PACIFIC GULL. 
This bird, as most authors have pointed out, does not get its fuUy-adult 
plumage till at least the third year is reached. Mr. J. W. Mellor says five 
years in captivity. 
Mr. Charles Belcher tells me this bird appears in considerable numbers 
in Corio Bay, Victoria, about the end of December, the adults being known 
as “ Big Gulls,” and the young as “ MoUyhawks.” They remain out 
on the more open water in fine weather, but during storms come in to shore 
and may even be seen flying a mile or two inland, though he has never 
known them alight inland in the manner that L. dominicanus does in New 
Zealand. 
Mr. Belcher further says : “ Like so many other sea-birds, the Pacific 
Gull wanders far from its nesting-places, and so it is that it is quite common 
in Port Phillip, though its nearest ‘ home ’ is over a hundred miles away. 
A great many nested in November, 1901, on Storehouse Island, just off 
Flinders Island in the Furneaux group.” 
Captain S. A. White informs me that “ This powerful bird is found at 
times on the Southern coasts of Australia, and is numerous in Bass Straits, 
and on the coast of Tasmania. I have seen this bird several hundreds 
of miles up the River Murray. It breeds on the islands of Bass Straits. The 
eggs are, as a rule, three in number, and are placed on the bare ground, in 
some cases a slight nest of rushes is formed. These birds are most power- 
ful of flight and their movements on the wing resemble the eagles more 
than guUs.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor, of South Australia, says : “ They generally go in pairs 
or a few together, but never in flocks. They breed in scattered pairs on an 
island, making a very neat nest indeed, the reverse from what would be 
expected from such a lumbering bird in its actions on the sea-shore. The 
long grass used in nest building is wound round and round, making a beautiful 
symmetrical hollow, in which is laid 2 to 3 eggs. The nest is placed under the 
lee of a bunch of tussock grass, or some sheltering bush. I saw some very 
good examples of these on Cat Island, in Bass Strait. To watch the change 
of plumage, I kept a pair in captivity from December, 1907 (they were that 
year’s birds) till now, April, 1911, and they are barely in their adult plumage 
yet, showing that this pair at least, would require 5 years before getting 
their fully adult dress. The change starts by the appearance of a few scattered 
white feathers coming about the head and breast ; these gradually increase 
in number. As the brown feathers are moulted, they are replaced by fully 
adult white ones. Then the black feathers of the back begin to show. The 
quills are then moulted and replaced by blackish ones. The bill also now gets 
a deeper yellow.” 
475 
