SABINE'S GULL. 



LARUS SABINI, J. Sabine. 



Larus sabini, /. Sabine, Trans. Linn. Soc. xii. p. 522 (1818). 

 Larus sabinii, Naum, xiii. pt. 2, p. 272. 

 Gavia sabini, Macg. v. p. 607. 



Xema sabinii, Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 573 ; Dresser, viii. p. 337. 



This bird is an irregular and scarce visitor to our 

 country from high northern latitudes. I have never 

 met with Sabine's Gull alive ; but gather from our recent 

 authorities that between thirty and forty occurrences 

 have been recorded in our Islands ; that, with few 

 exceptions, these occurrences have taken place during 

 the months of August, September, and October, and 

 that the specimens obtained have, with very few excep- 

 tions, been young birds of the year. 



I am indebted to Mr. J. Backhouse for the loan of 

 two specimens of this species in skin, for the use of 

 this work : these two Gulls were obtained near Brid- 

 lington, in September 1890, and from one of them 

 the figure of the immature bird in the Plate was 

 taken. I find that Sabine's Gull has recently been 

 discovered breeding in large numbers in the marshes 

 of Alaska. 



