78 3IEDTTEBB.ANEAN BLACK-HEADED GULL. 



PALMIPEDES. 



Family LARID^. {Bonaparte.) 



Genus Larus. {Linnceus?) 



MEDITERRANEAN BLACK-HEADED GULL. 



Larus melanocephalus. 



Latus melanocephahis, Natterer, 



Xema melatiocephalinn, Bonaparte. 



Mouette a capjichon noir, Of the French. 



Schwar%k6pfige Move, Of the Germans. 



Gabbiano Coralline, Savi. 



Specific Characters. — Middle toe much shorter than the tarsus; beak 

 strong and large; head entirely black in summer plumage; wings, when 

 closed, pass beyond the tail. Plumage in winter, with the exception of 

 black spots above the head and cheeks, black mark on outer web of first 

 primary, and light slate-coloured mantle, entirely white. Length sixteen 

 inches; carpus to tip tv/elve inches; tarsus two inches; middle toe and 

 claw one inch and three quarters; beak two inches. 



The Mediterranean or Adriatic Black-headed Gull is found at 

 various parts of the sea-coasts from which its English names are 

 derived. It was first described as a distinct species by Natterer, and 

 introduced into the European lists by Temminck. in his "Manual/' 

 (ed. 1840.) It is closely allied to L. ridihtmdus , but is distinguished 

 from it by its larger and stronger beak, by the length of the tarsus, 

 and by the absence of the black wing marks in winter. 



Temminck says that it inhabits the ''shores of the Adriatic, and 

 is very common on those of Dalmatia, in the marshes. I have only 

 seen it there, nor can I say that it inhabits the Archipelago or other 

 southern parts. I never saw it on tlie lakes of Hungary, but it 



