168 THE BIEDS OF OXFORDSHIRE. 



THE SOOTY TERN. 



Sterna fuliginosa. 

 The Sooty Tern, an accidental visitor from the warmer 

 portions of the world, is of extremely rare occurrence. One 

 of the only two w^ell-authentlcated instances of its being- 

 obtained in England is recorded by Mr. J. E. Harting, who 

 examined an example, in the fleshy which was shot, on the 2 1 st 

 June, while flying over the Thames at Wallingford, Berks, 

 which here divides that county from Oxfordshire. It was 

 then in the possession of Mr. Franklyn (vide Field, 26th 

 June, 1869). 



THE BliACK-HEADED GULL. \ j t- 



Lams rklihundus. 

 The Black-headed Gull is an inland breeding bird, and 

 resorts to the land for food in winter to a larger extent than 

 the other common species of Gull. Consequ.ently it might be 

 expected to visit this county more frequently than any other 

 kind of Gull, but such is, however, hardly the case ; neverthe- 

 less it is a pretty constant visitor at various times of the year. 

 Young birds in their first plumage have sometimes occurred. 

 In July, 1885, three or four in this stage were procured in 

 the northern division ; these in all probability had not been to 

 tlie sea, but had come to us from one of the Gulleries of Lin- 

 colnshire or Norfolk, by wandering along- some river, which 

 they are fond of doing at that season. The Ouse, the Wel- 

 land, and the Nene, aided by canals, form waterways along- 

 which Gulls could easily travel from those counties to North 

 Oxon. The Black-headed Gull also often occurs in its winter 

 dress, and in early spring, when perhaps driven inland by bad 

 weather on the coast, or when following the line of the pro- 

 bable migration of Gulls, to be more fully spoken of when 

 treating of the next species. During the cold, snowy weather 

 of March, 1888, a considerable number of Gulls visited several 

 parts of Oxfordshire, and, although only one specimen was 



