BIRDS OF THE SEASHORE 115 



hind toe. Young, a row of black marks across second- 

 aries ; back and wings brownish black rather than 

 lavender as in adult ; wing-coverts mottled with black ; 

 tail white, tipped with brownish black. Nestling- 

 covered with dark grey down on the back, otherwise 

 bufnsh white. 



Language. A cry resembling " kitti-ake," hence its 

 trivial name. 



Habits. Feeds on surface-swimming fish principally, 

 which it procures by precipitating itself into the water. 

 Sociable, and, when near their nesting haunts, the cliffs 

 resound with their trisyllabic cries. The young are fed 

 somewhat after the manner of young pigeons. It is a 

 poor walker, but an excellent swimmer, when it rests on 

 the waves like a buoyant cork ; it can also dive and 

 swim under water. Flight graceful, gliding, and rapid, 

 and it also has a propensity for hovering. 



Nest. In May or June. One brood. 



Site. On some inaccessible ledge of the sea-cliffs. 



Materials. Seaweed chiefly, and other marine plants ; 

 lined with dry grass. 



Eggs. Two or three. Stone-colour or brownish, 

 spotted and blotched with dark and light brown and 

 grey. 



HERRING GULL (Lams argentatus). 



Well-distributed and common round all our 

 coast-lines, and breeding in many localities, notably 

 on Lundy Island, on the coasts of Wales, Scotland, and 

 Ireland, at Flamborough, on south and south-western 

 coast-lines, and Channel Islands. For a nesting site it 

 selects precipitous rocks. 



Observation. In general appearance like a larger 

 Common Gull. 



Plumage. Head, neck, upper back, under parts, upper 

 tail-coverts, and tail white. Back, scapulars, and wing- 

 coverts lavender-grey ; scapulars and secondaries tipped 



