BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



367 



Xtttlc (Bull. 



THE Little Gull (Larus minutus, Pallas) is a comparatively 

 rare autumn and winter migrant to the British Islands, and 

 inhabits the Northern Palearctic Region. The adult in 

 summer has the whole head black ; back, wings, and 

 coverts, pearl-grey ; axillaries, greyish ; under parts of 

 wings, brownish-black ; primaries, tipped broadly with 

 white; remainder of plumage, white, with a rosy flush on 

 breast ; irides, hazel-brown ; bill, deep red ; legs and feet, 

 bright red. Length, from ten to eleven inches. The 

 adults in winter have the head white, with marks of grey 

 on the nape. The young in first plumage are more or 

 less marked with blackish, grey, and white ; tail, white ; 

 terminal end with a broad band of black. 



