CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 187 



BLACK-HEADED GULL. (WINTER.) 

 Case 242. 



In autumn, as soon as the young are sufficiently 

 strong, these Gulls come down to the coast, where 

 they appear to take up their residence for the winter, 

 making occasional visits into the country in search of 

 food 



The Black-Headed Gull is partly nocturnal in its 

 habits ; when stopping at Canty Bay, in East Lothian, 

 I have noticed small flocks coming regularly every 

 evening, just at dusk, to certain spots along the shore, 

 where they fed on the sand-hoppers and other insects 

 which were plentiful among the dead sea-weed washed 

 up by the tide. 



The specimens in the case were shot on the coast of 

 the Firth of Forth, in September and October, 1874. 



BLACK-HEADED GULL (SUMMER.) 

 Case 243. 



This handsome bird is plentiful from north to south, 

 breeding in colonies in various parts of the country. 



Though frequenting the sea-coast during the 

 autumn, winter, and early spring, it retires inland for 

 the summer months, and rears its young, either in 

 marshy districts or on the islands in some large piece 

 of fresh water. 



I was previously unaware that this species would 

 destroy small birds ; it was, however, recently stated 

 (I suppose on good authority) in the " Zoologist," 



