426 



LAEID^ 



LAEUS 



the seventh primary is barred with black or has a black spot on the 

 outer web. 



In breeding dress this species has a faint narrow ring of lavender 

 round the neck but the head remains white. 



Distribution. — Hartlaub's Gull is very common in Table Bay and 

 along the west coast of the colony, extending as far north as Angra 

 Pequena in German South-west Africa. Though it has not been noticed 

 by any observer elsewhere along the south coast of the Colony (Mr. 

 J. G. Brown tells me he has never seen it in Algoa Bay) there is a 

 specimen from Natal obtained by Feilden in the British Museum 

 and it is also stated to be found on the " Madagascar Coasts." This 

 species has been constantly confused with the Grey-headed Gull 



Fig. 135. — Head of Larus hartlaubi. x \i 



and it is therefore diiScult to make an authoritative statement on 

 the subject, but my impression is that the present species is not 

 found much further east than Cape Agulhas. The South African 

 Museum contains examples from Table Bay obtained in February, 

 June, August and December and from Saldanha Bay dated Sep- 

 tember, October ; all these have pure white heads ; another example 

 from Table Bay not dated, and a specimen obtained at Port Nolloth 

 in September for the British Museum by Mr. Grant, have a distinct 

 lavender ring around the neck ; this I take to be the breeding dress 

 of the species. 



Habits. — Hartlaub's Gull breeds on some of the islands in 

 Saldanha and St. Helena Bays on the west coast of the Colony in 

 very large numbers. The eggs are very variable, passing from 

 greenish stone to buff with markings of purplish or yellowish-brown 



