KITTIWAKE. 287 



Family LARID.E. . Genus Larus. 



Sub-family LARIN.E. 



KITTIWAKE. 



Larus tridactylus, Limiceus. 

 Single Brooded. Laying season, May and June. 



British breeding area: The Kittiwake is widely 

 distributed along the most rocky coasts of the British 

 Islands, becoming, however, more local in England than 

 elsewhere. It breeds at Flamborough Head and the 

 Fame Isles on the east coast ; in the south only on the 

 coasts of Devon and Cornwall, the Scilly Isles and 

 Lundy ; more numerously on certain parts of the Welsh 

 coast, less so on the Isle of Man. From the nature of 

 the coast, Scotland is more favourable to the require- 

 ments of this species, and in many places it breeds in 

 enormous colonies, especially on the west, and on the 

 Hebrides (including St. Kilda), the Orkneys, and the 

 Shetlands. On the east coast of Scotland, however, it is 

 not so widely dispersed, but breeds on the Bass, the May, 

 and in Aberdeenshire. In Ireland it is equally widely 

 distributed on all rocky coasts suited to its requirements. 



Breeding habits : The Kittiwake is a resident in 

 our islands, but subject to much local movement during 

 the non-breeding season, being then more widely dis- 

 persed and more oceanic in its habits. The breeding- 

 places of the Kittiwake are lofty wall-like ocean cliffs 

 and rock-stacks. It is a most gregarious species, and 

 where the accommodation is ample its colonies are of 

 enormous dimensions, many thousands of birds in some 

 places breeding in company. On the other hand, in less 

 suitable places, only a few pairs may be met with. 

 Early in spring the birds begin to arrive at their 



