GULL. NATATORES. LARUS. 487 



Larus cinerarius, Linn. Syst. 1. 224. 4 Gmel Syst. 1. 597. 



Larus albus major, Rail Syn. 129 Will. 264. 



La Petite Mouette cendre'e, Buff. Ois. 8. 430 Id. Fl. Enl. 969. 



Greater White Gull of Belon, Will. (Angl.) 348 Br. ZooL 542. No. 



252 var. A. 

 Red-legged Gull, Lath. Syn. 6. 381. 10 BewicVs Br. Birds, ed. 1826, 



p. t. 225. 



Larus erythropus, Gmel. Syst. 1. 597- ^ 



Red-legged Gull, Penn. Arct. Zool. 2. 533. V 



Brown-headed Gull, Lath. Syn. 6. 383. J 



PROVINCIAL Pewit-Gull, Blackcap Gull, Black-head, Pick-mire, 

 Sea Crow, Mire Crow, Crocker. 



Winter 

 Plumage. 



THE changes that this Gull undergoes in attaining ma- 

 turity, and those incidental to certain periods of the year, 

 have been so clearly elucidated, and the synonyms of other 

 authors who have described it so correctly collated by MON- 

 TAGU (in the Supplement to his Ornith. Diet, and the Ap- 

 pendix to the same), as to render it quite unnecessary for 

 me to enter into any discussion respecting its identity under 

 these different titles, except so far as to remark, that the 

 Sterna obscura of GMELIN and others, which he thinks ap- 

 plicable to the present species, I consider as more so to the 

 young of the Black Tern (Sterna nigra), an opinion I ob- 

 serve to be also adopted by TEMMINCK. The Black-headed 

 Gull is one of our commonest species, and during the months 

 of spring and summer leaves the sea-shore, its winter resi- 

 dence, and retires to the interior parts of the country, con- 

 gregating in large bodies, which take up their abode amidst 

 the pools and wet places of fenny districts, as well as on low 

 islands, and on the margins of lakes or artificial ponds, In 

 such situations, upon the tufts of rushes and other aquatic 

 herbage, this bird makes its nest of decayed grass and other Nest, &c. 

 similar materials, and lays three or four eggs of a pale oil- 

 green or wood-brown colour, blotched with black and grey. 

 These are hatched early in June, or sometimes (in cases of 

 a remarkably fine season) before the expiration of May. The 

 young, when first excluded, are covered with a parti-colour- 

 ed down of white, grey, and brown, and soon |become 

 fledged ; insomuch, that I have seen flocks as early as on 



