347 
THE 'IVORY. GULL. 
Larus eburneus, Gmel. 
Has very rarely been observed. 
The following was published in my Report on the vertebrata of 
Ireland in 1840 : — “In the Appendix to Ross's second voyage, 
it is remarked, under the head of Larus eburneus , e this beautiful 
gull has lately visited the western shores of Ireland/ p. 35. By 
Captain James C. Ross, the author of this Appendix, I have been 
informed that, early in the year 1834, he derived that information 
from Joseph Sabine, Esq., who told him simply what is published. 
Eor some years, however, I have had a note, communicated by the 
late Thomas E. Neligan, Esq., of Tralee, who was very well versed 
in British birds, that, in January 1835, he saw a gull in a field 
near that town, and four miles distant from the sea, which he was 
satisfied was the L. eburneus. The ivory tint of its plumage, and 
its black legs, attracted his attention, and he watched the bird for 
about twenty minutes." 
Mr. R. Chute, writing to me in Eebruary 1846, from Blenner- 
ville, near Tralee, remarked, that he had heard of an ivory gull 
being seen in that neighbourhood (probably the one just alluded 
to), and another near Dingle. In the next year he supplied the 
following more satisfactory information : — “ After the storm that 
occurred in the beginning of Eebruary 1847 there were several 
ivory gulls about here; I heard of three being seen near 
Dingle ; — one of them I saw myself. During my absence from 
home, two of them for a few days in succession alighted in my 
yard ; my servant thought they were tame birds, and did not 
frighten them. However, one was shot on the third day, and 
when I came home I found it to be an ivory gull in rather 
immature plumage : the other bird they said was pure white 
though frequently seen since, I was not able to procure it. I have 
the bird that was shot now in my collection." 
