in Captivity 157 



nests by the middle of May, with their complement of 

 eggs, some of which are not far off hatching. Here 

 there is a mixed colony of lesser black-backed and 

 herring gulls, and on the summit of the island are 

 three or four isolated nests of great black-backs. 



Some very noisy oyster-catchers show us that they 

 also have eggs, and if you go carefully along a little 

 above the high-tide mark, and know what sort of spot 

 to look in, you'll find them. 



Look ! there is a nest, just amongst the big pebbles 

 of the sand bank ! merely a slight hollowing, and a 

 few bits of shell and sea-weed gathered round the 

 edge. So little, as not to be really noticeable. 



The eggs are amongst the prettiest of the waders', 

 rounder in shape than the plovers', and of a pale fawn 

 colour, dotted about with very clear and rather small 

 brown spots. 



How often have I revisited the oyster-catchers' 

 nests, and how often have I found the whole clutch of 

 eggs stolen. 



Nest after nest was treated like this, much to my 

 regret. 



I was anxious to rear up some young gulls, and 

 having found a nest or two in which the eggs were- 

 chipping, returned the following day. 



The egg-shells were there, but no baby gulls to be 

 seen. 



At that moment an old herring gull nearly knocked 

 my cap off as she swooped at me, so that I knew the 

 young ones were there somewhere. 



Carefully scrutinising the surrounding ground, 



