532 Laridce. 



it soars high and flies round in circles it is a certain sign of wind 

 and rain within twenty-four hours.* 



225. KITTIWAKE (Larus tridactylus). 



This, too, is a common species on our coasts, though seldom 

 seen in winter; but considering its abundance, it is, though 

 occasionally met with on our downs in summer, by no means a 

 frequent inland visitor. Indeed, its legs are so short that it is 

 unable to run or walk with much freedom. In consequence it 

 is more thoroughly marine in its habits than others of its con- 

 geners, and derives almost all its food from the surface of the 

 sea or the seashore. Also, unlike the species last described, it 

 never breeds on the open ground, but always on the cliffs and 

 precipices which it finds overhanging the sea. However, I have 

 many instances of its occurrence in Wilts. The first was re- 

 corded by Mr. Elgar Sloper as having been picked up dead on 

 the snow in the neighbourhood of Devizes in November, 1847 ; 

 the Marlborough College Natural History Reports mention one 

 killed at Brimslade in 1881 ; Sir H. Meux tells me of another 

 shot at Fylield, near Marlborough ; Lord Heytesbury informs me 

 of a beautiful specimen picked up on his property about ten 

 years ago, and now in the possession of Mr. Henry Swayne, of 

 Heytesbury ; and Mr. Grant's list enumerates no less than sixteen 

 of this species which have come into his hands from the follow- 

 ing places : in 1863, from Lavington ; 1864, from Swindon ; 1865, 

 from Netheravon and Lavington ; 1866, from Tinhead ; 1868, 

 from Stanton ; 1869, from Charlton, Bromham, Chitterne, Wilcot, 

 Edington, Bratton, Bulkington ; 1872, from the Crammer Pond, 

 Devizes ; 1879, from Clatford, killed by Mr. Hussey ; and in 1881, 

 from Enford, killed by Mr. Sargent. It is called tridactylus, 

 and in most Continental languages the equivalent to ' three-toed/ 

 from the imperfect development, almost, I may say, the absence, 

 of a hind toe, which peculiarity at once distinguishes it from the 

 Common and other Gulls of about the same size and colour. 

 Our English word, ' Kittiwake/ is supposed to syllable the note 



' Birds of the Humber District,' p. 202. 



