GULLS 297 



last twenty-five years have considerably decreased 

 in numbers {Field, Oct. 20, 1900). Although a few 

 eggs may be found during the first week of May, it 

 is not until the third week of that month that the 

 birds generally begin to lay. The egg-gatherers 

 usually commence work about May 21, and collect 

 the eggs of Gulls and Guillemots all through the 

 month of June. 



The Kittiwake has been reported as breeding in 

 the cliffs of Dorsetshire and the Isle of AVight, but 

 the only gulls I have ever seen there iu the breeding 

 season were Herring Gulls. These were common 

 enough, and during the last week of May I had no 

 difficulty in obtaining as many of their eggs as I 

 cared to take, with the aid of two fishermen, an 

 iron crowbar, and a few fathoms of rope. 



The Kittiwake may be known from the Common 

 Gull in any plumage by the absence of a hind-toe. 

 (See PI. 34, fig. Qa.) 



BLACK-HEADED GULL. Lams ridibundus, Linnaeus. 

 PI. 34, figs. 7, 8. Length, 15-5 in.; bill, 1-75 in.; 

 wing, 11-75 in; tarsus, r7o in. 



A local resident, generally distributed through- 

 out the year on the flat portions of the coast, fre- 

 quenting the mudflats and neighbouring marshes 

 and often coming inland to follow the plough or 

 to feed in the water-meadows, a favourite resort 

 when the water is not too deep. 



In the spring this gull becomes still more gre- 

 garious, and hundreds come inland to breed in 



