WATCHING GULLS AND SKUAS 105 



the case, for they laid down what they pulled in 

 different places, and several times they attacked each 

 other and fought quite fiercely. With other birds, too, 

 I have noticed a kind of rivalry between the females 

 when collecting materials for the nest. Hen chaf- 

 finches seem particularly jealous of each other in this 

 respect. They pull the lichens from the trunks of 

 trees, fluttering up against them, and using both their 

 claws and beaks, and when thus engaged, or when 

 flying off with what they have got, two will often fly 

 at each other and fight furiously in the air. I do 

 not think that the one tries to take what the other 

 has collected — there ought, one would think, to be 

 enough for all — but, rather, that the sight of one when 

 thus occupied, has an irritating effect on the other, 

 and so it seemed to be with these two gulls. 



Male gulls fight, too, as might be expected, the 

 motive being usually, if not always, jealousy. Some- 

 times a little drama may be witnessed, as when a pair 

 who would fain be tender are annoyed and hampered 

 by a rejected suitor — the villain of the piece. This 

 odious bird advances upon them with a menacing 

 and, it would almost seem, a scandalised demeanour 

 every time that he detects the smallest di.sposition 

 towards an impropriety of behaviour, and when the 

 husband - lover rushes furiously upon him he flies 

 just out of his danger, and acts in the some way on 

 the next occasion, which is immediately afterwards. 

 This goes on for some time, the envious bird becoming 

 more and more rancorous and more and more torn 

 between rage and discretion every time valour assaults 

 him. At last rage carries it, and, strange to say, — 

 considering it as melodrama — he, the villain, makes 



