BRITISH BIRDS, 
221 
WINTER GULL. 
WINTER MEW, OR CODDY MODDY. 
{Larus hybernusf Lin . — La Mouette d^hyver^ Buff.) 
This generally exceeds the Common Gull in its 
weight and admeafurement. The bill is lightifli, 
except at the tip, of a flender fliape, and about 
two inches long : irides hazel. It is marked with 
oblong dufky fpots on the top of the head and 
hinder part of the neck : back and fcapulars pale 
afli-coloured grey ; but thefe feathers are fpotted 
with brown : wing coverts pale brown, edged with 
dingy whiter the firft quill is black, the fix fol- 
lowing more or lefs black at the ends ; the others 
tipped with white : the tail is crolfed with a broad 
black bar near the end : all the other parts of the 
plumage are white : legs bluifli dirty white. Mr 
Pennant afferts that this is only a young bird, not 
a fpecies diftind from the Common Gull ; and he 
alfo differs from Linnaeus in his opinion that it is 
the fame as the Larus trida6iylnsy or Tarrocks 
