512 RARE BRITISH BIRDS 



2. Distribution. The only certain breeding-places of this species lie in the eastern Medi- 

 terranean and the Black Sea, but it is possible that a few may breed in South Spain, where it 

 has been met with in the breeding season. It is known to breed in Greece near Lamia, on the 

 Turkish coast (Thaso), in Asia Minor (mouth of the Meander River and Gulf of Smyrna), and 

 in the lagoons of the Dobrogea, as well as in Bessarabia, the Putrid Sea (Sivash), and the shores 

 of the Crimea. As a straggler it has occurred on the Bodensee, the Rhine, and in France at the 

 mouth of the Somme, as well as at least three times in England. Its winter quarters extend 

 south to the North African coast, the Red Sea, and Nubia. [F. c. K. J.] 



GREAT BLACKHEADED-GULL [Ldrus iehthyaetua Pallas. German, Fisck-Move; Italian, 

 gabbiano del Pallas]. 



1. Description. In summer plumage may be at once distinguished by its very large size, 

 coupled with its black head. Length 26 in. [660 mm.]. The whole of the head and back 

 of the neck is of the deepest black, very sharply denned from the pure white neck and 

 under parts; the eyes are banded above and below with white crescent-shaped patches; back, 

 scapulars, secondaries, and wing-coverts of a delicate pearl-grey ; primaries white, with black 

 along the margin of the outer web of the first primary, and with black submarginal markings 

 towards the tip; upper tail-coverts and tail pure white; the bill is orange-yellow, with a black 

 and red band at the angle ; legs and feet greenish yellow ; webs orange. In winter the head 

 is streaked and mottled with blackish, otherwise it resembles the adult in summer. The 

 immature bird is mottled all over the upper parts with dusky brown, and the terminal third of 

 the tail is black sharply defined from the white base. The nestling differs from all other young 

 gulls by having the plumage of a greyish white colour without markings, [w. p. p. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. Confined during the breeding season to the Russian empire, where it 

 nests, according to Buturlin, on the Putrid Sea (Sivash), the Caspian and Aral Seas, the Sarpa 

 lakes on the lower ^ 7 olga, on Suliuk-kul and Chalkar-teniz, and the lower Irgiz and Turgai 

 rivers. It has occurred in England (once off Exmouth, in 1859) and in Switzerland, and 

 migrates south to Cyprus, Palestine, the Nile valley to Nubia, the Red Sea and Persian Gulf 

 and South Persia, India, Ceylon, and Burma. [F. c. R. j.] 



YELLOWLEGGED HERRING-GULL [Ldrus argentdtus cachinnans Pallas. Mediterranean 

 herring-gull. French, goeland argent^ meridional; German, sildliche Silber-Mvve; 

 Italian, gabbiano reale]. 



1. Description. Resembles the common herring-gull, L. argentaius (see vol. iii. p. 122), 

 but may be at once recognised by the bright orange-red (instead of yellow) orbital ring and the 

 legs and feet, which are brilliant yellow (instead of flesh-colour). Length 18 in. [457 mm.]. 

 The sexes are alike. The whole head, neck, rump, upper and under tail-coverts and tail, as well 

 as the entire under parts, pure white; mantle, back, scapulars, and wing-coverts grey; major 

 wing-coverts, secondaries, and scapulars broadly tipped with white; primaries on their basal 

 half dark grey, terminal half black tipped with white. In some specimens there is a mirror of 

 white near the tips. The adult in winter has the head and neck streaked with blackish brown. 

 The immature bird has the upper surface of the body white, marbled all over with greyish 

 brown ; primaries dark brown above, light greyish brown below with white shafts ; under surface 

 white, scantily marbled with greyish brown ; tail with the basal half white somewhat irregu- 

 larly barred with greyish brown, terminal half brown tipped with white. The young in down 

 has the upper parts buffish white, with deep black spots on the head and mottled with blackish 

 brown markings over the rest of the upper parts ; below white, merging into buffish white on 

 the neck and throat, with two pairs of blackish spots situated on the fore-neck and at the base 

 of the bill. [w. p. p. and T. w.] 



