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BRITISH NESTING BIRDS 



Voice. — Three fiotes, somewhat resembling the bird's name, the 

 first two quickly uttered and the third long. It has also been 

 compared to " ah-get-away, ah-gct-away." 



Chief Features. — The smallest British Gull. A beautiful bird in its 

 soft grey dress. Sociable, and fairly plentiful on rocky parts 

 of coast. Captures fish after the manner of the Terns. 



Plumage. — Bill greenish-yellow; black legs and feet; deep-grey 

 mantle; white head, neck, tail, and under parts. Length. — 

 Fifteen and a half inches. 



GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED (Larus fuscus) 



Local Names. — Grey Gull, Yellow-Legged Gull (young). 



Haunt. — Islands near fresh water are favourite haunts, but also 

 sea coast and hillsides adjacent to the sea. 



Nesting Period. — Latter part of May and beginning of June. 



Site of Nest. — A depression in the ground, or in a crevice. 



Materials Used. — Seaweed and grasses. 



Eggs. — Two or Three. The ground colour and markings both 

 vary. Some are a warm stone-colour, through shades of 

 brown to pale green or light olive-green, blotched and spotted 

 with chestnut and dark brown, or a neutral tint. 



Food. — Fish, worms, grubs, and offal. 



Voice. — Short and long cries; laughter-like and weird. 



Chief Features. — About the same size as the Herring Gull, and often 

 nests in close proximity. It is gregarious, and its smaller size 

 at once distinguishes it from the Great Black-Backed. 



Plumage. — Yellow bill, legs, and feet; white plumage in Summer, 

 with exception of mantle, which varies from slate-grey to black. 

 Length. — Twenty-three inches. 



HARRIER, HEX (Circus cyancus) 



Local Names. — Blue Gled, Blue Hawk, Blue Kite, Dove-Coloured 

 Falcon, Dove Hawk, Kattabella, Pigeon Hawk, Ring-Tailed 

 Harrier (female), White Hawk. 



Haunt. — Wild moorlands, and similar haunts. 



Nesting Period. — May and June. 



Site of Nest. — On the ground on a desolate moor, or in a reed-patch 

 or cornfield. 



Materials Used. — A few twigs and dry grass. 



Eggs. — Four to Six. Bluish-white, with perhaps a few rusty spots. 



Food. — Mice, moles, frogs, small birds and their eggs, and insects. 



Voice. — A frequently-uttered " kcr." 



Chief Features. — The commonest of the three British Harriers, but 



