LAREDO THE GULLS AND TERNS. 227 



on the 2d the air was filled with numbers of this species which 

 had arrived during the night. The Icelanders concluded from 

 the sudden appearance of the birds that shoals of codfish must 

 have arrived on the coast, and it was soon found that this con- 

 jecture was correct. And there, where but a short time before 

 an ornithological quiet had reigned, everything became enlivened 

 by the coming of these birds, which hovered over the nets with- 

 out intermission, and with incessant cries. 



During the winter these Gulls were Faber's weather-guide. If 

 they swam near the shore with their feathers puffed out, then 

 on the following day storms and snow were to be expected. In 

 fine weather the birds soared high in the air. These Gulls often 

 sat by hundreds on a piece of ice, and in this way were drifted 

 many miles. Their habits differ from those of the Glaucous Gull, 

 which moves with more energy, while the leucopterus in its flight 

 and deportment is the more graceful of the two. The latter is 

 said to hover over its prey, to be somewhat greedy, always 

 active, and never afraid to fight for its food with antagonists 

 of equal or even superior strength. 



Larus marinus Linn. 



BLACK-BACKED GULL. 



Popular synonyms. Saddle- back; Farmer Gull (Bay of Fundy). 



Larus marinus LINN. S. N. ed. 10, i, 1758, 136; ed. 12, i, 1766, 225.-NUTT. Man. ii, 1831, 308.- 

 AUD. Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 305; v, 183J, 636, pL 241; Synop. 1839, 329; B. Am. vii, 1844, 172, 

 pi. 450. LAWB. in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 844. BAIBD, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 660. 

 COUES, Key, 1872,312; Cheek List, 1873. No. 546; 2d. ed. 1882, No. 771; B. N. W. 1874,624.- 

 BIDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 663; Man. N. Am. B. 1887, 23. B. B. & R. Water B. N. 

 Am. ii, 1884, 225.- A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 47. 



Larus niger BRISS. Orn. vi, 1760, 158. 



Larus ncevius LINN. 8. N. ed. 12, i, 1766, 225. 



Larus maculatu." BODD. Tabl. P. E. 1783, 16 (nee BB^NN. 1764). 



Larus maximus LEACH, Cat. 1816, 40. 



Larus mulleri BBEHM, Yog. Deutschl. 1831, 729. 



Larus fabricii BBEHM, t. c. 730. 



HAB. Coasts of the North Atlantic ; in America, south in winter to Florida and the 

 Great Lakes. 



SP. CHAB. Size very large (about equal to L. glaucus). Adult, summer plumage: 

 Mantle dark brownish slate, the secondaries and tertials broadly (the former abruptly) 

 tipped with white; first primary black, with the end, for a distance of about 2.50 inches, 

 white ; second similar, but the white tip marked near the end by a broad black bar on one 

 or both webs; fourth quill black, tipped with white; fifth and sixth auills more slaty, tipped 

 with white, and a wide black subterminal space, preceded by an irregular white bar; 

 shorter quills lighter slate, widely tipped with white. Best of the plumage pure white. 

 "Bill gamboge- yellow, the lower mandible bright carmine toward the end; edges of eye 



