72 
Allen’s Naturalist’s library. 
resemblance to each other in the young of the Greater and 
Lesser Black-backed Gulls and that of the Herring-Gull, the 
dimensions will generally serve to distinguish the species at all 
ages. 
Range in Great Britain. — The Herring-Gull breeds in all parts 
of Great Britain where suitable places for its nesting are 
available. It is almost entirely a coast species and seldom 
nests on inl.ind waters or lochs. It is the most noticealile 
of all our indigenous species of Gull, and Mr. R. J. Ussher 
also says that it is the most widely distributed of any Gull on 
the coasts of Ireland during the breeding season. 
Range outside the British Islands. — The present species breeds 
in Northern Europe down to the co.asts of Northern France, 
and to the westward of the White Sea. It is also found in 
North America, breeding as far south as lat. 40° N. on the 
Atlantic side, and on the west it is known from the Yukon 
River to California. In winter it extends to the West Indies 
and the Mexican coasts, while European individuals visit the 
Mediterranean in winter, as well the Black and Caspian Seas. 
Habits. — The Herring-Gull is principally a shore-feeder, and 
its name is derived from its supposed habit of following the 
shoals of small herring-fry, while it is often seen in some 
numbers round the fishing-boats, where the birds pounce down 
on any scraps or offal which may be thrown overboard. Like 
other Gulls this species sometimes comes inland and feeds on 
worms, grubs, and grain. It is a great robber of eggs, “ and 
when,” writes Mr. Saunders, “at some noted and accessible 
breeding-place of sea-birds, such as Lundy Island, a gun is 
fired by a touri.st-party for the childish pleasure of seeing an 
immense number of birds on the wing, then is the opportunity 
of the Herring-Gulls, and every unprotected egg of Guillemot or 
Gannet is swept from the ledges in an instant ! ” 
Seebohm states that the call-note of this Gull resembles 
the syllables hd-ha-hd, or more exactly, hdn-hdn hdn ; the 
alarm-note resembles the syllables Ky-cok, pronounced in a 
guttural manner ; and when the bird is unusually excited, its 
note is rapidly repeated and sounds like Kdk-dk-dk ! 
Nest. — Mr. Robert Read says that he has generally found the 
Herring-Gull nesting among larger colonies of the Lesser Black- 
