The Glaucous Gull. 55 



Family— LARID&. Subfamily— LA RIN/E. 



Glaucous Gull. 



Larus glaucus, FabER. 



THE Glaucous Gull, or as it is sometimes called the Burgomaster, is not a 

 British breeding bird, but there are few years that do not see a considerable 

 number of them on our shores as autumn and winter visitors, when the bird is on 

 retreat from its true home, which at that season it often finds rather too frigid for its 

 taste. It is more common in Scotland than in England, while in Ireland it is 

 "" occasionally obtained on the coast " (Thompson) ; but as that Naturalist has 

 remarked it may be not so rare in England or in Ireland as supposed, because 

 it is not improbably often mistaken for an immature Great Black-backed Gull. 



In England it has occurred at most points of the southern coast, but it has 

 been oftener noted on the East coast, than on the West. The same remark 

 applies to Scotland ; for its occurrences are fewer on the Atlantic side. Considerable 

 flocks visit the outer Hebrides ; according to Mr. Robert Gray these rarely go 

 inland, but remain on the shores of islands where large areas of sand and mud 

 -are exposed at low tide, leaving quantities of garbage for them to feed upon. In 

 the Shetland Isles it is seen in larger numbers than perhaps any other part of 

 Scotland, and flocks — almost exclusively of young birds — may be seen very late 

 in the year. The estuaries of the Forth of Tay are also specially frequented by 

 this species. 



In Ireland it has been recorded from Youghal, from Strangford Lough ; from 

 Movile, near Londonderry ; from Dublin Bay and the vicinity of Waterford. 



The true home — or breeding range — of this species is that vast tract of the 

 globe lying round the north pole down to about the 70th parallel of latitude. 

 During the winter it migrates southward, in the eastern hemisphere, in large 

 numbers as far as 50 N., and in more attenuated flocks as far as the Mediterranean, 

 the Caspian and Black Seas ; and to Japan on the western side. In the western 

 kemisphere, on the Atlantic coast almost to the Tropic of Cancer, and on the 

 western sea board to California. 



The Glaucous Gull is one of the largest and most powerful of the Larida, 

 ■quite equalling, sometimes also exceeding, the Great Black-backed Gull in size. 



