HERRING GULL. 129 



greenish yellow. Length 18 in. Female similar, but slightly 

 smaller. In winter the plumage is almost exactly like the 

 Black-headed Gull in winter dress. Young: like other Gulls 

 the sign of immaturity is the prevalence of brownish mottling, 

 the primaries and broad band on the tail being dark brown ; 

 the under side of the wings is brown mottled. Nestling : 

 covered with grey down, streaked and spotted with black and 

 brown ; under parts greyish yellow. 



Language. A harsh cry, much like the Black-headed Gull's. 



Habits. In autumn and winter gregarious. It nests either 

 near the sea or on some inland waters. It has an easy, grace- 

 ful flight, but not nearly so dashing as the Tern's. It swims 

 well, but cannot dive beyond merely plunging itself into the 

 water from some height. Like the Black-headed Gull, it 

 forages in the fields for food in winter. 



food. Like the Black-headed Gull. 



Nest. April or May. One brood. 



Site. Not often on cliffs; usually on low-lying islets in the 

 sea or inland lakes. 



Materials. Dry grass, seaweed, turf, heather, and other 

 vegetable debris. 



Eggs. Two or three. Olive-brown, spotted and blotched 

 with deep blackish brown and purplish grey. Variable. 



HERRING GULL (Larus argentatus). 



Resident. Well-distributed and common round all our coast- 

 lines, and breeding in many localities, notably on Lundy 

 Island, on the coasts of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, at Flam- 

 borough, on south and south-western coast-lines, and Channel 

 Islands. For a nesting site it selects precipitous rocks. 



Observation. In general appearance like a larger Common 

 Gull. 



Plumage. Head, neck, upper back, under parts, upper tail- 

 coverts, and tail white. Back, scapulars, and wing-coverts 

 lavender-grey; scapulars and secondaries tipped with white; 

 outer primaries black, with white tips. Bill yellow. Legs and 

 feet flesh-colour. Length 24 in. Female, similar. In winter, 

 head and neck streaked with grey. Young : upper parts 

 streaked and mottled with brown ; under parts first brown, 

 then mottled with greyish brown. Nestling: covered with 

 greyish buff down, mottled with black on head, upper parts, 

 and chest ; lighter on under parts. 



Language. A noisy kind of yelping; also a cry reminding 

 one of a derisive laugh. 



Habits. Gregarious in the breeding season. Flight powerful 



