LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. 485 



Although the Iceland Gull is by no means a common bird on 

 our Scottish coasts, it has been frequently met with on both the 

 eastern and western shores. From Shetland to Berwickshire im- 

 mature birds are seen or killed almost every winter, and the same 

 may be said of its appearance from the coast of Skye to the south 

 of Ayrshire. The late Mr Thomson mentions in his * Birds of 

 Ireland ' that he had procured two specimens from Ballantrae on 

 the borders of Wigtownshire, where they are seen every winter, 

 and that his friend Mr Sinclair had also seen six or eight of these 

 birds in the island of Arran. The species, indeed, appears to be 

 a regular visitor to the Clyde and the shores of Ayrshire, as I have 

 observed it for years in succession near Girvan. The keeper on 

 Ailsa Craig has seen three or four at a time frequenting that rock; 

 they were of indolent habits, in the day time especially, but late 

 in the afternoon they set out seawards, returning to their quarters 

 unseen after dusk. This was at a time before all the other sea- 

 fowl had congregated; consequently ^he keeper was attracted to 

 them as strangers, and as having no black tips to their wings. 

 Frequently at the gloaming I have seen what I have believed to be 

 a pair of these birds hovering over the water of Girvan about a 

 mile from the sea, and dipping their bills into the river as if 

 picking up small fry. 



Mr Elwes informs me that the Iceland Gull is a rare winter 

 visitor in Islay, but I have not heard of its occurrence at any time 

 on the outer islands. 



THE LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. 



LARUS FUSCU8. 

 Faolig-bhig. 



IN inland situations particularly, this beautiful sea-gull is, next to 

 the black-headed gull, the best known species. During the autumn 

 months it betakes itself at nightfall, especially in broken weather, 

 to grass parks at some distance from the coast, remaining in 

 companies numbering sometimes as many as a hundred birds till 

 daybreak, when they wing their flight back to the sea shore. About 

 the same season of the year it follows the course of large rivers, and 

 travels twenty or even thirty miles inland in small flocks, picking 



