NATATORES. LARUS. 483 



streaked and varied with blackish-grey. The young of all 

 the species are long in acquiring maturity, being one or two 

 years in the smaller, and in the larger extending to the end 

 of the third, before the plumage is fully perfected. During 

 these periods the birds of the same year generally associate 

 together, and the immature are but occasionally seen mixed 

 with the adults. The Gulls have a very wide geographical 

 distribution (as might be expected in a typical genus), and 

 species are found in every division of the globe, and under a 

 great variety of climate, although the larger ones are mostly 

 inhabitants of the higher latitudes. Their apparent bulk 

 greatly exceeds their actual weight, from the head being 

 large, the wings long, and the body clothed with an abun- 

 dance of down and feathers. They are endued with great 

 power of flight, but more remarkably so for the length of 

 time it can be sustained with little exertion of the pinions 

 than for swiftness ; and in this state, by keeping the head 

 opposed to the current of air, they brave the severest storms 

 with impunity. When in need of repose, they alight upon 

 the surface of the ocean, where they float with much buoy- 

 ancy, or, retiring to the beach, stand quietly, till again im- 

 pelled by hunger to resume their circling flight. They are 

 birds of voracious appetite, and devour greedily all kinds of 

 animal matter ; the larger Gulls subsisting upon the dead 

 carcasses of whales, and other fish, crustaceae, &c. ; and the 

 smaller upon marine worms, insects, and any refuse of the 

 ocean, or production of the waters they frequent. Some of 

 the species are accustomed to fly inland, feeding upon earth- 

 worms, grubs, and slugs, as exemplified in the Common 

 Mew (Larus canus). They breed together in large compa- 

 nies, and in various situations, according to the habits of the 

 species ; some, as the Kittiwake (Larus rissa), selecting the 

 small ledges of perpendicular cliffs of rocks overhanging the 

 ocean ; others, as Larus fuscus and L. argentatus, choosing 

 flat and exposed rocky islands ; whilst others again, as 

 Larus ridibundus, &c. retire to the marshes and pools of the 



