VOL. vm.] NOTES. 269 



LITTLE GULL CAUGHT AND RINGED IN 

 LINCOLNSHIRE. 



On February 24th, 1915, a plover-catcher brought me a 

 Little Gull {Larus minutus) which he had caught the morning 

 before in his plover-net at Alvingham, near Louth, Lincoln- 

 shire. I take it to be an adult from its markings, and the 

 tail was pure white with no bar. It enjoyed a bath and 

 some worms ; this afternoon I ringed it and set it at 

 liberty. 



Looking through the records in British Birds, I think 

 this is the first Little Gull to be ringed under the scheme. 



John S. Allison. 



GLAUCOUS GULL IN LONDON. 



Shortly before nine o'clock on the morning of March 20th, 

 I saw an adult Glaucous Gull {Larus glaucus) resting on the 

 ice in St. James's Park. 



Its great size and milky-white plumage were very noticeable 

 in contrast to a number of Herring-Gulls which were 

 surrounding it. When I returned in the afternoon I failed 

 to see it again. 



This is the first specimen of the rarer gulls which I have 

 ever noticed in London, though I have kept a sharp look-out 

 for many years, especially during such rough weather as 

 was locally prevalent about the above date. 



Clifford Borrer. 



DAMAGE TO TAIL-FEATHERS OF POMATORHINE 



SKUAS. 



The footnote to my letter {antea, p. 244) relative to the 

 damaged tail-feathers of the Pomatorhine Skua is interesting, 

 but by no means convincing. If Mr. A. Roberts saw the 

 Pomatorhine Skua snipping off the tail-feathers, he must 

 have been near enough to see the nip, and therefore near 

 enough to see the Pomatorhine either drop the feather or 

 carry it away in its mouth. Did either of these things 

 happen "? 



Then why is it that the central tail-feathers of the 

 Pomatorhine Skua are more frequently broken off than 

 those of any other British Skua ? I believe it is because 

 of the vertical twist, which places the feathers broadside 

 on to the wind ; this feature, combined with the blunt and 

 truncated, non-tapering terminal webs, greatly increases 

 the effect of a lateral gust of wind, and at the same time 



