423 



bill's eggs at the foot of the cliffs, with holes pierced in the side and wholly emptied of their 

 contents. Some of these were so little injured as to serve for tolerably fair cabinet specimens 

 when laid out with the hole downwards." 



Thompson likewise records this Gull as being found around the Irish coast, at inland lakes, 

 &c. ; and he says that it is a resident. It has not been recorded from Iceland, but is found in 

 the Fseroes, where, according to Captain H. W. Feilden, it " arrives in the beginning of April, 

 and leaves in September. It is very abundant throughout the islands, nesting on the ground in 

 the vicinity of lakes, and also on the fells ; its eggs are much sought after by the inhabitants. 

 Herr Muller informs me that it is the only one of the Gulls he has seen feeding at midnight. In 

 1869 he first observed this bird on the 14th of April, in 1870 on the 18th of April, and in 1872 

 on the 6th of April. This bird is a robber of eggs ; and the Whimbrel and Oystercatcher wage 

 war against it whenever it approaches the vicinity of their nests." In Scandinavia it is tolerably 

 numerous, as high up as the Varangerfiord ; and Sommerfeldt writes that it breeds at Vardo. 

 According to Mr. R. Collett, " it breeds commonly along the west and north coasts of Norway, as 

 far as the Russian frontier, being often found in company with Larus marhius. Outside 

 Lindesnses it is generally seen during migration only, when it penetrates up the fiords and the 

 mouths of the rivers." In Sweden, according to Nilsson, it is " very rare in Dalecarlia, but more 

 numerous in Ostergothland, where it has been observed on Lake Glan. On Gottland it is 

 common, but rare at Upsala ; on the coast of Bonus it is less common than the Herring-Gull." 

 Dr. C. R. Sundstrom also writes that it is " common on all parts of the coasts of Sweden, and 

 more numerous than L. marinus on the large inland lakes. It is, however, most numerous on 

 the outer fringe of the coast islands, though it often breeds close to the mainland. Usually it is 

 not a shy bird ; for being, compared with L. marinus, a harmless bird, not destroying the eggs or 

 young of other birds, it is seldom molested. It generally feeds on small herrings or sprats. The 

 young birds of this species, like those of the Greater Black-backed Gull, late in July, when full- 

 grown, but unable to fly, are knocked down by the peasants and eaten ; and the reason why the 



O " ' 



sea-birds common to Sweden and Aland are more numerous on the latter island is because they 

 enjoy more protection there, and the eggs and young are taken with more care and discrimi- 

 nation ; besides, the old sea-birds, especially the ducks, are seldom shot." Meves met with it 

 on the coast of Oland, where it probably breeds; and thence it extends across into Russia, 

 where Meves met with it near St. Petersburg, and as high up as Archangel. Mr. Sabanaeff 

 writes to us that he has only twice observed this species (early in April 1872) near Moscow. 

 Bogdanoff obtained it near Kazan ; and it is a common species on Lake Onega. We are 

 informed by Mr. Taczanowski that it is " one of the commonest species in Poland during migra- 

 tion ; but they appear at various seasons ; generally, however, they are to be seen passing during 

 bad weather in the spring and summer. Whenever the Vistula overflows, they follow the course 

 of the river upwards. A few appear singly during midwinter." It does not breed on the 

 northern coasts of Germany ; but, according to Borggreve, it is common there at all times of the 

 year, except the breeding-season ; nor does it breed in Denmark, where, our friend Mr. A. Benzon 

 informs us, it is found here and there on the islands during the winter, but appears most com- 

 monly on the west coast of Jutland, where it bears the local name of Marokkos. Baron von 

 Droste-Hulshoff states that it generally occurs on the Friesland coast in winter. In 1864, 1866, 



