BRITISH BIRDSc 
31 
Montagu gives a figure and description of this bird 
as a species of Gull hitherto rarely met with on the 
British shores, which he, calls the Larus minutus, or 
Little Gull, and describes it thus : — Length rather 
exceeding ten inches ; length of the bill to the fea- 
thers on the forehead, more than three quarters of 
an inch ; the upper mandible straight for half its 
length from the base, the other half considerably 
arcuated ; lower mandible straight to the angle, from 
whence it slopes to the point ; the inside of the mouth 
red orange ; the forehead and crown white ; the back 
part of the head and nape dark cinereous, with a 
hoary tinge ; behind the eyes a white streak ; the lower 
coverts of the ears black ; the whole upper part of the 
body is of a fine cinereous grey, except the lower part 
of the back, which is black, and the upper coverts of 
