GLAUCOUS GULL. . 615 



winter visitor to the most northern of the Shetland Isles, 

 by Lawrence Edmondston, Esq., who obtained young and/ 

 old birds of both the species of White-winged Gulls in- 

 cluded in this work. This Glaucous Gull was first named 

 and described by Brunnich, in his ORNITHOLOGIA Bo- 

 REALIS, published in 1764; it is found in Greenland ; the 

 bird also inhabits Iceland, and is included by Faber in his 

 Ornithology of that island. 



Mr. Edmondston thus describes the habits of this Gull 

 as observed by himself: " This species is never known to 

 breed in Shetland. It arrives in that country about the 

 middle of autumn, and leaves it towards the end of spring; 

 and this migration appears to be completely general, at 

 least I do not remember having seen one during the whole 

 summer season. In this respect it totally differs from all 

 the species of known Gull, to which, on a superficial view, 

 it might be supposed to approximate. Its favourite resorts 

 are the entrances of the more exposed bays ; or the ocean, 

 a few miles off the land, where it is often found assiduously 

 attending the fishing-boats, to pick up any offals that may 

 be thrown overboard ; and it is often taken by a line and 

 hook baited with fish, when engaged in this pursuit. It is 

 greedy and voracious, to a proverb ; and, when allured by 

 carrion, which seems to be its favourite food, becomes com- 

 paratively indifferent to danger. It then quits the ocean 

 and the headlands, enters the bays, and boldly ventures 

 inland. Generally speaking, it is rare ; and I have hardly 

 above once seen more than three or four individuals at one 

 time. Occasionally a single bird may be met with, attend- 

 ing a large flock of its congeners, and feeding along with 

 them. Upon these occasions its peculiarity of appearance 

 is very striking. Its usual deportment is grave and silent, 

 exhibiting little of the characteristic vivacity or inquisitive- 

 ness of many of its tribe, and it is roused to exertion 



