LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. HERRING GULL. 257 



gland, that in the south of Russia it is so voracious as to 

 dispute with the dogs for the offal in the neighbourhood of 

 abbatoirs.* 



SPECIES 246 THE HERRING GULL. 



Larus argentacus. Linn. 

 Mouette a manteau bleu. Temm. 



THE HERRING, or, as it is commonly denominated, the sil- 

 very gull, is common in its distribution around the shores of 

 Ireland, but in the Bay of Dublin and surrounding coasts the 

 herring gull is uncommon in its appearance, nearly a dozen 

 black-backed gulls being observable for every single herring 

 gull, a fact of very considerable interest, as a contrary pro- 

 portion exists in almost any other portion of the coast. 



Beautiful in the spotless plumage of the summer, this bird 

 has less of the peculiar heaviness of form that distinguishes the 

 preceding birds, and, differing also in its habits, it assumes 

 neither their dignity nor gravity, but socially mixes with the 

 crowd that search the shallows for food. 



Breeding in considerable numbers along the rock-bound 

 side of the east of Lambay, they occasionally present to the 

 ornithologist that grand sight, a "play" of gulls upon the 

 water. Beautiful in the extreme, we were once gratified by 

 the observance of one of these attractive spectacles, where, 

 perhaps, 300 or 400 birds were congregated feeding. 



Returning from the Rock a Bill, the boatmen, to pass the 

 time as profitably as possible, let out some mackerel lines, 

 but finding no fish, a lugger passed us, and, flinging a mackerel 

 on board for bait, directed us to row a-head ; there was a 

 a " school" of fish in " play." As we approached, from every 

 side gulls were hastening in hurried flight towards the 

 grand feeding station, where, screaming vociferously, or at 

 times sailing in the air, and using their peculiar cry, every 

 evolution that gull was capable of performing was going for- 

 ward in the most intricate medley : now circling round, and 

 with a sudden swallow -like sweep, they dipped their feet in 

 the water : 



" The sportive sea-gull dancing with the waves." 



Then, sweeping upward in the air, they would flutter a few 

 feet downwards, as if intoxicated at the scene of plenty dis- 

 played below. Almost careless of our approach, they ap- 



* Ornithologie Europeenne. 



s 



