608 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
throws the rat was generally in a fit state to be 
bolted, which he-was, head first. The Rooks are 
rather enemies to my Gulls, as they are nearly as 
tame and know the feeding times quite as well, 
and, being able to fly, carry off the best bits 
under the very noses of the Gulls, who can do 
nothing but scream; but a fight between Rooks and 
Gulls for food seems nothing unusual, as I have con- 
stantly seen them, at Teignmouth, after the seine has 
been drawn for sand-eels, have great squabbles for 
the possession of these little fish, of which they both 
seem equally fond. The wild Herring Gulls do not 
appear to be a bit more particular in their choice of 
food than the tame ones, as they search about har- 
bours, roadsteads and tidal rivers for any floating 
substance that may serve as food, and keep a con- 
stant look out for scraps thrown from vessels. I 
have even seen one follow the steamer from Alder- 
ney quite across the channel to the Needles, con- 
stantly wheeling round and round, and keeping a 
very sharp eye upon anything that was thrown over- 
board. In some places the Herring Gulls seem to 
do much mischief, especially in hard weather, for 
Dr. Saxby, writing from Shetland, in the ‘ Zoologist’ 
for 1866 (Second Series, p. 214), says he has often 
seen them feeding in the turnip-fields during a frost, 
and has found their stomachs filled with pieces of 
turnips: he adds that in spring they feed on newly- 
sown corn, and consume considerable quantities of 
