510 THE GULLS. 



The Black-headed Gull (Skratt-Mfise, or Laughing-Gull, 

 Sw. ; L. ridibundus, Linn.), which winters in southern 

 Europe and northern Africa, is only found, we are told, in 

 the south of Sweden. And this would appear to be the case, 

 as it was never seen by M. von Wright, or ourselves, in the 

 neighbouring Skargard. During the summer months its 

 resorts are, for the most part, the waters of the interior ; but 

 in autumn and spring, on the contrary, the sea-coast. It is 

 common in Denmark. Its usual cry resembles a laugh ; 

 hence its Swedish appellation of Skratt-Mdse, and its 

 German of Lach-Mowe. Migrates. 



The Kittiwake Gull (Tre-tdig Mase, or Three- toed Gull, 

 Sw. ; L. tridactylus, Lath.) was only seen with us, or in the 

 neighbouring Skargard, during autumn, winter and spring, 

 and that not every year. Its resorts in the summer time are 

 the more northern coasts of Scandinavia. M. Malm describes 

 it as abundant both winter and summer on the shores of the 

 Icy Sea. It is pretty common in Denmark, especially in the 

 Sound, during the winter. 



Three or four years ago, a number of these birds, at the 

 setting in of the winter, made their appearance in Gothen- 

 burg, where they disported themselves in the canals that 

 intersect that town in all directions. Boys and others used, 

 for amusement, to cast small herrings, &c., to them ; and it 

 was not until the greater part were killed, that the remainder 

 betook themselves elsewhere. 



In Scania, when the winter is mild, and the fresh-water 

 lakes remain open, these birds, Nilsson tells us, resort to the 

 interior of the country. A few years ago an old female kitti- 

 wake was one morning found alive in the kitchen of a house 

 in the town of Lund ; during the preceding night she had 



