GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 
159 
NATAIORES. 
LARI DM. 
PLATE CCCX. 
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 
LARUS MARINES. 
The Great Black-backed Gull is a British species, fre¬ 
quenting many parts of the coast throughout the year, 
but breeding only in a few suitable spots ; it is nowhere 
numerous, the greater number seen together not exceeding 
eight, and more frequently only numbering two or three. 
During the migratory seasons this species is met with on 
the coasts of Holland and France. The principal places 
suitable to the habits of this bird, are the coasts of Norway 
and those of the Icy Sea; Iceland, the Faroe and Shetland 
Islands, Denmark and Sweden, and the northern parts of 
America; but in the southern parts of Europe and America 
it is of rare occurrence. 
The sea shore is, at all times, the chosen locality of 
the Black-backed Gull, and the occurrence of it on the 
shores of inland seas or rivers must be attributed to ex¬ 
traordinary circumstances. 
The breeding-places are few on our coast, in consequence 
of the want of suitable spots; these are enumerated by 
VOI.. VII. 
V 
