1 
LITTLE GULL. 
LARm MINUTUS. 
It occasionally happens that Little Gulls in considerable numbers make their appearance off various 
parts round the coast-line of the British Islands : though hut few birds came under my observation, I 
have seen fresh-killed examples of this elegant species of all ages and in every stage of plumage. 
While on Horsey Mere* in the east of Norfolk on the 21st November, 1871, I noticed an immature 
bird skimming over the water, and remarked that its actions (with the exception that the headlong plunge 
was omitted) appeared much to resemble those of a Tern. Plapping slowly head to wind, and dipping 
down occasionally, though without touching the surface of the water, this small Gull made its way along 
one side of the mere ; having reached the entrance of the river, it turned, and dropping hack more 
rapidly towards the east end, again worked slowly over the same course. The bird appeared to be 
searching for food, but was unable to find any ; possibly a deep freshwater broad was hardly a suitable 
feeding-ground for this species. After watching its movements for some time, but little difficulty was 
experienced in securing it as a specimen, the confiding little stranger having repeatedly passed the boat 
within the distance of twenty yards. 
The bird proved to be in the usual immature plumage, the dark bars on the wings (somewhat similar 
to those on the juvenile Kittiwake) being exceedingly conspicuous while flying. I noticed that the rosy 
hue on the breast was far deeper than that usually depicted in the coloured plates of even the adults ; the 
tints, however, commenced to fade shortly after the death of the bird, and by the time it was preserved had 
entirely vanished. 
* A large sheet of fresh water in a marshy district about a mile from the sea-coast. 
