138 THE GULLS 



from the water. Among very unusual breeding-places may be men- 

 tioned that at Twigmoor in Lincolnshire, 1 where several pairs build 

 nests of considerable size in fir-trees, though suitable sites of the 

 ordinary type are available near by. It seems as if here the change 

 of nest-place from ground to tree was the result of individual 

 eccentricity. 



New gulleries are not infrequently found, and old ones sometimes 

 deserted. Mr. H. E. Forrest records an instance of a gullery at an 

 unpronounceable place, Llyn Mynyddlod, near Bala, which commenced 

 with two pairs in 1888. In 1889 there were ten, and in 1890 over 

 twenty nests. In 1904 the colony numbered about two thousand. 

 Another colony by a small tarn in Denbighshire began similarly 

 with two pairs in 1900, increased to four or five pairs in 1902, and 

 numbered some sixty birds in 1904. 2 The first pairs were perhaps 

 emigrants from an overcrowded colony. Such overcrowding does 

 appear to occur, 3 and no doubt, at the beginning of the season, leads 

 to much fighting. On this point information is required. The 

 earliest date on which I have personally watched the species was 

 April 6, 1911, at Scoulton, about a week before the first nests were 

 built. The pairs were then evidently in possession of nesting-sites. 

 One, presumably the female, remained on the spot, or near it, the 

 whole day, while the male went far afield for food, which he brought 

 to his mate, departing again shortly afterwards as a rule. Though the 

 birds were aggressive, and there was occasional fighting, I did not 

 notice any very strict insistence on proprietary rights. A bird would 

 often drive away another alighting near it, but in so doing it would, 

 instead of returning, sometimes alight near other pairs, and remain 

 unmolested. Again, birds would rise from their own places and 

 either immediately, or after a short flight over the gullery, alight in 

 another part of it, and, likewise, remain unmolested. This occurred 

 also in the evening, when the number of the birds was trebled by the 



1 See " Classified Notes." 2 Fauna of North Wales, p. 379. 



3 Cf. Ussher and Warren, Birds of Ireland, p. 320 ; British Birds (magazine), iv. 223. 



