LARUS MARINUS, zinn.

 

Great Black-backed Gull.

Larus marinus, Linn. Faun. Suec., Pp. 55:

maximus, Leach, Syst. Cat. of Indig. Mamm. and Birds in Coll. Brit. Mus., p. 40.
—— Milleri, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl., 1429)

—— Fabricii, Brehm, ibid., ASO

Leucus marinus, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst., p. 86.

 

 

Tuosrt who have visited the sea-shore of almost any part of the British Islands, but more especially the
northern and western coasts, must have observed a large bird following the tide, hunting up and down the
beach, and scrutinizing any floating substance cast on shore by the wash of the waves or deposited among
the kelp and great masses of stranded weeds. That bird is the Great Black-backed Gull, commonly known
to sailors as the “* Cob,” and, in its young state, as the “ Wagel.” It matters but little what part of the British
shores are visited ; for it may be seen everywhere, at one season or the other, from the Scilly Islands to the
Orkneys ; it may, moreover, be as abundantly met with in all similar situations round Ireland and the
Hebrides. When fully adult, the colourings of the two sexes of this bird are very similar ; they carry the

 

 

 

rich dark colouring of the back during summer and winter, while their heads, which are streaked or more or
less spotted with brown in winter, become during the breeding-season pure white.

From its peregrinations along the sea-coast the Great Black-backed Gull is not deterred by the most tem-
pestuous weather ; nor will the hardest gale induce it to take shelter, further than to resort to the mouths of
large rivers or secluded bays till the tempest is over. It may be that this noble Gull whose prowess the
spectator is admiring is an old bird in its fully adult black-and-white plumage ; or it may be a young bird in
its speckled garb of immaturity, not having yet attained the decided livery of the adult. If curiosity
should induce any one to see more of the Great Black-backed Gull at the breeding-season, and observe its
majestic sweeping flight over the face of the lofty rocky cliffs, he will go to the Bass, Handa, or any other
similar situation, of which there are mapy all round the shores of the British Islands. There the bird makes
its nest on the ledges of rocks and incubates its eggs; it also sometimes breeds in the marshes. Besides
Britain, the bird also frequents the whole of the rocky portion of Scandinavia, and is found in similar
latitudes in America. Now, as there are persons who have paid more attention to the history of the Great

 

 

Black-backed Gull than I have done, I must, in fairness to those authors, quote what some of them have
written, with due acknowledgment.

Selby states, with much truth, that “this bird bas a voracious appetite, and preys upon all kinds
of animal substances that may happen to be cast on shore ; it also keeps a close watch upon the lesser Gulls,
whom it drives from any food they may have discovered, appropriating the whole to itself; and Montagu
mentions it as being a great enemy to the fishermen, as it will sever and devour the largest fish from their
hooks if left dry by the ebbing tide. Its flight 1s slow and buoyant, without much exertion of the pinions,
and, like that of the other species, is always opposed to the wind. Its voice is a strong and hoarse cackle,
that may be heard ata great distance when the bird is sailing in the air; and this is mone frequently
repeated during the spring and breeding-season than at any other time.” Jil. Brit. Orn. vol. il. p. 508.

« About the estuary of the Thames,” says William Yarrell, in his ‘ History of British Birds,’ vol. iii. p. 472,
“‘the Great Black-backed Gull is decidedly a marsh breeder, both male and female assisting in the formation
of their grassy nest, and driving all other birds, friends or foes, from Ne vicinity of the chosen spot. The
female lays three eggs of large size, measuring three inches and two lines in length by two inches and four
lines in breadth ; the general colour yellowish brown, tinged with green, sparingly spotted with slate-grey
The food of this species is fish and any animal matter ; it will kill and eat small birds, and

 

 

and dark brown.
has been known to destroy weak lambs. It is bold as well as strong, and, if wounded, will ae resolute
defence against capture. Its flight is powerful, and sustained without much apparent effort. It is also fre-
quently seen at the edge of the water, or, like other Gulls, swimming buoyantly on its surface, supported by
: the mass of feathers with which the body is invested.” j ee 7

The Great Black-backed Gull, according to Mr. Thomson, ‘isa resident species in Ireland ; it is also
found in Wales, having been observed by Montagu in considerable abundance on the extensive sandy flats of the

 

coast of Caermarthenshire, breeds on the steep holmes and Lundy Island, in the Bristol Channel, and has

7 ”
been shot in winter as high up the Severn as Worcester.
The latest author who has written on this large and powerful bird is Mr. Robert Gray, who observes that
Cc