612 LARIDJl. 



Devonshire. The Rev. Robert Holdsworth sent me word 

 that, from an egg of this species, taken off the Bolt Head- 

 land by some of the crew of the Vigilant, excise-cutter, and 

 kept in a blanket by day, and near the fire-place at night 

 for about ten days, a young Gull was hatched and reared 

 by the crew ; and for many years lived quite tame in the 

 possession of a smith at Dartmouth. It swam in the river 

 every day, and looked out for the fishermen returning from 

 sea, who used to throw small fish to it. Both banks of 

 the Thames towards the mouth are inhabited by this 

 species, and the bird from which the figure here inserted 

 was taken, given me by my friend Mr. Broderip, was shot 

 at Putney during the frost which occurred early in Feb- 

 ruary, 1841. It is found in Suifolk and Norfolk. Mr. 

 Selby says it is occasionally killed on the coasts of Dur- 

 ham and Northumberland ; breeds on the Bass Rock in 

 the Frith of Forth, and a few were seen on the friths of 

 Sutherlandshire. 



Mr. Hewitson mentions, " that this species breeds in 

 abundance on a few of the islands of Orkney and Shetland. 

 The birds select with care either a place surrounded by the 

 waters of some inland lake, where no boat has ever been, 

 or one that is difficult of access by climbing. Their eggs 

 are rich and excellent to eat; and they are, in conse- 

 quence, a most valuable acquisition to the owners of the 

 islands upon which they are deposited. The custom is, 

 to take the whole of the eggs as soon as laid, and the 

 second set in like manner, allowing the birds to sit the third 

 time. One gentleman, Mr. Scott, upon whose property 

 they breed, and by whom we were most hospitably re- 

 ceived, told us that he had secured sixty dozen of their 

 eggs for winter use, although the extent of the island was 

 scarcely half an acre." 



Professor Nilsson says this species is found on most of 



