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THE BIRDS OF IONA AND MULL, 267 



know of is on the shores of West Loch Tarbert, on the mainland of 

 Argyll, in Kintyre. Mut in winter, without the black head, they are 

 very numerous among the great flocks of other gulls which feed along 

 the shore, pick up the refuse of the fishing-boats, and hover over the 

 plough in search of worms. The sharp-pointed wing and absence of 

 black tip and white line down its exterior margin make it easily dis- 

 tinguishable from the other members of the tribe. 



Thk Great Black-backed Gull. 

 Norwegian, Hafs trut, or prost — the priest. 



This huge bird, the giant of the gull tribe, cannot be called a 

 common bird as gulls go, though they may be very frequently seen 

 either singly or in pairs, when their enormous size and vast stretch of 

 wing cannot fail to command attention, even from the most indifferent 

 spectator, as an imposing object in a marine landscape. 



His voice is a mighty shout, which has a startling effect on the 

 solitary seashore when all is calm, still, and silent around, when 

 uttered suddenly and unexpectedly, as the bird often does, at the 

 approach of a stranger. After challenging him with this first rude 

 salute, he goes off into an angry, discordant cackle, cackle, cackle, in a 

 remonstrative tone, as of a grumbling giant, and is one of those many 

 strange wild sounds so familiar to the frequenter of the seashore, so 

 connected with, and adding so much to, the general effect of scenes 

 which address themselves to every sense and faculty, both of body and 

 mind. I never found their nest or eggs, and they, do not seem to 

 consort with their smaller brethren, either when nesting or in their 

 ordinary pursuit of daily food. 



The Lesskr Black-backed Gull. 



Norwegian, Sill miise — herring gull. 



Though we call this the little black-back, familiarly to distinguish 

 him from the last much bigger bird, yet he really is a very fine huge 

 bird, with a powerful voice and threat sweep of wing. His plumage is 

 exactly similar to the other — that is, pure white, with black mantle 

 and wings powerfully contrasting with each other, the bill and legs 

 bright yellow, as are the irides, with scarlet eyelids. Its black-and- 



