74 
BLACK-HEADED GTTLL. 
wing, they follow the parent birds to the fields in search of food, 
which entirely consists of worms and grubs of every description, 
so that I have no hesitation in saying the benefit those birds 
do to the surrounding neighbourhood is immense. 
The colour of one of the birds in full plumage is a white body, 
light grey wings, and a black head. The young ones are 
quite mixed with brown, with no black head; and I observe 
when they first return in the spring of the year, that nearly 
half the birds have white heads, which gradually turn black 
while they stay. This leads me to the conclusion that they 
do not get the black head until about a year old. 
The period of their departure is spread over most part of 
the month of July, according as each pair has been soon or 
late in hatching and rearing its young. Some solitary birds 
may be found in the month of August, but these are the 
product of such as have had their first nests destroyed, and 
hatched a second time, and are almost certain to become a 
prey to Hawks, etc. It is impossible to estimate their number, 
but some idea may be formed from the fact that the lake 
is seven acres, one rood, and twenty-four perches in extent, 
which is covered as thick, when they are disturbed and on the 
wing, as if a shower of snow were falling on it, while they 
are so tame that they take not the slightest heed to the continual 
traffic on the turnpike-road, which passes them within six 
yards of the edge of the water. 
I think I have given you all the information I can relative 
to these interesting visitors of Mr. Askew. There is one other 
place in the neighbourhood called Paston Lake, to which they 
resort, but I think not in such numbers as ‘Askew’s Hens’ 
collect; but, bearing on the subject, I will take the liberty 
of enclosing a copy of some verses which a cottager in our 
village here, called W. Robson, gave me the other day. I 
may state, as the lines shew, that the composer is quite 
illiterate, but withal a turn about him for poetry; and with 
the hope that the poor attempt I have made to meet' your 
wishes, and to shew the habits of what this neighbourhood is 
so justly proud of may answer your purpose, 
I have the honour to be, Madam, 
Your very obedient Servant, 
Thos. Mason. 
To Mrs. Hincks. : 
