22 BRITISH SEA) BIRDS: 
of an isolated rock stack, a little distance from 
the mainland; less frequently it selects a range of 
high cliffs overhanging the sea. A small island 
in a mountain loch is sometimes selected, and occa- 
sionally this may be some considerable distance 
inland. In a few chosen spots the birds nest in 
such close, if somewhat scattered proximity, that 
we might call it a colony, but the rule is for odd 
and more or less isolated pairs to be met with, and 
often at considerable distances apart. The fact 
that this Gull may be found nesting in one chosen 
spot year by year, warrants the supposition that it 
may pair for life. The usually scanty nest is made 
in a hollow amongst the short turf, or heath, or on 
the flat ledge of a precipice. Sometimes the eggs 
are laid in a bare hollow amongst the rocks. It is 
formed of grass, dry sea-weed, twigs, and stalks of 
marine plants, and occasionally a tuft of wool ora 
few odd feathers are placed in the lining. The 
eggs are usually three in number, but sometimes 
only two, or even one. They are grayish-brown, 
or brown sometimes tinged with olive in ground 
colour, spotted with dark umber-brown and brownish- 
gray. This Gull is a very light sitter, but is bold 
and clamorous when disturbed from the nest. 
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. 
Very similar in appearance, but much smaller in 
size—it is only about half the weight—this pretty 
Gull, the Larus fuscus of Linnzus, is one of the 
