BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 359 



THE Herring Gull (Larus argentattis, Gmelin) is a resident 

 in the British Islands, and is also found on the Northern 

 and Western European coasts, and upon the eastern 

 portions of the Nearctic shores. The adult in summer 

 has the mantle, scapulars, and wing-coverts, light French 

 grey; secondaries, tipped with white; primaries, mostly 

 black on outer webs of the first two; inner webs, grey 

 on the half towards the base; the first with a rounded 

 triangular-shaped mark of white at the end; second and 

 third, similar, but less in size; remainder of plumage, 

 snowy white ; irides, pale yellow ; bill, bright yellow ; angle 

 of lower mandible, red ; legs and feet, flesh colour. Length, 

 from twenty-one to twenty-five inches. The female is 

 similar to the male. The young in first plumage have 

 the general colour composed of white, greyish-white, and 

 browns of various shades. 



GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 



THE Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus, Linnaeus) is 

 a resident species, which is more widely dispersed through- 

 out the British Isles in winter than during the breeding 

 season. It is also met with in most parts of Northern 

 Europe, as well as North-Eastern America. The adult in 

 summer is similar in colouration to the Lesser Black-backed 

 Gull, but its larger size and flesh-coloured feet at once 

 distinguishes from the latter species. Length, about thirty 

 inches. The female is similar in colouration to the male, 

 but is a little less in size. The young have the colours of 

 plumage composed of greyish-white, greyish-brown, and 

 buflish, similar to Larus fuscus and Larus argentatus ; but 

 the larger size is sufficient to define the species. (P. 360.) 



