Piarinw

iru

ities lial ti. aoe ac —

Genus LARUS.
Gen. Coar. Bill of mean length, strong, straight, cultrated. the
tip incurved ; symphysis of the upper m

thence to the point.

upper mandible having the

angulated,

5

andible stronely
a . : :

Nostrils placed in the midd
and pervious. Tongue pointed, with

and ascending from

le of the bill. ]

ateral, oblong,
the extreme tip cloven,

narrow,
Wings long, acuminated,
centre of the body, of me

Feet of four toes, three before and

a membrane; the hind one short

Taal even, or slightly forked, Legs placed near the an lenoth
and strength, with the lower part of the tibie naked.

one behind; the three in front united by

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and free

XN

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL.

Larus marinus, Linn.

La Goéland mante

‘aul NOK.

LY 2S

at

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Tuis fine species of Gull, of which an adult in its winter plumage is represented in the

is rather abundantly dispersed round the shores of our is]
Holland. Three years at least are required to acc

accompanying’ plate,

and as well as on the Opposite coasts of France and

omplish the plumage of maturity ;
greater number of those which are captured are yet in their youthful dress,

of the adult as to have caused considerable confusion in its nomenclature.
publication will not admit of our illustrating the present have not deemed
it necessary to insert a figure of the bird in its youthful state; this deficiency will, however, |
our figures of the old and young of the Lesser Black-backed Gull, which resembles the species in question
in every respect except in size, and which undergoes precisely the same changes. |
Many authors have asserted that the Larus marinus is not an inhabitant of America, while
stated that it is there a bird of considerable rarity. Mr. Audubon has,
a magnificent drawing of an individual shot by himself within the United States ; thus satisfactorily Proving
that the New World is included in its range. It is widely distributed along the shores of the European
Continent, “more particularly the seas of its northern regions. The British Islands afford several localities

hence by far the
which differs so much from th a
Even the large surface of our
species of the natural size, and we

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ye remedied by

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others have
however, just sent forth to the world

a)
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.

which are resorted to by this Gull for the purpose of breeding, among which, according to Mr. Selby,
may be enumerated the steep holmes and sandy islands in the Bristol Channel, Souliskerry in the Orkneys,
the Bass Island in the Frith of Forth, and one or two stations on the Scottish coast.

It breeds also in the marshes at the mouth of the Thames, #naking a nest on the ground, of reeds, rushes,

) m0) / #

‘1,

Cr
Ae a.

an 2 ve P 0" OF ] fF ik t 3 rr] g Gull in sha IC, but larger ; he
V 1 S 2 TOW We Ys sHhe c S ed with dar er DrOWwn.

it 1 ig ie swimming with little exertion, gracefully rising and falling
On the water it is extremely light and buoyant, swimming with | 72

_ rel 4
rhe ,y7

I i ing capable staining a long and continued flight, constantly
with the undulating waves of the ocean ; and, being capable of sustaining a long ¢

. st with every rising and receding tide
: Sp hee ‘ching along the coast with every rising anc Ss ,
wandering over the surface of the water or searching along é

a

«

1 i i S ite ntiful s - of half-decomposed
it seldom fails to find for the gratification of its omnivorous appetite a plentiful supply o |
animal substances, the refuse from ships, marine crustacea, &c. Ge chemin A

s o e Yo ems Me Tr CC On ¢
The female differs from the male only in being rather smaller, and in he 2
intense.

Ye (0) ae

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5

, 1 al aturity is in the snowy white
i i ‘goes after having attained maturity is in \
The only change of plumage which this Gull undergoes after S aes
i iving x grey colouring of these parts : |
head and neck of summer giving place to a mottled grey : aie grey and white plumage covering the
ris distinguishe a mottled grey <
The young of the first and second year is distinguished by ae sie, hiral ee
ml i is > youn’ ICS:
whole body. In this stage of its existence both this and the young
been known under the names of Wagel, Cobb, &c. ler surface pure white; the mantle and wing.
idl, er surf |
The adult has the head, neck, throat, tail, and all the under: i ee ee
coverts greyish black; the primaries and secondaries black tippec oe ; ner ee
1 ‘ith a blood-red spot on the anguli
inclining i indivi ; bill pale yellow with a
inclining in some individuals to fleshy red ; j
the lower mandible ; irides yellowish hazel. ;
The figure is about two thirds of the natural size.

4 Sd
, DE

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