598 LARiDj:. 



in the face of any one who approaches and dwells upon the 

 haunts of then* young. In reply to inquh'ies, Sir Charles 

 Anderson informs the Editor that the number of birds has 

 increased, owing to j)rotection from disturbance, and an over- 

 flow colony is now established on Sir R. Sheffield's property, 

 a few miles off. 



In Yorkshire there is a ' gullery ' on Thorne Waste, and 

 a small one on Strensall Common, an ancient haunt to which 

 they returned in 1881 ; but the large breeding-place at 

 Hornsea Mere, in Holderness, has been broken up by 

 drainage. In Northumberland there are still colonies at 

 Harbottle Tarn ; at Hallypike Lough ; at Sweethope ; and 

 at Pallinsburn, the latter being the ancient seat of the Askew 

 family, where owing to protection the species is as abundant 

 as ever; and detachments have established themselves at 

 Dunse Castle, and at Paston Lake, near Yetholm, across the 

 Border. On the v/estern side Mr. T. Duckworth informs the 

 Editor that there are ' gulleries ' on Bowness Moss, Solway- 

 flow, Wedholm-flow, Bolton Moss, Raveuglass, and several 

 other places. Passing southwards there was until about 

 eight years ago a colony on Pilling Moss, near Morecambe 

 Bay in Lancashire, and half a century ago Gulls were nest- 

 ing on the present site of the town of Fleetwood. Across 

 the Bay is another and well-known ' gullery ' on Walney 

 Island; and there are colonies at Winmarleigh, and on a 

 small tarn upon the Bleasdale Fells. 



In Staffordshire there is, or was, a famous colony described 

 by Willughby (Ornithology, 1G78, p. 347), who refers to the 

 bird as " the Pewit or Black-cap, called in some places the 

 Sea Crow, and Mire Crow," and thus describes the practice 

 of fattening it for the table : — " When they have taken 

 them, they feed them on the entrails of beasts ; and when 

 they are fat, sell them for fourpence or fivepence apiece.* 



* Our ancestors appear to have been ratber partial to strong-flavoured food. 

 Thus the Dr. Thomas Muffet, in his " Health's Improvement," already quoted on 

 several occasions, says : — "White Gulls, Grey Gulls, and Black Gulls (commonly 

 termed by the name of ' Plungers ' and ' Water Crows ') are rejected of every 

 man as a fishy meat ; nevertheless, being fed at home with new curds and good 

 corn till they be fat, you shall seldomo taste of a lighter or better meate." 



