254 BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



and there is no " white spot of an oval shape " on 

 the outer web of the sixth primary. From this I 

 conclude that the bird now before me is older than 

 that described by Mr. Thompson, and approaches 

 more nearlj^ the adult plumage. 



Little Gull, Larus minutus. Almost as rare a 

 visitant to this countr}^ as the last-named, being an 

 inhabitant of Eastern EuroiDe. It was first noticed 

 as a British species by Col. Montagu, who described 

 a specimen in the collection of Mr. Plasted, which 

 had been shot on the Thames near Chelsea. This 

 was a young bird in the plumage of the first year, 

 and at the sale of Mr. Plasted's collection it passed 

 into the possession of Mr. Leadbeater. I have 

 latel}^ seen a beautiful specimen of the Little Gull 

 in nearly mature spring plumage, which was shot 

 from a boat while flying over the Thames in Black- 

 wall Reach, in the early spring of 1863. Adult 

 birds in summer have the head black, in this respect 

 resembling the mature Sabine's and Blackheaded 

 Gulls at the same period of the year. 



Blackheaded Gull, Larus ridihundus. Of the 

 few species of Gulls which visit us in spring and 

 autumn, the Blackheaded Gull is certainl}^ the com- 

 monest. It would be more properly described as 

 the Brown-headed Gull, for the colour of the head 

 in summer certainl}^ approaches nearer to brown 

 than black. An old bird of this species in the 

 breeding plumage, with red bill and legs, hazel e3^es 



