!)37 
“THE BIHDS OF MESOPOTAMIA.” 
HY 
Claud B. Tkjkiiukst, M.A., ^I.B.O.U., late Captain, ll.A.M.C. 
ASSISTED DY 
P. A. Buxton, ^I.A., M.B.O.IJ., late Captain, ll.A.M.C. 
AND 
Major II. E. Cheesman, M.B.O.U., 5th Bufik. 
Part IV. 
(^With 1 plate.') 
(^Continued from pa[ie G7 f of this Volume.) 
290. Common Gull. Larus canus. 
Larus canus canus L. (Syst. Nat., 1758, p. 136 — Sweden). 
A fairly common winter visitor, more particularly perhaps to the river from 
Sheik Saad downwards. Bu.xton did not observe it before December and it 
remained common at Amara till the end of March, when it left suddenly. 
Neumann records it from Ras-el-Ain in February. 
Six specimens examined : Sheik Saad, J , 14-i2-16 ; 9, 10-2-17 (P. Z. C. and 
R. E. C.) ; (J, Sheik Saad, 28-1-18 ; 5, 24-1-18 (Robinson) ; 9, Amara, 13-1-18, 
11-2-18 (P. A. B.) 
291. Yellow^Ieg-ged Herring Gull. Larus argentatus. 
Larus argentatus cachinnans Pall. (Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. 2, 1827, p. 
318 — S. E. Russia). 
A common winter visitor ; very numerous at Eao and not uncommon up the 
rivers, particularly at the sites of larger towns where food supply in the shape 
of offal abounds, up to and beyond Baghdad. It is recorded in every month of 
the year, so some non-breeders must spend the summer ; it is recorded from 
Basra on May 28th and in August, while by September 7tli it is common at 
Baghdad, whence it is also recorded in mid-July and June ; Meinerzhagen 
records it scouring even the desert for food. 
There is no evidence of the European Herring Gull occurring in Mesopota- 
mia. 
One skin exaraied : Amara, 27-11-17 (P. A. B.). 
292. Lesser Black'backed Gull. Larus fuscus. 
1. Larus fuscus fuscus, L. (Syst. Nat., 1758. p. 136 — Sweden). 
2. Larus fuscus tahnyrensis (^affinis a,uct.) Hut. (Mess. Orn. 1911, p. 
149 — Yenissei). 
(1) While anchored at Eao bar on November 23rd, 1917, and again on March 
16th, 1918, I saw several adults of this species. Round the ship were many 
taim.rjrensis and cachinnaiis quarrelling for scraps, and amongst them the almost 
