36 Strong, Habits of the Herring Gull. [jaa. 



cracking of the egg the parent birds were so fearless that they would 

 leave the nest only on a near approach, and while the camera was 

 being focussed would remain within a few yards, perched either on 

 the ground or on a low tree or stump." This change in behavior 

 towards the end of the incubation period is of course not peculiar 

 to gulls. 



Some observations were made by Dutcher and Baily ^ on the turn- 

 ing of the eggs by the brooding bird. They found that the eggs are 

 sometimes turned slightly with the bill when the bird goes on the 

 nest, though in one case where each egg had been marked with an 

 arrow, only one was found turned after the bird went on the nest. 

 I also obtained some evidence of the eggs being turned by the bird. 

 In some cases, as the parent nestled down over the eggs it appeared 

 probable that at least a slight turning of eggs would occur. There 

 was usually more or less shifting of the feet, body and plumage, as 

 the bird adjusted itself to the eggs and nest. This performance 

 has been described in detail by Dutcher and Baily.^ 



On very warm days, especially at midday, I found that the nest is 

 left frequently for a few moments. At such times the bird goes to 

 the water's edge and takes at least a partial bath. There is much 

 splashing of water with the bill and sometimes with the whole head. 

 There is some drinking of water also at this time. 



Another phase of the brooding activities is the repelling of in- 

 truders from the vicinity of the nest. According to Herrick,^ one 

 of the parents is on guard most of the time after the eggs hatch, 

 for several weeks. He says also that the guarding bird stands on a 

 perch which is maintained by habit. Dutcher and Baily also 

 mention this guarding habit, and I have also noticed it. According 

 to Hornaday,* a pair of Herring Gulls bred successfully in Bronx 

 Park Zoological Gardens. He states that the male "bluffed or 

 fought everything coming within ten feet of the nest." During a 

 battle, the sitting female would point her bill toward the sky and 

 scream. 



So far as I could determine, there is more or less brooding of the 



• op. cit., p. 427. 

 ' op. cit., p. 427. 



• Herrick, F. H. Proc. Seventh Internat. Zool. Cong. 



• Hornaday, W. T. The American Natural History, p. 297. 



