177 



Notornis from Xew Zealand, first described from an 

 imperfect fossil skull by Sir Richard Owen. After he 

 had described it a specimen was taken alive, the skin 

 of which can now be seen in the Natural History 

 Museum. 



The Gulls have also bred extremeh' well this 

 3^ear, including the Greater Black-backed Gull, the 

 young of which do not adopt the full adult plumage 

 until they are about four or five 3-ears old. The Great 

 Black-backed is the largest of the Gulls which breed 

 in the British Isles. It is a very rapacious bird and a 

 terrible enemy to any wounded animal it comes 

 across. It is distinguished from the Lesser Black- 

 backed Gull by not only its size, but by its legs being 

 pink whilst those of the latter are yellow. 



A bigger gull sometimes to be seen in this aviary 

 is the Glaucous Gull, or, as he is often called, the 

 '* Burgomaster." This is still more rapacious than the 

 former, and is very fond of robbing other gulls of 

 their prey. He is only a visitor, coming to us in the 

 winter. 



Another arctic gull which also visits us is the 

 Ivory Gull, sometimes seen in the Gardens. This 

 bird is white, while its legs and feet are jet black. 



Other gulls in this aviary are the following. 

 Jameson's Gulls, which breed very freely every year, 

 and this year young are now to be seen just behind 

 an awning which has been put up for the gulls' 

 privacy during the nesting time, although the\' never 

 seem to mind publicity in the least ; Brown- headed 

 or Laughing Gulls, the gull which all Londoners 

 must be familiar with by now, as they have come up 

 the river ever\' winter since 1S95 ; but since his winter 



