OTHER GULLS AND “TERNS 
(LARINA) (STERNINA) 
Tue Black-headed Gull is par excellence the Gull of 
London and the ‘Thames between bridges, but various 
other species of Gulls, and even ‘Terns, casually visit the 
Metropolis, and require brief notice in a separate chapter. 
To the majority of observers the Gulls that visit London 
are all alike—they are “ Seagulls,” and that is quite 
sufficient for the ordinary “‘ man in the street.” ‘There 
are, however, four other species of Gulls that pay casual 
visits to the Metropolis. I have on many occasions 
noticed Common Gulls (Larus canus) and Kittiwakes 
(Rissa tridactylus) among the crowds of Black-headed 
Gulls on the Thames. ‘The latter, however, is, strictly 
speaking, an oceanic species, and seldom visits inland 
localities save in stormy weather. In the course of the 
present chapter I will mention how these two Gulls may 
be distinguished from the Black-headed Gull and from 
each other. ‘The Kittiwake, amongst other places, has 
been observed at Lambeth, Battersea, and Putney, and I 
have personal records from Waterloo and Westminster 
Bridges. ‘The next two species belong to the large type 
of Gulls that frequent the British Islands. Of these the 
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) is a casual visitor to the 
Thames within the Metropolitan area, and frequently 
resorts to the fields, sewage-farms, and other open spots 
at some considerable distance from the river, or, indeed, 
from water of any kind. ‘The second of these large 
species is the Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus), 
which also casually visits London and its environs every 
winter. I have records of this Gull from Barnes, from 
Kingsbury, the Welsh Harp, and from rural districts as 
remote from the Thames as Harlesden and the meadows 
between Sudbury and Uxbridge. I believe it is a tolerably 
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