THE SILVER GULL 



of Rissa tridactyla. The only other species likely to be confounded in the summer 

 plumage, when the black-headed species have donned their chocolate or black caps, 

 is the greater white-winged gull (L. hyfterboreus), which differs by the paler tone of 

 the plumage generally and more especially by the feature to which it owes its 

 name. 



The herring-gull is a wide-ranging species, met with on both sides of the 

 North Atlantic, extending eastwards to the White Sea, and in winter as far south 

 as the Black and Caspian Seas and the Mediterranean. In America herring-gulls 

 visit in summer the inhospitable coasts of Labrador and Greenland, but in winter 

 wander south to the genial climate of the West Indies and Central America, where, 

 in all probability, they cross the continent to join a closely allied gull inhabiting 

 the Pacific. In Europe the southern breeding range of this handsome species 

 seems to be formed by the northern coasts of France. 



Herring-gulls, where conditions are favourable, may be found nesting on the 

 coasts of the British Isles from the south of England to the Orkneys and the 

 Shetlands, as well as in Ireland, where they are the most common and most widely 

 spread members of their tribe in the breeding-season. Sometimes only a few gulls 

 nest in company, but in other situations large colonies collect for breeding- 

 purposes ; and it is noteworthy that the breeding sites are always in the neighbour- 

 hood of the shore and generally on tall cliffs. 



Another noteworthy feature of the herring-gull is that the adult livery is not 

 assumed till the fourth year, in consequence of which an unusually large number 

 of birds in the speckled dress are always in evidence. 



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