216 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP. xxvu. 



These large birds allowed none of the others to approach them, 

 and each couple kept undisputed possession of their own par- 

 ticular kingdom, not joining in the same sociable kind of society 

 as other gulls. When I approached the black-backed gulls' 

 nest, they did not dash round me like the smaller kind, but flew 

 in circles at some height, uttering a loud warlike kind of shout, 

 much like the voice of a human being. The eggs of the black- 

 headed gulls are exactly like those of the common lapwing, and 

 are equally good eating ; so I took home a great number, select- 

 ing them from the nests that had only one or two eggs, knowing 

 that the owners of these would not have commenced sitting. 1 

 returned in a week, and found every nest with its full number in 

 it. I was walking along the shore of the lake some weeks after- 

 wards, when the birds had hatched, and whole fleets of young 

 gulls of a dark grey colour were swimming about. A young re- 

 triever I had with me swam into the water after them. He had 

 scarcely got twenty yards from the shore when the whole com- 

 munity of gulls attacked him, and not content with harmless 

 threats, struck down on the dog with right good will ; and I am 

 convinced that his life was only saved by my keeping up a constant 

 fire on the large black-headed gulls, which, in defence of their 

 young, made common cause with the others, and, from their great 

 weight and strength, were most dangerous assailants. "When 

 loungeing, gun in hand, on the sea-shore here, or lying in wait, 

 for seals, I have frequent opportunities of watching unobserved 

 the proceedings of the gulls of different kinds. The large black- 

 backed gull soars slowly along the edge of the receding tide, 

 with his sharp eye fixed on the beach, and turning his head and 

 neck to observe every object that may be left by the tide. If 

 anything is seen which his omnivorous appetite covets, down he 

 pitches on it, and with his powerful bill soon tears up and swal- 

 lows it. The sand-eel or small fish is swallowed whole. If a 

 floating prize presents itself, such as the remains of a large fish 

 or dead bird, it is soon discovered by one of the large gulls, who 

 is not allowed, however, to enjoy his prize alone; for every one 

 of his fellows within sight joins in tearing it to pieces. "When I 

 have winged a duck, and it has escaped and gone out to sea, I 

 have frequently seen it attacked and devoured almost alive by 

 these birds. If a dead fish is left on the shore they alight a few 



