190^. JVolcs. 79 



near Grattan Bridge. It has always appeared strange to me that the 

 Common Gull, Lams canits, seldom visits the river at any time. I have 

 noticed it in Stephen's Green Park, but have no record of ever seeing it 

 at Wellington-quay. The most abundant gull, and one which may be 

 seen at all times, is that interesting and changeable species, the Black- 

 headed Gull, Lams ridibundus. Many persons ask, if you show them this 

 bird in the winter plumage, why call it the Black-headed Gull ? Usually 

 in the month of July, but sometimes in the last week of June, young 

 birds bred on the inland bogs follow the course of the Liffe}- until they 

 reach the rich banqueting ground at Wellington-quay. There they 

 may be seen following their parents, which have dark- brown heads, 

 pearl-grey backs, and pure white tails. Towards the end of September 

 the young birds have turned to pearl-grey on the back, but with a well- 

 defined dark brown bar on the tail, and brown stripe along the 

 secondar}- wing feathers. This plumage they retain till the following 

 spring. In the parents of July, the dark-brown hood becomes dappled 

 with white, and a few weeks later not a sign of the brown head is 

 visible, with the exception of a dark patch behind the eye. The feet 

 and beak of the adult birds become a bright vermilion, whilst the feet 

 and beak of the immature birds are pale ochre. This can readily be 

 seen as the birds descend to pick up food. No change takes place till 

 the following February, when the adult birds again begin to show signs 

 of the dark head. Although called the Black-headed Gull, in reality 

 the colour of the head is dark brown. During March and April, the 

 young birds hatched the previous year also assume the dark head, which 

 IS even a deeper shade than that of their parents, but they can always 

 be identified by the bar on the tail and brown stripe along the wing 

 previously mentioned. By the end of April most of the adult birds have 

 gone inland to breed, leaving the immature birds, which are not at this 

 period interested in nesting, to frequent the river, where they are occa- 

 sionally joined by an adult bird, who is too old to undertake the serious 

 duty of incubation, or whose breeding ground is within easy flight of 

 the cit}-. In the following autumn of the second year the immature 

 birds, with the bar on tail and brown stripe along the wing, moult into 

 the full adult plumage — viz., pure white tail, pearl-grey back, vermilion 

 feet and beak, losing all traces of the distinguishing brown marks of the 

 immature stages. In the following spring they join the vast throng 

 that leave the river to breed on the inland bogs. It is remarkable how 

 tame the gulls have become within recent years in the city. The bird, 

 that sits on the Liifey wall, within a few paces of the passer-by, is 

 entirely changed when you meet him on the North Bull (four miles 

 away). Here he has learned by bitter experience the effect of firearms, 

 and he will give you a wide berth and little opportunity to study his 

 plumage. The Black-headed Gull has learned to vary his diet by a visit 

 to the lake in Stephen's Green Park, much to the discomfiture of the 

 ornamental water fowl, who sit still while he snaps the bread in mid-air 

 thrown by visitors. I have seen one almost take bread from the 

 hands of children. So tame have they become, that many visitors 



