LARID.E— THE GULLS AND TERNS. 227 



on the 2d the air was filled with numbers of this species which 

 had arrived during the night. The Icelanders concluded from 

 the sudden appearance of the birds that shoals of codfish must 

 have arrived on the coast, and it was soon found that this con- 

 jecture was correct. And there, where but a short time before 

 an ornithological quiet had reigned, everything became enlivened 

 by the coming of these birds, which hovered over the nets with- 

 out intermission, and with incessant cries. 



During the winter these Gulls were Faber's weather-guide. If 

 they swam near the shore with their feathers puffed out, then 

 on the following daj r storms and snow were to be expected. In 

 fine weather the birds soared high in the air. These Gulls often 

 sat by hundreds on a piece of ice, and in this way were drifted 

 many miles. Their habits differ from those of the Glaucous Gull, 

 which moves with more energy, while the leucopterw in its flight 

 and deportment is the more graceful of the two. The latter is 

 said to hover over its prey, to be somewhat greedy, always 

 active, and never afraid to fight for its food with antagonists 

 of equal or even superior strength. 



Larus marinus Linn. 



BLACK-BACKED GULL. 



Popular synonyms. Saddle-back; Farmer Gull (Bay of Fundy). 



Larua marinus Linn. S. N. ed. 10, i. 17">8, 136; ed. 12, i, 17.;6, 22.").— Nutt. Man. ii, 1834, 308 — 

 Aud. Orn. Biot,'. iii, is::;,, 305; v> 183', 636, pi. 241; Synop. 1839, 329; B. Am. vii, 1844. 172. 

 pi. 450.— Lawk, in Barrel's B. N*. Am. 1858, 814— Baird, Ca'. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 660 — 

 Coues, Key, 1872, :;i2; Check List, l878.No.546; 2.1. ed! 18v2, No. 771; B. N. W. 1874,621- 

 Ridgw. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 663; Man. N. Am. B. 1887. 2i— B. B. & R. Water B. N. 

 Am. ii. 1881, 2J5.— A. O. U. Cheok List, 1886, No. 47. 



Larus niger Bbiss. Orn. vi. 1760, 158. 



Larus ncevius Linn. s. N. Pd. 12, i, 1766, 225. 



Larus maculatus Bodu. Tabl. P. E 1783, 16 (nee Bkunn. 1764). 



Larus maximus Leach, Gat. 1816, 10. 



Larus mulleri Brehm, Vug. Deutschl. 1831,729. 



Larus fabricii Buehm. t. 0. 730. 



Hab Coasts of the North Atlantic; in amerloa, south in. winter to Florida and the 



Great Lakes. 



Bp. Chab. Bize very large (about equal to A. alaucus). Adu 

 Mantle <lurk brownish Blate, tin- secondaries ami tertlala broadly (the former abruptly) 

 tipped with white; Aral primary black?, with the end for a distance of about 2.60 Inches, 

 wlnic; Beoond similar, bul the white tip marked near the end by a broad black bar on one 

 01 both webs; fourth q.uill black, ripped with whit.-; fifth and Blxth quUla more .-la y. tipped 

 with white, and a wide black Bubtermtnal space, preceded by an Irregular white bar; 

 shorter Quills lighter slate, widely tipped with white. Beet of the plumage pure white. 

 "Bill gamboge-yellow, the lowor mandible bright carmine toward the end; edges of < 



