312 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Ten years ago it had dwindled down to less than half that number,, in con- 

 sequence of a succession of dry seasons and reckless shooting in the neigh- 

 bourhood; but forty years ago the colony was estimated at upwards of 

 20,000 birds . In spite of these great numbers, the country round does 

 not swarm with Gulls as might be expected. Half of them stop at home 

 to sit on the eggs, the male taking his turn whilst the female is feeding ; 

 and the other half are scattered over two or three hundred square miles 

 of ground. They fly far to feed, visiting the ploughed fields and the 

 swamps within ten miles of home. In such places they may be seen 

 in small parties of ten to thirty, catching small fish and frogs on the 

 margins of the swamps and pools, or following the plough occasionally in 

 the company of Rooks. So easily do they adapt themselves to changed 

 circumstances, that they have already become used to the steam-plough. 

 It is a very pretty sight to watch a party of these little Gulls looking snow- 

 white in the distance against the rich brown of the newly turned -up soil, 

 paddling amongst the clumsy clods with dainty red- webbed feet, and con- 

 tinually lifting their white wings to balance themselves on the rough 

 ground, reminding the observer of a picture of a group of angels by 

 Gustav Dore*. When their appetites are satisfied they straggle home 

 singly or in little parties of three or four, and towards evening they may 

 be seen slowly winging their way to the mere, like tired Rooks flying home 

 to the rookery. 



When the colony is invaded the scene is very different. In winter 

 they wander away to the coast, but early in March they revisit their 

 breeding-grounds. On the 7th or 14th of April, according as the season 

 is early or late, they have got their rough nests into shape and begin 

 to lay. For the first few weeks all the eggs are systematically taken by 

 the keeper and his men twice a week ; but after the middle of May the 

 anxiety of the proprietor not to kill the Goose that lays the golden eggs 

 induces him to allow them to sit on the eggs subsequently laid and hatch 

 them out. By the middle of June most of the eggs are hatched, and 

 before the end of July both old and young disappear to seek new feeding- 

 grounds. The part of the island where the Gulls breed consists of a few 

 acres of swampy ground, thinly sprinkled over with flags and coarse grass, 

 in which the nests are placed, and planted here and there with clumps of 

 low birches and willows. When I visited this gullery in company with 

 Mr. Bidwell, on the evening of the 13th of last May, the swamp was 

 crowded with birds, which looked very conspicuous amongst the flag and 

 sedge. As we neared the island thousands rose from the ground, and 

 before we landed the air was one mass of birds, wheeling round and round 

 in interlacing circles, whilst their cries were incessant. After selecting a 

 few eggs we recrossed to the margin of the lake, and watched the seething 

 mass of birds. It was a most animating sight. Sometimes a few hundred 



