LARUS DOMINICANUS. 15 



together in oue meadow. On the same day, 1 found a single egg in a 

 nest which I had robbed December 3. I did not succeed in finding the 

 young, but heard of a pair being seen on December 26. 



I cannot say how far the habits of ^'■Lestris catarrhactes,-^ the northern 

 representative of this bird, agree with what has been related of Buphagns. 

 The latter certainly seems to me a remarkable instance of modification 

 of habit, and even of form, resulting from the peculiar circumstances 

 in which it is placed. As among marsupials, where that type prevails, 

 we find representatives of almost every tribe of mammals, so here there 

 is a sea-bird occupying the i^lace of a tribe as far removed from it struc- 

 turally as the Tasmauian devil is from the fox. I should think it even 

 probable that the introduction of a few pairs of hawks, could they accom- 

 modate themselves to the conditions of the island, would relegate this 

 skua very shortly to its proper place as a fish-feeder, and to the habits 

 of its northern congeners. 



A very interesting incident, although not directly related to its nat- 

 ural history, occurred in connection with one of these birds on Decem- 

 ber 17. On that day I scored one on the back of the head with a> 

 revolver-bullet so as to open the brain-cavitj-. It turned back-summer- 

 saults for twenty minutes without cessation, until I killed it, in fact. 

 ]^o matter what position it was put in, it immediately stretched out its 

 legs and wings, and pushed itself over backward. Placed in the water, 

 it endeavored to execute the same manoeuvre, and was near working 

 itself out of reach from the shore. The specimen was injected with car- 

 bolic acid and preserved. The corresponding effect, that resulting from 

 a wound of the cerebrum only, was at another time illustrated in a 

 gull (see Larvs), and both incidents recalled strikingly Dr. Weir Mitch- 

 ell's interesting experiments, performed some ten years ago upon pig- 

 eons. 



LARDS DOMINICANUS, ViciU. 



Southern Black-Backed Gull. 



Larus dominkanHS, " Vieillot". — Lichtensteiv, Verz. Doiibl. Mas. Berol. No. 846. 



Rlasius, J. f. O. 1865 (pub. 1866), p. 378. 

 Larus azanr, " Lesson, ex Azara 409 ". 

 Dominicamis azarce, Bovaparte, Consp. Av. ii, 1856, p. 214. 

 Dominicanus vociferm, Bkuch, J. f. O. 1853, p. 100 ; 1855, p. 281. 

 I)omin>,eanus pelagicus, Bkuch, J. f. O. 1853, p. 100, pi. 2, f. 3; 1855, p. 280. 



Boxaparte, Consp. Av. ii, 1856, p. 214. 

 Larus vetula, " Baillon ". 

 Dominicar.us vetula, Bruch, J. f. O. 1853, p. 100, pi. 2, f. 4 ; 1855, p. 281. 



Bonaparte, Consp. Av. ii, 1856, p. 214. 

 Domuncanus fritzei, Brucu, J. f. O. 1855, p. 280 (L.fuscus, Fritze). 



Bonaparte, Consp. Av. ii, 1856, p. 214. 



