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from the tide. Considerable numbers in immature plumage 

 remain on the coast throughout the summer : from July 

 onward this Gull becomes exceedingly plentiful, as the 

 parents and young, together with migrants travelling south- 

 ward, congregate on the muddy slob-lands of our bays and 

 estuaries. 



This bird shows a decided preference for low-lying shores 

 and shallows. From the nature of its feeding-grounds it 

 freely consorts with ' waders ' of all sizes, Dunlins, Plovers, 

 Curlews, and others, and though squabbling occasionally 

 takes place, the smaller companions remain uninjured. 



The Black-headed Gull constantly frequents the estuaries 

 and quays of our city-rivers. Where not molested it becomes 

 wonderfully tame. It little heeds the idle bystander staring 

 at it from over the quay-walls, while on ornamental waters 

 it will take up its abode among the water-fowl, become 

 semi-domesticated, and live parasitically on the food pre- 

 pared for the rightful feathered owners. Indeed, in severe 

 weather, tame Ducks and Swans often suffer from the depri- 

 vation of their food, which the Gulls, assembling in num- 

 bers, snatch up and demolish at a surprisingly rapid rate. 

 Recently, about a score of these Gulls have taken up their 

 abode on the ornamental waters of St. Stephen's Green, 

 Dublin (Plate XLL, fig. 2). There I have seen them swim 

 with the tame Ducks, feed with them, and even cautiously 

 drift to the brink of the pond (amid a mixed assembly of 

 water-fowl) to pick up pieces of bread cast within a few feet 

 of where a crowd of people were assembled. 



In severe weather these sociable birds will congregate 

 in the small gardens of suburban houses of our seaport 

 towns ; I have seen them crowd round a plate of meal like 

 so many hungry poultry, and almost as unconcerned of 

 human presence. If fed regularly every morning during 

 frost they become remarkably tame. I have kept them in 

 captivity, have tamed them sufficiently to eat from out my 

 hand, and to snap up pieces of meat thrown into the air. 



But though greedy, the Black-headed Gull, like other 

 members of its family, is a useful scavenger. Hundreds 

 of these fair-plumed birds may be seen daintily picking 

 their steps, as though mindful not to soil their unsullied 

 plumes, on the black, slimy ooze, bubbling with putrefactive 

 gases emanating from submerged decaying matter. Their 

 white forms float gently on the sluggish tidal river, on 

 water, dark, oily, foul-smelling, and charged with highly 



