BLACK-HEADED GULL. 597 



with them, and disperse themselves on the sea-coast, where 

 they are found during the autumn and winter. By the 

 middle of July they all leave Scoulton, and are not seen 

 there again till the following spring. We were a little 

 surprised at seeing some of these Gulls alight and sit upon 

 some low bushy willows which grow on the island. No 

 other than the Brown-headed Gull breeds at this mere ; a 

 few of them also breed in many of the marshes contiguous 

 to the sea-coast of Norfolk." Scoulton Mere is very shallow, 

 the greatest depth being five feet. 



Mr. Stevenson says : " By the 18th of April the first 

 eggs are laid, rarely more than three in each nest, and after 

 the usual gatherings seldom more than two. For the first 

 month two men are employed to collect three days a week, 

 viz., Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, picking up every 

 egg they can find, and generally at the rate of from 1,500 

 to 2,000 a day ; but when in full laying, and left undis- 

 turbed from Friday to Monday, between 3,000 and 4,000 

 have been taken in one day. ... In this manner from 

 10,000 to 20,000 eggs have been obtained in different 

 seasons." In 1825 they fetched 4d. a score; in 1870, 

 according to Mr. Stevenson, they sold on the spot at 9d. to 

 Is. a score. 



The present Sir Charles H. J. Anderson sent the Author 

 notice of another breeding-place in Lincolnshire, frequented 

 annually by many hundreds of this species. This is at 

 Twigmoor, near Brigg an estate now belonging to Robert 

 Nassau Sutton, Esq., of Scawby. It consists chiefly of 

 warren ground, partly covered with heather, dwarf shrubs, 

 and birch-trees. In the centre of this is a piece of water 

 of about eighteen acres, the sides of which are green swamps, 

 so spongy, that it is impossible to walk upon them. In 

 these swamps the Black-headed Gulls breed in great quanti- 

 ties, assembling in April, laying their eggs among the rushes 

 in May, and hatching in June. The young, till they are 

 able to fly, creep about among the reeds, or launch out into 

 the open water in fleets if a dog is sent into the swamp to 

 disturb them ; the old birds screaming, and almost darting 



