8o The Irish Naturalist, April, 



think these gulls are part of the collection kept l)y the Board of Works 

 for their instruction and amusement. Perched on the branches of a 

 weeping ash, growing on the south side of the lake, may be observed, 

 taking little notice of the visitors who pass within a few feet, the Lesser 

 Black-backed, which gull. 1 regret to say, has found out this sanctuary ; 

 one immature specimen last summer frequented the lake, resting on the 

 cornice of a house overlooking the Park, till an opportunity presented 

 itself of swooping down and snatching one of a group of ducklings. It 

 became so expert at this form of poaching that special orders were 

 issued by the Board of Works, and the marauder promptly executed. 

 On another occasion an adult Lesser Black-backed attacked a duckling, 

 and was in turn attacked by the parents (a pair of Chilian Wigeous) 

 with such success that the exhausted gull was killed by one of the Park 

 constables with a stick. No such charge can be levied at the head of 

 the Black-headed; they live in peace with the waterfowl, making no 

 attempt to molest the young birds, no matter how small and weak they 

 are. The gulls conspicuous by their absence from the cit}' proper are — 

 the Greater Black-backed {Larns /nannies) and Kittiwake {/\issa tridactyla), 

 the latter in the earl}' spring frequent the river as far up as the London 

 and North W^esteru boats, but the former I have not seen beyond the 

 Pigeon House Fort. 



W. J. Wir,i,iAMS. 

 Dame-street, Dublin, 



Morning Flight of Gulls across Central Scotland. 



Within view of a south window alone here the flight of Herring Gulls 

 continues all winter. They pass over almost im'ariabU' in a S.W. 

 direction, between the Forth and Chxle estuaries. Their flight has been 

 traced at various points all along the course. So far as those seen here 

 are concerned the same line is chosen, but the full width of the area so 

 occupied has not so far as I know been accurately laid dowii or mapped. 

 The flight continues from daylight — at this point — onwards, and often 

 continues most of the day, but on some da5's ceases about lo.o a.m. It is 

 almost entirely when the wind is westerl}', that the}- travel, and they 

 are little observed if the wind is easterl}-. I have not observed any 

 corresponding return in the evening, and rarely see even a straggler 

 going east. They come from the mud-flats and shores of the Firth of 

 Forth, and are known to congregate on the mud and shores of the Clyde; 

 and at a few intermediate stations where food supplies are obtainable. 



Early in November or earlier, these flights are accompanied by a few 

 parties of Great Black-backed Gulls — i, 2, 3, 4, or up to 7, or 8 (I can't 

 recall ever seeing more), but all of this species apparently soon pass over 

 and none are seen as the winter advances. I have of late 3'ears carefull}' 

 scanned the birds passing over, but have always failed to make out any 

 Lesser Black-backed Gulls amongst them, or flying over at any time. 

 But when early spring arrives, and lambing-time on the inland oioors 



