112 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



coasts of Scotland and the islands round about it, 

 in a few suitable places round the coast of Ireland, 

 and to a limited extent in the Isle of Man. 



Materials. None ; the eggs being laid on the 

 bare rock or ground. 



Eggs. Two, white, faintly tinged with green, 

 blue, or creamy-buff, spotted and blotched with 

 ash-grey, reddish or chestnut brown, and very 

 dark brown. Size about 2*35 by 1*6 in. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Eesident, but a southern wanderer 

 in winter. Notes : a plaintive whine. Local and 

 other names : Sea Turtle, Greenland Dove, Dovekie, 

 Scraber, Tyste, Puffinet. Gregarious. Sits closely. 

 Keeps to the open sea, except during the breeding 

 season and when driven ashore by stress of weather. 



GULL, BLACK-HEADED. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about six- 

 teen inches. Bill moderately long, nearly straight, 

 and lake-red. Irides hazel ; eyelids crimson. Head 

 and upper part of throat dark brown. Back and 

 sides of neck white. Back and wings (except some 

 of the primaries, which are black at the tips, and on 

 some of the margins with white shafts), uniform 

 lavender-grey. Tail-coverts and quills white. Lower 

 front of neck, breast, and all under parts, white. 

 Legs and feet lake-red ; claws black. 



The female is similar to the male. 



The above description is of a solitary pair shot 

 whilst nesting in June on a northern moorland 

 tarn. The Black-headed Gull is subject to con- 

 siderable variation in plumage, not only in regard 

 to season but age, 



