GLAUCOUS GULL. ICELAND GULL. 259 



much injured for a cabinet specimen. A bird in immature 

 plumage, shot in the winter of 1849, at the North Wall, Dub- 

 lin Bay, is preserved in the collection of Mr. Robert J. Mont- 

 gomery. 



Habitat Northern Europe. 



SPECIES 248 THE ICELAND GULL. 



Larus Icelandicus. Edmonstone. 

 Mouette leucoptere. Temm. 



THIS GULL, more rare than the glaucous, has only been ob- 

 tained in some very few instances. 



Resembling that bird in the distribution of its colour, it is 

 at once distinguished by its smaller size, both birds forming 

 a type similar to the black-backed gulls in their size and 

 heavy appearance of form, and differing in the colour of the 

 mantle, we might designate them as the great and lesser 

 blue-backed gulls. 



An inhabitant of remote Arctic regions, and in haunts 

 where it is but rarely intruded upon by man, the specimens 

 obtained in Ireland at once displayed their want of caution 

 and familiarity in venturing closely into his presence. One, 

 purchased by Mr. Thompson, was shot on the river Lagan, 

 close to the town of Belfast, and was so tame, though in the 

 full possession of its faculties, as to be within the reach of 

 stones thrown by idle boys, and kept its ground, unless when 

 struck by them, and even then it flew but a few yards and 

 again alighted. A casual passer-by, perceiving that the bird 

 would be an easy prey, went for a gun and shot it.* 



Habitat Northern Europe. 



SPECIES 249. THE COMMON GULL. 



Larus canus. Linn. 

 Mouette a pieds bleu. Temm. 



THIS common species, the most abundant of the true Laridae, 

 is as widely distributed as the black-headed gull, but occurs 

 in more limited numbers. Observed at all seasons in the 

 Bay of Dublin, it is wary of approach, and seldom ever ven- 

 tures up the river unless forced by the severity of the wea- 

 ther. 



Occasionally at such times we may observe amongst the 

 gulls on the Liffey, between Carlisle and Essex Bridge, a few 



* Thompson. 



s2 



