302 WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



This beautiful species, called sometimes the Snow Bird, 

 from the pure whiteness of its plumage, is found in great 

 numbers on the coasts of Spitzberg, Greenland, Davis's 

 Straits and Baffin's Bay, and various parts of the northern 

 shores of the American continent. It seldom migrates far 

 from its natal regions ; is a pretty constant attendant on the 

 whale fishers, and preys on blubber, dead whales, and other 

 carrion. Dr. Richardson observed it breeding in great 

 numbers on the high broken cliffs which form the extremity 

 of Cape Parry, in latitude TO'^. It is also found on the Pa- 

 cific coast as far as Nootka Sound, and commonly wanders 

 far out to sea, seldom approaching the land but during the 

 period of incubation. Its only note consists of a loud and 

 disagreable scream. 



The length of the Ivory Gull is about 18 inches ; of the wing 

 13 ; the bill from above 1 inch 3 lines ; the tarsus about 1^ inches. 

 The mature bird is pure white. The bill wax-yellow at the base, 

 ochre-yellow towards the point. Orbits red. Irides brown. Legs 

 and feet black. Wings an inch and a half longer than the even 

 tail. 



SILVERY GULL. 



(Larus fuscus, Lin. Temm. Man. d'Orn. ii. p. 767. Bonap. Syn- 

 ops. No. 298. Herring Gull, Penn. Arct. Zool. No. 452. Le 

 Goeland a manteau gris brim, Buff. Ois. viii. p. 379. Gelh-Fus- 

 sige Meve, Meyer. Vog. Deut. 2. heft. 18. [adult.]) . 



Sp. Charact. — Mantle slate-black; quills almost wholly black, the 

 wings extending 2 inches beyond the tail ; bill short, but not 

 stout ; feet yellow ; tarsus 2^ inches. — Summer plumage, head and 

 neck pure white. Winter dress, with the head and neck streaked 

 with light-brown. Young, blackish-grey, mottled with yellowish- 

 rusty. 



The Silvery Gull inhabits the north of Europe, Iceland, 

 Greenland, Siberia, Newfoundland and Hudson's Bay; they 



