598 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
Ivory Guuu, Larus eburneus. This beautiful but 
rare Gull has occurred on our coast, though very 
seldom. Mrs. Turle, the birdstuffer, at Taunton, has 
had one or two Somersetshire specimens of this bird 
through her hands, one of them killed, I think she 
told me, in the marsh, when it was flooded; but I am 
not quite certain about this. The Rev. Murray A, 
Mathew, in the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1865 (p. 9470), men- 
tions a specimen which had been taken at Weston- 
super-Mare, and kept for some time as a pet: he 
also mentions another specimen, which had been 
taken at the same place, but this he subsequently 
found out was not an Ivory Gull, as it was much too 
large and without the black legs: as to what species 
of Gull it was he seemed to be quite at a loss; he 
described it as being as large as a young Great 
Blackbacked Gull, snow-white all over, with legs 
and bill of a uniform greenish flesh-colour. I only 
mention this specimen, as, should it turn out not to 
be a mere variety, and its species be ascertained, we 
shall have to add it to the list of Somersetshire birds. 
The Ivory Gull, though rare, has been taken in 
both the neighbouring counties of Devon and Dorset. 
It is an arctic bird, inhabiting and breeding in very 
high northern latitudes, from whence it only occa- 
sionally wanders to our shores. It is said to make a 
nest of sea-weeds on the bare rocks.* 
* Meyer's ‘ British Birds,’ vol. vii., p. 143. 
