TAB. XII.
L A R U S ALBUS.
CHARACTER GENERICUS.
Roflrum edentulum, reftum, cultratum, apice fubadunco; mandíbula inferior infra apicem
gibba.
Nares lineares, antice latieres, in medio roftri fitie. LIN. SYST. NAT. p. 224.
CHARACTER SPECIFICUS, &c.
Larus albus, roftro pedibufque plumbeis, mandibulis apice flavis.
Laras eburneus? PHIPPS'S VOYAGE, p. 187.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Bill without tectli, ftrait, wedge-fhaped, with tlie tip fomewhat crookcd; lower mandible gibbous
below the tip.
Nojlrils linear, wider on the fore-part, feated in the middle of tlie bill. LIN. SYST. NAT.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &c.
White Gull, with bill and feet lead-coloured, the mandibles yellow at the tip.
Ivory Gull.' PENN. ARCT. ZooL. No. 457.
Ivory Gull.' LATH. SYNOPS. 3. p. 377.
THERE are perhaps few birds more apt to millead a naturalift, or which appear more widely
different in their different periods of life, than the Lari, or Gulls ; and there is reafon to fuppofe
that fome of the kinds which occur in the works of ornithologifls are varieties rather than diftina
fpecies. The bird figured on the prefent Plate appears to be of this doubtful call. It
agrees in general appearance with a very elegant fpecies defcribed in the A rdi c Zoology of Mr.
Pennant, under the title of the Ivory Gull; which is alfo defcribed by Mr. Latham, in his Synopfis
of birds, by the fame tide. The wings, however, in the bird defcribed by the above gendemen,
are faid to be extremely long; much exceeding the length of the tail : it is added, that
the young birds are blackifh, and that the old ones do not become white till three years old.
The Sea Gulls in general are of a very voracious nature, and feed on fifb. When purfued
or terrified, they are faid to caft up the food they have lately fwallowed. One fpecies, the
Larus parafiticus of Linuicus, is faid to fupport itfelf principally by praaifmg this ftratlgem
on the other fmaller fpecies; purfuing them till they ejeft their food, and then dexterotifly
catching it before it reaches the water.