422 LABIDJ5 



though in certain districts in our Isles considerable numbers 

 remain to breed. 



Immature birds, with bluish-grey backs, brown dappled 

 wings and banded tails, may be seen scattered over the 

 sandy coasts throughout the summer months : from July 

 onward this Gull becomes much more abundant as the 

 migrants with their families return to the coast. Though 

 preferring the shelter of estuaries and harbours to the wide 

 open sea, yet this species, as a rule, keeps at a fair distance 

 from human habitations and crowded thoroughfares ; thus 

 it is not generally seen feeding on refuse along city-quays 

 and wharfs, though, in great stress of weather, it will visit 

 our lawns 1 and gardens. Here, associating with the more 

 domesticated Black-headed Gull, it partly forgets its natural 

 shyness, and driven by hunger becomes quite audacious, 

 especially if fed regularly during frost. Like the Black- 

 headed Gull, it follows the plough, sometimes in very large 

 numbers, 2 in search of worms and grubs. Nowhere do the 

 beautiful plumes of this bird stand out in such bold relief 

 as against the dark upturned sods. 



Flight. The flight of this arid other Gulls is familiar. 

 The bird moves leisurely through the air, its wings gently 

 flapping up and down without the least apparent muscular 

 effort. But when necessity arises, as when chased by its 

 tormentor the Skua, it can cleave through the air and 

 twist and turn with extraordinary skill. 3 On flat, sandy 

 shores laid bare at ebb-tide, multitudes may be seen in 

 the distance like white flecks coursing over the fringe of 

 the breakers in company with Herring-Gulls, Oyster- 

 Catchers and other coast-birds. 



Food. Fish, crabs, marine insects, and shell-fish, form 

 a large portion of the diet, but stranded or floating carrion 



1 Like the preceding species, at times it alights on trees. 



- On the Dingle Peninsula, not far from the Blasket Islands, where 

 there is a breeding-colony, I observed, on April 1st, 1901, an immense 

 flock of immature and adult birds closely following a plough and greedily 

 devouring the upturned worms. The Gulls were so thickly clustered 

 that occasionally they trampled on one another when rushing to secure 

 food. They were so intent on satiating their appetites that they little 

 heeded a large Collie-dog which was careering wildly over the field. 



3 It may be said that the Gull among Sea-Birds and the Rook among 

 Land-Birds, fly in a lazy and sedate manner. But at times their gyrations, 

 either when sporting, or when evading the dreaded swoop of the Falcon, 

 are truly surprising. 



