BRITISH BIRDS. I 97 



centre with blackish margins to both webs ; rest of 

 plumage white. In winter " black " head is lost. Length 

 14*50; wing 12*00. Young: wing-coverts mottled with 

 dark brown ; tail with a terminal band of dusky-brown. 

 Quite the commonest of its genus, breeding all around 

 our coasts. Eggs : 3 ; usually light olive-brown, occa- 

 sionally olive-green, variably blotched and spotted with 

 umber ; 2*20 by 1*50 ; laid in a nest of sedges, grass, etc. 

 on the ground in marshes. 



347. Larus minutus, Pall. LITTLE GULL. 



Hab. Eastern Europe and temperate Asia. In winter 

 migrating southward and irregularly westward. 



An irregular but not uncommon winter visitor to the 

 east side of Great Britain, and also the south coast ; much 

 less frequent on the west, and a very rare visitor to Ireland. 



348. Larus Philadelphia (Ord). BONAPARTE'S GULL. 



Hab. Arctic America (chiefly the interior). 

 Four examples have been taken in England, one in 

 Scotland, and one in Ireland. 



GENUS CXC. RHODOSTETHIA, Macgillivray (1842). 



349. Rhodostethia rosea, Maeg*. Ross's GULL. 

 Hab. Polar regions (breeding range unknown). 

 An example in Leeds Musuem is said to have been shot 

 at Tadcaster, Yorks, in 1846 or 1847. 



GENUS CXCi. XEMA, J. Ross (1819). 



350. Xema sabinii (J. Sabine). SABINE'S GULL. 



Hab. Arctic America and N.E. Asia. 



A scarce and irregular autumn visitor to our coasts. In 

 some winters several specimens are obtained, but it is by 

 no means of annual occurrence. 



