438 THE GULL. 



the twenty-four. In about a fortnight they pair and 

 begin to build ; their nests are very simple, a few cross 

 pieces of the softer remnants of the reeds and grass, and 

 so closely packed together on the favourite spots by the 

 edge of the water, that an outspread hand would touch 

 two or three of them. They lay three thin-shelled eggs, 

 and instantly begin to sit, so that the egg-gatherers are 

 obliged to be on the alert to take them, before that 

 process begins. For some time no eggs were allowed 

 to be taken, but on its being ascertained that, in con- 

 sequence of so many being hatched at once, several 

 were starved, a certain proportion only were preserved, 

 and the remainder are for a few weeks taken, that there 

 may be a succession in the hatches of the broods. 



The number of eggs collected annually varies from 

 fifteen to twenty thousand, and more might be taken oc- 

 casionally; for instance, thirty thousand would not have 

 been too large a proportion for this Spring (1837), it 

 having been a wet one. Notwithstanding this drawback, 

 the number of these annual visitants appears to increase, 

 They feed themselves and their young on week days, by 

 following the ploughman's heels, pouncing fearlessly 

 upon the grubs and worms turned up by the share, so 

 that they are great favourites with all the farmers 

 within six or seven miles of the mere. On Sundays, 

 when the ploughs are not at work, they betake them- 

 selves to the meadows and dry pastures, in search of 

 similar food, foraging over a whole field with the 

 greatest regularity and order. 



The eggs are very good eating: the yolk is considered 

 by many equal to the Plover's, but the white less trans- 

 parent and gelatinous. The young birds being web- 

 footed, take to the water as soon as hatched, but are 

 fed by the old ones till they can fly; when nearly 

 fledged, they are not bad food, though not often brought 

 to table at present. The young birds for the first year 

 are of a brownish gray colour, with partial patches of 

 white, but have neither the black cap, nor black tips of 



