ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 117 



Parasitic Habits of the Black-headed Gull. — In the recent 

 notes in the " Annals " on the ' Food of the Black-headed Gull,' 

 mention has been made of this species robbing Lapwings only, but 

 I have lately noticed that it does not confine its attention to this 

 bird. Near Loanhead, on 15th December last, I distinctly saw 

 these Gulls robbing Golden Plover of the worms they were catching ; 

 while near Portobello, on 14th February, two Starlings were being 

 victimised. In each case Lapwings were also feeding in the field 

 and were being freely robbed. It, therefore, almost appears that 

 this habit having originated with the Lapwing as victim, is being 

 extended to any species feeding alongside, provided it is capturing 

 suitable food and is not powerful enough to withstand the Gull. 

 Following this supposition I have closely watched members of the 

 Thrush family. Redwings in particular, when feeding beside Lap- 

 wings and Gulls, but so far I have noticed nothing in their case. 

 Some Curlews, too, which I saw freely catching worms in a field 

 near Annan, on 14th January, were left unmolested, while the 

 Lapwings beside them were being subjected to a most rigorous 

 persecution by these Gulls. This record, with regard to the Lap- 

 wings, may be of some interest on account of the locality. It 

 will be interesting to hear if others have noticed birds other 

 than the Lapwing being victimised by Gulls. — G. G. Blackwood, 

 Edinburgh. 



The Black-headed Gull as a Persecutor of the Lapwing. — 

 Mr. Laidlaw and Mr. Evans have drawn attention in the "Annals" 

 to the curious lack of records in British bird -books on this ^ 

 remarkable habit. In Mr. Ussher's "Birds of Ireland," p. 332, 

 however, there is the following reference in the account of the 

 Black-headed Gull : — " In severe frost, when Lapwings are driven 

 to the southern pastures, each of these birds may sometimes be seen 

 shadowed by a Black-headed Gull, and the moment the Plover 

 pulls oUt a worm the attendant Gull rushes forward to seize it ; the 

 Lapwing takes flight and doubles like a hare, closely pursued by its 

 tormentor. Possibly the name of Lapwing-Gull may be given in 

 consequence of this habit." It may be worth noting that the habit- 

 is of daily occurrence in the Lothians nowadays (during winter), 

 •quite irrespective of severe weather. — S. E. Brock, Kirkliston. 



Black-throated Diver in Fifeshire. — On 21st January a young 

 Black-throated Diver {Colymbus ardiais) was killed at a Loch 

 on Morton, near Tayport, Fifeshire. It was feeding vigorously on 

 trout at the time it was killed, and in fact four trouts, each about 

 TO inches long, were shaken out of its gullet when is was brought 

 ashore. It is impossible to leave such voracious birds to feed 

 unmolested on what is in fact an artificial fishing loch, and 

 its destruction, otherwise regrettable, was therefore a matter of 

 necessity. As it turned out, however, the Royal Scottish Museum 



