MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 
417 
migration across the Pyrenees. As many as a hundred daily were 
killed and brought into the Hotel at Argeles. M. Peyrafitte tells 
me that they only cross the mountains here and at Bagneres de 
Bigorre. As the mountains are much lower and more easy to cross 
near Saint Jean de Luz it would seem as if these two points were 
old migratory routes. From enquiries I made, the Ouzel is never 
seen on either side of the migratory track, as e.y. between Luz and 
Oavarnio. Large quantities of Pigeons are said to be caught in nets 
at Argeles and Bagneres do Bigorre during their migration. I notice 1 
a remarkable degree of variation in the plumage of the Ouzel. 
Many were evidently birds of the previous year, and had not any 
trace of the white ring. — John Lowe, M.D. 
Occurrence op the Mediterranean Herring Gull (Larus 
uaciiinnans) in Norfolk. — Whilst engaged in making a catalogue 
of the fine collection of British Birds in the possession of Mr. E. M. 
Connop of Rollesby Hall, near Great Yarmouth, Mr. Cole, the 
Norwich bird preserver, pointed out to me a Herring Gull, which 
ho said the late Mr. Stevenson had examined in the flesh, and 
believed to bo Larus cachinnans. At his request Mr. (.'ole had 
noted the colour of the soft parts on the back of the case, and a 
careful examination led me to endorse the opinion expressed by 
Mr. Stevenson. Mr. Howard Saunders has also been good enough 
to examine the bird, and expresses himself quite satisfied with the 
correctness of the determination. The bird was shot by the 
veteran gunner John Thomas, on Breydon Water, near Great 
Yarmouth, and sent by him in the flesh to Mr. Cole, on the 4th of 
November, 1886; it proved to be a male by dissection, and differed 
from tbe Common Herring Gull in the darkness of the mantle; the 
legs were a beautiful lemon yellow, and the bare ring round the eye 
deep orange-red. The mantle and orbital ring still retain their 
normal colour, but the legs have unfortunately been painted pale 
yellow, which Mr. Cole assures me he imitated from nature. The 
late season at which this southern species was killed seems remark- 
able ; but still later in the same year (on December 26th), and in 
the same locality, a beautiful adult example of the Mediterranean 
Black-headed Gull was killed. I am not aware of any previous 
occurrence of L. cachinnans in Britain having been recorded.— 
Thomas Southwell. 
