LARIDAE 307 



the orbits yellowish. In winter the head is streaked, and in the 

 young the plumage is mottled with brown. This species extends 

 over Xorthern Europe and most of Xorth America, ranging to the 

 south of those countries in the cold season ; its representative in 

 the Mediterranean and Central Asia is L. cachinnans, with yellow 

 feet and red orbits, and in Arctic Siberia L. vegae, chiefly differing 

 from the last-named in its pinkish legs. L. audouini of the Western 

 Mediterranean has blackish feet, and a crimson bill with black band. 

 L. canus, the Common Gull, found throughout Northern Europe and 

 Asia,and migrating to the Mediterranean, the Nile, the Persian Gulf, 

 and China, has white mirrors on the first three primaries, yellow 

 bill, and greenish-yellow feet. It has occurred in Labrador, and 

 breeds in North Britain on islands, lakes, and flat stacks, though 

 rarely, if ever, on cliff- faces ; the shrill note is more like that of the 

 Herring Gvdl than the harsh cry of our Black-backs. The smaller and 

 darker Z. hracliyrhynchus occupies North-Western America, reaching 

 California in winter ; the paler L. clelaivai^ensis, with a subterminal 

 black band on the yellowish bill, frequents lakes and marshes in 

 North America, and breeds towards the north ; L. calif orniciis, with 

 little black on the beak, inhabits western North America. 



Of the Black-backed Gulls, Z. mariiius, the Great Black-back, 

 largest of the Family except L. ghnicus, is found from Arctic Europe 

 to North-East America, migrating as far as the Mediterranean, the 

 Canaries, and Florida ; it has a grey wedge on the primaries 

 like the Herring Gull, and pinkish feet. Somewhat scarce in 

 Britain in summer and comparatively non-gregarious, it is noted 

 for its fierceness, and will even attack sheep. The smaller 

 Z. dominicanus, with olive feet, ranges from lat. 10 S. in South 

 America to South Africa and New Zealand, with the correspond- 

 ing Antarctic Seas ; Z. scliistisagus of the North Pacific being 

 intermediate between this and the next species. Z. fuscus, the 

 Lesser Black-back, found both on *our shores and inland, has 

 yellow feet ; its main range covers North Europe, excluding Ice- 

 land ; but it even breeds in Morocco and on the Eed Sea, extend- 

 ing in winter still further southwards. The similar Z. affinis of 

 North llvissia and West Siberia, with coarser feet, migrates to 

 Somaliland, India, and occasionally other districts ; the very 

 stout-billed Z. occidentcdis represents our species on the Pacific 

 coast of North America. 



Mr. Saunders's next section contains five Gulls resembling 



