34-0 laeidjE. 



head broccoli-brown above ; from base of bill, downwards, in 

 front, becoming gradually darker, or from broccoli-brown to 

 blackish. The black is between a mask and a hood in form. 

 In this individual, therefore, we have in the height of the breed- 

 ing season the colours of the two supposed species. 



So many closely-allied birds were confounded together when 

 Temminck described the L. cajnstratiis, that it would have been 

 a very fair museum species for any distinguished ornithologist to 

 notice. In addition to numbers of specimens in various states of 

 plumage, it often requires a great amount of observation out of 

 doors, to decide a point of this kind. 



THE KITTIWAKE. 



Lams tridactylus, Linn. 

 „ rissa, Brunn. 



Is a regular summer visitant to the coast in great num- 

 bers ; — some are met with during winter. 



The same is said of the species in Great Britain.* This gull is 

 gregarious in the breeding season, frequenting every side of the 

 island, and building in " mural precipices," wliich are its favourite 

 haunts. Dr. J. D. Marshall informed us in 1834, that — "This 

 is by far the most common species of gull in Rathlin. On nearly 

 all the precipitous headlands north of the Bull, these birds take 

 up their summer residence, and during my visit (in June) were 

 in such countless multitudes as to darken the air above our heads. 

 Along the headlands of Eaghery every pinnacle and ledge of rock 

 was tenanted by the razorbill, puffin, or kittiwake gull ; and nu- 

 merous as the others were, the last far outstripped them in num- 

 ber. The nests were formed of dried grass, sea-weed, &c. ; and the 

 eggs, usually two in number, are of a grey colour, blotched and 

 dotted with brown and purple. When I looked down from a 

 height on these nests, it appeared wonderful how the birds found 



* Jardine, 'Brit. Birds/ vol. iv. p. 312. 



