ORDER PALMIPEDES. 5^3 



Yellow-nosed Albatros. D. Chlororhynchos. Lath. 

 V. pi. 94. Col. 468. 



Bill, black ; base and upper edge, yellow ; body above, 

 blue-black ; beneath and rump, white. 



Sooty Albatros. D. Fuliginosa, Col. 469. 



Sooty-brown, with white before the eyes, and a black 

 bill. 



The Gulls. Larus,* L. 



Have the bill compressed, elongated, pointed, with 

 the upper mandible bent towards the end, and the 

 lower forming underneath a salient angle. Their 

 nostrils, placed towards the middle, are long, narrow, 

 and bored through ; their tail is full ; their legs 

 rather long ; and the thumb, short. They are dull 

 and voracious birds, w^hich abound on the sea-shore, 

 and live on all sorts of fish, carcasses, &c. They build 

 in the sand, or in clefts of rocks, and lay but few 

 eggs. When they advance far inland, it is a sign of 

 bad weather. Several species are found on our 

 coasts, and as their plumage varies much with age, 

 they have been still more multiplied. Generally, 

 when young they are spotted with grey. Buffon 

 calls 



* The Greek name of these birds. Gavia in Latin, whence Gabian in 

 Proven9al. In French they are named JUauves, or Mouettes, from their 

 German name, Mceve. Goeland, used first by Feuill^e, is a corruption 

 from their English name. Gull. 



