LITTLE GULL. BLACK-HEADED GULL. 251 



river Shannon, who presented it to the Museum of the Dub- 

 lin Natural History Society. Since that time the others have 

 come under Mr. Thompson's notice in the north of Ireland. 

 Habitat Northern Europe. 



SPECIES 241 THE BLACK-HEADED GULL. 



Larus ridibundus. Linn. 

 Mouette rieuse ou a capuchin Irun. Temm. 



Redshank Gull. Red-legged Gull. 



ABUNDANT and plentiful on our shores during autumn and 

 winter, the black-headed gull is found tenanting in equal 

 numbers the islets of the inland lakes during the season of 

 incubation. 



More familiar and unsuspicious in its habits than the ma- 

 jority of the more common Laridae, the black-headed gull 

 has many admirers. Beautiful in its nuptial dress whilst 

 frequenting the picturesque vicinity of the places chosen for 

 nidification, its vociferous calling imparts an additional inte- 

 rest to the otherwise quiet stillness of the lakes. At times 

 displaying habits of an almost semi-domesticated nature, it 

 congregates in troops, and mingles with or precedes the rooks, 

 those watchful attendants upon the exertions of the plough- 

 man, and occasionally in such vicinity to its dreaded enemy, 

 man, that the ploughman's whip might easily encircle its 

 form ; but yet allow for once the confidence it reposes to be 

 broken, and it displays that admirable power of instinct which * 

 alone preserves so many species from extinction. Thus in 

 one instance, where forty or fifty of those birds were atten- 

 dant upon the progress of the plough, the flock was fired at, 

 and three birds killed, from the cover of a hedgerow they had 

 unsuspectingly approached. After the discharge the others 

 flew to the centre of the field, and when the ploughman, from 

 whom they had experienced no cause for fear, passed close 

 by, they flew over and followed him till within gun-shot of the 

 hedgerow at each extremity of the field, when they instantly 

 wheeled back and returned to their place of security whence 

 no approach could be obtained without being observed. 



Exhibiting those habits of famarility in localities where it 

 receives no annoyance, it evinces the same qualities in ap- 

 proaching the vicinity of the city. 



Having adorned the retired solitudes of the interior dur- 

 ing summer, they take their departure on the approach of 

 winter, and occupy the sea-shore in flocks, venturing up to the 



