LARID.E. 251 



being covered with tempting morsels of liver. A 

 long line is then attached to it, when it is thrown 

 into the sea and suffered to float away with the 

 tide to a considerable distance. Many gulls of' 

 different species are thus taken every year. 



The glaucous gull is as large as the great 

 black-backed gull. When adult it is nearly white, 

 but the dorsal plumage is tinged with French gray. 

 Young birds may be distinguished from those 

 of the latter species by the shafts of the wing- 

 feathers being always of a light colour.* 



COMMON SKUA, Lestris catarractes. A rare 

 wanderer from the North. Has occurred on dif- 

 ferent parts of the coast, generally reduced to 

 a state of starvation. A few years since, in the 

 month of November, a baker's boy captured a 

 great skua on the beach at Kemp Town, which 

 was in the act of devouring a dead cat, and was 

 with difficulty separated from its savoury meal. 

 This specimen was preserved by Mr. Swaysland. 

 About the same time another was killed at Wor- 

 thing. A severe storm had prevailed for some 

 days previously. An individual of this species 

 has also been shot at Hove, while feeding on car- 

 rion; and another was picked up dead off the 



* I have lately (February, 1850) seen an adult specimen 

 of the glaucous gull, said to have been shot about four 

 years ago near Worthing. 



