46o ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



few things in English bird life are more remark- 

 able than the sight of the myriads of white wings 

 beating the air together when the Gulls chance to 

 be disturbed. These colonies are so well known 

 and are so easily accessible that the preservation of 

 the species depends largely on the fostering care 

 of the owners of the domains. Fortunately for the 

 bird-lovers, the work of protection has hitherto 

 been done so effectively that the vast increase in 

 the numbers of the Black-headed Gulls has been 

 made a matter of complaint. 



The Common Gull, too, although it nests fre- 

 quently on the low rocks of the sea-coasts, still 

 seeks the islands and shores of inland lakes in 

 order to rear its young. It is by no means so 

 common as its name would imply, and is rarely 

 seen in England except in the winter. The Com- 

 mon Gull resembles the Kittiwake in many respects, 

 but it may be distinguished by its larger size and 

 by the fact that the adult male has a red circle 

 about the eye. 



Of the remaining species of Gull which are in- 

 cluded in the British list, the Cuneate-tailed, Bona- 

 partian, Sabine's, Little, Great Black-headed, 

 Glaucus, Iceland and the Ivory, all are of rare 

 occurrence, and several may be regarded as the 

 merest stragglers. 



To the lochs of the far north, the Divers, too, 

 resort to nest. This small group, consisting of 

 three species, the Great Northern and the Black- 

 and Red-throated, are well and aptly named. 

 Divers they are essentially, every line of their 



