382 THE GULL. 



of their absence, the Gulls, as if fishing was out of the question 

 for the time, generally repair inland, and rest among the heaths. 

 As soon, however, as the tide changes, and the herrings again 

 rise, they quit their retreats, and by loud and discordant 

 screams, seem to express to each other their joy at the approach- 

 ing feast ; and when they take wing, it is a sure sign that the 

 period for fishing is at hand. It is astonishing to see with 

 what precision and regularity the flocks, far removed from the 

 sea, arouse themselves from a state of quiet and repose, and 

 suddenly, full of bustle and activity, betake themselves to the 

 herring-grounds. 



The Gulls hitherto mentioned are, more or less, strangers to 

 this country; or may, at all events, be considered as mere 

 casual frequenters of our coasts, preferring solitudes still more 

 wild and lonely than our own. We have, however, several 

 species which breed and remain with us all the year. They 

 build on several parts of our rocky shores ; and few scenes 

 present more attractions, to an observer of nature, than a view 

 of one of these wild spots in that season. We shall describe 

 one that we have often visited, and give, at the same time, 

 some particulars relative to the habits of the birds of which 

 we are now speaking. 



The spot we allude to is at the back of a mountain near 

 Holyhead, which terminates abruptly in a series of precipices. 

 At the foot of one of these is a small island, called the South 

 Stack, on which a lighthouse has been erected, well known to 

 those who navigate the Irish Channel. Upon this rock, which, 

 before the erection of the lighthouse, was almost inaccessible, 

 myriads of sea-fowl used to build ; and when the works were 

 commenced, in 1808, the unusual appearance of persons on 

 the island, with their noisy operation of blasting, so disturbed 

 the proceedings of the birds recently arrived, that, with the 

 exception of a solitary pair of Gulls, the whole body, including 

 Guillemots and Razor-bills, took to flight, leaving the work- 

 men in full possession of a spot which the birds, from time 

 unknown, had occupied by a sort of prescriptive right. The 

 solitary pair had taken post on an inaccessible ledge of bare 

 rock, in the face of a precipice, and seemed to be aware that 



