Vol. XX 

 1903 



1 DuTCHER AND Baily, Habtts of the Herring Gull. 42 9 



vacated. There is rarely any resistance, this seeming to be the 

 lawful method of dispossessing an intruder. The quality of 

 bravery is not lacking in the character of the gulls, especially 

 when they have young ; they are then extremely solicitous and do 

 not hesitate to make demonstrations of attack by assault. On one 

 occasion Mr, Dutcher, after photographing a nest, sat down on a 

 nearby stump to make some notes, not noticing that there was a 

 nest with some young birds at the back of the stump. This 

 action on his part seemed to excite the parents to an unusual 

 degree, for they made repeated swoops at the intruder, passing 

 within a short distance of his head each time. Gradually they 

 became more angry, until finally one of the gulls struck his head a 

 sharp blow with its wing. 



The tameness and confidence in man displayed by the gulls on 

 Duck Island and No-Man's-Land was not shown by the gulls on 

 any of the other islands visited ; this may be accounted for by the 

 fact that the protection given was not so complete, and also that 

 where the colonies are large the birds give each other courage ; in 

 other words, they appear to think "there is safety in numbers." 



The gulls do not seem to be disturbed by mammals to any 

 great degree. The sheep that feed on the islands sometimes 

 wander among the nests, but the setting birds make no further 

 demonstration than to rise on the nest and show a bold front to 

 the sheep, which always turn away. On one occasion a low rock, 

 almost awash, was seen on which some thirty or forty gulls were 

 standing, and among them were five or six harbor seals. The 

 rising tide reduced the surface of the rock rapidly, thus crowding 

 the occupants together, but the utmost harmony prevailed. 



In 1902 Mr. Baily observed some sheep approaching a nest; 

 the setting bird watched them with considerable anxiety, and occa- 

 sionally uttered a low chuck, which grew louder as the half-dozen 

 sheep gradually and heedlessly neared the nest, nibbling the clover. 

 When within about three feet she opened her mouth and uttered a 

 strong protest, which caused the sheep to raise their heads in 

 slight alarm, and finally, at her wits end, she raised up on her feet 

 and invoked the aid of her attentive mate, who, screaming at the 

 top of his lungs, dashed into the faces of the unsuspecting intru- 

 ders and scattered them into a stampede up the slope. Not long 



