CHAP, xxvu.] VORACITY OF GULLS. 217 



feet from it, and, having reconnoitred carefully, fall to and 

 devour it. It is interesting to see these strong birds battling 

 against a high wind, always working to windward, and taking 

 advantage of every headland and cliff for a moment's shelter. 

 When going to windward in their search for food (indeed, they 

 never fly down wind if they can help it), and perceiving some- 

 thing edible, they keep on a short distance beyond it, and then 

 drifting back with the wind, drop down upon it. I saw a seal 

 last week (April) who had caught a salmon, and was eating it 

 above the water. A number of large gulls had collected round 

 him, and seemed inclined to dispute his prize, darting down at it 

 with clamorous cries. The large grey gull, or wagel, hunts the 

 shore in much the same manner; but is still more voracious than 

 the black-backed gull. Nothing comes amiss to this greedy 

 bird. I have seen a dozen of them feeding on a dead and putrid 

 horse, digging it out with their powerful bills like so many ravens. 

 I have no doubt a dead human being would be considered a fair 

 and lawful prize also. While I am lying ensconced on the 

 shore for seals, this bird frequently comes hovering over me, as 

 if well inclined to pounce down. If wounded, he does good 

 battle against my retriever, aiming (like a heron) at the eyes. 

 When shot, he often disgorges a great quantity of food, generally 

 small fish ; and on one occasion a wounded wagel brought up, 

 tmongst a variety of undigested food, a well-sized young kitten, 

 which he had somewhere made prize of. The grey gull, though 

 frequently feeding in the fields, seems very seldom to take to 

 fresh-water lakes. The next sized gull which is common here is 

 the blue-back, a beautiful clean-looking bird, though, as far as 

 fish is concerned, as great a glutton as the two last-named kinds. 

 This bird is paiticularly conspicuous in its attacks on the salmon- 

 fry as they descend the river in May. Thousands of them fish 

 in the shallow pools at low-water in the bay, and every bird 

 seems to feed wholly on these silvery little creatures as long as 

 they are to be had. The quantity that they disgorge when shot 

 is perfectly astonishing, and they must be one of the most de- 

 structive enemies that the salmon has. Besides these larger 

 kinds of gulls there are several smaller species, who hover con- 

 stantly about the shore and sand-banks, drifting to and fro, and 



