THE LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL 345 



the latter birds the instant they are alarmed off 

 them. The head and neck are white ; the 

 mantle pale gray ; legs and feet pink ; tail and 

 under parts white. 



In winter the head and neck are streaked with 

 gray. 



The lesser black-backed gull may also be de- 

 scribed as a common resident. In length it 

 measures from twenty- one to twenty- three inches. 

 The head and neck are white ; mantle very dark 

 slate-colour, almost black ; legs and feet yellow ; 

 the tail and under parts white. 



In winter the head and neck are streaked with 

 dusky brown. This gull is stated to be addicted 

 to destroying the eggs of game, an accusation 

 which is, I fear, but too well founded. 



The glaucous gull is a winter visitor to the 

 British Isles. It is a large, powerful bird, 

 measuring some thirty-two inches in length. It 

 is most frequent in severe winters, and in the 

 Northern half of England and Scotland. It is 

 said to be rare in Ireland. Its plumage in summer 

 is entirely white, except the mantle, which is pale 

 gray ; the bill is yellow, the legs and feet pink. 



In winter the head and neck are streaked with 

 ash-gray. 



The visitations of the Iceland gull are confined 

 to the winter months, and principally to the Scot- 

 tish coasts, though in very heavy weather it has 

 been observed in the extreme South of England ; 

 such instances are, however, somewhat exceptional. 



