LARIDiE — THE GULLS A^^D TERNS — LARUS. 251 



The Common Gull of Europe — more generally known in England and Scotland 

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

 America. One was taken by Dr. Coues, Aug, 21, 1860, at Henley HarVwr, Labrador 

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

 of its capture on this continent. Its habitat is throughout the Palaearctic Region, 

 but 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 cultivated fields — strikingly 

 resembles our own Larus delawarensis. Macgillivray 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 subsistence 

 in picking up worms and larvae 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 finest 

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

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

 soon as a thaw partially exposes the ground. 



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

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

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

 approach of the sportsman 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- 

 shore will often allow a person to come within gunshot. It never molests any other 

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

 su.ch as sand-eels and young herring, which it picks from the water. It also feeds on 

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

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

 but will not long survive confinement. 



This species is much more abundant in Great Britain in winter than in summer, 

 while it breeds more or less along the entire coast. An immense colony occupies a 

 small island in the Hebrides. It breeds alike on the grassy summits of precipitous 

 rocks 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 

 large numbers breed between Stavanger and the North Cape. It also breeds in large 

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

 Gull is also a common species, and breeds through almost the whole of Central and 

 Northern Riissia ; and it is abundant on the Prussian coast, and on the northern 

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

 as well as of Asia INIinor and other parts of Western Asia. In Eastern Asia it is 

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



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

 carefully constructed nest among the drift-stuff on the shore. Its usual number of 

 eggs is said to be three. The nests are composed generally of fuci, occasionally 

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

 being of a broadly ovate form, olive-brown, yellowish brown, oil-green, greenish gray, 

 or greenish white, irregularly marked with dark brown and purplish gray, these mark- 

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

 color. The eggs vary in length from 2.08 to 2.25 inches, and have an average breadth 

 of 1.50. 



Mr. Robert Collett found this species breeding in Norway on fresh-water lakes, 



