■59 



BLACK-HEADED GULL. 



LARUS RIDIBUNDUS, Linn. 



Larus ridibundns, Linn. S. N. i. p. 225 (1766) ; Naum. x. 



p. 264; Hewitson, ii. p. 491; Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 594; 



Dresser, viii. p. 357. 

 Gavia ridibunda, Macg. v. p. 593. 

 Gavia capistrata, Macg. v. p. 605. 



Goeland rieur, French ; Lachmove, German ; Gavina, 

 Gaviota pequena, Spanish. 



I must commence my remarks upon this species by 

 expressing my compunction for adopting for it the 

 commonly applied but obvious misnomer of " Black- 

 headed," for at no season of the year has this Gull any 

 black about the head ; whilst the term is very correctly 

 applied to another well-known European species, Larus 

 melanoceplialus. I can only say that in thus miscalling 

 the present bird my sole excuse is general custom ; and 

 I would ask my brother ornithologists why we should 

 not henceforth agree to call it Brown-headed Gull ; at all 

 events this designation would serve to distinguish our 

 bird from any other British Gull. In most parts of our 

 Islands the name " Common " would apply at least as 

 well to this Gull as to the species that is known by that 



