A Rare Gull. 
BY J. C. CAHOON. 
One of the men at the Monomoy Life Saving 
Station, informed me a short time ago that lie 
shot last winter an entirely pure white gull. 
To-day, I received a full description of this 
bird, which, without doubt, is the rare Ivory 
Gull (PagophilcB burnea). It was shot on the 
first of December, 1886, after a fresh blow from 
the northwest. It was kept a long while at the 
station, and as it was not considered rare by the 
men, nothing was done with it, and it spoiled 
and was thrown away. The description which 
the men gave me at the station was as follows: 
Color of gull, entire pure white; bill, dark; 
eyes and feet, black; in size, between a kitti- 
wake and a herring gull. This coincides with 
the description of the beautiful Ivory Gull, 
this being the only entirely pure white gull in 
the sub family Larince of North American 
birds. Coues’ Key says: Arctic seas of both hem¬ 
ispheres, coming southward in winter, but 
rarely to United States. 
It is to be much regretted that this elegant 
bird could not have been saved, as it would 
have made a valuable specimen, being in full 
plUniag O,& Q. XII. Dec. 188 7 
