CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 49 



the lochs in those islands, grassy to rocky spots 

 being preferred for nesting purposes. " Eggs, 

 usually three in number, olive-brown in ground- 

 colour, spotted and streaked with blackish ; but pale 

 blue, straw-coloured, and light green varieties are 

 not uncommon" (H.S.). This species does not go 

 far out to sea, and when stormy weather approaches 

 is generally found in meadows, marsh, and culti- 

 vated lands inland ; in fact, when you see them thus 

 in large flocks inland it is a very good indication of a 

 coming storm, or certainly of rough weather. The 

 specimen in the case was obtained on a loch in the 

 Hebrides. 



" It is numerous in Norway up to the North 

 Cape, as well as in Sweden and in Northern and 

 Central Russia. During the colder months it occurs 

 on the shores, lakes, and rivers of the rest of 

 Europe down to the Mediterranean ; also on the 

 African side of the latter as far as the Suez Canal " 

 (H.S.). 



The Lesser Black-Backed Gull. 



Order, Gavics. Fa7nily, LaridiB. 



This species is much more predatory and 

 rapacious in its habit than either of the foregoing. 

 Not content with its proper marine diet, such as 

 fish, crabs, molluscs, etc, it is a great destroyer of 

 the eggs and young of moor-game, sea-birds, and 

 water-fowl ; in this respect it resembles, though in a 

 minor degree, its conoener the Great Black- Backed 



