SABINE'S GULL 



LARUS SABINI, J. Sabine. 



Larus sabini, J. Sabine, Trans. Linn. Soc. xii. p. 522 (1818). 



Larus sabinii, Naum. xiii. pt. 2, p. 272. 



Gavia sabini, Macg. v. p. 607. 



Xema sabinii, Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 573 ; Dresser, viii. p. 337. 



This bird is an irregular and scarce visitor to our 

 country from high northern latitudes. I have never 

 met with Sabine's Gull alive ; but gather from our recent 

 authorities that between thirty and forty occurrences 

 have been recorded in our Islands ; that, with few 

 exceptions, these occurrences have taken place during 

 the months of August, September, and October, and 

 that the specimens obtained have, with very few excep- 

 tions, been young birds of the year. 



I am indebted to Mr. J. Backhouse for the loan of 

 two specimens of this species in skin, for the use of 

 this work : these two Gulls were obtained near Brid- 

 lington, in September 1890, and from one of them 

 the figure of the immature bird in the Plate was 

 taken. I find that Sabine's Gull has recently been 

 discovered breeding in large numbers in the marshes 

 of Alaska. 



