70 WILD LIFE OF SCOTLAND 



This gull nests in (lie reeds oi' sonic favourite 

 inland lake, of marsh ; beside I, lie mallard, the teal, 

 Mild the coot. These Cilleries are often very large. 

 Sometimes two or Mirer pairs aJl'ect the rushes of 

 sonic smaller sheet, where (hey have (he company 

 <>f the sedge-warbler, the, whinchat, the white- 

 throat, and the reed-bunting. 



The peculiarity oi' (he e^s is the diversity in 

 marking. 'The ground coloui 1 is sober, and protect- 

 ive, the spots ol' the usual inill-like character. 



The common 

 gull is be(. lei- 

 known inland 

 than by the sea, 

 to the plough- 

 man than to (he 

 fisherman. That 

 may be the reason why observers on the roast 

 report him as uncommon, lie is really almost, 

 if not quite, as numerous as the brown-headed 

 species. 



Any winter morning he may be seen leaving the 

 sea-coast for his chosen feeding-ground just about 

 sunrise. Any evening, when the grey light of the 

 winter day is swiftly passing into dark, he straggles 

 back again from all directions. Anyone who rame 



