LA RID.*.
Larus argentatus;^ Gmelin.*
THE HERRING GULL.
Lams urgentatm.?,U
The H erring GuLii.ia._a resident^ and gener^Uy distributed
species on the coasts of t j ^ British Islands; $nd -An v;the
lofty cliffs of the south coast, from Beachy Head to Cornwall,
itijs more numerous^ irn the breeding?s#as°n than any;..otJier
kindtpf M l . It is, ygry j^undant at Lundy, j^ ju rd in-the,
Bristol Channel yglsA,on the.cpast of Wales, where there
is an especially-,large colony oh the Stacks:.,off Holyhead :
it breeds on the cliffs of Cumberland, and, according, to.
Mr. A. Durnford (Zool. 1879, p. 8 ^ ^ ^ n Foulshaw Moss,
near Arnside, in Westmoreland, in proximity to a far larger
S j st.. "Nat. g r p f O' -(.1788), ex Brunnich,
HERRING GTJLIi. 619
polony of Lesser Black-backed Gulls. On the east coast
suitable localities are scarce south of Flamborough in Yorkshire
; and on the Fame Islands, off Northumberland, its
numbers are very small in Comparison with those- of the
Lesser Black-backed Gull. On the coasts and islands of
Scotland, its breeding-stations are frequent, and- colonies
may be found on the isolated ro c k s or ‘ stacks ’ with the
Great and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. In Sutherlandshire
and some other districts, it not only* resorts to-- the cliffs,
but alsogto islands in lochs and marshy ground in
their vicinity, (together' with 'the Lesser Black-backèd "Gull;
but in these ' Comparatively inland situations’ it lis-léés'
abundant than .that-species. (Along the. lofty maritime prof
cipices of Ireland thé Herring Gull has numerous breeding-
haunts.
The nestlof this -species is formed of grass, and, in rocky
places, itis usually placed oil-the .upper ledges-of the cliffs ;
but, as already stated, flat islan-dscare sometimes" selected;
and in ’NOrih America this'bird-has been known i# n e st4 n
trees, in localities where dMtOggs had? been repeatedly plundered
h y -fishermen wherti placed. upon the ground: The
usually threedh number, are of 'a stone-colpur or light
tflive-brawn, blotched and spoltedovith dark umber-;, average'
measurements 2'9 by 1’95 in. - Sometimes their ground-*
colour exhibits-a greenish tin g e; Mn others it is pale urjP'1
spotted .hike; and Ég some.^disti>iéts-varieties 'are obtained
year after ..year4©f;a? yellowish salmon-'colour with- 'slightly
darktefrecklës. As a h i # the eggs are larger than those
©ï'dhë Leësér Black-backed Gull; and they are laid much
eadier rc^bMn by the first week in May:'
From its partiality t h fish, and'its habit of foliowiiig the
shoals of herrings, this speMes'has acquired its trivial name
of Herring .Grill; and during the -winter both young and old
maylbe seen'llong our coasts, hovering above fbé young fry,
orhestirig* on-vbeadhes' and sandy Splfi^ In spring Aft- may
■ Ae-obsOrved * on ploughed'land searching- for worms, grubs^
and insects and at that- season, and after heavy weather, it
often goes far- in-laidi' Its principal food is, however,-obtained