76 NEW ZF.ALANI) BIRDS. 



L., 25-5 ; W., 17 ; li., 2-25 ; T., 28. 



E(/(/. — Pale browiiifili-grccn, sptfcd, cliiefly at llie obtuse end, witli large, indistinct, 

 pale ])urple and brown blotches ; lengtii, 3 ; breadth, 2'1 (Lajard). 



J/rtb — South Island ; both lienjisplicres outside the tropics. Two instances are men- 

 tioned of ils occurrence in the Pvortli l^land. Breeds in Dusky Sound. 



110. Lostris parasiticus. Temm. 



Skua Gull. 



Back and wiug-covcrts, brownish-cinereous; top of the head, brown, varied with white; 

 neck and breast, white ; abdomen, dusky; quills and tail, black ; two middle tail-feathers 

 lengtliened. 



L., 15 5 ; W., 11-2 ; B , 1-8 ; T., 1G5. 



Sab.— Cape of Q-ood Hope ; colder parts of Northern Hemisphere. 



Four specimens have been recorded at various times, and in diflerent states of plumage, 

 on the New Zealand coast. (See Ti'ans. N.Z. Inst., Vol. XI., pp. 355-359.) 



Laeus. Z. 



Bill arched at the tip, nostrils near the middle ; tarsi, nearlj as long as the middle toe. 

 All parts of the world, except Polynesia. 



111. Larus dominicanus. Lic?it. 



Black-backed Gull. Kaeobo. 

 (Plate XXXII.) 

 White, with black back and wings, secondaries tipped with white. 

 Young. — Brown, mottled with white ; over the tail, white, banded with brown. 

 L., 25 ; W., IG 5 ; B , 2-25 ; T., 2-25. 



JEi;,);. — Yellowish-grey, marked with grey and dark-brown blotches; length, 285; 

 breadth, 1-85. 



Bah. — The whole Southei-n Hemisphere. 



" This fine Gull, which ranges over the whole Southern Hemi- 

 sphere, is extremely plentiful on all our coasts, preferring, however, 

 the smooth sea-beaches and the sandy spits at the mouths of our tidal 

 rivers. In these localities it is ahvays to be met with, either singly 

 or associated in large flocks, and mixing freely with the smaller 

 species of Gulls, Terns, Oyster-catchers, and other shore-birds. It 

 frequents the harbours, and hovers around the vessels Avith much 

 clamour, waiting to pick up any morsel that may chance to be thrown 

 overboard. It follows in the wake of the departing steamer as it 

 quits the still waters for the stormy offing, and often accompanies it 

 far out to sea, eagerly watching for stray bits of food as they float 

 astern, and disputing their possession with the Albatros and Cape- 

 Pigeon, on whose domain it has thus far trespassed. During very 

 stormy weather it often travels some miles inland, and at the breed- 

 ing-season it occasionally penetrates far up the river-courses in search 

 of a secure nesting-place. It also frequents the pastures at a distance 

 from the coast in quest of food, doing good service to the farmer by 

 its large consumption of caterpillars and other insect pests. On the 

 sea-shore it subsists chiefly on a species of bivalve, and displays much 

 ingenuity in breaking the hard .shell to get at the contents i seizing 



