189 



THE GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 



LARUS MARINUS. 



"Wings extending but little beyond tlie tail ; legs pale flesh-colour. Length 

 thirty inches ; breadth about five feet nine inches. In most other respects 

 resembling the Lesser Black-backed Gull. Eggs deep olive-green, blotched 

 and spotted with dusky brown. 



Of the two Black-backed Gulls, the Greater, or "Cobb," is by 

 far the less frequent on our coasts, and when seen generally 

 occurs in pairs. It remains with us all the year, but is 

 most frequent in the south during winter. In spring, 

 Great Black-backed Gulls for the most part withdraw to 

 cliffs and rocky islands far north, as, for instance, the 

 Orkneys and Hebrides, where they are numerous. Unlike 

 most other Gulls, birds of this species are unsociable even 

 in the breeding season. They build then- nests on the 

 most inaccessible parts of the rocks, and reserve the situa- 

 tion entirely to themselves, not even permitting birds of 

 their own species or any other intruders to settle there. 

 They are exceedingly wary, and give notice of the approach 

 of danger to other animals. Consequently, they are held 

 in dislike by the gunner, whether in pursuit of sea-birds 

 or seals. Like the rest of the Gulls, they are omnivorous, 

 but are, more than any others, addicted to carrion, in quest 

 of which they often wander inland ; hence, they are some- 

 times called Carrion Gulls. " If a floating prize presents 

 itself," says Mr. St. John, " such as the remains of a large 

 fish or dead bird, it is soon discovered by one of the large 

 Gulls, who is not, however, allowed to enjoy his prize 

 alone, for every one of his fellows within sight joins in 

 tearing it to pieces. When I have winged a Duck, and 

 it has escaped and gone out to sea, I have frequently seen 

 it attacked, and devoured almost alive, by these birds." 



Stations occur here and there on the coast of England 

 in which the Great Black-backed Gull builds. It some- 

 times resorts to a marsh at the breeding season, but 



