49 
basal portion of rectrices, whieb parts were conspicuously white, leaving a broad terminal band of black on 
the tail ; no white edging to the wing ; head, neck, and breast apparently sooty grey ; underparts white, the 
pectoral line of contact between the two colours being even and well defined. The other was similarly 
marked, but with duller plumage j and I noticed that more than once these dark-breasted birds, acting in 
concert, attacked and dispossessed an adult bird of some garbage that had been thrown overboard. I felt a 
strong temptation to regard this as a new Gull ; but I have seen so many phases of the transitional plumage 
that, in the absence of better evidence, I must register it under the above heading. 
Obs. Mr. Edgar Layard was, I believe, the first to introduce L.pacijicus into our list, stating in a communication 
to ‘ The Ibis ^ * that he had seen it on the wing off Fort Britomart, Auckland. Our bird, even after assuming 
the adult livery, sometimes retains for a season the dark terminal band on the tail ; and Mr. Layard may 
have been misled by this, although Larus pacificus is a more robust bird with a bill nearly twice as broad as 
that of Larus dominicanus. Mr. Howard Saunders, in his ‘ Revision of the Laridse,'’ has extended the 
range of the last-named species to our seas, but there is no satisfactory evidence that it ever occurs there. 
I am aware that there are now in the British Museum several specimens of L. pacificus, labelled as from 
New Zealand, in the collection brought home by the Antarctic Expedition ; but I am poersuaded that this is 
the result of some mistake, as the species has never turned up since on our shores, as it must otherwise have 
done. 
This fine Gull, which ranges over the whole southern hemisphere, is extremely plentiful on all our 
coasts, preferring, however, the smooth sea-beaches and the sandy spits at the mouths of our tidal 
rivers ; in these localities it is always to be met with either singly or associated in large flocks, and 
mixing freely with the smaller species of Gulls, Terns, Oyster-catchers, and other shore-birds. It 
frequents the harbours, and hovers around the vessels with much clamour, waiting to pick up any 
morsel that may chance to be thrown overboard f . It follows in the wake of the departing steamer 
as it quits the still waters for the stormy offing, and often accompanies it far out to sea, eagerly 
watching for stray bits of food as they float astern, and disputing their possession with the Albatros 
and Giant Petrel, on whose domain it has thus far trespassed. It is amusing to watch it on these 
occasions. A flock of a dozen or more will be hovering astern, with a vigorous motion of the wings, 
keeping up with the steamer, and one or two occasionally making a rapid circuit around the ship, 
although going at full speed. A piece of garbage is thrown out from the galleys, and is soon taken 
possession of by one of the Gulls, which “ backstays ” (as sailors express it) with its wings, drops down 
to the surface with back arched and legs spread, and lifts the object in its beak, with a cry like 
“ Caliph.” Instantly all the other Gulls make for the spot, clamouring for their share of the spoils, 
the younger birds uttering a shrill kind of squeal and the old ones a loud harsh cry sounding 
ridiculously like “ Divide, divide ” 
It is a pretty sight to watch these Sea-Gulls among the shipping anchored in our harbours or 
moored alongside of the piers. They assemble in flocks, and are to be seen struggling on the wing 
and screaming with excitement at the sight of any offal thrown into the water; and they exhibit 
* Ibis, 1863, p. 245. 
t The result of our protective legislation has been a perceptible increase in the number of Sea-Gulls frequenting our bays 
and harbours. At Pitone, at the northern extremity of Wellington harbour, where boiling-down works have recently been 
established, flocks numbering several hundreds are daily to be seen crowding on a narrow spit or hovering in the air, the pearly 
whiteness of their general plumage contrasting finely with the black of the upper parts, especially in the strong sunlight of the 
morning. 
t It is notorious how early impressions often cling to one through fife, oven as to matters quite trivial in themselves ; and 
I never see a flock of these birds crowding over an object in the water, in the manner described above — filling the air with their 
cries and with the rapid flutterings of their wings — ^but one of my boyish recollections of a picture in “ Peter Parley s laics is 
vividly brought to mind. It was a scene on the ocean, and represented an eager crowd of sea-birds hovering over the floating 
carcase of a whale. 
VOL. II. 
H 
