575 



LARUS CANUS. THE GREEN-BILLED GULL, 



COMMON GULL. SEA MAW, MEW, or MALL. 



Larus canus. Linn. Syst. Nat. I. 224. Adult. 



Larus canus. Lath. Ind. Omith. 11. 815. Adult. 



Common Gull. Mont. Ornith. Diet, and Supplt. 



Mouette a pieds bleus. Larus canus. Tcmm. Man. d' Ornith. II, 771. 



Common Gull. Larus canus. Selb. Illustr. II. 490. 



Larus canus. Common Gull. Jen. Brit. Vert. Anim. 275. 



Larus canus. Bonap. Comp. List, 63. 



Bill an inch and a half along the ridge, ivhich is gently 

 dccurved toivard the end; five-twelfths high at the angle, 

 which is little 'prominent ; tarsus two inches long; icings sur- 

 passing the tail by two inches. Adult in ivinter ivith the hill 

 greyish-green, shaded into ochre-yellow at the end; margins 

 of eyelids hroivn; feet deep greenish-grey ; hack and wings 

 light hluish-grey, the quills largely tipped tvith ivhite, the outer 

 five in part hlack, tivo of them ivith a large ivhite spot toward 

 the end; the head and hind-neck ivhite, with hroivnish-grey 

 streaks and spots ; all the other parts pure white. In summer, 

 the hill greenish-yellow ; margins of eyelids vermilion; the 

 head and neck pure white; the other > parts as in winter. 

 Young with the hill hrownish-hlack, flesh-coloured at the hase; 

 edges of eyelids dusky; feet purplish-flesh-colour ; head and 

 neck greyish-white, streaked with greyish-hroivn ; loioer parts 

 white, spotted with brown; upper parts variegated with 

 greyish-brown and brownish-white, the feathers being mar- 

 gined with the latter; the quills brownish-black; the tail 

 white, with a broad band of black at the end. 



Male in Winter. — This very common, lively, and beau- 

 tiful species, although much inferior in size to Larus argen- 

 tatus, is nearly allied to it in form and colouring. It is 



