GOT 



the Herring Gulls, like the other sea-birds, suffer 

 great persecution, and are ruthlessly slaughtered by 

 hundreds, partly as a matter of trade, many of them 

 being killed to procure feathers for ladies' hats and 

 muffs., and partly by cockney sportsmen, to whom a 

 young Gull standing on his ledge of rock, and not 

 yet able to fly off, presents a mark which may be hit 

 without much hard work, and in both these ways the 

 young birds and the old ones who are engaged in 

 feeding them get killed up. I hope the Act recently 

 passed, and to which reference* has previously been 

 made, will be effectual in securing for the poor birds 

 a little respite during the breeding season. 



The nest of the Herring Gull is placed on a ledge 

 of the cliff or the flat top of an isolated crag, and is 

 made of long grass and weeds. 



As to food the Herring Gull seems to be a 

 most omnivorous fellow probably herrings form 

 the smallest part of his food. My tame ones feed 

 indiscriminately on fish, flesh or fowl, rats and mice, 

 small birds, young Ducks or Moorhens (if the mother 

 is not near to protect them, for the Gulls have not 

 the pluck to face an angry old Moorhen), Ducks' 

 eggs, worms, grubs, bread, potatoes, barley-meal, 

 and occasionally, but very seldom, a few grains of 

 barley. I have seen them catch rats nearly half- 

 grown almost as dexterously as a terrier, give them 

 a good grip at the back of the neck and throw them 

 down hard on the gravel-walk : after two or three 



