GLAUCOUS GULL 439 



district it has occurred only in winter, and not in quite 

 mature plumage (H. A. Macpherson). Immature birds are 

 seen on Barra, in the Outer Hebrides, every winter and 

 spring (Harvie-Brown) . 



Specimens have often been procured along the eastern 

 sea-board of England, the bird becoming scarcer along the 

 southern coast. In some seasons this Gull occurs in far 

 greater numbers than at other times. Thus in January, 

 1881, several were brought ashore in fishing-smacks, 

 twenty-seven being offered for sale in one lot at Great 

 Yarmouth (A. Patterson, ' Zoologist,' 1901, p. 296). On the 

 western side of England and in Wales it is quite uncommon. 



From Ireland there are numerous records, especially 

 from the north-western sea-board. The bird probably 

 occurs in other districts more often than is supposed, 

 but in the absence of observers has no doubt been over- 

 looked. I am strongly inclined to think that it appears 

 annually along the Irish coast, though in some seasons 

 few only may occur. According to Sinclair, Eathlin Island 

 and the coast of Donegal are visited every winter. From 

 the Mayo coast, Mr. Warren cites many instances (' Irish 

 Naturalist,' 1892, p. 154), and the coasts of Galway, Kerry, 

 and Cork, have also been visited. The Glaucous Gull is 

 apparently rarer on the eastern shores of Ireland : how- 

 ever, I have noted several on the slob-lands of Dublin Bay. 

 On the coasts of Wicklow and Wexford it has not been 

 identified (Ussher). An unusually large visitation of this 

 and the next species took place in the winter of 1892, when 

 birds were obtained in districts widely apart (E. Patterson, 

 ' Irish Naturalist,' 1892, p. 19). Yet, at the most, it must 

 be regarded only as a wanderer to our shores, generally 

 appearing in immature dress, singly or in couples. It is 

 very rare on inland waters. 



Though often described as being shy of approach, I 

 have seen immature birds comparatively tame. Thus on 

 September 14th, 1894, whilst shore-shooting on the marshes 

 of Dublin Bay, in company with Dr. N. H. Alcock, an 

 immature Glaucous Gull flew twenty yards over our 

 heads, when my companion immediately fired and brought 

 it down. This specimen, now preserved in the Science 

 and Art Museum, Dublin, was distinctly less fearless than 

 hundreds of Common and Herring-Gulls, which seldom 

 ventured within range, even before a shot was fired. Again, 

 on March 18th, 1901, I saw another in similar plumage, 



