A Sea-Gull shot at Ottawa. 15^ 



In England this is one of the species captured in thousands, in the 

 fens, by means of decoys. It is spread all over Europe and North 

 America, and it is said to exist even in India, and like most of the prolific 

 and widely extended species, subject to great variations of form aod. 

 plumage in domestication. 



The specific name is Greek, [Boschas,) a wild duck.. 



AKTICLE XSYII.— On a Sea-Gull shot at Ottawa.. 



Larus argentatus, (Brunnich,) Herring or Silvery Gull. 



On the 15th of April inst., Mr. W. H. Baldwin, of the Albion Hotel,. 

 shot a fine gull near this city, which appears to us to be the common species. 

 described by Ornithologists under the name of Larus argentatus, the Her- 

 ring or Silvery Gull. The bird had one of the wings broken by the shot^ 

 but it appears to be otherwise uninjured, Mr. Baldwin has amputated tho 

 broken wing^ and his patient seems to feel very little inconvenience by tho 

 loss. It is a very beautiful bird, with pure snow-white plumage, except the 

 upper part of the wings and back, Y»rhich are greyish blue. It is exceedingly 

 tame, suffering itself to be handled and caressed without exhibiting any 

 alarm, and feeding lipon the small fish and bread provided for it with as. 

 much nonchalance as if it were feasting in freedom on its native waters. It 

 will eat almost anything given, to it, but prefers the small fresh fish. It 

 exhibits no disposition to escape, and is not confined otherwise than being 

 shut up in an out-house, where it vuvfi about at will, and when, turned out in 

 the yard endeavours to return to the building. These facts seem to prove 

 that this gull can be easily domesticated after the first terror arising from, 

 the contact with man has been passed through. 



The Gulls are web-footed, but their legs are longer than those of the 

 Ducks, and nearer the centre of the body, so that these birds are good walkers, 

 approaching in this respect the appearance of waders. Some of this family,, 

 Kuch as the Petrels, " seem even to employ their feet in their own element 

 as if on laud, walking as it were upon the surface of the waters." They are 

 also characterised by the strength and expausiveness of their wings, with the 

 aid of which they traverse immeasurable tracts of the ocean in search of food,, 

 and support their flight at great distances from tho land, seldom having 

 jrecourse to their powers of swimming.. They are a numerous tribe, and 

 spread over the whole world of waters in every clime.. They are omnivorous,, 

 many are of large size, and all are voracious devourers of fish, and of every 

 marine animal, whether dead or alive, which is cast upon the shore. Tho 

 Herring or Silveiy Gull is common about our great lakes and rivers, most 

 nmnerous in the spring and autumn, but although apparently always upon, 

 the wing and flying about for hours in the same place, does liot usually ap- 

 proach within gmishot, and specimens are therefore not often procured. We- 

 give below the technical description of the species from Audubou'a Synopsis., 

 Mr. Baldwin's speciimeu differs somewhat, and still we think it the same.— 



