'Ross's Gull was first made known to Western science in 1823 when two specimens were shot in Greenland. The event took place during the course of William Parry's (1790-1855) second voyage in search of the Northwest Passage, part of Britain's imperial project of exploration. The two birds were shot by James Clark Ross (1800-1862) and one of his companions.' (103)

'James Clark Ross lived for almost forty years after his discovery of the species. He was the archetypical Polar hero,the first to reach the North Magnetic Pole (he also tried for the South); through his lifetime "Ross's Gull" existed as a kind of personal possession of this famous celebrity and society figure. From the time of its first description, Ross's Gull has had a particularly strong association with its discoverer, whose exploits feature in many accounts of the bird and its history.' (104)