{Authors are responsible for nomenclature used.) 



The Scottish Naturalist 



No. 23.] 



1913 



[November 



6 



'o os V 



* *< 



THE BIRDS OF THE ISLAND OF TIRE&u LlBRAR 

 By Peter Anderson. \Zfr 



{Continued from page 224.) >s ^ 



Black-headed Gull {Larus ridibundus). This species has 

 been increasing of late years, and is now found breeding on different 

 parts of the island. A good many of them remain throughout the 

 year. This Gull feeds mostly on worms and snails, and they are 

 fond of catching moths on summer evenings ; and when trout fishing 

 I have noticed them hawking about and picking flies off the water. 

 I have never known this species to take eggs or young birds. I 

 think they do a lot of good to the farmer, and little harm to anyone. 



Common Gull {Larus canus). Common Gulls are abundant 

 all the year round. They breed on flat rocks on different parts of 

 the island, but their nests are most numerous on the stretch 

 of rough ground between Scarinish and Balephetrish, but never in a 

 cliff. Common Gulls are useful in a way, as they are excellent 

 scavengers. On the other hand, they are sad rascals for taking eggs 

 and young birds. They will take the hens' eggs from the crofters' 

 doors, and they will also steal the young ducklings and young 

 chickens. I have often seen them quartering the fields like a 

 setter, and pouncing down on a lark's nest and taking the fledglings, 

 which they swallow whole. To illustrate this bird's propensity for 

 stealing eggs, I may relate the following little incident which I 

 witnessed on Heanish Golf-course. One of the players drove off 

 the "tee," and as the ball landed a gull immediately secured 

 it and carried it a short distance. It then dropped the ball, fully 

 expecting it to be broken, and its look of surprise when it found that 

 the supposed egg was still intact was amusing. 

 23 2 H 



