RISSA TRIDACTYLA 377 



Iris hazel ; liill greenish-yellow ; feet dark brown ; hind-toe almost 

 obsolete. 



Total length 15 inches, wing 11-30, culmen 1-25, tarsus 1-25. 



Adult female similar to the male. 



Young birds have a blackish band on the hind neck, the lesser wing- 

 coverts blackish, and the tail tipped with black. 



The Kittiwake is a winter visitor to the shores of Timisia, but 

 occurs very irregularly, and is, as a rule, not common in the Eegency. 

 Occasionally, however, it may be met with in certain abundance, and 

 this appears to be the case on the North-west African coast generally, 

 as also in some other parts of the Mediterranean. It occurs irregu- 

 larly on the Algerian coast, and is sometimes very abundant on the 

 coasts of Marocco. In the Bay of Gibraltar, according to Colonel 

 Irby, it is to be seen at times in great abundance during the winter, 

 but at other times hardly any are to be found, the presence or absence 

 of the birds depending on the state of the weather. In Sicily, during 

 the past ten years, I have only once known this species what might 

 be called plentiful. 



The habitat of this Gull is in the Arctic and Sub-arctic regions 

 of both the Old and New Worlds, but it nests in Europe as far 

 south as the north-west coast of France. In winter it migrates to 

 the Caspian and Mediterranean Seas, and as far south as the Canaries, 

 and West African coast. Across the Atlantic it migrates southwards 

 to the Bermudas and Lower California. 



Tlie present species is essentially a bird of the ocean or deep sea, 

 frequenting rocky localities and high cliffs during the breeding season, 

 and the open sea in winter. It is seldom found inland, and only 

 when driven there by stress of weather. Its flight, though light and 

 buoyant, is powerful and capable of being siistained for a considerable 

 length of time, as shown by the fact of its accompanying vessels out 

 at sea for immense distances without resting. It swims and dives 

 with ease. It feeds principally on small fish, but will also eat refuse 

 food which it may find floating on the surface of the water. In 

 certain localities where this bird is found in vast communities its 

 flesh is highly esteemed as an article of food, and numbers are shot 

 for the table. 



In captivity this Gull is very tame and confiding, but I never 

 succeeded in keeping one alive for long. The name " Kittiwake " is 

 derived from the bird's note or cry. 



