THE BLACK-HEADED GULL 
LARUS RIDIBUNDUS 
Locat names in surrounding counties : 
Stratus 1n British AviraunA: A common and widely 
distributed resident, more local during the breeding 
season, and given to much wandering at other times. 
Rapiat DisrriBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 
Paut’s: ‘The Black-headed Gull has become quite a 
feature in the bird-life of London during winter in the 
vicinity of the Thames from the ‘Tower to Richmond, 
and especially between London Bridge and Westminster. 
Years ago the sight of a Gull in London was an event of 
exceptional interest ; nowadays their visits to the Metro- 
polis are so regular and in such abundance that they 
create no surprise and have become quite an interesting 
feature in the routine of the great city. The Thames, 
of course, is the great centre of their Metropolitan dis- 
tribution, but a great many individuals resort to other 
localities, and the annual invasion of this species seems 
to be spreading to various outlying districts. ‘This 
Gull frequents the ornamental waters in the urban parks, 
especially St. James’s Park, Battersea Park, and in the 
grounds of Buckingham Palace. It may also be seen at 
Paddington on and about the canal basin, and near the 
open reach by the Harrow Road Bridge. I have also 
records from many other sheets of water, from some of 
the sewage-farms, and so forth. No indication of 
breeding has yet been noticed, nor do | think ever will be. 
What I wrote about the Black-headed Gull in my 
book Open-air Studies in Bird-life 1* may be pardoned 
for quoting here: “‘ They are voracious birds; food is a 
great inducement, and London crowds are very hospitable 
in these matters. Even the London errand-boy will 
share his humble dinner with the birds; whilst the 
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