122 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



hollows scooped out of tlie soft turf, on grass 

 growing in nooks and on ledges of rock, on bare 

 rocks, and on masses of dry seaweed. Our illustra- 

 tion is from a photograph taken on the Fame 

 Islands, where a large colony breeds. On low 

 rocky islands, ledges of cliffs, on islands in inland 

 lakes, and in moss-bogs. On nearly all suitable 

 places round our coasts, except the greater parts 

 of the east and southern coasts of England. 



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 

 variable, 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. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Resident, but subject to much local 

 movement. Notes : call, ha, ha, Jia, 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. 



HARRIER, ASH-COLOURED. See HAEEIEK, MONTAGU'S. 



HARRIER HEN. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about 

 eighteen inches. Beak short, much curved, bluish- 

 black, and surrounded at the base with black, bristly 

 feathers. Bare skin immediately round base of 



