180 THE GULLS 



like as that of the glaucous-gull, and Harvie-Brown says that when 

 flying low or against a dark cloud, the white primaries show like a 

 narrow strip of silver along the wing. When at rest, the same observer 

 states that the Icelander can be distinguished by its neater and more 

 slender appearance, standing higher on its feet, and carrying the tips 

 of its long wings at the same level as the end of the tail, while the 

 glaucous-gulls carry the tips of the wings higher, and in consequence 

 have a less trim and tidy appearance. It seems also to be more active 

 and energetic than its larger neighbour, in this respect resembling the 

 herring-gull ; and Faber says that it is not afraid to fight with equal 

 or even superior antagonists for food. 



As far as the British Isles are concerned, it is a fairly frequent, 

 but very irregular, winter visitor to the north. In the Shetlands and 

 Orkneys it occurs annually, but only in small numbers, and occasion- 

 ally ranges down the east coast of Scotland in some numbers. During 

 the great invasion of glaucous-gulls which took place in the winters 

 of 1871-72 and 1872-73, which has already been described, consider- 

 able numbers of Iceland-gulls were also seen. On January 4, 1873, 

 six adult birds were identified by Messrs. R. Gray and J. A. Harvie- 

 Brown in the Firth of Forth. After that date they occurred more 

 frequently, and on some days were even more numerous than the 

 glaucous-gulls. On the 13th, within a few seconds, Harvie-Brown 

 counted no fewer than twelve adult birds, flying low against the wind, 

 and distinctly showing the white primaries. From this time on they 

 were constantly in sight, two, three, or more at a time, all flying away 

 inland and alighting on a ploughed field on Dunmore estate, till 

 towards the afternoon not a single Iceland-gull was visible over the 

 Firth. Comparatively few birds out of this body were noticed on the 

 Tay. Along the east coast of England it is always rare, and the few 

 that are met with are generally immature. Considerable numbers, 

 however, reached the Cornish coasts in the early part of the year 1873, 

 and, after a succession of stormy days, both adult and immature birds 

 were met with on the South Devon coast in the winter of 1874-75. 



