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slate black ; legs white ; wings extend a 
little beyond the end of the tail ; quills 
only black towards the end, terminated 
with white/' (Temminck.) 
This species of Gull measures about two 
feet five inches in length, and five feet six 
or seven inches in extent of wing.* 
The female is rather smaller than the 
other sex. 
Birds of this species are common in the 
northern parts of Europe, the rocky isles 
of the North Sea, and in Greenland, but 
are only thinly scattered on the coasts of 
England, where they, however, sometimes 
remain to breed on the highest cliffs which 
overhang the sea. Their eggs are de- 
scribed as being of a dark olive colour, 
thinly marked with dusky spots, and quite 
black at the larger end. Their cry of kac y 
Icac, kac, quickly repeated, is roughly hoarse 
and disagreeable. It is a great enemy to 
the fishermen, as it will tear and devour 
the largest fish from the hooks, when left 
by the ebbing tide. 
* Montagu says five feet nine or ten inches. 
