LAllID.E — THE OULLS AND TERNS — LARUS. 



251 



The Couunon Gull of Europo — more generally known in England and Scotland 

 as the Sea-mew and the Sea-mall — is of rare and accidental occurrence in North 

 Anierica. One was taken by Dr. Coues, Aug. 21, 1860, at Henley Harbor, Labrador 

 (Saixdeus, "Troe. Zool. Soc," 1878, p. 178) ; and this is the only authentic instance 

 111 its cap-ture on this continent. Its habitat is throughout the Palaearctic llegion, 

 Imt it is very rare in Iceland. 



In its general habits this Gull differs but very little from most of its congeners ; 

 and in one respect — namely, its partiality for open cidtivated fields — strikingly 

 resembles our own Lams dt'litnuwctisis. ISracgillivray states that in the fall or winter, 

 when the fields have been cleared of their produce, and are being prepared for another 

 crop, the Sea-mew deserts the coast and appears in large flocks, finding sid)sistence 

 ill picking up worms and larvte which the farmers' labors have exposed. These flocks 

 may be met with in all the agricultural districts, both near the sea and in parts quite 

 remote from it. They are more numerous in stormy weather, but also in the iinest 

 days of winter they may be seen in close attendance upon the plough. Should the 

 country becomo covered with snow, this bird retreats to the shore; but returns as 

 soon as a thaw i)artially exposes the ground. 



This bird is said to have a light, buoyant flight, during which it often inclines to 

 one side ; it Avalks and runs prettily, with short steps, patting the sands at the edge 

 (if the water with its feet, emitting a shrill, somewhat harsh cry, and often on the 

 approach of the sportsnum giving the alarm to other birds. It is not, however, so 

 sensible of danger as are the larger Gulls ; and both in the fields and on the sea- 

 sliore will often allow a person to come within gunshot. It never UKjlests any other 

 species, nor is it quarrelsome among its fellows. Its food consists of small fishes, 

 smii as sand-eels and young herring, which it picks from the Avater. It iilso feeds on 

 si lauded fish, star-fishes, mollusca, shrimp, and small Crustacea. It will sometimes 

 pick up grain in the fields, and when domesticated will eat bread. It is easily tamed, 

 Imt will not long sm-vive confinement. 



This si)ecies is nuich more abundant in Great Britain in winter than in summer, 

 wliilc it breeds more or less along the entire coast. An imnuMise colony occupies a 

 small island in the Hebrides. It breeds alike on the grassy summits of i)reci])itous 

 links near the sea, on moorland lochs at some distance inland, and even on the high- 

 est mountain ranges. It is a common resident all along the Norwegian coast, and 

 lai'i,')' niiiiilicrs breed between Stavanger and the North Cape. It also breeds in large 

 miiiiliers on the rivers and fresh-water lakes in the interior of Scandinavia. This 

 liiill is also a common species, and breeds through almost the whole of Cinitral and 

 Northern Russia; and it is iibuiulant on the Trussian coast, and on thti northern 

 coast of France. It is an irregular winter visitant of most parts of Southern Europe, 

 as well as of Asia Mimu- aiul other jiarts of Western Asia. In Eastern Asia it is 

 replaced by a larger variety, from which, however, it does not specifically differ. 



Tiie Sea-mew breeds on the sea-coast, occasionally also on inland lakes, making a 

 t'ari'fuUy constructed nest among the drift-stuff on the shore. Its usual ninnber of 

 v'^'^n is said to l)e three. The nests are composed generally of fuci, occasionally 

 of grass, bits of turf, and various vegetable substances. The eggs are described aa 

 iu'ing of a broadly ovate form, olive-lirown, yellowish brown, oil-green, greenish gray, 

 01' greenish white, irregularly marked with dark brown and puri)lish gray, these mark- 

 ings being generally larger and more numerous on eggs having the deepest ground- 

 'dloi'. The eggs vary in length from 2.08 to 2.25 inches, and have iin average breadth 



of i.r.o. 



iMr. Robert CoUett found this species breeding in Norway on fresh-water lakes, 



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