I 9 2I.] 
Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 
181 
Breeding-places of tlie Black-headed Gull. 
Sir, —In a notice of Mr. Robert, Gurney’s paper on 
“ Breeding-stations of the Black-headed Gull in the British 
Isles/’you quote a statement made therein that “ there appear 
to be no breeding colonies in any of the central counties 
south of Yorkshire.” This is not the case, however, for a 
flourishing colony of some 20 or 30 pairs has existed for two 
years past on the moors not far from Baslow, in Derbyshire. 
I may add that Mr. Gurney’s assertion that “ the only 
[central] counties in which this Gull has formerly bred are 
Staffordshire and Shropshire” is also incorrect, as there has 
never been a colony in Shropshire. 
Yours truly, 
7 November, 1920. F. C. R. Jourdain. 
Nestling Birds. 
Sir, —A regrettable error occurs in my paper, 44 A Con¬ 
tribution to the Study of Nestling Birds,” published in the 
last number of 4 The Ibis.’ On p. 857, under my definition 
of the term 44 Mesoptile,” the Barn-Owl, instead of the 
Tawny Owl, is given as a typical example of a species 
possessing this form of plumage. The mistake arose, 
I believe, from an editorial misinterpretation of Aluco — 
a pardonable mistake in view of the recent nomenclatorial 
changes in the use of this word. The error is, however, 
very misleading and, as it largely vitiates my definition of 
Mesoptile, I would be very much obliged if members 
of the B. O. U. would kindly correct it by making the 
necessary MS. alteration in their copies of 4 The Ibis/ 
The Barn-Owls, it may be noted, are among the few 
species of Owls that possess little or no trace of this 
peculiar juvenile plumage. 
I remain, &c., 
Benenden, Collingwood Ingram. 
29 October, 1920. 
