I.AKIIV 



LATIID.C. 



9tanis% eKAjrtftrnWps*. ZfliUa *9*5nwrriin 

 ten*. fmtmmHU, />/, and T 

 ranged by M. L*MM between the 

 which form his las* family. 



fallowing 



Tb. family U 

 J^nVaaaisfar and the Anatida, 



merate. the 



Mr. Kyton, in hi. 'Catalogue of British Dink,' enumerat 

 lowing (entra and ib I*** a* conatituting the family of 

 ** : Genoa, Pitailmi*, Linn. : .ubgenera, P*fn<u, 



Ray ; 



/UMOTM, Stephen* ; Hhiiliti, loach. Gvnu. Lniru, Temm. ; 

 MM* Lunu, Una.: eoD-feoera, AM., Leach; Larmi, Stephen*: 

 CV.it* *<, Eyton; ZMM, Lead; Sltrma, Linn.; and ^mxu, 



Mr. Swaineon, who rtttn to Mr. Vigor*'* arrangement above 

 noticed, ajath of the JUrirfg a conetifaiting a mneh more numerous 

 (oailv than either of the three Cktfmbtda, Aleida (Attada), or /V/i- 

 itnttt (PtlicmtHf) previously adverted to by him. The rtructure 

 of the Land* too be consider, to be more perfect in a general eenae, 

 although inferior in that particular eonetroction which constitutes the 

 psrfsjrUoa of the ordr, namely, the power of swimming: and diving. 

 The wiaga, b* remark*, are very long; and the feet, although webbed, 

 i the*, bird* to walk about with perfect eaee on the ihore in 

 I at food ; the hind toe ii very email, eometunei wanting ; but 



th* lag* are nearly as long as in aome of the Wading Birds, of which 

 he eoneider* them to be the representative*. The bill he notice, a* 

 being slender, much eoninTHMd, and a* gradually but not abruptly 

 bant After referring to their gregarious and omnivorous habiU, 

 their tolerable facility of swimming, their inability to dive, and their 

 great power of flight, Mr. Swainson notices th* genera in the following 

 order, and exniimm hi* view, in th* following terms : 



- The Terns, or Sea-Swallows (Sterna), constitute the fianroetnl type ; 

 they hav* remarkably long wings and slender bills; the tail i* forked ; 

 and the plumage generally i. a of a delicate pearl-white, with more or 

 lea. black upon the head : the specie* are numerous, and occur in 



uaphene, Tb* extraordinary genus /UjmcAoj*, or Skimmer, 

 yonisjinc much of th* general habit, of the terns, i* 



y disthiguT*beH by th. singular form of its bill, the upper 

 mandible of which i* considerably shorter than the under, and appear* 

 a* if one-third of the length had ban broken off: three specie, have 

 been oWribed, to which w* add a fourth : they skim over the surface 

 of th* ocean with gnat iwiftn***, and scoop up small marine insect* 

 and other animals. The True or Typical Gull* (Lana) are a numerous 

 race, diapsned in every dime, and so closely resembling each other 

 in plumage, that many of the specie* are even now but imperfectly 

 understood ; they bear a cloee rneffmhl.no* in general appearance to 

 the terns, but the bill is stronger, and th* upper mandible much mon 

 MHisJ toward* the end : many are of large size ; and all an vora- 

 ciotM d*ioui*i of fish, and of every marine animal, dead or alive, 

 which is cart upon th* ahon; they particularly abound in northern 

 Uttodeo, but seem to rang* over the whole world of waters. The 

 Parasitic Gull* iLatrv) an th* raptorial representative, and an almost 

 nminail to cold regions ; they an known by their stronger conforma- 

 tion, their oUfcrent shaped bUl, and th* rough scales upon their feet ; 

 the** biros, like th* frigate cormorant*, denv* their chief supply ol 

 food by robbing their mon feeble congeners ; they pursue the largest 

 gulls, and make them diagorg* or relinquish their hard-earned gam*. 

 The black-toad and th* arctic gull* belong to thi* group, and both an 

 inio*inj*lly *M*J on th* northern ebon* of Britain. Tb* genus 

 /*** (ftoawAa) include, th* well-known and gigantic albatroMM, 

 UM most powerful and bulky of the whole family ; they an oceanic 

 bird*, living almost oonstanUy out at sea, but an mon particularly 

 abundant in th* Pacific Ocean : w* hav* no example, in Britain, or 

 indeed In Europe : th* extent of thair outspread wings i* enormous, 

 yet their tight, exoept in stormy w*ath*r, i. by no mean, lofty ; like 

 all th* rapacious birds of th* ocean, they an most voracious, and their 

 flash I* rank and repulsive. The genu* Jfaladroma comprise* such 

 of th* albatroMM a* have the bill mon neenibling that of the petrels, 

 while they agree with the former in being destitute of a hind toe; 

 but only one or two specie* bav* a* y*t been clearly ascertained. Th* 

 TnMlMRb(/VK*Os^) hav* UM lower mandibl. truncated; we hav* 

 a naliv. exampl* of this genus in th* Fulmar (P. gUcMit), but nearly 

 sJIUM re* inU^t the urtarctk region.; they an continually out at 

 sea, even in UM moat violent storm* ; Cuvier mention* that their 

 French name of Petit PUrn is derived from their babite of walking 

 on th. water by the help of thair wing* The Shear-Water P*tnl an.! 

 MM others have been atparated under the very objectionable name 

 of Pwfbau, from th* different immtiuution of their nostrils and of 

 th* lower mandible : there is on* species, th* English Puffin (P. 

