364 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



on the bread thrown to them by passengers, often adroitl)' catching 

 the pieces in mid-air. So general is the feeding of the Gulls, that 

 all the scraps on board the steamers are carefully collected, and 

 " pain pour les Mouettes " served out to all who may apply for it. 



In its flight and movements generally this Gull is exceedingly 

 graceful, whether on land, in the water, or in the air. It will perch 

 on posts, or on a railing by the water's edge, and even on trees and 

 bushes, particularly during the breeding-season. 



Its notes or cries are varied and not unpleasing, those most often 

 heard being like the syllables " kri" and " kra," repeated several 

 times, but it also utters a cackling or chuckling note, which has 

 doubtless given rise to the bird's name of "Laughing Gull" in 

 various countries. In spring-time these Gulls become very noisy 

 and clamorous. 



LARUS MELANOCEPHALUS, Natterer. 



MEDITEEEANEAN BLACK-HEADED GULL. 



Larus melanocephalus, Natterer, Isis, 1818, p. 816 ; Malherhc, Faime 

 Orn. dc VAlij. p. 35 (1855); Koenkj, J.f. 0. 1888, p. 285; id. J.f. 0. 

 1893, p. 101 ; Saunders, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xsv, p. 180. 



GaYia melanocephala, Lochc, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 191 (1867). 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Sicily. 



Entire head, nape and throat jet-black, with a few small white feathers 

 above and below the eyes ; primaries white, with a black stripe along the 

 outer web of the outermost feather ; remainder of plumage as in L. 

 ridibundus. 



Iris brown ; orbital ring, bill and feet rich coral-red, the bill, which is 

 stouter and deeper than in L. ridibundus, with a black band near the tip. 



Total length 15 inches, wing 12, culmen 160, tarsus 1-90. 



Adult female similar to the male, but rather smaller. 



In winter the black hood is lost, and the liead and n&pe are white, 

 slightly striated with black. The robust bill of this species easily dis- 

 tinguishes it from the preceding one at all seasons. The dark hood is 

 generally assumed a little earlier than is the case in L. ridibundus, com- 

 mencing to appear about the middle of February and being completed by 

 the end of March or early in April. 



As In the case of the preceding species, young birds vary considerably in 

 plumage according to age. The principal signs of immaturity are, however. 



