LAUGHING GULL. 
291 
back, scapulars, and wing- coverts, margined with grey ; breast, belly, 
and sides, blotched irregularly with large black and white patches ; 
vent, upper and under tail coverts, white ; quills dusky ; the primores 
cinereous on the outer webs ; tail dusky black, more or less margined 
with white ; the outer ones almost wholly white ; legs and feet orange. 
We have found this species in general more plentiful than the Bean 
Goose. 
It visits the fenny parts of this country in small flocks in winter ; is 
killed on the coast, as well as on our rivers, in severe weather ; and not 
uncommonly brought to market and sold for the common Wild Goose. 
It retires northward to breed about the month of March. Inhabits 
the north of Europe and Asia in summer ; is frequent in Siberia and 
part of Russia ; common at Hudson’s Bay. 
LAUGHING GULL {Larus ridihundus, Leisler.) — [See 
Hooded Gull.] 
*”Larus cinerarius, Gmel, Syst. 1. 597. 4. — Larus procellosus, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 
4. p. 647. — Red-legged Gull, Lath. Syn. 6. p. 381. 10. and var. — Penn. Arct. 
Zool. 2. p. 533 Brown Headed Gull, Lath. Syn. 6. 383. — Sterna obscura. 
Brown Tern, Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 810. 25. and Syn. 6. p. 368 — Brown Gull, 
Lath. Syn. Supp. 2. 311. 1. — Larus erythropus, Gmel. 1. p. 597. 15. 
YOUNG. 
Larus ridibundus, Gmel. 1. 601. 9.. — Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 811. 2. — Black-headed 
Gull, Penn. Br. Zool. L. 5. — Lath. Syn. 6. p. 380. — Temm. Man. d’Orn. 2. p. 
780 — Mont. Linn. Trans. 7. p. 284. — Flem. Br. Anim. p. 141. 
Provincial. — Pewit. Blackcap. Sea-Crow. Rickmire. Hooded Maw. 
Red Legs.* 
Length fifteen, breadth thirty-seven inches ; weight ten ounces. 
Bill and feet rich vermilion. Irides hazel ; round the eyes a few white 
feathers. Lower part of the neck, tail, and belly white ; the back 
and wings grey ; primores white, the first with the outer margin black ; 
the second tipped with black, and marked with a black spot on the 
inner web. In winter the head is white, w'ith a black patch on the 
ear, and another in front of the eyes ; under the wing blackish grey. 
Female similar. Nest, according to Wilson, in meadows and islands 
in fresh water lakes. Eggs three, olive, with dusky blotches. It 
leaves Scotland in winter, but is a permanent resident in England. 
These birds appear to be subject to great variety either from age 
or from change of season, and in those changes they have been de- 
scribed as different species. The Red-legged Gull of authors is only 
this bird before it is arrived at maturity ; and there seems no doubt 
but the old birds lose the black on the head in the winter, and do not 
assume it again till the breeding season ; but there is generally a little 
black about the ears ; the bill and legs also lose their bright colour. 
We have seen hundreds of these birds together in the winter, but 
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