I0I2 



THE NATURE BOOK 



NESTS OF BLACK-HKADi:D GULLS. 



and rise off the nest when one is a hundred 

 yards away, but in time they become fairly 

 tame. This season I spent a week amongst 

 them, and after the first two days I was 

 able to approach within twelve feet of 

 the sitting birds without alarming them, 

 and if they were disturbed from any 

 cause they returned to their duties without 

 hesitation. Often two birds would claim 

 the same nest ; this resulted in a short, 

 sharp fight, the loser flying aimlessly up 

 and down just as if it were quite unable 

 t(^ find its own nest ; indeed, such appar- 

 ently was the case on the face of things. 

 Throughout the country there are many 

 well known gulleries, the largest being at 

 Scoulton Mere, where the birds have 

 nested in thousands for upwards of three 

 hundred years. Some, however, are of 

 comparatively recent formation, this being 

 so in the case of that where the accom- 

 panying illustrations were secured. In 

 1899 only six pairs nested in this locality, 

 the following year twelve pairs, and again 

 in 1901 only six pairs, but since that date 

 they have been rigorously protected, and 

 the rate at which they have increased is 

 hardly credible, this season the number 



of nests being considerably over one 

 thousand. Although gregarious as a rule, 

 solitary ])airs are not infrequently met 

 with amongst the hills and tarns. 



From the beginning of July the birds 

 commence to leave their nesting haunts 

 for the coast, and by the end of the month 

 the breeding grounds present a deserted 

 appearance save for the presence of less 

 noisy waterfowl. 



The name of " Black-headed " (iull is 

 scarcely apjiro]iriate, inasmuch as it would 

 lead one unacquainted with the bird to 

 get a wrong impression of the colour of 

 its head, which is not black, but during 

 the breeding season dark chocolate brown, 

 with a distinct white ring round the eyes. 

 The rest of the year the head is nearly 

 white, for as summer advances the white 

 ring round the eyes gradually extends 

 until it spreads completely over the head 

 with the exception of a small patch over 

 the ears. 



In the case of some birds, however, 

 this brown colouring appears to remain 

 throughout the year ; and, on the other 

 hand, cases have been known where the 

 bird, having put off this dark hood; has 



