172 
WHITE LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, AND THE 
REPORTED NESTING OF THE IV)RY GULL, ON 
THE FARNE ISLANDS IN 1906. : 
HARRY B. BOOTH, M.B.O.U. 
Mr. H. A. Paynter (of Alnwick), the Honorary Secretary and: 
Treasurer of the Farne Islands Association, in his interesting 
report for 1906, states:—‘I heard that a pair of Ivory Gulls 
nested on the Wamses, but I did not see them.’ In a recent 
letter to me on this subject, Mr. Paynter says that when the 
occurrence was reported to him, it was too late for him to 
verify it. 
It is exceedingly unlikely that this species should breed at 
any spot in the British Isles, and in company with Mr. Fortune 
I visited the Farne Islands twice during the breeding season of 
1906. On the North Wamses there was a white gull, which I 
spent a considerable time in stalking and watching with my field 
glasses, whilst my friend was engaged photographing. Our 
boatmen said they had been informed that it was a rare Arctic 
species, and they considered it to be half as large again as 
the Lesser Black-backed Gulls. In this they were deceived by 
its conspicuousness—it was exactly the same size—and I made 
it out to my entire satisfaction to be a partial albino of the 
Lesser Black-backed Gull, and paired to a normal one of the 
same species. It was of a slightly dirty white shade, with the 
exception of a few faint streaks of grey, chiefly on the second- 
aries, which showed from above, but more particularly from 
below, when the bird was just overhead. Its beak and legs 
showed the faintest tinge of yellow, its eye appeared to be 
of the normal colour, and its note and cry were similar to those 
of the other Lesser Black-backs. In early August I attempted to 
single out its offspring, but could not do so as they ran away 
with the other young gulls of various sizes, and in a small herd 
like chickens. I was prompted to examine them out of 
curiosity, for even if they should develop into partial albinoes, 
they would not necessarily show any difference whilst in the 
downy stage. However, I could not detect the slightest 
variation in any of the young gulls in the vicinity. 
I should like to testify to the admiration and esteem in 
which I regard Mr. Paynter for the great share he has played 
in the protection of the breeding birds of the Farne Islands— 
an illustration probably unequalled in the history of Bird 
Protection. 
Naturalist, 
