l86 BLACK-HEADED GULLS IN ESSEX (iSqq). 



From a distance I saw several Herons pursued by the 

 parent Gulls and an amusing sight it was to watch the manner 

 in which they were harried by the smaller birds and eventually 

 forced to beat a reluctant retreat from the sacred nurseries. 



Hard by on the sea-beach I observed two fine Oyster- 

 catchers, who hovered over and around me uttering their long 

 drawn whistles, and it is very probable that they had some eggs 

 on the rough shingles which line the shore on the seaside. 



GULLERY NO. 2. 



" On June 28th, 1899, I visited the Gullery on theTollesbury 

 flats, an account of which I wrote for the Essex Naturalist 

 last year (Vol. x., pp. 388-393). Again this year my first impres- 

 sions were those of disappointment, for on reaching the little 

 pond I then described, where in i8g8 a small gullery existed, I 

 saw barely any gulls at all. 



"The same enormous flock of Herring and Black-backed 

 Gulls were reposing on the sandy banks of the fleet close by and 

 there were numerous Ducks, Coots, Moorhens, and a few 

 Shelducks. 



" There were only about eight Black-headed Gulls flying 

 overhead, but on reaching the shallow pond and ditches above 

 which they hung screaming, I discovered, to my surprise, a great 

 number of nests among the rushes. I waded into the shallow 

 water, by means of sea-boots, but found only one nest containing 

 three eggs. There were several neat little Moorhens' nests with 

 their usual large consignment. 



" One or two of the gulls' nests seemed to be just building, 

 as the flags of which they were composed were quite green and 

 fresh, and they were all large structures raised above the level of 

 the water among the stunted reeds. I should have mistaken 

 them for Coots' nests, had I not been aware that the latter birds 

 scoop out a considerable hollow for the eggs, while the nests of 

 the gulls are almost flat on the top, a consequence of which is 

 that the eggs sometimes roll off into the water, as I have 

 found before nov/. 



" The question whether the gulls do not make use of the 

 coots' nests, who hatch out earlier in the year, is one which I 

 have not the means so far to determine. 



" A sad sight here met my eyes and made me pause. Lying 

 close by a large well-formed nest, I discovered a beautiful Black- 

 headed Gull quite dead, with a gaping wound in its back, and on 



