rivers, in the winter and fpring, at low tides, picking up the various
worms and fmall fijh left by the tides ; and will often follow
the plough in the fields contiguous, for the fake of worms and
infells which are turned up, particularly the cockchafer, or dor-
beetle, in its lame ftate, which it joins with the Rooks in devouring
moft greedily.
9-
4- BLACKHEADED
G.
Laras ridibundus, Lin. Syji. i. p. 223. 9.
■ ■ " cinereus, Scop. Ann. i. N° 105 r
La Mouette rieufe, a pattes rouges, Brif. Orn. vi. p. 196. 14.— Buf. Oif. viii.
p. 433-—P* Enl. 970.
Brown-headed Gull, Alhin, ii. pi. 86.
Pewit, Black-cap, or Sea-Crow, Raii Syn. p. 128, A. 5.— Will. Orn. p. 347.
pi. 66.— Br. Zool. ii. N° 252.— Arii. Zool. N® 455 ,—Flor. Scot. pi. 5.
fig. 1.
Lev. Muf.
Description. y ^ E N G T H fifteen inches : breadth three feet: weight ten
ounces. Bill rather flender, and of a blood red : eye-lids
red: irides hazel: the head and throat dulky brown; in old
birds black: on each eye-lid a fmall white Ipot: back and wings
alh-colour: the neck, all the under parts, and tail, white: the
ten firft quills white, margined, and more or lefs tipped, with
black; the others alh-colour, with white ends: legs the colour
of the b ill: claws black.
Place and
Manners*
The Black-cap, or Pewit Gull, as it is by fome called, breeds
on the Ihores of fome of our rivers, but full as often in the inland
fens of Lincolnjhire, Cambridgeshire, and other parts of England.
They make the neft on the ground, with rulhes, dead
grafs, and fuch like; and lay three eggs, of a greenilh brown,
marked
marked with red brown blotches. After the breeding-feafon they
again difperfe to the fea-coafts. Breed alfo in Northumberland
and Scotland ; and found throughout Raffia and Sibiria, as far as
Kamtjchatka, but not farther to the north. Are feen throughout
the winter at Aleppo, in great nbmbers, and fo tame; that
the' women are laid to call them from the terraces of their houfes,
throwing up pieces of bread, which thefe birds catch in the air *.
Inhabit North America, coming into New England in May, and
departing in Auguft -j-. The young birds, in the neighbourhood of
the Thames, are thought good eating, and are called the Red-legs;
but the Black-caps are much lefs efteemed, being rank, as is in
general the cafe with moil old birds.
Laras cinerarias, Lin. Syft. i. p. 2Z4. 4.
-------canus, Scop. Ann. i. N° 106.
La petite Mouette eendree, Brij. Ora. vi. p. 178. 9, pi. Jjj fig. j ,~ B u f.
Oif. viii. p. 431 .— PI. Enl. 969.
Laras albus major, Raii Syn. p. 129. 9.
Greater white Gull of Bilhnius, With Orn. p, 348.—.Br, Zool. ii. p. 542.
•var»
' J H IS anfwers in moft things to the black-headed Gull, of
which it appears to be a Variety, or more probably the young
bird. The fore part of the head is white : the fpace round the
eyes dufky : from the corner of each eye a broad dufky bar, furrounding
the hind part of the head; behind that another, reaching
from ear to ear: the ends and exterior edges of the three
firft quill feathers are black; the ends and interior fides only of
* R»f. Alep. p. 70, + Art!. Zool.
® the
10. +-RED-
LEGGED G.
Description