Philpott. — Notes on the Birds of South-western Otago. 21J. 



with a gull hard at work, one eye being already out, and the sheep has re- 

 covered ; but usually, if the sheep is found alive, it will be so weak from 

 loss of blood that all one can do is to put it out of pain and save the skin. 

 About three months ago, on a very rough morning, from my bedroom- 

 window I saw a ewe trying to drive off two gulls from her lamb, which 

 appeared to have been just dropped and to be too weakly to take to its 

 legs. When one gull would approach the lamb the ewe would try to butt 

 the marauder and chase it away for a dozen yards or so, the gull avoiding 

 the .sheep with the greatest ease. As .soon as the sheep's attention was 

 taken up with one gull the other would make a dive for the lamb, so that 

 when the poor mother turned from the pursuit of the first enemy it was 

 only to find the second attempting to devour her lamb. The same manoeuvre 

 was repeated, the first returning to the lamb while the ewe was driving 

 off the second one. I hastily dressed, picked up my gun, and went to the 

 rescue, but was too late to save the lamb, which I found to have one eye 

 out and to be bleeding profusely. Here in Clifden I have never known a 

 gull to attack a living rabbit, even in a trap, but in another part of South- 

 land I have repeatedly seen them do so. This could be most readily seen 

 after a wet stormy night, when the trappers do not trouble to go round 

 their traps till the storm abates. Both gulls and hawks could then be seen 

 righting over and devouring the few unfortunate rabbits while they were 

 still alive." 



Mr. W. Philpott, of Moa Flat, also bears- witness against the gull. He 

 writes, " Re seagulls attacking .sheep, I have seen them mo e than once 

 pecking at sheep's eyes In every case the sheep was unable to get on its 

 legs, being ' cast.' I remember once seeing a gull pecking a a sheep's 

 head, and when the sheep struggled the gull would run back a little, but 

 as soon as it was quiet it would come up again. One morning, about four 

 years ago, when I went to look through the ewes I found that one had 

 lambed and could not get up, and, it being a cold morning, the lamb was 

 nearly perished. There were two or three gulls round it pecking at it, and 

 before I got there they had pulled its tongue out and torn it off close to the 

 root, so that I had to kill it. I have never seen gulls attack chickens or 

 rabbits in t aps." 



In support of my correspondents, I am able to say that I once saw what 

 looked like a predatory act on the part of a gull. Some gulls had gathered 

 to a ploughed field, and a starling that approached was set upon and 

 chased by one of the gulls. The small bird was evidently terrified, and was 

 followed in all its twistings and turnings for some little time. A trust- 

 worthy observer told me that he once saw a gull pick up one of a brood 

 of young turkeys, and, carrying it to a post, proceed to make a meal of it. 



Mr. A. W. Traill, of Stewart Island, gives some interesting particulars 

 of the gull's nesting habits : " Two seasons ago, in early spring, I spent a 

 week or more busy in my boatshed. It was calm weather, and a pair of 

 seagulls spent each day either sitting on a rock or swimming in the still 

 water. For hours they would sit perfectly still side by side, occasionally 

 conversing (I can use no other word) in a low muttering or warbling note. 

 This love-song, which is seldom heard, is very interesting, and so unlike 

 their usual harsh or wailing cry that it is difficult to realize that it is pro- 

 duced by the same bird. The black-backed seagull builds in the latter 

 part of November, but on one occasion I found a gull sitting on eggs in 

 February, so they may occasionally rear two broods. The parent birds are 

 very solicitous over their young — -any coasting harrier that appears in the 



