KITTIWAKE GULL. 653 



darker mantle ; the ground-colour of the primaries is also 

 dark grey. A variation in the hind toe and nail, similar to 

 that in li. tridactyla, although in a smaller degree, is observ- 

 able in this species. In winter our Kittiwake goes as far 

 south as the Middle United States, and the Bermudas. 



The Kittiwake breeds on the narrowest ledges of rocky 

 cliflfs, and the nests, which are formed of sea-weeds, are 

 generally placed very close together. Three eggs is the 

 most usual number in each nest : these average 2*15 by 

 1'6 in. ; of a stone-colour, tinged Avith olive, thickly spotted 

 with ash-grey, and two shades of light brown. They are 

 seldom laid until the last week in May, and sometimes not till 

 the first week in June, so that many of the young are still in 

 the nest, or barely fliers, when the Sea Birds Protection Act 

 expires on the 1st of August. Some years ago, when the 

 plumes of birds were much worn in ladies' hats — a fashion 

 which any season may see revived — the barred wing of the 

 young Kittiwake was in great demand for this purpose, and 

 vast numbers Avere slaughtered at their breeding-haunts. 

 At Clovelly, opposite Lundy Island, there was a regular 

 staff for preparing the plumes, and fishing smacks with 

 extra boats and crews used to commence their work of de- 

 struction at Lundy Island by daybreak on the 1st of August, 

 continuing this proceeding for upwards of a fortnight. In 

 many cases the wings were torn off the wounded birds 

 before they were dead, the mangled victims being tossed back 

 into the water ; and the Editor has seen hundreds of young 

 birds dead, or dying of starvation in the nests, through want 

 of their parents' care, for in the heat of the fusillade no 

 distinction was made between old and young. On one day 

 700 birds were sent back to Clovelly, on another 500, and 

 so on ; and, allowing for the starved nestlings, it is well 

 within the mark to say that at least 9,000 of these inoffen- 

 sive birds were destroyed during the fortnight. 



The principal food of the Kittiwake is the small surface- 

 swimming fry of fishes, and other soft marine animals. Dr. 

 Malmgren found that the stomachs of those which he shot 

 off Spitsbergen were filled with Limacina arctica. By the 



