LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL 
Larus fuscus 
Back and wings dark slaty blackish grey; primaries 
black, with a large white spot on first primary near the point ; 
rest of plumage pure white ; legs and gill yellow, latter with 
a red spot on lower mandible; eyes yellow, eyelids red. 
Length, 23 inches, 
In all probability whenever a gull is seen it is most 
likely to be this one, as in my experience through- 
out Egypt it is, I think, the commonest of all. 
The next in order is the Black-headed Gull, but, 
unfortunately, in the winter months it is without its 
black cap, which causes it to escape notice. 
The Gulls do on the water what the Kites do on 
the land—they act as scavengers ; and it matters not 
whether you are arriving at Alexandria or on board 
a steamer at Assoan, you will, alike from end to 
end of Egypt, find these birds busy, searching for 
every scrap of waste thrown into the river, which 
river is the main drain of the country. The use 
that these birds are is therefore enormous, and 
they, in common with Vultures and Kites, ought 
to be protected and on no account shot. This 
year of 1909 I have seen more of these three 
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