256 LARID-E. 



were it not for the rich yellow colour of the tarsi which in 

 all seasons distinguish it. 



Almost rare in its occurrence, it is but seldom captured 

 upon our eastern shores : and on the west coast is a species 

 of great rarity during all seasons.* 



In Dublin Bay, during the severity of winter, a stray bird 

 may appear for a few days ; and, on the least clearing of the 

 weather, as suddenly take its departure. Occasionally ob- 

 served in small flocks, on two occasions they have occurred 

 to our own notice : once when the station frequented by the 

 great black-backed gull at Baldoyle was occupied by six of 

 the present species ; who, apparently careless of feeding, 

 stood with the statue -like stiffness peculiar to the larger 

 gulls. On another occasion in July, when the birds should 

 have been occupying their breeding stations, fourteen ap- 

 peared on the Wicklow coast, flying in a line similar to a 

 " string" of wild ducks ; and beautiful they appeared ; the 

 white stripe on the wing appearing most conspicuous in 

 flight, and each motion made in perfect unison with the 

 other. A curious similarity, both as regards the number 

 and appearance, was likewise observed in the summer of 1851, 

 when fourteen birds were remarked flying in a line on the 

 sea-shore at Dieppe. 



Noted by its describers as not particular in its choice of 

 food, it is curious to observe a fastidious taste existing 

 amongst birds of the same species, as in one locality the 

 same bird eats greedily of a substance which it refuses 

 in another. Thus we have remarked a delicacy of taste pe- 

 culiar to the gulls upon the Dublin coasts, in their object- 

 ing to partake of carrion, or of any stranded animal. 



On the Wicklow coast, near Killencarrick, we observed a 

 dead sheep upon the shore, which was daily flocked to by 

 ravens and hooded crows, yet not a single black-back or her- 

 ring gull ever ventured to its vicinity. 



On the coast at Malahide the officer in charge of the Mar- 

 tello Tower at Rob's Wall informed us that the gulls in his 

 neighbourhood in all cases refuse dead animal matter. In 

 one instance, where a dead horse was eaten by ravens and 

 hooded crows, no sea-gulls were observed during the time it 

 was lying. 



On the west coast Mr. Glennon has observed both the 

 black-backed gulls feeding upon carrion ; as also Mr. Thomp- 

 son in the north of Ireland ; whilst we are informed by De- 



* T. AY. Patten, Esq. 



