VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
79 
observed, feed on blubber or any oily substance that 
they discover floating on the water ; a piece being- 
thrown overboard, they swarmed around it, and so 
intent were they on their prey, that they suffered 
themselves to be knocked down, rather than relin- 
quish it ; and, in flying to partake of this rich ban. 
quet, several came so near to the ship as to be struck 
with the boat-hook. 
The making off not being finished, the 
30 . remained moored, and I shot several 
birds, among which were three of the Larus Rissa, 
(Linn.,) or Kitty wakes. This is the most elegant 
of the class of gulls, and particularly graceful in its 
flight ; its bill is of a beautiful lemon yellow ; orbits 
of the eye and inside of the mouth bright red ; 
index straw colour ; legs livid colour ; top of the 
head, nape, back, and wings, of a fine ash colour . 
tips of the wings and coverts black ; and the rest of 
the bird white. This gull undergoes three altera- 
tions of colour: in the first stage of its life, the 
coverts of its wings have dark brown feathers ; in 
the second stage, similar dark brown feathers extend 
over its back, and the tips of its wings are also 
tinged with the same colour; and in the last, it 
derives all the character peculiar to the Larus rissa ; 
the vulgar name of Kitty wake is doubtless derived 
from the cry of the bird, which sounds exactly as if 
it said “ Kitty’s awake.’’ I should have observed, 
that I this day procured specimens of the three 
distinct gradations in the change of colour which I 
have noticed. 
