iiave arrived at maturity, which is feldom in lefs than ttvOj, 
and often more than three years, and by this means has been 
able to corred numerous errors that have crept into the 
works of moft of the preceding writers. 
The prefent fpecies Is the moft common of the Gulls on our 
coafts, and is to be met with in confiderable numbers on moft parts 
of our {bores ; they feed on all kinds of animal matter thrown 
up by the tide, or difcovered floating on the furface of the 
ocean ; filling up the fame place on the fliores of the fea, as 
the carrion crow does in the interior of the land, as no fub^ 
fiance is too putrid to afford them a meal ; they may be feen 
in winter aflbciating with rooks and crows, fearching for 
worms and infers frequently at a great diftance from the fea ; 
the whole genus is invariably gluttonous, frequently taking fo 
much food as not to be able to fly till they have difgorged part 
of their repaft, this they readily do upon any fright ; it is not 
uncommon for them to bring up a large quantity of undigefled 
food when flightly wounded. 
The neft of the Gull is formed of fea- weed, at the didancc 
of a few feet from the water, and is moftly placed on a 
flielving rock ; they lay two or three eggs of an olivaceous 
brown, blotched with red fpots ; they are about the fize of 
thofe of a common hen. 
This fpecies is fometimes eaten by perfons refident on the 
coaft, and we have heard it defcribed as good food j previous 
to its being dreifed, it is fkinned and buried in a cloth for 
one or two days. 
