542 LARUS FUSCUS. 



young birds. When shoals of young herrings are in the 

 bays, creeks, or estuaries, it may often be seen in great num- 

 bers, intermingled with other Gulls ; but when reposing, 

 whether on the sea or on laud, it generally keeps separate in 

 small flocks. 



In winter few individuals remain in the most northern 

 parts, the greater nimil)er advancing southward. They are 

 usually not uncommon at that season in the Firths of Tay, 

 Forth, and Clyde, where very few, however, remain to breed. 

 On the other hand, they are represented as numerous at all 

 seasons on the coasts of Northimiberland, the south-eastern 

 and southern counties of England, and along the western 

 coast. It is remarkable how much the habits of a species 

 may vary. This, for example, is represented as in some dis- 

 tricts breeding chiefly in marshy plains, or on islands in 

 lakes, in others exclusively on maritime cliffs. Although I 

 have robbed many Gulls' nests, I have never been attacked, 

 or even menaced by any of the larger species. Other indivi- 

 duals, however, have experienced a different treatment. Thus, 

 Mr. Hewitson relates of the present species : — " After ihey 

 have begun to sit, they become very bold in the defence of 

 their eggs ; whilst amongst them, I was amused with one 

 near the nest of which I was sitting : it retired to a certain 

 distance to give it full force in its attack, and then made a 

 stoop at my head, coming within two or three yards of me ; 

 this it continued to do incessantly till I left it. Mr. Darling, 

 the keeper of the light-house on the island, informs me that 

 an old woman, who was in the habit of gathering their eggs, 

 had her bonnet almost torn to pieces, it being perforated 

 through by their bills." 



Mr. Thompson states that this species is resident in Ire- 

 land, where it is extensively distributed, but has never been 

 observed by him anywhere so abundant as at Lough Ncagh. 

 The coasts of Norway, the countries on the Baltic, Holland, 

 France, northern Africa, and other countries are said to be 

 inhabited by them. 



Young. — The young, according to M. Temminck, have 

 the " throat and fore part of the neck whitish, with longitu- 



