BLACK-HEADED GULLS IN ESSEX (iSgg). 189 



or two not yet able to use their wings, I noticed scurry- 

 ing away among the muddy little islands, and quickly hiding 

 themselves in the thick sedge or grass with which all the saltings 

 are covered. 



" The spot is peculiarly favourable for a gulls' colony, being 

 out of the beaten track, well surrounded by extremely deep tidal 

 channels, and not far from a Coastguard Station whose officers I 

 have no doubt would be quite willing, if requested, to look after 

 the interests of the birds and see they are unmolested." 



This concludes my notes this year, 1899, about the gulls in 

 Essex. There may be other Gulleries among the islands of the 

 Essex Archipelago at the mouth of the Crouch, but so far I have 

 not heard of or come across them, though every year I confi- 

 dently expect they will increase in number. 



These sagacious birds appear to be the first to have discovered 

 that the Essex shores are a protected area, and having now 

 realised the fact (sic.) we may expect them to utilise our coasts 

 more and more. 



Every winter the gulls come up the London river in larger 

 numbers and naturally they will be all the more likely to form 

 breeding grounds in suitable localities, close to their favourite 

 winter quarters. Moreover they appear to be reverting to their 

 old time-honoured custom of nesting on the saltings and islands 

 round the Essex coast, which a century ago they did in such 

 numbers. It was probably only the spoliation and destruction 

 which they began to suffer later, that forced them to find shelter 

 among the reedy beds of more secluded fleets inland, and that 

 also entailed their constructing larger and more elaborate nests 

 to raise their eggs above the uncertain level of those freshwater 

 localities. 



Before long we may expect to find our low coast and 

 marshes fringed with myriads of these beautiful and harmless 

 creatures, lighting up the muddy stretches of foreshore with their 

 snowy plumage and lending a beauty and gaiety to scenes which 

 without them are often dull and even depressing. 



In conclusion I may say I know of two small colonies of 

 Lesser Tern in different parts of the Essex coast, "but they are 

 so precious and still so small, I dare not mention the exact 

 positions even in the pages of the Essex Naturalist. 



The Ringed Dotterel or Plover also abound and seem to be 

 ncreasing, but I don't think any Common Tern breed with us. 



