196 BRITISH BIRDS 



343. Larus eanus, Linn. COMMON GULL. 



Hab. Northern Palaearctic region. 



Adult : mantle and wings grey, excepting outer primaries 

 which are black with white tips and sub-terminal patches ; 

 rest of plumage white ; bill greenish-yellow, orange at tip ; 

 feet greenish-yellow. In winter head and neck are 

 streaked with dusky -brown. Length 17*00; wing 14*00. 

 Young : upper and under wing-coverts mottled with dark 

 brown ; tail with a terminal dusky-brown band ; primaries 

 dusky-brown. 



Breeds commonly around Scotland and its islands and 

 down the west side of Ireland, but is only known in 

 England as a common winter visitor. Eggs : 3 ; usually 

 light olive brown spotted and blotched with umber and 

 with underlying grey marks ; 2*25 by r6o ; laid in a nest 

 of seaweed and grass on grassy islets. 



344. Larus iehthyaetus, Pall. GREAT BLACK- 

 HEADED GULL. 



Hab. N.E. Africa, the Levant and S.W. Asia. 

 An example in the Exeter Museum was shot off 

 Exmouth in 1859. 



345. Larus melanoeephalus, Natterer. MEDITER- 

 RANEAN GULL. 



Hab. Shores of the Mediterranean. 



One in the Natural History Museum is said to have 

 been shot near Barking Creek, Essex (1866), a second 

 has since been obtained on Breyddn Broad 



346. Larus ridibundus, L. BLACK-HEADED GULL. 



Hab. Temperate Europe and Asia. 



Adult : head, cheeks, chin and upper throat dark brown; 

 mantle and wing-coverts pale grey ; primaries white in 



