Asia, Arabia, Somaliland, 

 Sokotra. (The type of L. affinis was obtained in Greenland {>), 

 while it is also recorded from Heligoland and, doubtfully, from 

 France.) 



