THE GULLS. 51 1 



fallen down the chimney, on the top of which she had 

 probably perched to rest herself. 



The Common Gull (Fisk-Mdse, or Fishing-Gull, Sw. ; 

 L. canus, Linn.) was very abundant in the Gotha and the 

 Wenern, as also in the neighbouring Skargard ; and many 

 remained with us, winter as well as summer. It is the most 

 numerous of the gull tribe, and found throughout the 

 length and breadth of Scandinavia, as well on the coast as 

 in the interior. Nilsson says that, to his no small astonish- 

 ment, he met with it in numbers in lakes and tarns high 

 amongst the Norwegian fjalls ; in those, indeed, that are 

 situated in the region of perpetual snow, and about the 

 strands of which, though then the end of July, there was still 

 much ice and snow. It is also common in Denmark. 



The Ivory GuU (Hvit-Mase, or White Gull, Sw. ; L. 

 eburneus, Gmel.). This bird, whose proper home is the 

 high north Greenland, Spitzbergen, and other Arctic coun- 

 tries would appear to be only a winter visitant to Scandi- 

 navia, and there to confine itself chiefly to the more northern 

 shores of Norway. According to M. Malm, it breeds 

 nowhere in Eastern Finmark, where it is only seen at the 

 setting in of the winter, when migrating. Once in a time, 

 Kjserbolling tells us, it is met with in the coasts of Denmark. 

 Its eggs are unknown to Northern naturalists. 



Holboll says the ivory gull is the most stupid of birds, 

 and that by means of a piece of blubber, or what not, tied to 

 the end of a string, the Esquimaux lure it so close to them 

 as to secure it with their hands. One of these men told 

 him, indeed, that the lolling out of the tongue, and wagging 

 it about, was quite sufficient to bring the bird within reach 

 of his weapon ! 



