LARIN^E. LARUS. 245 



twelfth broad, pale yellowish or greenish-grey, spotted and 

 blotched with blackish-brown, umber, and pale purplish-grey. 



Cobb. Farspach. 



Larus marinus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 225. Larus marinus, 

 Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. 813. Larus marinus, Temm. Man. 

 d'Ornith. ii. 760. Larus marinus, Great Black-backed Gull, 

 MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, v. 



303. LARUS FLAVIPES. YELLOW-FOOTED GULL. 



Bill two inches along the ridge, eight-twelfths high at the 

 commissure, which is moderately prominent; tarsus two 

 inches and a half long ; wings about two inches longer than 

 the tail ; tarsi and toes yellow. In winter, the bill greenish- 

 yellow, the lower mandible with an orange-red patch toward 

 the end ; the margins of the eyelids light vermilion ; the back 

 and wings blackish-grey tinged with purple, or dark slate- 

 coloured, the quills tipped with white ; the head and hind- 

 neck white, with light brown streaks ; all the other parts pure 

 white. In summer, the bill light orange, the patch on the 

 lower mandible vermilion or orpiment tinged with carmine, 

 as are the edges of the eyelids; the head and neck pure 

 white. Young with the bill dusky, the head and neck greyish - 

 white, streaked with brown ; the upper parts mottled with 

 blackish-brown, greyish-brown and white ; the lower greyish- 

 white, barred and spotted with brown. 



Male, 22, 55, 17^, 2^, 2, 1H, J, Female, 21, 54. 



This species is generally dispersed along our coasts, and 

 permanently resident, but more numerous in the northern 

 than in the southern parts* It breeds on unfrequented islands, 

 headlands, and sometimes islets in lakes. The nest is large, 

 and generally contains three eggs, usually yellowish-brown, 

 light brown, or olivaceous, with spots and patches of purplish- 

 grey and dark brown* Its flight is peculiarly elegant, more 

 easy and buoyant than that of the last species, with the wings 

 more curved. Its common cry is a clear chuckling sound, 

 like laughter, and it also emits a loud,* mellow, and plaintive 

 note. It feeds on small fishes, Crustacea, echini, mollusca, 

 and worms, but also eats stranded fishes. Unless when pur- 

 suing a shoal of fishes, individuals of this species generally 

 keep by themselves* In winter many advance southward, 

 but some remain even in the most northern parts. 



Lesser Black-backed Gull. 



Larus fuscus, Linn Syst. Nat. i. 225. Larus fuscus, Lath. 

 Ind. Ornith. ii. 815. Larus fuscus, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 

 ii. 767. ; Larus flavipes, iv. 471. Larus flavipes, Yellow- 

 footed Gull, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, v. 



