ioo British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



that " apart from trie inferior size of L. leucopterus, which in itself alone cannot 

 be accepted as a criterion for distinction, this species can be separated by the 

 field naturalist from the Glaucous Gull by its neater, more sleuder appearance, 

 standing higher on its legs, having a more curvate shape posteriorly, and the 

 wings more tapering when closed. Further it appeared to me that the Glaucous 

 Gulls, when resting on the mud, and with the wings closed, carried the tips of 

 the wings higher than the end of the tail, but that the Iceland Gulls carried 

 their wings on the same, or nearly the same level as the tail ; thus imparting to 

 these birds a more tidy trim appearance than their big brothers possessed. When 

 flying the action of the Iceland Gull is more airy and buoyant — less owl-like — 

 than that of the Glaucous Gull. The adults when flying low, or against a dark 

 cloud, show the white primaries, like a narrow strip of silver along the wing." 



The Iceland Gull mates and begins the work of nidification in the month of 

 May, and early in June eggs may be found. The sites most affected by it are 

 ledges of precipices, or on the bare ground, or on the summit of high rocks. 



The nest, if on the ground or on the sand, is a mere depression in which 

 from two or three eggs are deposited, very similar in colour and markings to 

 those of the Glaucous Gull, but in size smaller. They are of a pale greyish- 

 buff, to yellowish-brown or pale olive ground colour, spotted and blotched over 

 with chocolate-brown, or purplish-brown as seen through a surface layer of shell. 

 In size these eggs average about a little under 3 inches in length by a little 

 over 2 inches in diameter. 



The young in all their stages agree, so far as known, with the young of the 

 Glaucous Gull, except that they are proportionately smaller. 



The young, which as a rule arrive on our coasts in the end of autumn, are 

 greyish-yellow, with brownish-grey streaks on the head and neck ; and transverse 

 markings of the same on the back and tail ; the outermost primaries white, and 

 the remainder greyish-white beneath, mottled with brownish-grey on a yellow 

 ground ; bill flesh colour at the base ; dark brown externally ; legs and feet livid 

 flesh colour. 



In winter the Iceland Gull has the same dress as in summer save that the 

 head and neck show greyish-brown streaks. 



This species, though named the Iceland Gull, does not breed in that island; 

 it may remain all winter there ; but on the return of spring, it hies northward 

 to its nesting haunts within the Arctic circle. According to Faber it is the only 

 Gull " that passes the winter in Iceland without breeding in summer ... a few days 

 after the middle of September, the first specimens," continues the same author, 

 " both old and young make their appearance on the coast of Iceland, confining 



