THE GULL KIND. 
119 
"mgs are grey ; and both species have behind each ear a 
dark spot ; both species are about the same size, viz. four- 
teen inches, and the tarrack weighs seven ounces. Of the 
a retie gull the male has the top of the head black; the back, 
"dngs, and tail dusky ; the rest of the body white: the fe- 
male is entirely brown. It has been called the parasite, 
from its habits of pursuing the lesser gulls till they drop 
their ordure through fear, which this lilthy animal catches 
a nd devours, belore it drops into the water. 
The common gull is seventeen inches long, and weighs 
0l 'e pound. The bill is yellow ; the back and wings a pale 
fP'ey, and the head and rest of tire body white. The winter 
gull is also very common in all these parts of Europe. The 
l °P of the head is white, marked with oblong dusky spots ; 
the back and wings ash-colour, marked with dusky brown. 
The jelly-like substance known by the name of star-shot, 
op star-jelly, owes its origin to some of these birds, being 
t'othing but the half-digested remains of earth-worms, on 
' v h>ch they feed, and often discharge from their stomachs. 
1'he pewit gull , or block cop, is so called from the hear! 
a "d throat being of a dark or black colour. The red-legged 
the brown-headed gull, the laughing gull, which only 
‘hfl'ers from the others in having the legs black instead of red 
? Pe possibly only varieties of the same species. 1 hey are in 
etl gth from fifteen to eighteen inches. The back and wings 
I these birds are in general ash-colour, and the rest of the 
J>°dy white. The young birds of these species are thought 
D y some to be good eating. 
. The guat gull , which is found on the borders of tlie Cas- 
|jl an sea, though distinguished by a black head, is quite a 
frferent species from our black cap, as it equals in size the 
. ap nacle goose, and weighs between two and three pounds: 
■frvoice too is as hoarse as that of a raven. 
The gull genus, like all other rapacious birds, lay but few 
; and hence, in many places, their number is daily seen 
t0 diminish. Most of the kind are fishy tasted, with black 
fr'ngy fl es |, . and Q f these, t he poor inhabitants of our nor- 
, lern islands make their wretched banquets. They have 
^ eer > long used to no other food ; and even salted gull can 
e * fished by those who know no better. 
A* 1 e gull, the petrel, the tern, have all nearly the same 
^ a mts, the same nature, and are caught in the same man- 
0 p ! ’ *hat is, at the most imminent risk, and with the loss 
teany lives in the course of a season. 
°1 this dangerous sport, a more particular description 
r| P e, 'haps be acceptable to the reader. Those who have 
U ' 11 u pon our coasts know, that there are two different kinds 
