All Rights Resrrvrd. Auoust, 1.9 1 P.. 



BIRD NOTES: 



THE 



JOURNAL OF THE FOREIGN BIRD CLUB 



Some Interesting Birds. 



By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.vS. Illustrated fiiom Tjfe. ry 

 H. Wtllford, 



{Conlhiiicd from par/C 213). 



Tni] Tjesrkk Black -backed Gull (Larus fuscus). The 

 four ]i<\iutiful ]Mioto,2:raplis illu'^trating the?e notes were taken 

 by Mr. Willford. this season, at Taen, Island of Scilly, and 

 figure four episodes in the domestic life of this species. 



Gulls live chiefly over or near the water, they are not 

 diving'-hirds, and their food consists of live fish only in part — ' 

 in fact they are practically omnivorous — their diet may be said 

 to cover small live surface^ fish, dead ftsli Avhich float on the 

 water, molluscs, crustaceans, woi'ms, caterpillars, mice, moles, 

 etc., wliih> some of the species t'ik(> the eggs and young of 

 moorland -game nnd water-fowl; grain also is taken to some 

 extent. The indigestible portions of their food are ejected in 

 the form of large pellets. 



The Lesser Tilack-hncked Gull is a beautiful hird (the 

 same may be said of all Chills) and one of the most attract ivej 

 and loveliest scenes of spectacular avifauna is a group of these 

 bird^ foraging for their food on their feeding grounds, hovering" 

 above the water, or their domestic life on or about their nests. 

 How beautiful are the pure hues and the usually spotless con- 

 dition of IlKur plumage ! 



J^esrr/plio)/: Tn summer the plumage is pure glisten- 

 ing white. exce])t for the mantle and wings, which are blackish - 

 grey; the first three primaries have an oval white spot at 

 the tip. the secondaries a-id scaim'ars ai'c tipped with white; 

 l>ill and feet yellow. Tu Avinter the head and neck are much' 

 streaked with brown. 



The nestling is greyisli-white mottled with brown, 

 prim.-iries have no white spots, and the bill and feet are dusk.y. 



