66 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



picking up material for their nests. This year several birds 

 added long rushes which had been found floating in the 

 vicinity of the seaweed of which their nests were composed. 

 Birds were seen apparently sitting on i/th April, but the 

 first squabs of the season were not seen until 7th June. 

 These, three in number, were in an old-established habita- 

 tion, an overhung ledge in the inner corner of a large gully. 

 There is a nest here every year quite open to observation, 

 and the parent Shags are not afraid to visit their abode 

 though one is near. 



The young Shags left the nest on i/th July. Of several 

 later broods which were under observation, the last left the 

 nest about the 2Oth August. 



The Herring Gulls breed in colonies on the outlying 

 rocks, but singly, or only a few pairs together. In other 

 parts there are not over a dozen pairs of the Lesser Black- 

 backed species breeding in our area, and they keep to the 

 outlying rocks. The first Gull eggs were seen on 22nd May, 

 and the first young chicks on loth June. Unlike the 

 Shags the parent Gulls would not visit their nests when any 

 one was near, but flew, screaming menacingly overhead, the 

 swoop of their wings being felt fanning the face as they 

 passed. Where the young have room to move about they 

 do not remain over a week in the nest. When approached 

 the chicks endeavour to get out of sight by backing one on 

 top of the other in a crevice of the rock, or creeping under 

 stones, and, if handled, eject the fishy food recently 

 swallowed. When older they scream and are ready to 

 defend themselves to the best of their ability. Many of 

 the young seem very reluctant to take to the air or the water, 

 and were often seen partly flying or exercising their pinions 

 before venturing forth. These no doubt had been well 

 provided with food, and were not forced out to forage for 

 themselves. Most of the young " Scories " 1 were, however, on 

 the wing by the middle of August, but several have experi- 

 enced hard times, and have been seen in the adjoining 

 pasture land persistently following the old birds, and even 



1 [Local name, very generally given to the young Herring Gulls so soon as 

 they are able to fly. Coasts of Scotland but recently local to the eastern sea- 

 board. J. A. H.-B.] 



