1 88 cassell's book of birds. 



group that we have selected for description are to be met with in northern climates between 60 1 -' 

 and 70 latitude, where they breed upon the various cliffs and islands. Sometimes, indeed, they 

 may be seen wandering inland, but, notwithstanding, all are sea-birds in the strictest sense. As 

 regards their movements, they walk well, wade readily in the shallow water near the shore, swim 

 lightly and buoyantly upon a rough sea, and often sleep upon the water. Their flight is slow, but by 

 no means heavy, and can be sustained for a considerable time. With long strokes of their wings they 

 sweep onwards through the air, sometimes flying in circles, sometimes mounting upwards against the 

 wind, and again descend to the surface of the sea. In these flights they appear to be quite at their ease 

 even during the wildest storms, and may frequently be seen plunging into the sea from a considerable 

 height upon any prey that they may happen to espy. In sagacity and courage the Gulls are superior to 

 their kindred, but they likewise surpass them in thieving and gluttony. They care little for the society 

 of their brethren ; nevertheless, it is a rare thing to see one of them alone. These Gulls subsist 

 principally upon fishes of various size, and regard carrion, whether fish or flesh, as very delectable food; 

 they also kill and devour small quadrupeds, and young or disabled birds. They rob the feebler 

 sea-fowl of their eggs, and search upon the beach for worms and other animals. Should the shell of 

 a crab or mussel be too hard for their beak, they at once fly with it into the air, and then, dropping 

 it from a sufficient elevation upon the rocks beneath, shatter it to pieces. 



THE GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 

 The Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus), one of the best-known members of the above 

 group, has the head, neck, under surface of the body, rump, and tail pure white ; the upper back and 

 wings are black ; the wing-quills tipped with white. In young birds the head, neck, and under side 

 are white, streaked and spotted with yellow and brown ; the rump and wing-covers are brownish grey, 

 with light edges ; the quills and tail-feathers are black, the latter marked with white. The eye is silver- 

 grey and the ring around it bright red. The beak is yellow, the under mandible being red towards its 

 apex ; the foot is light greyish yellow. The length of this species is twenty-eight inches, and breadth 

 sixty-five inches ; the wing measures nineteen, and the tail seven inches and a half. The Black-backed 

 Gull frequents the shores of Europe, and, according to Audubon, is met with in North America. In 

 Ireland it is a resident species, and is found dispersed in abundance along the English and Scotch 

 coasts. It breeds in Caermarthenshire on sandy flats, in the British Channel on sandy islands or steep 

 holms, and in the marshes near the mouth of the Thames. Dr. Edmondson says, "This species 

 breeds on the flat grassy tops of a few inaccessible holms, or small islands — as the far-famed 

 Cradleholm, of Ness — in considerable numbers, never in cliffs, and excludes every other bird from 

 such localities. A pair or two — we may suppose the melancholy remnant of a more numerous race — 

 may now and then be met with on lower and more accessible, but still flat situations." It usually 

 produces three young, which, independently of their size, may be easily distinguished from other 

 species by the more distinct speckling with black of their grey plumage. Like all the larger Gulls, 

 it is fond of carrion. In winter these birds feed much on starfish, a meagre and frugal diet, it must 

 be admitted ; but the abundance of herrings, in summer, amply compensates for the abstinence of 

 winter. When flocks of Shags are enjoying their gluttonous siesta on the rocks, a Black-backed Gull 

 is very often perched near them, and on such occasions he acts as their sentinel by giving the alarm 

 with his hoarse voice, or taking flight when an enemy endeavours to approach within shot. His 

 deportment is dull and solitary. 



During our travels in Norway and Lapland, we found the Black-backed Gull common enough, 

 but it was only at Portsangfjord, towards the northern parts of the country, that we first met with their 

 breeding-places. Upon an island in that vicinity we observed several hundred pairs, in company with 



