L I T T L E GULL.
I.ARVS MINUTVS.
li occasionally happens that Little Gulls in considerable numbers make their appearance off various
parts round tin- coast-line of tlie British Islands: though but few birds came under my observation, I
have seen fresh-killed examples of this elegant sneeies of all ages aud in every stage of plumage.
While on Horsey H e n " in tbe east or Norfolk on the 21st November, 1671, I noticed an immature
bird skimming over the water, and remarked that its actions (with the exception that the headlong plunge
«us omitted) appeared much to resemble those of a Tern. Flapping slowly head to wind, and dipping
down occasionally, though without touching the surface of tbe water, this small (Jull made its way along
one side or the mere; anting reached the entrance of the river, it turned, and dropping back more
rapidly towards the east end, again worked slowly over the same course. The bird ap|ieared to bo
searching for food, hut was unable to find any; possibly a deep freshwater broad was hardly- a suitable
feeding-ground for this siiecies. After watching its movements for some time, hut little difficulty was
experienced in securing it as a specimen, the confiding little stranger having repeatedly passed the boat
n ithin tbe distance of twenty yards.
The bird proved to be in the usual immature plumage, the dark bars on the wings (somewhat similar
to those on the juvenile Kittiuake) being exceedingly conspicuous while living. I noticed that the rosy
hue on the breast was far deeper than that usually di pieted in the coloured plates of even the adults ; the
tints, however, commenced to fade shortly after ihe death of the Una, aud by the time it was preserved had
entirely vanished.