C\ 



KITTIWAKE. 



RISSA TRIDACTYLA {Linn.). 



Larus ti-idactylus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 224 (1766) ; Naum. x. 



p. 322 ; Heivitson, ii. p. 493. 

 Rissa tridactyla, Macg. v. p. 515 ; Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 650; 



Dresser, viii. p. 447. 



Mouette tridactijle, French ; Dreizehige Move, German ; 

 Gaviota, Spanish. 



This very graceful little Gull is one of the most 

 common of its family upon the coasts of the British 

 Islands throughout the year, but it breeds exclusively 

 on rocks, and on our low-lying shores is principally 

 known as an autumnal or winter visitor. A large 

 number frequent the coast of Devon between Torbay 

 and Plymouth during July and August, but I could 

 never hear of more than one nest in that district ; this I 

 discovered on a rock off Berry Head in June 1870 ; it 

 contained three young birds nearly ready to fly. I was 

 constantly yachting about this part of the coast in the 

 latter part of July and beginning of August in the years 

 1880, 1881, 1882, and 1883, and none of the local 

 fishermen and boatmen would believe that I was not 

 mistaken about this isolated nest, and maintained that 



