T909. Patten. — Omitholooy of Skerries, Co. Ditblin. 191 



tired of aimlessl}^ fluttering above, plunged headlong on the 

 chance of getting its beak under water. In the centres of less 

 crowded pools were small groups of Herring-Gulls, which, in 

 their eager pursuit after food, rotated on the water in such re- 

 gular half circles as to give one the idea that they were being 

 blown by currents of wind coming from opposite directions. 

 But it was when the fighting became fierce that the Herring- 

 Gulls usuall}^ slipped into the pools, and, with a few well- 

 directed strokes of the beak, drove their smaller congeners 

 into the air. It was remarkable to see the keen compe- 

 tition that was kept up, and the perseverance with which the 

 Black-headed Gulls in the air endeavoured to reach the water. 

 They persisted in precipitating themselves through the air 

 with closed wings after the fashion of Terns, and as often as 

 not managed to catch fish in a dive. Only in special circum- 

 stances, as above described, is the Black-headed Gull given to 

 such anomalous habits. Several of the rock-pools were 

 visited also by Herons, which snapped up fry with great vora- 

 city. As the Herons threaded their way through the Fucus- 

 covered rocks we noticed how the long axis of the body was 

 practically horizontal, the neck coiled between the shoulders 

 and the throat thrown well back. This attitude contrasts 

 markedl}^ with that of the bird when standing at rest, the long 

 axis of the body being then nearly vertical. At this juncture 

 our observations on the feeding habits of Gulls were brought to 

 an end rather abruptly by the presence of a man who, attracted 

 by the cries of the Gulls, went dowm to the pools, and, throw- 

 ing stone after stone, succeeded in driving off the feathered 

 throng. When the first stone was hurled into the thick of 

 the largest numbers the birds did not seem to realise the 

 onslaught, but when the second and third stones reached 

 them they rose with one accord and, flying out to sea, alighted 

 on the water about a hundred yards from the reef "We then 

 visited the pools and found them still swarming with fry, and 

 the surrounding seaweed when examined contained numbers 

 entangled. Before leaving the spot we scanned the reef with 

 our binoculars ; a row of over seventy Cormorants stood at 

 the fringe of the breakers. Next a Whimbrel's whistle 

 attracted our attention ; it proceeded from a bird flying over 

 the sea, and scarce had we spotted it when a flock left the reef 



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