On the Little Gidl (Larus minutus) in North Uist. 105 



ridges are also rather less oblique on the subgibbous than on 

 the gibbous side ; on the former they are in fact sometimes 

 nearly transverse ; a certain amount of sigmoidal curvature 

 is assumed after the middle of the spine, the anterior 

 extremities of the ridge turning slightly towards the apex, 

 their posterior extremities towards the base. Only towards 

 the apex have the ridges any marked obliquity in their 

 middle portions, and there they often also become wavy. The 

 gyrating ridges are closely tuberculated over their whole 

 extent, except towards the apex, where the tuberculation 

 tends to become irregular. The amount of apical wearing is 

 very variable. 



VII. On the Occiirrence of the Little Gull (Larus minutus) in 

 the Lsland of North Uist ; tvith Remarks on the Objects of 

 the International Ornithologists' Congress at Vienna, and 

 on Uniformity of Method in recording Rare Species in 

 future. By John A. Haevie-Brown, Esq., F.RS.E., 

 F.Z.S., President. 



(Read 19th December 18S3.) 



This rare British bird was shot upon the 1st of JSTovember 

 last, by Mr John Macdonald, Sir John Campbell Orde's factor 

 at Newton, North Uist. It was seen on the island of Bernera, 

 Sound of Harris, the day before, and when shot in North 

 Uist it was found to have one foot awanting. 



The above are all the particulars I have been able to 

 obtain regarding this specimen, which is evidently a young 

 bird of the year, probably bred on the Eussian lakes this 

 past summer. It is obligingly lent for exhibition by Mr J. 

 D. Dougal, gunmaker, Glasgow, to whom it had been sent 

 for preservation, and to whom the Society's thanks are due 

 for this opportunity of exhibition. 



From already published accounts of the distribution of the 

 species {vide Dresser's "Birds of Europe") it would appear 

 that its usual lines of migTation are as follows: Prior to 1866, 

 very rare in Britain, though several obtained on the Nor- 



