^2 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



resemblance to each other in the young of the Greater and 

 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and that of the Herring-Gull, the 

 dimensions will generally serve to distinguish the species at all 

 ages. 



Range in Great Britain. The Herring-Gull breeds in all parts 

 of Great Britain where suitable places for its nesting are 

 available. It is almost entirely a coast species and seldom 

 nests on inbnd waters or lochs. It is the most noticeable 

 of all our indigenous species of Gull, and Mr. R. J. Ussher 

 also says that it is the most widely distributed of any Gull on 

 the coasts of Ireland during the breeding season. 



Range outside the British Islands. The present species breeds 

 in Northern Europe down to the coasts of Northern France, 

 and to the westward of the White Sea. It is also found in 

 North America, breeding as far south as lat. 40 N. on the 

 Atlantic side, and on the west it is known from the Yukon 

 River to California. In winter it extends to the West Indies 

 and the Mexican coasts, while European individuals visit the 

 Mediterranean in winter, as well the Black and Caspian Seas. 



Habits. The Herring-Gull is principally a shore-feeder, and 

 its name is derived from its supposed habit of following the 

 shoals of small herring-fry, while it is often seen in some 

 numbers round the fishing-boats, where the birds pounce down 

 on any scraps or offal which may be thrown overboard. Like 

 other Gulls this species sometimes comes inland and feeds on 

 worms, grubs, and grain. It is a great robber of eggs, " and 

 when," writes Mr. Saunders, " at some noted and accessible 

 breeding-place of sea-birds, such as Lundy Island, a gun is 

 fired by a tourist-party for the childish pleasure of seeing an 

 immense number of birds on the wing, then is the opportunity 

 of the Herring-Gulls, and every unprotected egg of Guillemot or 

 Gannet is swept from the ledges in an instant ! " 



Seebohm states that the call-note of this Gull resembles 

 the syllables M-M-M, or more exactly, han-hdn-hdn ; the 

 alarm-note resembles the syllables Ky-eok, pronounced in a 

 guttural manner; and when the bird is unusually excited, its 

 note is rapidly repeated and sounds like Kdk-ak-ak I 



Nest. Mr. Robert Read says that he has generally found the 

 Herring- Gull nesting among larger colonies of the Lesser Black- 



