Lesser Black-backed Gull. 535 



first of which. I have any record was shot many years since in 

 the middle of Salisbury Plain near Tilshead, as I was informed 

 by Mr. George Elgar Sloper. Again the Kev. G. Powell wrote 

 me word in December, 1875, that he had seen a specimen about 

 three months previously, which was said to have been killed in 

 Wilts; and Mr. Grant tells me of nine specimens which have 

 come into his hands for preservation; one killed at Bromham, 

 August 29th, 1865 ; one taken at Wexcombe, near Marlborough, 

 August 30th, 1872; one from Biddestone, near Chippenham, 

 August 12th, 1874; another from Brimslade, and another from 

 Cheverell at about the same date ; in 1876, one from Tilshead 

 and one from Eowde; in 1877, one from Nonsuch ; and in 1879, 

 one from Avebury. It is well called fuscus, as the dark colour 

 of the upper plumage distinguishes it at once from its congeners 

 of the same size : its bright yellow legs also are no less charac- 

 teristic of the species. In France it is known as Ooeland a pieds 

 jaunes ; and in Germany as Gelbfussige Meve ; but in Sweden 

 this species is Sill-Mdse, or the ' Herring Gull.' As Harting well 

 observes : ' Gulls appear to be longer in arriving at maturity of 

 plumage than perhaps any other class of birds. Many species 

 of birds attain the adult plumage after the first moult; but most, 

 if not all of the Gulls, pass three years in a state of gradual 

 transition before they display the colours of their parents.'* 



228. HERRING GULL (Larus argentatus). 

 This is the commonest of all the species of Gulls on the 

 southern and western shores of England, and with the Black- 

 backed and some other species frequents the newly- ploughed 

 land for grubs: and Montagu says it will trample the ground 

 upon the same spot, turning about in all directions to make the 

 worms emerge ; and Selby attributes to it a like movement on 

 the sand, in order to bring to the surface the shrimps and worms 

 from beneath. It is a sad pilferer of its neighbour's goods, and 

 is sometimes called the ' Egg-Gull,' from its habit of devouring 

 the eggs of other sea birds. Its note is a wild cry or hoarse 

 ' Birds of Middlesex,' p. 261. 



