A XESTING SITE ()F THE HERRIX(1 GULL (Larus 

 AHuiiXTATus) OX THE N^ORTH YORKSHIRE COAST. 



By the Late R. Lofthouse. 



Tlic Colony of Hcn-iiij;' (xulls vi wliich I write i>< located in a 

 ran,ue of Cliffs of Liassic formation not many miles from Wliitl>y, 

 in a little frequented locality, although there is a railway not far 

 distant. The cliffs in places are perpendicular, or even hanging 

 over, and are of a rather soft and crumljling nature. They average 

 from four to five hundred feet in height, the sea washing their base 

 with tremendous force in stormy weather; hence their aspect is 

 for ever changing, for the sea a])pears to be gradually gaining on 

 thr land, so that land slips are of frequent occurrence, the land 

 sliding down into the sea and being then gradualh' Avashed away. 

 And where the fields are divided l)y hedges running up to the cliffs 

 at right angles isolated thorn Imshes may l)e noticed in places on 

 ledges far down the cliff still glowing away vigorously after their 

 descent of many feet. In other jilaces, where the cliffs have 

 gradually dwindled in height, as they do to the south-east, the 

 high road has had to be removed back, having been, together 

 with houses abutting on it, swept away. Probably no better 

 place fur the study of Coast Erosion could l)e found than here. 



X"ot very far from the clitls frequented by the Gulls the 

 raihvay line was originallj^ laid close along the edge of the cliff, 

 and a portion, about 500 yards in length I should say, slipjied 

 over into the sea, luckily before the line was opened. It now runs 

 througli a tunnel, further inland. Owing to the foundations of 

 the cliffs being washed out as we have noticed, in c(nirse of time 

 the overhanging mass toi)ples over, carrying aAvay the ground for 

 some distance back and forming gaps in the clifi's, and sloping 

 rocky terrace-like platforms half way down the face of the cliffs 

 with many little sheltered terraces and corners. Here grow 

 luxuriantly man}' sea-side loving plants, curiously enough inter- 

 mixed with ferns, and masses of red campion and blue hyacinths. 



* )ne of these terracedike i)latforms, of consideral)le size, is a 

 favourite nesting place of the Herring Gulls. Looking down from 



