ee.

 

 

RHODOSTETHIA ROSSII.
Ross’s Gull.

Larus roseus, Jard. & Selby, Ill. Orn., vol. i. pl. 14.
——— Rossii, Rich. Parry’s Second Voy., App., p. 359.
Rossia rosea, Bonap. Geog. and Comp. List of Birds of Eur. & N. Amer.;-p. 62,
Rhodostethia Rossii, Macgill. Man. of Nat. Hist. Orn., vol. ii. p. 252.
rosea, Baird, Cat. of N.-Amer. Birds in Mus. Smithsonian Inst., no. 678.

 

Tuts small and beautifully coloured Gull has a just claim toa place in the avifauna of Britain, from the
circumstance of an individual having been killed in Yorkshire—and in that of continental Europe, from
another example having been shot in Heligoland. The native home of the species is, doubtless, the high
northern regions of the Old World, Commander James Clark Ross having killed it on the coast of Melville
Peninsula, and several more having been seen as far towards the poles as our intrepid navigators have yet
penetrated, beyond which little is known respecting this the rarest species of the Larine. To these few
brief sentences I subjoin the scanty information that has been recorded, and would recommend any one who
may hereafter voyage towards the north pole to distinguish himself by observing and communicating to the
world all he can respecting its habits and economy.

Sir John Richardson says (in the ‘Fauna Boreali-Americana,’ Part ii. The Birds) :—** Two specimens
of this Gull were killed on the coast of Melville Peninsula, on Sir Edward Parry’s voyage, one of which is
preserved in the Museum of the University of Edinburgh, and the other was presented to Joseph Sabine,
Esq. No other examples are known to exist in collections ; but Commander Ross, in his Zoological Ap-
pendix to Sir Edward Parry’s Narrative of his most adventurous boat-voyage towards the pole, relates that
several were seen during their journey over the ice north of Spitzbergen, and that Lieutenant Forster also
found the species in Waygate Straits, which is probably one of its breeding-places. It is to Commander
Ross, who killed the first specimen which was obtained, that the species is dedicated, as a tribute for his
unwearied exertions in the promotion of natural history on the late Arctic Voyages, in all of which he bore a
part. Of the peculiar habits or winter retreat of the species nothing is known.” Of the two specimens
above mentioned, the one presented to the Museum of the Edinburgh University is still extant ; and I have
to record my obligations to Professor Archer and the other authorities of that Museum, for their kindness
in permitting their valuable specimen to be forwarded to London for my use in the present work ; the
whereabouts of the other, presented to Mr. Sabine, cannot, after a diligent investigation, be ascertained ; it
is Just possible that it may be the example in the Derby Museum, at Liverpool, which was also kindly sent
up for my use.

“For the knowledge of the occurrence of this very rare Gull in Yorkshire,” says Yarrell, “‘ and its conse-
quent title to be included in a history of British birds, we are indebted to Mr. Charlesworth, who, in a paper
published in the first volume of the ‘ Proceedings of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society,’ gave all that was
known respecting it. The capture is authenticated by the following memorandum, supplied by Sir William
Milner, of Nun Appleton :—‘ Ross’s Gull was killed by Horner, Pond) Hogan head _gamekeeper, in
February 1847, in a ploughed field, near the hamlet of Milford-cum-Kirby, in the parish of Kirby. Its flight
resembled, according to Horner’s account, the flight of any other Gull; and it au not seem at all shy.’
Mr. William Macgillivray includes this bird in his ‘Manual of British Birds,’ vol. ii. p. 254, published in
1842, with the remark that ‘this species has once occurred in Ireland.’ I remember to have seen, some
years ago, a notice in print that this bird had been once taken in Telage ; But, from the countries visited o1
earn iG the writer of that article, and from the circumstance that this species had only been seen in high
northern latitudes, I came to the conclusion that the printer bad made a mistake of one letter, and for
Ireland we ought to read Iceland. Add to this ae the birds of Ireland have been ee worked out ry
Mr. Thompson, of Belfast, one of the best authorities for Irish birds, and this species is a included by him
in his fauna of that country. I may also add that Ross’s Gull bas no place in Mr. Watter’s useful « Manual
of the Birds of Ireland,’ published in Dublin in 1853.”

Sir Jobn Richardson’s description “ of a specimen killed, June 1823, at Alagnak, Melville Peninsula,
694° N.,” is as follows :-—

““Corour.—Scapulars, interscapulars, and both surfaces of the wings clear pearl-grey; outer web of the

its tip, which is grey; tips of the scapulars and lesser quills whitish.
first quill blackish brown to its tip, which is grey; tips of the scapulars a ser quills whitish. Some