114 BIKDS OF ICELAND 



Faber), and voyaging round the coast three Blackbacks 

 will be seen for one Glaucous Gull. The eggs are 

 normally a little smaller than those of the Blackback, 

 but it is not safe to trust to this as a distinction, as the 

 Blackback's eggs are variable in size : the most that 

 can be said is, that Glaucous Gulls' eggs are usually 

 under 3 inches in length, Greater Blackbacks' usually 

 above 3 inches. In colour they are almost identical. 

 This is enough to show that it is desirable to take the 

 Glaucous Gull's eggs in Iceland for oneself, rather than 

 purchase such as may be offered for sale at the various 

 ports. 



The Glaucous Gull is white, with a pearl-grey mantle, 

 and no black on the flight-feathers, which are white, 

 pearl-grey at their bases ; legs and feet bright pink. 

 Length 29 to 31 inches, wing 18 to 19 inches ; females 

 the smaller. Young birds are mottled with light brown, 

 but have the white wings ; they take several years to 

 reach maturity. 



The Glaucous Gull is just as bold a robber, and fully 

 as omnivorous, as the Greater Blackback. I saw a 

 pair hustle, and drive off without difficulty, a Sea-eagle 

 in Novaia Zemlya. I was the more annoyed, because 

 the Sea-eagle's presence in that country had not been 

 made a matter of absolute certainty by means of a 

 skin; and I was lying in wait for that one, in the 

 hopes of acquiring his, when the gulls made their 

 unwelcome appearance, and turned him back. 



