278 



Sept. Ttli. Dalmeny (Linlithgow), one seen, 



„ lOtli. Blackness (Linlithgow), one seeu. 



„ nth. Lerwick, passing. 



,, 21st. Owers Lt.-v. (Sussex), one taken at 6 r.M. 



,, 24th. Lerwick, last seen. 



„ 26th. Scarhorough (Yorkshire), many seen. 



THE GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL {Lams marlnus). 

 THE LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL {Lamsfu-'^cus). 



.A Lesser Black -backed Gull was seen flying south over Oxted (Surrey) 

 on the 24th of June and five on the 2nd of July ; several were fishing 

 off Scarborough (Yorkshire) on the 2nd of September and others 

 Avere noted passing south of that place on the 15th and 23rd. On the 

 ]Oth an immature bird appeared at St. Kilda, one was seen at the 

 Isle of May on the 5th of October and another at Balcomie on the 17th. 

 Five Great Black -backs arrived on the Sussex coast on the 21st and 

 22nd of September and passed on before the 26tli. 



Mr. T. A. Coward sends some interesting notes from the Holderness 

 district (Yorkshire^, where he Avas observing from the 6th to the 16th of 

 October : " The day passage of these two species," he writes, " was most 

 marked dviring the whole ten days. It was practically continuous so 

 long as it was possible to see. The birds occasionally came down the 

 coast from the north, but generally from the north-east direct off the 

 sea. The}^ .straggled in irregular order, or came in chevrons or lines, 

 fifty or a hundred at a time. One or two days we calculated that an 

 average of fifty a minute passed and this I'ate was continuous for many 

 hours. At times small parties went seaward or even north, to fish 

 apparently, but they were nothing compared with the steady southward 

 stream. The flocks consisted of old and young birds of all ages of both 

 species with a few Herring- and Common Gulls ; often many hundreds 

 of adult Great Black-backs were visible at once on the ' Clays ' and all 

 the time others kept coming in." 



Several Lesser Black -backs were seen in Largo Bay (Fife) as late as 

 the 28th of November, while Great Black-backs were very numerous off 

 riymouth from the 20th of October to the end of the year. 



