2776 Birds. 



reous dress, which it was obvious by these tokens were not ouly adult, but really old 

 birds, thus affording another proof that in this species the cinereous plumage is not 

 confined to birds of the year on y, but is reassumed at every succeeding autumnal 

 moult. I have myself but little doubt that the rules of ordinary analogy will also be 

 in time substantiated by further observation with reference to the other two British 

 divers, the black-throated and the red-throated, and that the variations of their plu- 

 mage will ultimately be found to be liable to a similar law. The period at which the 

 cinereous plumage of the divers is re-exchanged for the more conspicuous variegated 

 dress, is one which it does not appear easy to define with certainty, both from the dif- 

 ference which exists between different individuals, and also between the different spe- 

 cies. With regard to the first of these points, my opinion (founded on some degree 

 of personal observation) is, that this change takes place some weeks earlier in adult 

 birds than in birds of the year. As to the second point, I think that this change is 

 accomplished much earlier in the case of the black-throated than of the other species. 

 The black-throated diver having sometimes very nearly attained the full variegated 

 dress by the middle of December. The great northern is, as far as I have observed, 

 the next to change, often commencing in January, but not completing the change till 

 a much later period. The red-throated, I am inclined to think, is still later in its 

 change thau the great northern, and according to the account of Audubon, quoted by 

 Yarrell (see ' British Birds,' under red-throated diver), this species on the coast of 

 North America retains the red throat sometimes as late even as the month of February, 

 unless we prefer the alternative of supposing that the specimens which Audubon saw 

 had newly attained the red throat, a supposition which, from all I have been able to 

 see and learn of the bird, seems to me less probable than that of their being specimens 

 which had not yet shed it. I think, however, that this account of Audubon's is the 

 most obscure point which now remains in connexion with this subject, and any eluci- 

 dation of it, or any further light that could be thrown on the general subject of the 

 changes of plumage in the divers, would I doubt not prove very interesting, both to 

 those ornithologists who may have the opportunity of effecting such investigations, and 

 also to those who may have the pleasure of learning their result. — J. H. Gurney ; 

 Easton, Norfolk, March 14, 1850. 



Occurrence of the Great Northern Diver (Colymbus gracialis) in Torbay. — An im- 

 mature specimen of the great northern diver was obtained about the middle of last 

 December in Torbay. This bird weighed nine pounds. — Alfred Newton; Elveden 

 Hall, Thetford, February 1, 1850. 



The Masked Gull (Larus capistratus) in the Mediterranean. — If I were disposed to 

 be captious, I should say, the remarks of your correspondent from Athens respecting 

 the masked gull are somewhat beside the mark. The fact of his seeing the black- 

 headed gull at Gibraltar during the months of February and March, no more dis- 

 proves my statement that I did not see it at Malaga in April and May, than does his 

 not seeing the masked gull at Gibraltar in those earlier prove that it was not to 

 be seen in considerable numbers at Malaga in those later months. The object of the 

 communication I presume to have been (for I will not suppose the writer intended to 

 call in question either my veracity or my accuracy of observation) to show, not that 

 the masked gull does not occur in the Mediterranean, but that the black-headed gull 

 is to be found in those latitudes. It may be so. I stated only my impression on the 

 subject. That impression, however, is deepened by reference to my journal, wherein 

 I was in the habit of noting down each day the different species of birds observed dur- 



