347 



THE IVORY GULL. 



Larus elurneus, Gmel. 



Has very rarely been observed. 



The following was published in my Eeport on the vertebrata of 

 Ireland in 1840 : — ''^In the Appendix to Ross's second voyage, 

 it is remarked, under the head of Larus ehurneus, ' this beautiful 

 gull has lately visited the western shores of Ireland/ p. 35. By 

 Captain James C. Ross, the author of this Appendix, I have been 

 informed that, early in the year 1834, he derived that information 

 from Joseph Sabine, Esq., who told him simply what is published. 

 Eor some years, however, I have had a note, communicated by the 

 late Thomas E. Neligan, Esq., of Tralee, who was very well versed 

 in British birds, that, in January 1835, he saw a gull in a field 

 near that town, and four miles distant from the sea, which he was 

 satisfied was the L. ehurneus. The ivory tint of its plumage, and 

 its black legs, attracted his attention, and he watched the bird for 

 about twenty minutes." 



Mr. R. Chute, writing to me in February 1846, from Blenner- 

 ville, near Tralee, remarked, that he had heard of an ivory gull 

 being seen in that neighbourhood (probably the one just alluded 

 to), and another near Dingle. In the next year he supplied the 

 following more satisfactory information : — " After the storm that 

 occurred in the beginning of February 1847 there were several 

 ivory gulls about here; I heard of three being seen near 

 Dingle ; — one of them I saw myself. During my absence from 

 home, two of them for a few days in succession alighted in my 

 yard ; my servant thought they were tame birds, and did not 

 frighten them. However, one was shot on the third day, and 

 when I came home I found it to be an ivory gull in rather 

 immature plumage : the other bird they said was pure white : — 

 though frequently seen since, I Mas not able to procure it. I have 

 the bird that was shot now in my colh'(;tion." 



