410 LARIDAE 
coasts. It was first described and figured as a British bird 
by Montagu, early in the last century, previous to the year 
1813. Specimens have been obtained from various points 
along the south and east! coasts of England, and less 
frequently from the opposite shores, including Wales. 
Occurrences probably take place every autumn and winter, 
but the numbers fluctuate in a marked degree. Thus in 
the winters of 1866, 1868, 1869-70, several birds were taken 
from Norfolk and the adjoining maritime counties.” 
The east side of Scotland is more often frequented than 
the west, but in the vicinity of the Solway Firth this Gull 
is not of rare occurrence (Macpherson, ‘ Zoologist,’ 1901, 
p- 285). The Western and Northern groups of Islands are 
visited at irregular intervals. 
This species 1s a very uncommon visitor to Ireland, 
occurring chiefly in autumn and winter. Mr. Ussher cites 
ten records: the earliest 1s that of a bird shot on the 
Shannon between King’s Co. and Galway, on August 5th, 
1840 (Thompson). 
On December 6th, 1876, Cox observed one at the mouth 
of the River Liffey, Dublin; it was feeding in company 
with other Gulls (‘ Zoologist,’ 1879, p. 486). This appears 
to be the latest specimen recorded. 
Examples have been taken also from Strangford Lough, 
Belfast Bay, and Lough Foyle (‘Birds of Ireland’). 
Flight.—In its flight the Little Gull rather resembles 
a Common or an Arctic Tern. 
Voice.—The note is sharp and rather harsh; 1t may be 
syllabled krek, krék, kréé. 
Food.—F ish constitute the main diet; aquatic insects 
are also eaten. 
Nest.—The nest is placed near water, on swampy 
clumps, and is composed of grasses and other vegetable 
matter. 
The eggs, three, more rarely four in number, are 
greenish-brown, finely flecked and blotched with umber. 
' Among early records may be mentioned one shot at the mouth of 
the Tyne in September, 1835 (Bewick). 
> Over sixty were killed in Norfolk in 1870 (February), after a heavy 
gale (Norf. and Nor. Nat. Hist. Soc., vol. iv, p. 410; A. Patterson, 
‘ Zoologist,’ 1901, p. 294-95). A specimen was obtained on the Thames 
at the end of December, 1899, a rather unusual time of year (F. W. 
Frohawk, ‘ Zoologist,’ 1900, p. 83). 
