28 Strong, Habits of the Herring Gull. [ja^ 



other individuals, often in vast flocks. It may be questioned 

 whether the gregarious habit implies fondness of the members of a 

 company for each other. 



Both Juvenal and adult Herring Gulls seem to prefer the com- 

 pany of other individuals of their age. My captive gulls and those 

 I have seen wild are usually to be found in close groups, especially 

 when at rest. However, they are often cruel to each other and 

 like other animals will fight fiercely for food. 



A large amount of fighting occurs at a breeding place where no 

 struggle for food is involved. Some of the encounters are un- 

 doubtedly the results of intrusions upon a nesting precinct as is 

 Herrick's opinion, and I saw adults resenting attacks upon the 

 young by other adults. Many of the fights, however, seem to 

 indicate simple belligerency. A gull will approach another with 

 head somewhat lowered and bill pointed straight forward or slightly 

 upward. They will then grasp each other by the mandibles and 

 attempt to drag each other about. Blows may be given with the 

 wings and even with the feet. In Plate V, Fig. 1, such an en- 

 counter appears. The gull on the right is shown just at the mo- 

 ment when its wings have struck its opponent. The heads of the 

 combatants appear in an oblique position as a consequence of the 

 locking of mandibles. Frequently other gulls will join in the fracas 

 and quite a lively but usually short and harmless tussle follows. 

 I saw one fight broken up by another bird interfering much as a 

 rooster may interfere in an encounter between two other cocks. 

 Often a challenge to fight is not accepted, and the bird approached 

 simply retreats. 



Various writers have mentioned the killing of young gulls by 

 adults. According to Ward ^ this may be a very common occur- 

 rence. He saw "some dozens" of half grown gulls which appeared 

 to have been killed by adults, and he described the performance in 

 considerable detail. The following is taken from his account which 

 agrees with my own observations. " The main point of attack was 

 the back of the head. To this region a number of severe blows 

 were given with the point of the bill, after which it was grasped 



1 Ward, H. L. Why Do Herring GuUs Kill Their Young. Science, n. s.. Vol. 

 XXIV, 1906, No. 619, pp. 593-4. 



