Miscellaneous. 467 



Notice of a Black-headed Gull found recently in Devonshire. 

 By F. W. L.' Ross, Esq. 



Among the many objects of natural history which have been dis- 

 covered during the past months may be noticed the following re- 

 markable bird. 



This bird, to which may be applied the term of the giant of the 

 Black-headed Gulls, was shot by a boatman, Mr. William Pine, while 

 employed by W. Taylor, Esq., Bridgewater, who was engaged in 

 fishing for Bass in the river off Exmouth, about the end of May or 

 the begiuning of June last ; it was in company with a flock of ordi- 

 nary Gulls. Its remarkable size and appearance attracted the atten- 

 tion of the boatman, who, having his gun with him, singled it out, 

 and fortunately obtained the bird, which has since been kindly pre- 

 sented by the above-mentioned gentleman to the writer. 



The usual locality of this bird is the shores of the Caspian Sea, 

 but it is also recorded as having been found on the shores of the 

 Red Sea, the Ganges, and the Ionian Islands, as well as accidentally 

 on the margins of the Danube, in Hungary. One is led to suppose 

 that it is by no means a common bird, as examples are rarely seen in 

 collections. It is the 



Larus ichthyaetus, Pall. Itin. ii., Apend. n. 27 ; Id. Zoogr. ii. 



p. 322, t. 77; Riipp. Atlas, t. 17. 

 Great Gull, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. ii. p. 370. 

 Ichthyaetus Pallasi, Kaup. 

 Xema ichthyaetus, G. R. Gr. List of Gall. fyc. B.M. p. 171. 



Head entirely, and part of neck, pure black ; the rest of neck, 

 beneath the body, upper tail-coverts, tail, ends of scapulars and 

 secondaries pure white ; the rest of upper surface of a pale plum- 

 beous grey ; quills pure white, with the ends black and the tips 

 white, which latter colour is more prominent on the first quill, while 

 the second has the black also divided irregularly with white near 

 the end ; a small white mark above and beneath the eyes. 



Bill at its base livid yellow, with a crimson ring-like spot near the 

 tip, which is fuscous yellow ; and the feet fuscous red. "When first 

 obtained, the circles round the eyes were red. 



Length 25 inches ; wings 18 inches 6 lines ; tarsi 3 inches ; bare 

 part of thigh 1 inch 9 lines ; bill from gape 3| inches, from fore- 

 head 2 inches 6 lines. 



Pallas informs us that this bird when flying emits a hoarse, raven- 

 like cry of kou, kdu. He further says that it lays its eggs on the 

 bare sand, without the least preparation of a nest : they are in shape 

 an oblong oval, marked with frequent brown spots, with some paler 

 ones intermixed. It is known on the borders of the Caspian Sea by 

 the name of ' Rybalc,' or ' Gluchar,' and by the Tartars as ' Ghara- 

 balta.' 



Topsham, Nov. 24, 1859. 



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