172 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Materials. Seaweed, often in large quantities ; 

 grass, which appears to have been collected quite 

 green ; sometimes no materials whatever, the eggs 

 being laid on the grass in a hollow. 



Eggs. Two to four, generally three. Very vari- 

 able, from light drab to dark olive-brown; some- 

 times pale bluish - green, spotted, blotched, and 

 streaked with ash-grey, pale brown, and dark 

 liver -brown. Size about 2.6 by 1.85 in. (See 

 Plate XI.) 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Resident, but subject to much local 

 movement. Notes : call, ha, ha, ha, or an, an, an ; 

 note of anger, kyeok. Local and other names : 

 Yellow-legged Gull, Less Black-backer Gull. Not 

 a very close sitter, but noisy and clamorous when 

 disturbed. Gregarious. Under protective measures 

 this species grows quite bold, proof of which is 

 given in such breeding stations as the Fame 

 Islands. 



LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS FLYING 

 OVER THEIR NESTS 



