LARID^. 381 



only after a xery careful stalk. One afternoon vre came across two of 

 them striking at something in a shallow pool left by the tide on the 

 sands in the middle of the Barnstajde river, and, on going to see what it 

 ■was, found that the Gulls had just killed a salmon of about eight pounds 

 weight, and had already devoured its eyes. We appropriated the fish, 

 and, carrying it home, had it cooked for dinner. The Greater Black- 

 backed Gull is an omnivorous feeder, devouring any carrion it can find at 

 the water's edge, also fish, birds, eggs, offal, &c., and is said to be very 

 destructive to the eggs and young of Wild Ducks, especially those of the 

 Eider. It is sometimes, but rarely, seen in fields some distance inland. 



Some adults were seen at Plymouth on November 25th, 1876, after gales, and they 

 were extremely numerous in January 1873 (J. G., Zool. 1873, p. 3445; 1875, p. 4441); 

 1877, p. 45; 1881, p. 195). Mr. E. A. S. Elliot had a rery small specimen of this 

 species brought to him in Dei^einber 1890. It was only 26 inches in length, and the 

 wing measured 18 inches ; it had been shot outside Plymouth Sound. 



A few visit Kiiigsbridge estuary in severe weather (E. A. S. E.). This fine Gull 

 is occasionally seen on the Exe estuary in winter and spring. On February 24th, 

 1853, Mr. W. H. Beadon, when shooting on the mud-flats below Topsham, saw one of 

 tiiese Gidls attack and kill an Oyster-catcher, which he kindly brought to us. A large 

 hole had been torn in one side of its body under the wing. Two splendid adults were 

 shot at Exmouth at the end of December 1891. 



According to Mr. Eodd, the Greater Black-backed Gull is not a common 

 species on the Corni.sh coast, bitt is more numerous further to the cast on 

 the shores of Dorsetshire, breeding, Mr. Mansel-Pleydell states, on the 

 rocky cliffs of St. Alban's Head and Gad Cliff; and one of the Poole 

 gunners, firing one night with his big gun into a flock roosting on a mud- 

 fiat, imagining them to be Wild Geese, is said to have killed fourteen of 

 these great Gulls at a single shot. 



Great Black-headed G-uU. Lams iditlujaetus, Pallas. 



An accidental visitor, of extremely rare occurrence. The only example 

 hitherto recorded as having been killed in the British Islands was shot 

 at Exmouth at the end of May, or l)eginning of Juno, 185!J, by William 

 Pine, a boatman employed by Mr. William Taylor, of liridgwatcr, who was 

 engaged in fishing for bass in the estuary of the Exe ofi' Exmouth. It was 

 in company with a flock of ordinary Gulls. Its remarkable size and appear- 

 ance attracted the attention of tlie boatman, who, having his gun with 

 him, singled it out, and fortunately obtained the bird (F. W. L. II., Ann. 

 ilag. !Nat. Hist. 3rd pcr. vol. iv. p. 407, December, ISoU: and Zool. 

 l^fiO, ]). 0>5G0). Mr. Taylor presented this uni(|ue specimen to Mr. Ross, 

 of Topsham, in whoso possession we saw it on our return from (.'anada in 

 October ] SoIJ. As the latter gentleman had not tlio least idea to what 

 sjiecies it belonged, we persuaded liim to allow us to take it up to 

 London, and on Ist November following we showed it to ^Ir. (J. P. («ray, 

 of the British Museum, wlio at once led us t<j the only spi-cimen of 

 L. iclitliydi-tiis then cxliibited in the galleries of that institution. A 

 comparison of the two birds immediately proved their idejitity. At 



