BIRDS tion, and one of the latter was picked up in a pond at Tostock 28 April, 1897. 247. Sabine's Gull. Xema sabinii (Joseph Sabine) This small fork-tailed gull, which seems like a link between the terns and gulls, is a very rare visitant from arctic America. Two were shot on Breydon in October, 1881, and a third at Lowestoft 18 October, 1901 (Zsa- logtity 1902, p. 93), all of which were young birds. 248. Little Gull. Larus minutus, Pallas. In the winter of 1869-70 there was a considerable migration of little gulls to the east coast, and it is now not very rare as an autumn and winter visitant. An exceptional occurrence was recorded in the Field of 1867 by Mr. Hele, who shot 'on May 22 a little gull in the Thorpe Mere in immature but very handsome plumage. It was in company with several little terns and tolerably easy of approach. The bird (a male) had been feed- ing upon the slender dragon-fly so common hereabouts. The flight of the little gull almost exactly resembled that of the little tern.' This specimen, with an old bird in winter dress shot in 1870, is in the Ipswich Museum. One was shot at Thorpe 26 Sep- tember, 1 87 1 (Hele). 249. Black-headed Gull. Larus ridibundus, Linn. Locally, Peck-mire, Coddy-moddy. This is the only gull which is known ever to have bred in East Anglia, and there is only one record of a ' gullery ' in Suffolk, of which Professor Newton furnished the particulars for the Birds of Norfolk (iii. 323). ' The ex- tinct Brandon gullery was on a small mere perhaps half-a-mile from the Brandon and Mildenhall road, and so close to the Wang- ford boundary that in one place the Wang- ford warren-bank may be said to have touched the water — indeed, in a wet season, I have seen the water come through on the Wang- ford side. On the 9th April, 1853, Gathercole, who had been warrener on Wangford for twenty-two years, told my brother and my- self that the " coddy-moddies " left off breed- ing there several years ago.' The bird is still common enough, especially the young in autumn. 250. Mediterranean Black - headed Gull. Larus melanocephalus, Natterer. As its name suggests this is a southern species, of which a single bird wandered to Breydon and was shot on 26 December, 1886 {Zoologisiy 1887, p. 69). 251. Common Gull. Larus canus (Linn.) Locally, Cob, Sea-cob, Sea-crow (inland). The presence of this and other gulls on the east coast at all times of the year may be accounted for by the fact that these birds do not assume full plumage for some years, and do not breed till they assume it. Hence there are birds of any age from one to four years with nothing to keep them in one place for a week at a time, and they may be seen on the coast any day. The common gull is often seen flying over inland, and the appearance of a flock is supposed to foretell stormy weather, though when they are flying to- wards the north or east the exact opposite is the case. Most gulls seen inland are of this species, which is not known to breed any- where in England or Wales. 252. Herring-Gull. Larus argentatus (J. F. Gmelin) This fine bird, of which the nearest breed- ing places are on the Yorkshire cliffs, is not uncommon as an autumn and winter visitant, especially in the sprat season. 253. Yellow-legged Herring - Gull. Larus cachinnans, Pallas. Like L. melanocephalus only one specimen of this bird has been obtained. It was shot on Breydon 4 November, 1886, but not fully identified or recorded for some years {Zoologist, 1897, p. 572). 254. Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus fuscus, Linn. Locally, Saddle-back or Black-back. Fine old birds of this species often occur in July and August on migration, and the young, which are very similar to those of the herring- gull, are common. It does not appear to remain on the east coast in winter, and is practically a summer migrant to England. 255. Great Black -backed Gull. Larus marinus, Linn. Locally, Saddle-back or Black-back. No English winter is too severe for this magnificent sea-bird, which frequents our coast all the year. In the perfect black and white plumage which it is said not to assume for four or five years it is rather rare, but young birds are common enough. 256. Glaucous Gull. Larus glaucus, O. Fabricius. This large gull is a winter visitant from the far north, and not uncommon in hard winters. In January, 1881, nearly thirty were obtained near Yarmouth, of which only III
