LARUS. 259 



to British Columbia. In winter it visits Lower California 

 and western Mexico on the Pacific coast and ranges from 

 Maine to the Gulf of Mexico and Yucatan on the east. 

 It occasionally visits the Bermudas and the Bahamas, and 

 has once occurred in Heligoland. 



Larus ridibundus. Black-headed Gull. 



Larus ridibundus Linnceus, Syst. Nat. 12th ed. i. ]766, 

 p. 225 : England. 



Larus ridibiandus Linn. ; B. O. U. List, 1st ed. 1883, p. 191 ; 

 Saunders, Cat. Birds JB. M. xxv. 1896, p. 207 ; id. Manual, 

 2nd ed. 1899, p. 665. 



Rldtbuncius=ivil of laughter ; from ndeo=l laugh. 



Distribution in the British Islands. — A Kesideut which is 

 steadily increasing in numbers. It nests in colonies both near 

 the coast and inland in many localities throughout our Islands, 

 being especially plentiful in Scotland and Ireland. In winter 

 it is generally distributed on coasts, rivers, and inland waters, 

 and of late years has been very numerous in London and 

 its neighbourhood. 



General Distribution. — The Black-headed Grull breeds in 

 the Faeroes and in Europe generally from southern Scan- 

 dinavia and north Russia southwards to the Mediterranean, 

 Sardinia, and Asia Minor ; also through temperate Asia 

 eastwards to Kamchatka. In winter it visits north Africa 

 and southern Asia, including India, China, Japan^ and the 

 Philippine Islands. 



Larus minutus. Little Gull. 



Larus minutus Pallas, Reise Rnss. Reichs, iii. 1776, 

 p. 702 : Siberia. 



Larus minutus Fall.; B. O. U. List, 1st ed. 1883, p. 191; 

 Saunders, Cat. Birds B. M. xxv. 1896, p. 173 ; id. Ilaimal, 

 2nd ed. 1899, p. 663. 



Minutiis=-veTj small. 



Distribution in the British Islands. — An Occasional Visitor 



s2 



