128 COMMON GULL. 



parts lavender-grey; outer primaries have white centres, and 

 dark margins to inner webs ; other parts white, flushed with 

 pink on under parts. Bill, legs, and feet carmine. Length 16 in. 

 Female similar, but rather smaller. In winter the brown 

 head is almost entirely lost. Young : forehead white ; head 

 and nape greyish brown ; mantle, shoulders, and primaries 

 brownish. It may be four or five years before the bird attains 

 the pure plumage of the adult. Nestling, covered with buffish 

 brown down on upper parts, and yellowish brown on under 

 surface. Head, throat, and back streaked with black. 



Language. Always vociferous, and makes a variety of harsh 

 guttural cries, some sounding more or less like a laugh, others 

 somewhat reminding one of the Peewit's call. 



Habits. Sociable ; nesting in immense numbers close to 

 one another at some Gullery, often inland, and in a boggy 

 situation. In flight it rather reminds one of the Lapwing in 

 the way it dashes about when upset. It runs very well on the 

 ground, although the water is its element, where it floats or 

 paddles along as buoyantly as a cork. It has no diving powers 

 beyond plunging into the water, if it cannot reach its object in 

 any other way. In hard weather it comes inland, and may be 

 seen in meadows or ploughed fields searching for grubs, &c., 

 miles from the sea-coast. 



Food. When at the sea, fishes, Crustacea, and any kind of 

 animal matter cast up by the tide. In winter it is almost 

 omnivorous. 



Nest. April or May. One brood. 



Site. In slight hollow on boggy margin of some mere, or on 

 some islet. 



Materials. Dead grass, pieces of sedge, and other aquatic 

 vegetable matters. 



Eggs. Two to four. Very variable ; usually pale greenish or 

 olive-brown, blotched and spotted with dark brown and black, 

 and underlying greyish brown. 



COMMON GULL (Larus canus). 



Named rather unhappily, since it is not known to nest 1 south 

 of the Border, though it is frequently observed on migration on 

 our coasts, i.e., from autumn to spring. It breeds abundantly 

 in the north of Ireland, and Scotland, and the adjacent 

 islands. 



Observation. Distinguish from Kittiwake by white tips to 

 primaries. 



Plumage. Mantle French grey; first two primaries black, 

 with white patch near the end. Head, neck, tail, and under 

 parts white. Bill greenish ; yellow at the tip. Legs and feet 



