852 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Gull-fishing. A baited hook attached to a line is thrown out and 

 allowed to dfift. Soon the birds catch sight of the tempting morsel, 

 one after another snapping at it, till at length the hook catches in a 

 horny, red bill, and, with protesting screams and fluttering pinions, 

 the bird is drawn ashore, bagged, and sold in the market for cightecn- 

 pence. Thenceforth it is destined to eat snails in some gentleman's 

 garden, instead of hawking for fish over the sea, or for worms in oozy 

 sand-flats. Very tractable pets the birds become. Many years I kept 

 one, which rejoiced in the name of " Gullie." 



657. — Gabianus pacificus, Latham. — (596) 

 PACIFIC GULL. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Austrnlia, fol., vol. vii., pi. iq. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxv., p. 297. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of Australia (1848) , 

 also Handbook, vol. ii., p. -586 (186^) ; Legge : Proc. Roy. Soc, 

 Tasmania, p. 132 (188S) ; North : Austn. Mus. Cat., p. 351, pi. 

 20, fig. 1 (iS8c)); Campbell: Victorian Naturalist, p. 183 

 (1894); Le Souef : Ibis, p. 421 (iSqO- 



Gcogriipliiral Di^trihufioii. — Seas of Queensland, New South Wales, 

 Victoria, South and West AustraUa, and Tasmania. 



Jfest. — Open, somewhat deep, warmly constructed of grass (roots 

 and all) and flowering stalks of plants or a thick ply of dead pig-face weed 

 (Mesemhrianthemum), sheltered by rocks, tussock grass, saltbush, &c. 

 Usually situated on islets. Dimensions over all, 10 to 11 inches; inside 

 depth, 3 to 4 inches. 



Eg(js. — Clutch, two to three ; oval in shape ; texture of shell coarse ; 

 siu-face slightly glossy ; coloiu-, light olive-brown, moderately l)ut boldly 

 blotched with rich umber and dull grey. Dimensions in inches of 

 l)roper clutches: A (1) 3-08 x 2-09, (2) 3-05 x 2-03, (3) 2-96 x 2-0 ; 

 B (1) 2-98 X 2-03, (2) 2-97 x 2-0, (3) 2-95 x 2-01. (Plate 25.) 



Ohservations. — This groat Gull frequents the sea shores of Australia 

 (except, perhaps, the northern coast) and Tasmania. 



The maturely grown Pacific Gull is always attractive, whether seen 

 circling hawklike on high, or gracefully posed on a pinnacle of jagged 

 rock. In adults there is no difference of plumage in the sexes, both 

 being snowy-white, with the upper surface of the wings and back black, 

 bills yellowish, blood-coloured at the tip, and eyes most beautiful pearly- 

 white. Total length, about 25 inches; wing, 161 inches; tail, 61 

 inches; bill, 21 inches. 



The young are not so handsome for the first three vears, remaining 

 in a dull brownish dross of mottled appearance. Tliis I had an oppor- 

 tunity of verifying. During the visit of Mr. Alexander Borthwick, 



