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Genus LARUS. 



Larus, Brisson, Orn. vi. p. 160 (1760). 



Gavia apud Brisson, torn. cit. p. 189 (1760). 



Xema apud Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 563. 



Leucus apud Kaup, Natiirl. Syst. p. 86 (1829). 



Ichthyaetus apud Kaup, op. cit. p. 102 (1829). 



Ilydrocolceus apud Kaup, op. cit. p. 113 (1829). 



Laroides apud C. L. Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 738 (1831). 



Chroicocejihahis apud Eyton, Hist. Ear. Brit. B. p. 63 (1836). 



Glaucus apud Bruch, J. f. Orn. 1853, p. 101. 



Dominicanus apud Bruch, torn. cit. p. 100. 



Gavina apud Bonaparte, Naumannia, 1854, p. 212. 



Gelastes apud Bonaparte, torn. cit. p. 216. 



Meligavia apud Bonaparte, torn. cit. p. 213. 



Rissa apud Bonaparte, Cat. Parzud. p. 11 (1855). 



■Laroides apud Bruch, Naumannia, 1855, p. 282. 



Chloirocephalus apud C. L. Brehm, Vogelfang, p. 343 (1855). 



Clupeilarus apud Bonaparte, Consp. Gen. Av. ii. p. 220 (1857). 



Plautus apud Bonaparte, torn. cit. p. 215 (1857). 



Kroikocephalus apud Jerdon, B. of India, ii. p. 831 (1863). 



Cfiroocephalus apud Salvadori, Faun, d'ltal. Ucc. p. 287 (1872). 



This genus is a large and very widely distributed one, being represented in the Palsearctic, 

 Ethiopian, Oriental, Australian, Nearctic, and Neotropical Regions — in fact, in most parts of 

 the globe — fourteen species being found in the Western Palsearctic Region. By many authors 

 this genus has been considerably subdivided ; indeed most authors separate the species which 

 have the heads black or brown in summer dress, under the generic title of Chroicocephalus ; but 

 this peculiarity does not appear to have any generic value, and I have deemed it best not to 

 recognize this genus. 



The Gulls inhabit the shores of the ocean, as well as inland sheets of water. They are 

 nomadic in their habits, wandering about from place to place according as they find an abundance 

 of food. Their flight is light, wavering, and tolerably swift ; they swim buoyantly and with ease, 

 and walk well. They feed on aquatic and marine insects, worms, fishes, Crustacea, &c. ; and some 

 species will devour carrion and catch and eat small mammals, young birds, &c. They breed in 

 large communities, placing their nests either on the ground or on ledges of cliffs, some species 

 even nesting occasionally on trees. They build either bulky or slight nests of aquatic herbage, 

 grasses, &c, and deposit from two to four eggs, which vary considerably, some being dull white 

 in ground-colour, others dull olivaceous or ochreous, spotted and blotched with different shades 

 of brown. 



Larus canus, the type of the genus, has the bill shorter than the head, moderately stout, 

 straight, the upper mandible decurved at the tip, rather compressed, the lower mandible 



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