GABIANIS. 353 



Adult male, in brcpiling plunias^f. — MaiUlf, IjucIc, rutnji and n-ingn broiuuifli-hlnck, irith an 

 ashy s/iai/f, 7<j/iich is inori' proaouiicfd na th'' inaiifl'', ihi' iuiii'r priiitaru'S innn/imcl 7vit/i irliite around 

 till' tip, the necutidarii's ivit.li largpr wltUn lips ; upper tail-co certs ivliilf. ; tail-feathers ivhite, crossed 

 with a snb-ti'rminal liaud of brow nish-black, more or less hruh'ii, on the outeriaost feathers on either 

 side, rediicrd in some specimens to a iiarroin blackish-brown streak next the shaft of the inner iveh, 

 and in others entirely absent ; head, entire iceck, all the under surface and under wing and under 

 tail-Coverts pure ivhite ; bill yellow, apical portion red from front of nostril to slightly behind angle 

 on lower mandible : legs and feet yellon\ nails hromiish-black : eyelid orange ; iris ivhite. Total 

 leng'li in the jlesh ,.'>! inches, wing 17, tail 7 J, bill ..■'■;?, tarsus 3. 



Adult fkjialk, in l)roeding plumage. — Similar in plumage to the male. 



Distvihution. — Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, 

 Islands of Bass Strait, Tasmania. 



Al^HIi Pacific Gull may be readily distinguished from any other species of Australasian sea 

 -L bird by its deep and narrow lance-headed bill, llie under side of the under mandible 

 having a gentle curve from the base to a point in a straight line below the nostril and then in 

 an angle returns upwards in a more abrupt and straighter line to the tip. There is a great 

 difference between the adult and young stages of plumage. 



This species frequents the seas chielly of Southern Australia, the large Islands of Bass Strait, 

 and Tasmania. Like the Silver Gull, it haunts the bays and estuaries of rivers, generally 

 singly or in pairs, not in flocks, but is rarely seen far inland. In New South Wales, Messrs. 

 J. D. Cox and A. G. Hamilton record in the "Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South 

 Wales," ■ that this species appeared on the rivers and dams at Beaudesert, in the Mudgee district, 

 about December of 1885 and again in 1886. Mudgee is about one hundred and fifty miles due 

 west of Port Stephens. Mr. R. Grant also on one occasion obtained specimens at Lithgow in the 

 Blue Mountains. It is more of an oceanic species, like the Petrels and Albatrosses, than the 

 true shore-frequenting Gull, although it breeds on the islands of Bass Strait, and the headlands 

 of Tasmania. I was rather surprised, during a trip to Lord Howe Island, to see this powerful 

 bird on the wing, sailing at one time close to the surface of the waves, again, at no great distance 

 from the bridge of the steamer, or following in its wake. The last one seen was when the log- 

 line recorded that we had travelled two hundred and twenty miles, and that in a north-easterly 

 direction from Sydney. On the coastal steamers these birds will often follow the vessels for 

 miles on the chance of food being thrown overboard, but during the passage towards Lord Howe 

 Island, they kept more abreast of the steamer than followed it for the chance of obtaining food. 

 We were travelling comparatively slowly owing to contrary currents. 



The food of this species consists of fish and marme animals, including Crustacea, and eggs 

 of other sea birds. It is a notorious egg plunderer, like its smaller ally the Silver Gull, and the 

 different species of Skuas. It also readily eats meat and fatty substances thrown overboard 

 from passing vessels, and is a true scavenger of the sea. 



PVom Melbourne, \'ictoria, Mr. G. \. Keartland writes: — "The Pacific Gull (Gabianu\ 

 pacijiiusj although common in every phase of plumage all round the coast of Victoria and on 

 the islands in Bass Strait, the mature birds are very wary and keep well out of the range of the 

 shot gun, but their curiosity often leads them into trouble. We had been trying for some time 

 to get a shot at one when an old fisherman walked up the beach facing the wind and then threw 

 a red handkerchief on the beach. As it rolled along towards us the gull flew near to examine 

 it and so furnished me with an opportunity, and a specimen. They are very fond of eggs, and 

 in addition to eating those of the Silver Gull, destroy those of Ccn-opsis the Cape Barren Goose, 

 on the islands in the Straits. The young of the Pacific Gull are brown." 



• Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, 2nd ser.. Vol. V., . 422 (1S99). 

 89 



