‘2 
GLAUCOUS GULL. 
spread out on a large bed of rushes. It proved to be an immature bird, probably in its first year, the plumage 
being rather more darkly marked than is usually seen. The colours of the soft parts were as follows : — Upper 
and lower mandibles a pale pink flesh ; points dark born, almost black, though a lighter tint showed towards 
the extremity ; legs, toes, and webs a dirty flesh, and nails a pale brown ; iris dark hazel. 
While knocking about with the herring-fleet in the North Sea, I noticed three or four immature birds, in 
company with the swarms of large Gulls, about twenty or thirty miles off the land outside the Cross Sands ; 
they, however, invariably managed to keep out of range. While sailing off the harbour at Yarmouth, on the 
31st of Octolmr, 1872, in one of the beach yawls, we observed a fine mature Glaucous in perfect adult plumage ; 
the bird appeared shy, for although we followed it for some time, and afterwards waited for an hour or more 
in the stream of the harbour tide, where the Gulls were feeding, we had no chance of getting within range for 
a shot. 
The men who look after my punts and boats at Shoreham sent word into Brighton on the 14th of 
biovember, 1883, to inform us that a pair of these birds, in adult plumage, were feeding and keeping company 
with a large flock of Gulls along the shore near Lancing. It was too late to start when the message arrived, 
and on the following morning no signs of the strangers could be detected, though w'e were afloat by daylight, 
and proceeded several miles along the coast towards the west, where the Gulls where then harbouring. 
bile punt-gunning in the Dornoch Uirth, off Morangie, Tain, and Golspie, in the winter of 1868, 1 noticed 
several of this species, apparently all in immature stages, a few showing signs of a change and probably more 
advanced towards maturity. These proved almost as great a nuisance as the Great Black-backed Gulls ; they 
carried off several Plovers that had lieen knocked down and run beyond the range of the shoulder-gun, and 
also repeatedly put up the Ducks while we Avere sculling to them floating quietly on the Firth, utterly 
unsuspicious of danger. This species proved far more Avary than their relations the Black-backed Gulls, which 
had been mostly killed down, and they consequently escaped being shot. 
If I am not mistaken, there was some years ago a letter in the ‘ Field,’ in Avhich a traveller, aaUo had visited 
the Arctic Regions, described a romantic attachment said to exist between the Glaucous Gull and the seal, 
the Gull being supposed to Avarn his friend the seal of impending danger ; I am afraid, however, if the truth 
was known, that it was only a very base kind of cupboard love. The Gull having a pleasing remembrance of 
savoury chunks of seal’s blubber, which may have fallen to his share at some previous time, was simply and 
solely desirous of eating him, though his greediness was such that he could not wait till the fatal bullet and 
knife had done their Avork, but must needs commence the attack, Avithout assistance, at the first opportunity. 
This is my OAvn opinion on the subject, judging from the behaviour of the larger Gulls in driving up the flocks 
of wildfoAvl when they detect the punts setting up to them ; well aAA^are that Avhen a shot is fired they may 
have a chance of securing prey, they dash forward to seize their intended victims before the gunner is 
within range. Many a shot did I lose on the Dornoch Firth, till the Avater had been cleared of all these 
voracious birds. 
