MEDITERRANEAISr BLACK-HEADED GULL. 108 



European lists by Temminck, in his "Manual/' (ed. 

 1840.) It is closely allied to L. ridihundus, but is 

 distinguished from it by its larger and stronger beak, 

 by the length of the tarsus, and by the absence of the 

 black wing marks in winter. 



Temminck says that it inhabits the "shores of the 

 Adriatic, and is very common on those of Dalmatia, in 

 the marshes. I have only seen it there, nor can I say 

 that it inhabits the Archipelago or other southern parts. 

 I never saw it on the lakes of Hungary, but it has 

 been observed at Trieste, among the great inlets so 

 frequent on these shores. It is only seen in stormy 

 weather." It is mentioned by Lord Lilford as being 

 "very common in winter at Corfu, and on the coasts 

 of the mainland; breeds in the marshes of Albania and 

 Dalmatia." — ("Ibis," vol. ii., p. 356.) Degland reports 

 that it has occurred on the Rhine, and in the Gulf 

 of Lyons, and that it accidentally visits Germany and 

 France. It is included in the birds of the former 

 country by Naumann. Savi also includes it in the 

 birds of Tuscany. He says that now and then an 

 individual is seen in the winter, and still more rarely 

 in the spring, and that it is more frequently seen in 

 the Mediterranean than in the Adriatic. He quotes 

 Calvi for its appearance at Geneva, and says he did 

 not often see it about Venice. 



It will be seen by the following extract from the 

 "Ornith. Griechenlands," that Count Miihle thinks the 

 bird figured by Savi is L. ridihundus, while his des- 

 cription refers to the real L. melanocephalus : — " Though 

 I have had brought to me many specimens of this bird 

 in different clothing, yet they do not appear to agree 

 with the figures and descriptions of Naumann, Temminck, 

 and Brehm. I can only recognise my specimen in the 



