174 



On the Ornithology of Wilts [Laridai], 



considerate and liberal act which I cannot too highly commend to 

 the imitation of any who may obtain specimens of our rarer birds 

 killed in Wiltshire), and Mr. Elgar Sloper informed me that one 

 was killed near Salisbury in 1840, and added to his note in refer- 

 ence to this species, "I may here remark that I have scarcely 

 known an April or October without hearing of the occurrence of 

 some of the Stertridce." 



"Little Gull." (Larus minutus.) The Gulls differ from the 

 Terns in their more sturdy and less elegant shape, in their stronger 

 shorter beak with curved tip, in their longer and stouter legs, and 

 in the partial or total absence of fork in the tail. They seem 

 equally at rest, whether floating buoyantly on the surface of the 

 sea, gently flapping on powerful wing through the air, or standing 

 quietly, often on one leg, on the beach. They may be almost 

 called omnivorous, so welcome to their insatiable appetite is every 

 kind of animal food they can secure. The Little Gull, the smallest 

 of its genus which figures in the British list, is by no means a 

 common bird even on our coasts, but I have two undoubted 

 instances of its appearance in Wiltshire, as Mr. Marsh had a 

 specimen in his collection which was killed on a pond at Rodbourne 

 in 1848, and sent to him by Mrs. Pollen : and my kind friend, the 

 Rev. George Powell, (to whom I have been indebted for so many 

 interesting notices in this and previous papers) informed me that 

 a very good specimen, in winter plumage, was killed in January 

 of the present year at Upton Scudamore, near Warminster. 



" Black-headed Gull. (Larus ridibundus.) I consider this to be 

 the most common species of Gull on our British Coasts, and the 

 immense numbers which congregate together for breeding purposes 

 at their well-known haunt, Scoulton Mere in Norfolk, must be seen 

 to be understood. This is a true Cosmopolite, and I have met with 

 it both within the Arctic regions and within the tropics. It is 

 often seen on Salisbury Plain, and on the Downs of South Wiltshire, 

 following the ploughman after the manner of Rooks, and greedily 

 devouring the grubs which are thus exposed. 



"Kittiwake." (Larus tridactylus.) This too is a common 

 species on our coasts, though seldom seen in winter : but considering 



