162 



Wild Birds 



In the home and nursery of the Gull we see how commu- 

 nal life has affected their behavior at every turn, and especially 

 the nest and all that concerns it. 



When pairing has been accomplished in the Great Herring 

 Gull, the nests are built either on the ground or in trees, both 



Fig. 99. Eggs of the Great Herring Gull, in ground-nest, composed of 

 grass, sheep's wool, and feathers. Great Duck Island, Maine. July 23, 1903. 



birds having a share in the work. 1 They take any materials 

 which come to hand, pulling grass and weeds, splitting up the 

 dead timber into chips with their powerful chisel-shaped bills, 

 gathering sticks, feathers, or sheep's wool from the ground, or 

 fresh seaweeds from the rocks. A last year's nest is sometimes 

 repaired, but whether by the original owners or not is not 

 certainly known, or a new site is chosen. To this point the 

 1 This is at least true later in the season when sporadic attempts at 

 nest-building are going on. 



