244 LARIN^E. LARUS. 



the antarctic ice. They are vagrant, voracious birds, which 

 feed essentially upon fish, living or dead, but also on crusta- 

 cea, radiata, worms, insects, and carcasses of all kinds. It is 

 chiefly along the shores that they search for food, but they 

 are often seen far out at sea, and in stormy weather far in- 

 land. They generally breed in flocks, form a large nest, 

 and lay two or three large oval eggs, greyish or brownish, 

 spotted and blotched with brown and grey. The young, 

 covered with close particoloured down, soon leave the nest, 

 and conceal themselves in crevices or behind stones. The 

 plumage is at first mottled with brown or dusky. In the 

 adult the predominant tints are pure white, pale greyish- 

 blue, or deep slate-purple. 



302. LARUS MARINUS. GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 



Bill two inches and two-thirds along the ridge, which is 

 much decurved toward the end, one inch high at the angle, 

 which is prominent ; tarsus three inches long ; wings slightly 

 surpassing the tail. In winter, the bill light-yellow, the lower 

 mandible with an orange-red patch toward the end ; margins 

 of eyelids red ; feet flesh-coloured ; back and wings greyish- 

 black tinged with purple, or dark slate-coloured, quills largely 

 tipped with white; head and hind-neck white, with light- 

 brown streaks ; all the other parts pure white. In summer 

 the bill pure yellow, the patch on the lower mandible bright 

 carmine, as are the edges of the eyelids ; the head and neck 

 pure white. Young with the bill brownish-black, the head 

 and neck greyish-white, streaked with brown ; the upper parts 

 mottled with brownish-black, greyish-brown, and white ; the 

 lower greyish-white, barred and spotted with brown. 



Male, 29, 64, 19, 2 T V, 2^, 2 T \, T <v, Female, 27, GO. 



This species is generally dispersed along our coasts, as well 

 as those of the continent and of North America. It is vigi- 

 lant, shy, and suspicious; has a strong, sedate flight; often 

 soars and sails like the Eagles ; swims with ease, and floats 

 most buoyantly. It emits various cries, some loud and clear, 

 others like the sounds of laughter. It feeds on almost every 

 sort of animal matter, and is very voracious. On the coasts 

 of England it has few breeding places, but on the islets of 

 the north and west of Scotland, great numbers annually settle. 

 The nest is generally made in a cavity in the turf, or in a 

 crevice, and is composed of various dry plants ; the eggs, 

 ITOO or three, are three inches long, two inches and a 



