The Herring Gull 



IF you are not very familiar with this bird 

 you are likely to confuse it with another 

 feathered friend from the sea — the Common 

 Gull. Both are white and light grey in colour, 

 but the two following points of difference 

 serve to distinguish the one from the other. 



The Herring Gull is about twenty-four 

 inches in length, and has flesh-coloured legs 

 and feet, whereas its relative is only about 

 eighteen inches long, and has greenish yellow 

 legs and feet. Both may be seen together 

 following steamers in harbours, or picking up 

 worms and grubs turned up by the plough, 

 but the Common Gull rarely breeds any- 

 where round the English coast. 



The Herring Gull breeds on ledges of sea 

 cliffs, on low rocky islands, and on moorland 

 marshes, inland. Its nest is made of dry 

 seaweed, sprigs of heather, or whatever else 

 happens to be lying around, and is lined 

 with grass, which is often used quite green. 



*3 



