21EDITEBBANEAN BLACK-HEADED GULL. 79 



has been observed at Trieste, among tlie great inlets so frequent 

 on these shores. It is only seen in stormy weather." It is mentioned 

 by Lord Lilford as being "very common in winter at Corfu, and 

 on the coasts of the mainland; breeds in the marshes of Albania and 

 Dalmatia." — ("Ibis," vol. ii, p. 356.) Degland reports that it has 

 occurred on the Rhine, and in the Gulf of Lyons, and that it 

 accidentally visits Germany and France. It is included in the birds 

 of the former country by Naumann. Savi also includes it in the 

 birds of Tuscany. He says that now and then an individual is seen 

 in the winter, and still more rarely in the spring, and that it is 

 more frequently seen in the Mediterranean than in the Adriatic. 

 He quotes Calvi for its appearance at Geneva, and says he did not 

 often see it about Venice. The discovery of a single skin in this 

 country by Mr. Howard Saunders (see Ibis), must not j)i'event me 

 from introducing this bird. 



It will be seen by the following extract from the "Ornith. 

 Griechenlands," that Count Miihle thinks the bird figured by Savi 

 is L. ricUhundus, while his description refers to the real L. melano- 

 ceplialus: — "Though I have had brought to me many specimens of 

 this bird in diflferent clothing, yet they do not appear to agree with 

 the figures and descriptions of Naumann, Temminck, and Brehm. I 

 can only recognise my specimen in the description of Savi; the figure, 

 on the contrary, of Savi appears to be h. ridihundus, as the black 

 cap in L. melanocephalus is deeper. The specimens before me have 

 the size and form of L. ridibundus, but they are more compact, and 

 have a stronger and higher beak; the beak, the feet, and the border 

 round the eyes are the same. Dr. Michahellis, in the 'Isis' of 1833, 

 No. 9, as well as Savi, state this border to be carmine red. The 

 whole body, except the black head and the light lead-coloured 

 mantle, pure white, the under parts tinged with rosy red; the eye- 

 lids white." 



Salvador! (op. cit.) says of this bird: — "This bird is easily distin- 

 guished from L. ridibundus by a more robust, higher, and propor- 

 tionately shorter beak. In the adult it may be further known by its 

 white remiges, except the first, which has its external margin black. 

 Besides in its summer plumage it has a pure black head. Indivi- 

 duals are found which have already put on the black head, and 

 others in the winter dress, without the black head and with a white 

 neck, which have the quills in great part black, white internally, 

 and with a round white spot on the apex. The museum of Turin 

 has a very beautiful series of individuals, presented by the Marquis 

 Giacomo Dauria, of Geneva, in which all the dresses and the different 



