GREATER BLACK-BACKED GULL — BLACK-HEADED GULL — LITTLE GULL. 163 
present we are absolutely without a definite record of the occurrence of this bird 
in the county. 
In Rutland. — As in Leicestershire. — I saw one in the possession of 3Ir. G. H. 
Finch, which he tells me was shot at Burley Ponds by Masters, about 1882. 
IMr. Horn informs me that a young bird of the year was brought to him for 
identification by Henry Kirby of Uppingham, who shot it on 20th September, 
1887, at Liddington. I saw a specimen in the possession of Pinchen, procured at 
Oakham about November, 1887. 
GREATER BLACK-BACKED GULL. Larus marinus, Linnaeus. 
“ Cob.” 
No record for the county, unless, indeed, we can take, without the pro- 
verbial “ grain of salt,” the following statement (Appendix ‘ Potter,’ p. 70) : — “ A 
very large Gull, which T have not seen, was killed at Benscliff. This would 
most likely be L. marinus, the Great Black-backed Gull.” I cannot understand 
how any person could name a large Gull without seeing it, considering that there 
are several kinds of large Gulls, each one of which would have several stages of 
plumage. 
In Rutland. — A rare straggler from the coast. — Lord Gainsborough reports 
one (immature) which he saw in the possession of Mr. W. Wortley, shot at Rid- 
lington about 1860. Mr. Finch has one in immature plumage, which, he writes 
me, was shot on Burley Ponds by Masters, about 1882. 
BLACK-HEADED GULL. Larus ridibundus, Linnaeus. 
“ Peewit-Gull,” “ Red-legged Gull.” 
An accidental straggler in spring and autumn. — Mr. Bloxam, in his MS. 
notes, says : — “ Peewit Gull is not uncommon about Ashby Wolds ; I had a 
young one shot this summer there.” An immature bird in the possession of 
Mr. T. Stevenson, of Kibworth, was shot some years ago at Thornton Reservoir. 
The Leicester Museum possesses a pair in immature plumage, said to have been 
shot at Belgrave on 3rd November, 1881. Mr. Macaulay shot an immature 
specimen at Saddington Reservoir, on 9th August, 1887 ; and a female in winter 
plumage was shot at the same place, on 15th October, 1887, by Mr. A. K. Perkins, 
who presented it to the Museum. 
In Rutland. — As in Leicestershire. — Mr. Finch’s keeper, C. Masters, 
reports that he killed one at Burley Ponds in December, 1884. 
LITTLE GULL. La'rus minutus (Pallas). 
A very rare straggler from the coast. — Elkington stated that about the 
year 1868, a specimen was shot between Old Belgrave Locks and “ Lady 
