159 



preserver would have a right to complain of the 

 damage caused by the present species. 



I have never seen a single specimen captured 

 in a vermin-trap set for the destruction of the other 

 Gulls, nor have I ever observed them preying on 

 either young game or eggs. 



In the north they appear to prefer the 

 cultivated tracts of land in the neighbourhood of 

 the coast, where after feeding in large flocks on 

 the field they retire to the rocks to rest. 



Gulls when alarmed (as the Skua is well 

 aware) usually vomit the contents of their stomachs. 

 By firing a shot amongst a flock while sitting on 

 the shore after feeding and causing them suddenly 

 to take flight I have repeatedly found that some 

 cast up a quantity of grain and others large lumps 

 of mussel-shells, which they appeared to have 

 swallowed whole. 



That they can however make a meal of young 

 birds I have good proof, as some that I keep in 

 confinement devoured a couple of young blackbirds 

 that escaped from their cage, and also managed to 

 bolt a Water Rail, to say nothing of numerous 

 sparrows that they contrive to capture while feeding 

 on their corn. 



Some years ago these birds were plentiful on 

 the Bass where they nested every season. 



The person who hired the rock, finding that 

 the Jackdaws which had recently taken up their 

 quarters in the rabbit-burrows near the summit 

 were .very destructive to the eggs of the sea-fowl, 

 endeavoured to destroy them by laying down 

 poisoned bread and butter! this however was 

 greedily devoured by the larger species of Gulls 

 who suffered in consequence, and since that time 

 there have been but two or three pairs of either 

 Herring Gulls or Lesser Black-Backs about the 

 rock. 



The case is copied from a drawing made on the 

 north side of the Bass ; the specimens together with 



