286 A HANDBOOK OF EUROPEAN BIRDS. 
Distribution : Inhabits st of Europe and ranges from 
Palestine to the Indian coast, also across temperate Siberia, 
to China and Japan. Found in Northern Africa during the 
winter. 
Habitat : Inland lakes, marshes, rivers or wet moors ; the 
sea-coast in winter. 
MEDITERRANEAN BLACK-HEADED GULL. 
Larus melanocephalus JVate. 
Adult (Summer): Differs from Z. ridibundus in having 
the dead black, not dark brown ; first primary with line of black 
on outer web; primaries otherwise white; (in less mature birds 
the first five quills are streaked and subterminally banded with 
black) ; d¢27 coral-red, very stout, with a dark band in front of 
the angle. Length 17 inches; culmen 1°6; wing 11°5 to 12; 
tailnoe tarsus: 1°90. 
Birds of the year: First five primaries have outer webs, 
shafts, and greater portion of inner webs dark brown both above 
and beneath with light margins, otherwise similar to adults. 
Distribution: Breeds in Spain, Asia Minor, and on the 
Black Sea. Has occurred not unfrequently as a straggler in 
France, and once or twice in England. 
Habitat: Sea-coast, breeding in marine marshes. 
GREAT BLACK-HEADED GULL. 
Larus ichthyaetus Pa//. 
Adult (Summer): Head deep black; behind the eye a 
small white patch ; mantle and wing-coverts dark grey ; first 
primary white with a patch of black on inner web and a nar- 
row band of black on outer web ; next three primaries subter- 
minally barred with black and white-tipped ; secondaries con- 
spicuously white-tipped; rest of plumage pure white; Jd2// 
orange, yellower at base, zzth transverse black bar before the 
angle; legs and feet greenish-yellow; webs orange; irides 
dark brown. Length 27 inches; culmen 3°43; wing 18°75 
to 19; tarsus 2°8. 
