ICELAND GULL. 579 



again the opportunity of observing them. In this year, 

 1821, they remained on the southern coast till the middle 

 of May, when they entirely left it to proceed northward to 

 their breeding-places. This Gull was my weather guide 

 in winter. If it swam near the shore, and there, as if 

 anxious, moved along with its feathers puffed out, then I 

 knew that on the following day storms and snow were to 

 be expected. In fine weather it soared high in the air. 

 They often sit by hundreds on a piece of ice, and in that 

 way are drifted many miles. Its manners differ from 

 those of the Glaucous Gull, which has the habits of the 

 Great Black-backed Gull, and moves with more energy. 

 The nature of the White-winged Gull more resembles that 

 of the Herring Gull ; its deportment and flight are more 

 graceful ; it hovers over its prey, is somewhat greedy, 

 always active, and is not afraid to fight with equal, or 

 superior antagonists for its food. My manuscript was 

 finished before I knew that this Gull had been men- 

 tioned by any author. Accidentally I had lent to me 

 Sabine's Memoir of the Birds of Greenland, and found 

 therein, under the incorrect name of Larus argentatus, 

 mention of a Gull which bore a great resemblance to 

 my Larus leucopterus. Perhaps this bird when it leaves 

 this island in May goes to Hudson's Bay in order to 

 breed. 



Besides three or more examples of this bird obtained 

 in Shetland by Lawrence Edmonston Esq., to whom we 

 are indebted for the first notice of this species as a 

 winter visiter to Britain, Professor Macgillivray has 

 noticed one specimen taken in Orkney, and now in the 

 Edinburgh Museum. This species has also been taken 

 twice in Ireland ; and Mr. Wm. Thompson has recorded 

 in the Magazine of Natural History, vol. xi, p. 18, a notice 



p p 2 



