LITTLE GULL. 545 



in Cornwall, and is now in the collection of E. H. Rodd, 

 Esq. of Penzance. 



Professor Nilsson says this species is a summer-visiter to 

 the marshes in the vicinity of the Baltic and Gottland, 

 where it breeds, but he has never seen the eggs ; it is also 

 said to visit Eussia and Siberia. It is included by the 

 ornithologists of Germany among the birds of that country. 

 M. Temminck says he has killed two, and examined 

 several others in Holland. Professor Necker and Dr. 

 Schinz have recorded four or five instances of this species 

 having been taken about different lakes in Switzerland. It 

 has been observed at Genoa ; M. Savi includes it in his 

 Birds of Italy, and it is seen on the Adriatic and the 

 Mediterranean every season. It is said to be found about 

 the Caspian Sea in winter. 



It feeds on insects and worms, according to M. Tem- 

 minck ; but very little of its habits are known. On more 

 than one occasion when shot in this country it was asso- 

 ciated with Terns. 



The figure of this bird in its summer-plumage at the 

 head of this subject, was taken from a specimen given me 

 by Mr. Gould. In this specimen the bill is reddish-brown; 

 the irides very dark brown ; the whole of the head and the 

 upper part of the neck all round is black ; the neck below 

 white; the back, wing-coverts, and wings, uniform pale 

 ash-grey, the outer primaries darker grey, with white 

 at the end and on the inner margin of the web ; upper 

 tail- co verts and tail-feathers white, the tail in form square 

 at the end ; all the under surface of the body and 

 under tail-coverts white ; legs, toes, and membranes ver- 

 milion. 



An adult bird in winter has the bill almost black ; irides 

 dark brown ; forehead and upper part of neck in front, 



VOL. III. N N 



