I04 THE SPECIES. 



Its call is a croak and a "peewheel." Its nest is generally on a ledge of rock, but sometimes 

 on level ground, and is a bulky construction of seaweed, lined with ^fraw and shore plants. 

 There are two or three eggs. 



A Great Black-headed Gull — Dimensions, Sb ; Eggs, Rr — straggled from the Persian 

 Gulf into the estuary of the Exe, in 1859, and, after a few foolish " croawks," fell a victim to 

 an excited gunner, and thus became a British bird. 



The Great Black-backed Gull — Dimensions, Sd ; Eggs, Rp — is a not uncommon resident, 

 a " murderous thief," feeding on fish and the eggs and young of other birds, recognisable by 

 his great size and Eagle-like flight. His cry is a yelpmg " kyauk." The nest is on some 

 crag or islet— a big untidy mass of grass and seaweed, lined with a few feathers, or wool, and 

 containing two or three eggs. 



The Glaucous Gull — Dimensions, SI ; Eggs, Sa — is the Burgomaster of the whalers, and is 

 distinguished by the enormous spread of its wings. It is the largest of our Gulls, but is only 

 an irregular visitor. It has grey streaks on its head in winter. 



Lignrinus. Plate vii. FRINGILLIN^ (Passeridae). 



91. chloris^ 6 in. Greenfinch. Crown and back olive green ; wings 



greyish brown, edged with yellow ; axiUaries brigh: 

 yellow ; outer tail feathers black, yellow at base, 

 and tipped with greyish brown. 

 The Greenfinch — Dimensions, Dm ; Eggs, Ef — is one of our common residents, yearly 

 becoming commoner. It has a rapid drooping flight, with occasional glides. It has a twitter- 

 ing song of its own, but generally imitates that of other birds. Its call is " meay,*' or *' yik, 

 yik, yik." The female is not so green as the male, and has the tail feathers tipped with 

 yellow on the outer webs only. The nest is generally in a tree which has a good deal of 

 lichen on it, but frequently it is among evergreens. It has moss outside, with grass and 

 wool, and it is lined with hair and feathers, and contains four, five, or six eggs. 



Limicola. Plate xxvii. SCOLOPACIDjE, 



313. platyrhyncha, 6 in. Broad - billed Sandpiper. Blackish brown 

 above ; white eye stripe ; brown spot in front of eye ; 

 bill broad in the middle and longer than head ; 

 httle or no white on secondaries and upper tail 

 coverts. 

 The Broad-billed Sandpiper — Dimensions, Dr ; Eggs, Hr — occasionally straggles here 

 from its Swedish home. 



Limosa. Plate xxix. SCOLOPACIDM. 



336. lapponica, 15^ in. Bar-tailed Godwit. Back spotted brown ; rump 



whitish ; axiUaries white, faintly barred with 

 black. 



337. belgica, 19 in. Black-tailed Godwit. Back spotted chestnut ; 



rump spotted chestnut ; axiUaries white, or brown 

 and white ; tail feathers black with white bases. 



The Bar-tailed Godwit — Dimensions, Mr ; Eggs, Ok — visits us in autwnn and spring on 

 its way from and to its breeding grounds. It has a call like the bleat of a goat ; and another 

 which has been syllabised as " Poor Willie. " In summer it is red below ; in winter it is white 

 below. The females are much larger than the males. 



The Black-tailed Godwit — Dimensions, Or j Eggs, Oc^is also a spring and autumn 

 visitor. The females are also much larger than the males. In winter its back is ashy brown. 

 Its cry is a " yelp. " It has two flights, a leisiurely one with the wings fully spread, and a 

 hurried one with the wings shortened in. 



tinota. Plate vil FRINGILLINM (Passeridae). 



99. rufescens, 4^ in. LESSER Redpoll. Crown red ; rump brown ; 



throat pink ; chin black ; bill horn colour and 



small. 

 98. linaria., 5 in. Mealy Redpoll. Crown red ; rump white ; 



throat pink ; chin black ; biU horn colour and 



smaU 



