PLATE CLXXIV, 



But although Dr. Latham divides the Black-backed Gull from the 

 Herring Gull in his Index Ornithologicus, he does not feparate th« 

 Wagel from the firil-nientioned fpecies, but places it as a variety, or 

 rather as the young of that bird Larus Marinus y. This arrangement 

 js^ we believe, founded ou a6lual obfervation of the fpecies in the 

 various flages of its growth, or we might be inclined, from the general 

 appearance of the bird, to follow, in preference, the example of Gmelin, 

 who eftabliflies the Wagel as a diftin6i: fpecies, fubje6l to fome va- 

 riations, under the fpecific name of Naevius. The Wagel is a large 

 bird meafuring, in length, two or three feet, and exceeding, when 

 full grown, the ordinary fize of the Black-backed Gull ; it is alfo 

 confiderably larger than the Herring Gull which, in point of fize, is 

 inferior to the Black-backed Gull *. 



* Mr. Montagu, in liis Ornithological Di6lionary, remarks, that " the appellation 

 (Wagel Gull) has been affigned to feveral Ipecies of the genus in the mottled infant 

 plumage ; and as there is no fuch bird claiming fpecific diftinfition, it fhould be erafed 

 as fuch from the pages of Ornithology." Suppl. This aflurance deferves confidcration J 

 for if it be correal; it muft prove the fallacy of all difcufllon upon the fubjedt, as the 

 Wagel will be identified in the young of feveral fpecies of the Gull tribe, which in their 

 perfefl ftate are acknowledged to be fpecifically difiin6l. But we cannot yield entirely 

 to an obfervation which, in our opinion, teltifies a precipitancy of conclufion beyond 

 even what the author hirafelf intended, for he confiders in another place the Wagel as the 

 young of the Black-backed Gull alone. That the young of all the Gull tribe have 

 the plumage mottled in the early periods of their growth, is a fa£l fufficiently known« 

 but every individual poireflTos yet fome ftriking peculiarity of the adult bird, by which 

 the judgment of the flulful Ornithologifl may be diretled, and we think fuccefsfully^^ 

 to the determination of the fpecies ; and in proof of this, we cannot doubt that the true 

 Wagel may always be difiiuguillied from the reft of the Gull tribe in their mottled ftate 

 of plumage. 



With refpedt to the Wagel when full grown, its ordinary fize is known to exceed tliat 

 of the Black-backed Gull, a circumftance that does not arife from the greater laxity of 

 the feathers as might be imagined in admitting it to be the younger bird ; but from the 

 bird itfelf being aftually larger than the Black-backed Gull at the full maturity. This 

 would tend, at leaft in fome degree, to prove that it might not be the *' infant off- 

 fpring" of that bird, although there may be certain inRances in fome fpecies of the 

 joung bird being larger tliau the adult. 



Thefe 



