CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 173 



fish. The small boat is occasionally sent to drive off 

 the birds, but if disturbed from one part of the nets, 

 they rapidly commence operations on another. 



After the boats have finished hauling, the birds are 

 usually satisfied, and rest in large bodies upon the water 

 for the remainder of the day. It is by no means 

 uncommon to meet with a flock that extends a mile or 

 two in leng^th. 



I have noticed that when any disease has broken 

 out, and destroyed the fish on the fresh -water broads 

 in the eastern counties, that the gulls rapidly become 

 aware of the fact, and resort daily in thousands to the 

 spot, feeding greedily on the decomposing remains that 

 are floating round the banks. 



The specimens in the case were obtained on the 

 Bass Rock in June, 1867. 



LESSER BLACK BACK GULL.— (Immature.) 



Case 218. 



The specimens in the present case represent the bird 

 in its various immature stacfes. 



They were shot at sea, off the Norfolk coast, in the 

 autumn of 1872. 



HOOPER, OR WILD SWAN. 



: Case 219. 



It is only in the wilder and more l-emote parts of 

 our Islands that these birds can now be regularly 

 looked for. Improvements in drainage and the 

 increase of gunners are gradually lessening the 

 numbers of our visitors, still, when suitable 

 weather occurs, a few are sure to be seen in 

 the neighbourhood of their former haunts. 

 The birds were shot in Kent in 1859. 



