ICELAND GULL 461 



one or more are seen on the coast. He cannot say where 

 they breed, bnt is sure there are none on the Craig at Ailsa." 

 Mr. Thompson remarks that the month of June seems a late 

 period for the Iceland Gull to remain in such a comparatively 

 southern latitude ; and there can hardly be a doubt that it is 

 the same species which is seen about Ballantrae, in Ayrshire, 

 every winter, as the authority for the statement must evident- 

 ly know it well from its congeners, when he correctly states 

 that it breeds not on Ailsa Craig. 



Mr. Selby mentions having obtained three or four speci- 

 mens on the coast of Northumberland, all immature birds. 

 An adult specimen has been taken in Yorkshire, and another 

 is in the collection of John Malcolm, Esq. A young bird 

 was obtained in the winter of 1838, in the London market, 

 by Mr. Bartlett. This specimen is now in the collection of 

 D. W. Mitchell, Esq., of Penzance, who very kindly allowed 

 me the use of the bird for the figure and description here 

 given. 



The Iceland Gull sometimes makes its appearance in 

 winter at the mouth of the Elbe ; it has also been taken in 

 Holland and in Belgium ; the latter circumstance I learn by 

 the publication of a most useful and interesting volume on 

 the vertebrate animals of Belgium, written by M. Edmund 

 de Selys-Longchamps, of Liege, and which has very recently 

 been received in this country. 



In the adult Lesser White-win sred Gull the bill is small 

 and yellow, the angle of the under mandible red ; the irides 

 straw yellow ; head and neck all round pure white ; back, 

 wings, and all the wing-coverts very pale ash-grey ; primary 

 quill-feathers wholly white ; upper tail-coverts and tail-fea- 

 thers white; chin, throat, breast, and all the under surface of 

 the body and tail pure white ; legs flesh-coloured. 



The whole length twenty-two inches ; the pointed ends 

 of the wings, when closed, reach two inches beyond the tail. 



