1915] The Ottawa Naturalist. 89 



NOTES ON THE HERRING GULL (LARUS 

 ARGENTATUS). 



By M. Y. Williams, Ottawa. 



Between June 8th and October 26th the writer cruised by 

 launch from Wiarton to Sault Ste. Marie, visiting nearly all the 

 islands included in the Manitoulin group. Throughout the sea- 

 son herring gulls were very numerous. On and after July 21st 

 the immature birds, in brown-gray plumage, began to appear. 



These gulls are reported to nest freely on Half Moon Island, 

 where the fishermen obtain plenty of eggs for eating. On July 

 21st, wh-en we visited Wall Island, I saw old nests, and also a 

 dead, half-grown gull. What appeared to be the remains of a 

 nest was also observed on James Island, and many gulls made it 

 a resting place. This species is also reported to nest on some of 

 the islands in the north channel. 



A number of well-informed fishermen and hunters report 

 that the herring gull destroys whole families of young wild ducks. 

 Following the flock as it swims in open water, they hover over 

 the little ducks, which try to escape by diving, and swallow 

 them as soon as they come to the surface. 



On September 2 7th the writer saw a small flock of what 

 appeared to be hooded merganzers off the west end of Barrie 

 Island. Several herring gulls hovered near and dropped to 

 the surface of the water alongside the ducks as soon as they rose 

 to the surface, swam up and appeared to take something away 

 from them. On October 1st a large flock of American mer- 

 ganzers were fishing along the Lake Woolsey side of Indian 

 Point. In spite of a fresh wind blowing on shore, they fished 

 close to shore in the shallow water, following up the innumerable 

 minnows which were to be found at this locality. A number of 

 herring gulls mingled with the ducks, and paid close attention 

 to them as they rose from beneath the water. I shot two of the 

 ducks, and found their mouths overflowing with minnows. 



Mr. J. Merrylees, of Gore Bay, hunter and taxidermist, says 

 that the gulls regularly rob the ducks of their fish when they 

 rise to swallow their catch. This appears to be the only con- 

 clusion to be drawn from the above observations. It was fur- 

 ther stated by Mr. E. Gaulin, of Meldrum Bay, that the gulls 

 rob the loons as well as the ducks. 



From evidences seen this summer, the herring gtill has at 

 least one dangerous natural enemy. On July 10th the writer 

 discovered four duck hawks along the cliffs of the north side of 



