64 BUONAPARTE'S GULL. 



In Ireland, one of these Grulls was killed on the Eiver Lagan, 

 near Belfast, on the 1st. of February, 1848, and the Hon. T. 

 L. Powys has favoured me with information of another having 

 been shot by a brother officer of his, near Skerries, north of 

 Dublin, C. W. Watkins, Esq., of Badby House, Northampton- 

 shire, who writes me word that this occurred in the winter of 

 1855-6, namely, February 14th. He shot it himself, and has 

 very obligingly forwarded the specimen for the use of this work. 



These birds congregate in large flocks, and that so closely 

 together, that Audubon mentions his son's having shot seven- 

 teen at *a single discharge, so to speak, of a double-barrelled 

 gun. They associate with the Terns. They are peculiarly 

 tame and gentle in their habits. 



They feed on shrimps and other Crustacea, and fish the 

 shad and old wife among others, beetles and other insects, and 

 portions of plants. 



The note is described as shrill and plaintive. 



Male; length, one foot three inches to one foot three inches 

 and a half; bill, shining black, the inside of the mouth bright 

 carmine red; iris, dark brown. Head on the crown and all 

 over, greyish black, in winter white, except an oblong mark 

 behind the eye on the side of the head, and a little of the 

 same colour before, below, and above the eye, and a spot on 

 the side of the head. Neck on the back and nape, greyish 

 black, in winter blackish mixed with white; chin and throat, 

 greyish black, in winter white; breast, white, with a faint 

 roseate tinge; back, pale bluish grey. Lesser wing coverts, in 

 winter bluish grey with brown markings; of the primaries, the 

 first has the outer margin black, the second black on the end 

 portion, the inner part white, the third less so in the same 

 way, and least on the outer margin. The others terminated 

 with brownish black, except at the extreme tip, 'on the third 

 the first indication of white appears in a mere line of that 

 colour; thence it becomes gradually larger in size and deeper 

 in shade to the seventh, when it assumes the pearl grey of the 

 lower portion of the same feather The black becomes more 

 and more tinged with brow from the first primary to the 

 last; the light-coloured tip, on the contrary, becomes gradually 

 of a deeper shade from the third to the last. Shafts of all the 

 primaries white, except the upper portion of the first, which 

 is dusky. Black appears on the inner web of the three longest 

 primaries, much lessening both in length and breadth from 

 the first to the third.' Underneath, the quills are white, except 



