The Birds of Pembrokeshire. 105 
to its breeding stations in Scotland, where it places its nest on 
the ground at the edges of lochs. It is to be seen commonly 
on the sands and mud flats on the shore during the winter, and 
also very often on fields inland, and we have often been amused 
by watching the scrambles between the Rooks and the Common 
Gulls for worms when the birds have been closely following the 
plough. In the winter of 1886, we several times saw, and once 
or twice got very close to, a perfect albino Common Gull that, 
with other Gulls, daily visited a field near Stone Hall. The 
Common Gull was reported by Colonel Montagu to nest upon 
Ramsey Island, but the nests he describes are evidently those 
of the Kittiwakes. 
GREATER BLACK-BACKED GULL, Zarus marinus.—Resident. 
A few pairs of this fine and powerful Gull nest upon the islands 
off our coasts. Mr. Mortimer Propert has taken its eggs on the 
Bishop’s Rock, near St. David’s, and we are informed by Mr. 
C. Jefferys, of Tenby, that a pair have nested on St. Margaret’s 
Island, a small island connected by a reef of rocks, dry at low 
water, with Caldy. The eggs were twice taken from this nest in 
the summer of 1892. Mr. E, H. W. Blagg, of Cheadle, 
Staffordshire, tells us that a pair of great Black Backed Gulls 
nested on St. Margaret’s Island in 1887, when he was visiting 
Tenby, and that there were three eggs in the nest on June roth. 
It is probable that there are other nesting stations of the birds 
on our coasts, where we trust they may be unmolested by the 
egger. The Greater Black-Backed Gull seldom leaves the 
shore, but we have occasionally noticed a pair in fields adjoin- 
ing the coast. Mr, J. H. Salter, of Aberystwyth, writes to us 
that he sees the Great Black Backed Gull “about the ‘ llyns’ or 
pools on the hills in March ; it seems to go up there for the 
lambing season, when Ravens and Buzzards are also specially 
busy.” 
BROWN-HEADED GULL, Zarus ridibundusx—An autumn and 
winter visitor. Common on the coast, and often to be seen on 
fields inland, in company with Common and Herring Gulls. 
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