181 



CHAPTEE XXIII. 



The Gulls. The Skuas. 



SOME years ago a German naturalist, residing near the 

 Varanger-fjord, close to the Eussian frontier, in the 

 eastern part of Finmark, obtained specimens of almost 

 every known species of gull. The " Laridae" are not 

 only common in East and West Finmark, but also on 

 all the fjords with which Norway abounds. 



The little gull (Larus minutus). According to 

 Nilsson this species is confined to the island of Gott- 

 land, off the Swedish coast. It is occasionally seen in 

 Norway, where it is called the dverg-maage, or dwarf 

 gull. It breeds in the island of Gottland, and lays 

 three eggs, which are yellowish-brown or yellowish- 

 green in colour, marked with large and small grayish 

 and brown spots. 



The black-headed gull (L. ridibundus). This bird 

 is called in Norway lattermaagen, or the laughing 

 gull, as its cry is supposed to resemble a laugh. It is 

 by no means common here, although it has been seen 

 in summer on some of the Norwegian lakes, at a con- 



