THE LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. 371 



and with the stick as a seat, looked^ comparatively with others in 

 similar situations, quite comfortable and at his ease. 



We were too late (July 8) for many eggs being taken ; 

 but on the 13th of June in the following year my companion 

 again visited the island, and had those of the herring-gull, razor- 

 bill, guillemot, cormorant, and oystercatcher brought up, all of 

 which are there considered good for eating."^ The egg-gatherers 

 told me that they take six kinds of eggs ; — perhaps those of the 

 kittiwake, in addition to the five already named. 



THE LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. 



Larusfuscus, Linn. 

 „ Jlavipes, Meyer and Wolf. 



Is found around the coast, at inland lakes, &c., and is 

 resident. 



This species is met with in very limited numbers about our more 

 northern coast, where it has chiefly come under my observation, 

 and at no marine locality am I aware of its being more than spar- 

 ingly scattered. Compared with the herring-gull it is very scarce. 

 I have only known it to frequent the grandest of the breeding- 

 haunts of that bird, aud these in very limited numbers. At the 

 Gobbins, where several hundreds of the herring-gulls nidify, 

 two pair of this species bred in 1830, and a man well acquainted 

 with the birds frequenting this range of rocks, stated that never 

 more than one or two pair bred there. During a walk along the 

 top of the cUffs in June 1834, I saw but one of these birds (an 

 adidt), though hundreds of the herring-gulls appeared. Ornitho- 

 logists visiting those rocks, in June 1847, saw about six pair of 



round Scotland and the Isles,' Several men lowered over the cliffs there at the 

 same time were observed from the sea. 



* Eggs of the horriug-gull, razoibill, and guillemot were exposed for sale in 

 Dublin in 1848, and sold for twopence each. 



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