 Amain wm. Tern.), which appears to be confined to th* northern coasts 

 of Scotland. The gmnu. /Waana-rMM, Vig., differ, from the other 

 Is, by having the Ian longer and th* bill somewhat shorter : it is 



the leg* l 

 email bi 



poaid of thoa* email bird* well known to aailor* by th* vulgar 

 of Mother Cary'* CUokeM. W* may her* abo mention th* 

 tilM, a* being that form which, of all tbi. family, 

 approach to th* A ai,il<r. with which w* oomnMOOMJ 

 the bill retain* th* general form of th* petrel*, but th* 

 booaetderabty dilated, anl tt* mnar margin, an found to b. 

 with teeth-Uke lamm*. The rnoet aberrant type of the 



appear, to be th. ;,nu. /* of P.ykull, along-U n *d bird 

 analoffon* to the flamingo*: thi. w* hav* never yet Men, but Tern- 



minck and other, oonaider it ha* an affinity with the tern*. The 

 circle of the Larida, no leM than that of the natatorial order, ha* 

 now bean traced, and w* can only regret that our limited *paoe prevent* 

 u from laving before the reader aome of the very many analogies by 

 which thi* arrangement i* confirmed." 



In the 'Synopai.' at th* and of the *ame volume, Mr. Swainson 

 make* th* Quit* a nib-family under th* name of Larida, with thU 

 definition: "Feet lengthened, formed both for walking and iwim- 

 ming ; " the *ub-family comtuU of the following genera and nub- 

 genera : Sterna (Tern*), including Sterna, Linn.; fkalatntet, Sw. ; 

 J'kaeton, Linn. ; JtAfndiopt, Linn. ; and Oaria, Briawm ; Larut, Linn. 

 (Cull.); Lutru, ia (Jager); Diomedta, Linn. (PetreU), including 

 PronUarM, Diomtdta. Linn. (Albatro*.) ; Halculroma, III ; Tkalaui- 

 dnma, Vig. ; Padtyptilo, III. ; and Drama*, 1'aykuli 



Having given a general aketch of the view, of author* respecting 

 Una extensive family, we .hall here confine ounelve. to the OulU 

 only, including in that term the genera Xema, of Leach ; Lariu, of 

 Linmcus; and 7x*'ri'*, of Temmiuck. 



Xema (Leach). Bill abort, dander, .traight, laterally compressed, 

 it* tip bent down ; the lower mandible somewhat angulated beneath ; 

 nostrils very .lender, linear; leg* (lender; tibita naked on the lower 

 part ; tail forked. (Gould.) Length about 14 inches. 



A', rittibuniltu (Lartu ridibundm, Linn.). Summer plumage. 

 Bill naked, akin round the eye, leg* and feet, lively-red ; head and 

 thread deep-brown, between chocolate-colour and black ; shoulder* 

 and back gray ; outer edge* of the quill, (with the exception of that 

 of the first, which U black) white, extremitie* of all but the first 

 black, slightly tipped with white; rump, tail, and uuder surface, 

 white. 



Winter plumage like summer plumage, saving the head, which U 

 gradually changed from the deep colour above-mentioned to pure 

 white, by a proceas which Mr. Yarrell has proved to be different from 

 moulting. (' Trans. ZooL Soc.,' voL L p. 13.) 



Young of the Year. Colour of bill and tarsi more obscure ; top of 

 the head and ear-covert* mottled with brown, which is also the colour 

 of the back and shoulders, each feather having a lighter margin ; tail 

 broadly edged with black. (Gould.) 



Xrma 



ult In rammer plumafv, and vonn*; of thr year). Gould. 



This bird i. the Mouette Rieuse ou Ik Capuchon Brun of the 

 French ; Oabbiano cinericio col Roetro e colli Piedi rpssi, Gaimone, 

 and Corvo Bianco, of the Italian* ; Laughing null, Pewit, or Blackcap, 

 Sea-Crow, and Mire-Crow, of the Kngli.li ; Vr Wilou Benddu of the 

 ft I. 



The old bird* in their complete winter plumage are, Larut ciat- 

 ran' a*, Omel. ; L. proeaUonu, Bech.t ; La Petite Mouette Cendruc, 

 Brie*. ; Die alte Lachmeve iin Winter Kleide, Leislcr, &c. ; Klcive Zee- 

 meeuw, Sepp. ; Oabbiano Cenerino, and Gabbiano Moretta, 'Stor degl. 

 Uoa. ; ' and Rod-Lagged Gull of Latham. 



In the .ummer or nuptial plumage the bird i. Larut ridibundtu, 

 Lion., Omel. ; Mouette Kieuae a Pattes Rouges, Brin*. ; La Mouette 

 RiettM, Buff. ; Schwankupfige Meve, Ilochst, Ac ; Rruiukop Meeuw, 

 Sepp. ; Gabbiano Moretta, ' Stor. degl. Ucc. ; ' and Black-Headed Gull 

 of Latham. 



The young of the year are Sterna obitura, Brown Tern, and Brown 

 Gull of Latham. 



The young in their moult and in winter are, Lartu erylkropui, 

 GmeL ; La Petite Mouette (Jrise, Briu. ; /xirw canactiu, Bechit. ; 

 Red-Lagged Gull , Penn. ' Aret ZooL ; ' Brown-Headed Gull and Red- 

 L*n*d Gull variety, Latham. (Temm.) 



The food of thi* *pecie* consist* principally of insects, worm*, 

 spawn, and fry, and small fishes. In habit* it resembles generally 

 the other (lulls, but it walk* better. The nest, contrary to the nidifi- 

 cation of the other Gulls, which generally form their nest* on the 

 ledges of rocks near the sea, U placed, a* U the case with other Xema, 



