84 THE BIRDS OF RAINHAM. 



BLACK-HEADED GULL. 

 Lams ridibundus, Linn. 



The Black-headed Gull is common enough on the 

 Medway in the autumn, winter, and early spring, and 

 when they begin to assume their black heads they 

 depart ; visit our sprat fields, coming by hundreds ; 

 should the weather be cold they follow the waggons 

 from the wharf into the field ; only by continually 

 shooting are they kept away, they wait in an adjoin- 

 ing field at a little distance in the line of scent, 

 watching an opportunity in order to pick up a few 

 sprats in an unprotected corner ; should the gunner 

 be absent for a few minutes down they come ready to 

 carry all the sprats away ; when evening arrives they 

 retire to the river where they roost. The following 

 day they repeat their excursions to the sprat field, 

 stealing some if they can till the sprats are all 

 ploughed in. Should a frost intervene to stop the 

 plough the Gulls are again on the alert, not losing 

 a chance all the time a sprat is to be had. The 

 Black-headed Gull in rough weather often visits the 

 fresh turned ploughed furrows, following the plough 

 across the field, frequently in company with rooks, 

 robbing the land of the earth-worms. 



KlTTIWAKE. 

 Rissa tridactyla (Linn.). 



The Kittiwake is rather a rare straggler on the 

 Medway and seldom met with. The few that are 



