THE GULL. 409 



sequence of the increase produced by the protection afforded 

 during the breeding season) flocks have at different times 

 detached themselves to such other situations in the neighbour- 

 hood as were suitable. 



The following account of these birds, from Dr. PLOT'S 

 History of Staffordshire (p. 231, edit. Oxford, 1686); is also 

 worthy of attention, partly from its accuracy, and closely 

 corroborating that just given, and partly as an instance of 

 the credulity of the otherwise talented writer, who so 

 easily fell into the superstitious notions of the neighbour- 

 hood, and firmly believed that the attachment of these birds 

 to particular spots depended on the life and death of the 

 proprietors : 



" But the strangest whole-footed water-fowle that frequents 

 this country is a species of Gull ; in some counties called the 

 Black-Cap, in others, the Sea or Mire-Crow, here, the Pewitt; 

 which being of the migratory kind, comes annually to certain 

 pooles in the estate of the right worshipful Sir Charles 

 Skrymsher, knight, to build and breed, and to no other 

 estate in or near the county, but of this family, to which 

 they have belonged ultra hominum memoriam, and never 

 moved from it, though they have changed their station often. 

 They anciently came to an old Pewit poole, about half a mile 

 S. W. of Norbury Church, but it being their strange quality 

 (as the whole family will tell you, to whom I referr the 

 reader for the following account) to be disturbed and remove 

 upon the death of the head of it, as they did within memory, 

 upon the death of James Skrymsher, Esq., to Offley Moss, near 

 Woods-Eves, which Moss, though containing two gentlemen's 

 land, yet (which is very remarkable) the Pewits did discern 

 betwixt the one and the other, and build only on the land of 

 the next heir, John Skrymsher, Esq., so wholly are they 

 addicted to this family. 



" At which Moss they continued about three years, and 

 then removed to the old Pewit poole again, where they con- 

 tinued to the death of the said John Skrymsher, Esq., 

 which happening on the eve to our Lady-day, the very time 

 when they are laying their eggs; yet so concerned were 



