HEUGLIN'S HEPBING GULL. 61 



there on the watch for prey. Their flights seemed to me more quiet 

 and majestic than that of the Silver Gull. The birds alighted with 

 equal lightness. The crops held only the remains of fish." 



Such is Von Heuglin's account of this bird, and this must be my 

 reason for admitting it as a new species. It breeds on the steppes 

 of Sarpa, from whence I have a series of eggs collected by Herr 

 Glitsch, from which that figured is taken. It also breeds on the 

 shores of the Caspian, and probably in the morasses of Bokhara and 

 Marjola, and perhaps as far north as Kamtschatka, and the Sea of 

 Ochotsk. It is found in winter in Amurland and China. Perhaps 

 also in north-west America, where there is a similar species, (Larus 

 occidentalis, Audubon,) Elliot, Birds of North America, pi. 52, fig. 1, 

 which is particularly marked by its thick beak, and shorter wings 

 and feet. It is also closely related to the bird called Larus horealis, 

 Brandt. 



In a pi'ivate letter to me, dated June 28th., 1875, Von Heuglin 

 further remarks, "I have no doubt but that Larus cacchinans is 

 a very distinct and good species. I have again met with it in the 

 Gulf of Souakin." 



" M. Blasius also describes Larus argentatus perfectly under the name 

 of L. occidentalis (Cab. Joun., 1865, p. 379), and when he saw the 

 specimens brought by me from the Red Sea, he remarked that he had 

 seen the same species at Berlin, brought from the Caspian and Bok- 

 hara, but he was of opinion that they were L. occidentalis, notwith- 

 standing their denominator L. cacchinans, given by Lichtenstein. On 

 the other side Lichtenstein has committed the error oi partly confounding 

 his L. cacchinans with L. epargyrus. (Three specimens from the Hed 

 Sea are also at Berlin.) Hartlaub and Finsch have taken it for L. 

 leucophceus , which is no other than the southern form L. argentatus. 

 I have examined about ten specimens of these birds. Three from 

 Berlin, from Western and Central Asia, and the Red Sea. Two from 

 Sarepta (collection Glitsch), and those taken by myself in Eastern 

 Africa." 



The figure of this bird is from a drawing by Von Heuglin. 



The G^^ is from my own collection, and was taken on the steppes 

 of Sarpa by Herr Glitsch. 



