LARID/E. 



673 



THE HERRING-GULL. 

 Larus argentatus, J- F. Gmelin. 



THE YELLOWT.EGGED HERRING-GULL. 



Larus cachinnans, Pallas. 



The Herring-Gull is the most widely distributed member of its 

 family on the coasts of the British Islands, breeding wherever pre- 

 cipitous rocks or isolated 'stacks' afford a suitable refuge, while ii 

 is almost the only Gull that nests on the chalk-cliffs of the Channel. 

 Occasionally it resorts to low marshy ground, and colonies may be 

 found on islets in lochs in some parts of Scotland, though such 

 situations are usually left to the Black-backed and Common Gulls. 



This species occurs in Greenland, and has been obtained on Jan 

 Mayen, but not in Iceland. It is abundant on the coasts of 

 Scandinavia and the Baltic, and immense numbers nest on some of 

 the low Frisian Islands, especially on Sylt, where from 40,000- 

 50,000 eggs are taken for eating in a season. Southward it ranges 

 down the western sea-board of Europe, stretching out to the Azores. 

 In America it has been found on the coasts and inland waters, from 

 the Parry Islands (lat. 75 N.) down to about 40'^ (breeding), and in 

 winter to 20^ N. 



The nest, formed of herbage, is usually on the ledges of cliffs, 



