608 



LARID^E. 



never been authenticated, and are unworthy of serious con- 

 sideration ; one announced in ' The Times ' a couple of 

 3'ears ago as shot near Newmarket, proved to be merely a 

 handsome specimen of L. ridihundiis. The statements by 

 Temminck and others that L. atricilla had been found in 

 the Mediterranean, were due to a misconception ; and Pallas 

 augmented the confusion by applying this name of L. 

 atricilla to our Black-headed Gull, L. ridihundus. There 

 is really no evidence that the American species has ever 

 strayed from the shores and islands of the New World ; 

 and certainly no authenticated example killed on the coasts 

 of Europe is known to exist in any collection on the Con- 

 tinent. The bird is therefore excluded from the present 

 Edition. 



The vignette below was taken from a pen-and-ink sketch 

 sent to the Author by Sir Charles Anderson, to illustrate the 

 breeding-ground of the Black-headed Gull referred to, at 

 Twigmoor, near Brigg, Lincolnshire. 



