THE GULL. 407 



The produce of the island being valuable, is completely 

 cleared off in the course of the Winter, except the brushwood 

 and trees ; so that in the early Spring it is in a very con- 

 venient state for the accommodation of the birds, the details 

 of whose operations are as follows. 



About the middle of February, for an hour or two in the 

 course of the day, their well-known cry may be heard, high 

 in the air, proceeding from a few stragglers. This goes on 

 till about the end of the month, when, and in the first days 

 of March., they appear in detachments of about fifty, flying 

 near to the water, but never alighting upon it, being appa- 

 rently occupied in reconnoitring, and departing after an hour 

 or two. In a few days the numbers increase to detachments 

 of about three or four hundred, but still departing after they 

 have made their observations. Invariably, however, about 

 the 8th of March, they come in thousands, settle upon the 

 water, and take possession of the island. 



The people on the spot have learned from their fathers, 

 and it is confirmed by their own observation, that the day 

 after Hingham fair, which is on the 7th March, is that on 

 which the Scoulton Pies, as they call them, come to the 

 mere. They are, as their English name, " the Laughing 

 Gull," implies, garrulous and noisy birds, being rarely silent 

 for more than one hour out of the twenty-four. In about a 

 fortnight they pair and begin to build ; their nests are very 

 simple, a few cross pieces of the softer remnants of the reeds 

 and grass, and so closely packed together on the favourite 

 spots by the edge of the water, that an outspread hand would 

 touch two or three of them. They lay three thin-shelled 

 eggs, and instantly begin to sit, so that the egg-gatherers 

 are obliged to be on the alert to take them before that process 

 begins. For some time no eggs were allowed to be taken, 

 but on its being ascertained that, in consequence of so many 

 being hatched at once, several were starved, a certain propor- 

 tion only were preserved, and the remainder are for a few 

 weeks taken, that there may be a succession in the hatches 

 of the broods. 



The number of eggs collected annually varies from fifteen 



