442 



of Riigen, in December 1859. According to Professor Kjserbolling it is met with as a straggler 

 on the coast of Denmark. Steenberg received two specimens from the Sound, where he observed 

 it in January 1823 ; and an example from Bornholm is in the Museum at Copenhagen. According 

 to Baron von Droste-Hulsboff it has on several occasions been shot on the coasts of the North 

 Sea, especially on the Netherlands coast ; and Messrs. Degland and Gerbe write (Orn. Eur. ii. 

 p. 412) as follows: — " It has on several occasions been killed on the coast of Dunkerque, in the 

 Bay of Cancale, and in the Bay of Somme. We have seen two immature specimens in the Paris 

 market from the last locality." So far as I can ascertain, it has not been observed further south 

 than the French coast. As regards its occurrence in Asia, all I can ascertain is, that Von 

 Middendorff believes that he saw it oii the Taimyr in 75° N. lat. ; but it is met with in North 

 America. Swainson states (Faun. Bor.-Am. ii. p. 418) that "during Captain Ross and Sir Edward 

 Parry's first voyages many specimens of this Gull were obtained in Davis's Straits, Baffin's Bay, 

 and Melville Island." Messrs. Dall and Bannister met with it in Alaska. The former gentleman 

 says that it is very abundant on the Yukon, below Anvik, but above that point it is rare, and 

 replaced by Larus argentatus. Its eggs were laid on the bare sandy beach, in a small depression, 

 about June 5th to 10th. It is also very common about St. Michael's. To this Mr. Bannister 

 adds that it is the most abundant species of Gull found at St. Michael's. On the east coast it 

 ranges down to Labrador ; but I never met with or heard of it when in Nova Scotia and New 

 Brunswick. 



Respecting the habits of this Gull I find comparatively little recorded ; but it is stated to 

 agree tolerably closely with Larus glaucus. Mr. J. A. Harvie-Brown, who had excellent oppor- 

 tunities of observing it in a wild state, says (I. c.) that it " can be separated by the field-naturalist 

 from the Glaucous Gull by its neater, more slender appearance, standing higher on its legs, having 

 a more cuneate 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. Those who have watched the tame Goose of our 

 farm-yards, and have had opportunities of comparing with it the lighter, handsomer form of the 

 tame Grey Lag Goose (Anser ferus) will more easily understand some of the comparisons I 

 have above drawn. 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." He adds that it is 

 extremely wary, and that the adult birds are especially shy. 



Mr. Saxby (B. of Shetl. Isles, p. 336) says: — "At any distance it may be readily recognized 

 by its acutely pointed and somewhat long white wings, and by a peculiar roundness of body. 

 The note, also, has a character of its own, somewhat resembling that of the common Goose. 

 The bird seems to be partial to vegetable food, often resorting to the fields, where it may not 

 seldom be seen near the pigs, which in Shetland are tethered by long ropes fastened to a stone 

 or to a stake in the ground. Possibly the earthworms rooted up may be an attraction. In the 

 stomach I have found a considerable quantity of oats and vegetable fibre, with numerous small 

 pieces of quartz." 



