Birds of Gran Canaria. 577 



Larus cachinnans. Yellow-legged Herring-Gull. 



Larus cachhinans Thauner, Oni. Jalirb. xxi. p. 99 (1910). 



The Yellow-legged Herring-Gull is found here in some 

 numbers, although at times it seems to quite forsake the 

 harbour of Las Palmas. It is not nearly so plentiful as 

 the Lesser Black-backed Gull. Occasionally a few may be 

 seen flying from the direction of Guanarterae towards the 

 Isleta. On the south coast a number were noticed in com- 

 pany w\ih. Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Mr. Meade- Waldo 

 found it breeding on the neighbouring islands. On the 1st 

 of June, 1912, 1 saw a single Yellow-legged Herring-Gull 

 in Las Palmas Harbour. All Gulls had deserted the harbour 

 during the previous month. 



Larus ridibuxdus. Brown-headed Gull. 



a, b. (^ 2 imm. Las Palmas Harbour. 20th Feb. '11. 



c. c? imm. Las Palmas Harbour. 20th Feb. '11. 



Iris chocolate-brown ; bill reddish-horn-coloured ; legs 

 dark pink. 



Total length in the flesh 14"7 and 15 inches; expanse 

 35 inches. 



These birds are all in the immature plumage of the 

 second (?) year. Numbers of them were to be seen in Las 

 Palmas Harbour throughout February. I did not observe a 

 single fully adult bird. 



Sterna hiruxdo. Common Tern. 



Sterna hirundo Bolle. J. f. 0. 1857, pp. 341-344; Thanner, 

 Orn. Jalirb. xxi. p. 99 (1910). 



As Herr von Thanner remarks, the Common Tern has 

 decreased to such an extent of late years tliat it may be 

 almost considered to have disappeared. I myself have never 

 seen this bird at all, although stragglers doubtless visit the 

 shores of the island from time to time, especially in the 

 summer-time. In the years when Dr. Bolle visited Gran 

 Canaria he found the Common Tern breeding near Mas- 

 palomas. The sand-hills there are an ideal spot for its 

 nesting-grounds, and it is easy to believe that in oldeu 

 days a very thriving colony was in existence. The cause 



