THE PEWIT-GULL. 313 



Varieties. 



the latter to be only the tarrock in a state of 

 perfection. The head, neck, belly, and tail of 

 the kittiwake are of a snowy whiteness, the back 

 and wings are grey; and both also have be- 

 hind each ear a dark spot; both species are about 

 the same size, viz. fourteen inches, and the tar- 

 rock weighs seven ounces. Of the arctic gull 

 the male has the top of the head black ; the back, 

 wings, .and tail dusky ; the rest of the body white : 

 the female is entirely brown. 



The pewit-gull, or black-cap, is so called from 

 the head and throat being of a dark or black co- 

 lour. The red-legged gull, the brown-throated 

 gull, and the laughing gull, which only differs from 

 the others in having the legs black instead of 

 red, are possibly only varieties of the same spe- 

 cies. They are in length from fifteen to eight- 

 teen inches. The back and wings of these birds 

 are in general ash-coloured, and the rest of the 

 body white. The young birds of these species 

 are thought by some to be good eating. 



The gnat gull, which is found on the borders 

 of the Caspian Sea, though distinguished by a 

 black head, is quite a different species from our 

 black-cap. It is about the size of a barnacle- 

 goose, and weighs between two and three pounds. 

 Jts voice is as hoarse as that of a raven. 



VOL. IV. NO. 29* 2 B 



