596 LARID.E. 



THIS large species, equal in size to the Great Black- 

 backed Gull last described, was first made known as a 

 winter visiter to the most northern of the Shetland Isles, 

 by Lawrence Edmondston, Esq., who obtained young and 

 old birds of both the species of White-winged Gulls in- 

 cluded in this work. This Glaucous Gull was first named 

 and described by Brunnich, in his ORNITHOLOGIA BOREALIS, 

 published in 1764 ; the bird also inhabits Iceland, and is 

 included by Faber in his Ornithology of that island. 



Mr. Edmondston thus describes the habits of this Gull as 

 observed by himself. " This species is never known to 

 breed in Shetland. It arrives in that country about the 

 middle of autumn, and leaves it towards the end of spring ; 

 and this migration appears to be completely general, at 

 least I do not remember having seen one during the whole 

 summer season. In this respect it totally differs from all 

 the species of known Gull, to which, on a superficial view, 

 it might be supposed to approximate. Its favourite resorts 

 are the entrances of the more exposed bays ; or the ocean, 

 a few miles off the land, where it is often found assiduously 

 attending the fishing -boats, to pick up any offals that may 

 be thrown overboard ; and it is often taken by a line and 

 hook baited with fish, when engaged in this pursuit. It is 

 greedy and voracious to a proverb ; and, when allured by 

 carrion, which seems to be its favourite food, becomes com- 

 paratively indifferent to danger. It then quits the ocean 

 and the headlands, enters the bays, and boldly ventures 

 inland. Generally speaking it is rare ; and I have hardly 

 above once seen more than three or four individuals at one 

 time. Occasionally a single bird may be met with, attend- 

 ing a large flock of its congeners, and feeding along with 

 them. Upon these occasions its peculiarity of appearance 

 is very striking. Its usual deportment is grave and silent, 



