348 



yrpij : h'l/^ mid ffetdark hhxxl-rcd : liUI and ei/elatih li/nod-rfd : iris pi'arl-n'/iite, Ti>(nl /pu;/f/i in Ihr 

 f^i'sli l-'i ;'/ iiiches, wiiiij 10',', tail 5, biil I'S:'), tarsus 10. 



Adult fbmalk, in breeding plumage. — Similar in jilimtinje tu the malr, but laryer. ITi/iy 1 1 Ja 

 inclii'S. 



Distnhiitioii. — North-western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, 

 \'ictoria. South Australia, Western Australia, Islands of Bass Strait, Tasmania. 



'O species of sea-bird is more familiar to the inhabitants of the coastal districts all around 

 Australia and Tasmania than the well-known littoral and estuary-inhabiting Silver or 

 Crimson-billed Gull. Nut only may it be observed on our harbours and coastal risers, hut 



it may be seen at times 

 hundreds of miles inland, 

 although for the purpose 

 of breeding it usually re- 

 sorts sometimes to the 

 headlands of the coast, but 

 far more frequently to the 

 contiguous islands. To 

 residents of sea-side or 

 harbour suburbs it is more 

 or less in exidence every 

 day. Who has not been 



^g attracted by its delicately- 



J^- ---- -iS'-^^-ljt«Se.=*'^' - coloured plumage and bril- 



ZJir^i;^,^^ liant bill, legs and feet as 

 it flies past, or in an angry, 

 .sii-vKR r.uLL, screaming mob they settle 



on the water and squabble 

 and li^^ht amongst themselves for the possession of some co\eted morsel thrown overboard from 

 a vessel. Again, in the winter months, what a feature in the landscape is a number of these 

 birds, closely packed together on some sandy point of a densely bush-co\ered land-locked bay, 

 with the images of those on the outer sides distinctly mirrored in the silver-like (juiet waters, 

 and when disturbed take wing, the dark green wooded background throwing them into strong 

 relief as they fly away. Yet again, in boisterous weather, one sees many of them deserting the 

 waters of the harbour and rivers in favour of some grass-lields miles away. Favourite resorts 

 at one time of these birds near Sydney, in tempestuous weather, and where hundreds of them 

 could easily be seen from a passing train, were Johnstone's paddocks, between Annandale and 

 Stanmore, now, however, a thing of the past, for where there once were green paddocks is now 

 densely covered with houses. In Port Jackson it may be seen throughout the year, both in and 

 out of the breeding season, right up to the streets of Sydney. On the ist August, 1895, I saw 

 large flocks of these birds on the sandy shores of Botany Bay, and at La Perouse, totalling 

 several thousand birds. It was then perfectly calm weather, although there had been gales the 

 week before. I have noted it also on the Brisbane River and Breakfast Creek, Brisbane, and 

 also on the Yarra River, at Melbourne. Although it occurs at Port .-Adelaide, I did not see it in 

 the Torrens River at Adelaide, but doubtless it is found there, more especially during rough 

 weather. 



In X'ictoria, in my early collecting days, I found it nesting on Sandy Point, the only spot I 

 knew of it breeding on Western Port Bay, and on the mainland, although it was nesting freely 

 enough at Cape Wollomai, on the ocean side of Phillip Island; also on French Island in 

 Western Port Bay. 



