BIRD-LIFE AT SEA. 243 



plentiful ; the variety of species rapidly increases, 

 and from this time onwards to the following 

 spring Tor Bay is certainly as favoured as a bird 

 station as any other place along the coast. Among 

 the first arrivals in the Bay in early autumn must 

 be mentioned the Gulls. The most abundant of 

 these early visitors is the Black-headed Gull, 

 which arrives in flocks in August ; following 

 this species comes the Common Gull and the 

 Lesser Black-backed Gull ; while the Kittiwake 

 is generally the latest, not appearing in any 

 numbers before the sprat season begins in October. 

 All these Gulls may be seen congregating about 

 the seine boats and hookers in the bay, although 

 much of their food is obtained closer inshore. 

 The fine Black-backed Gull is principally a winter 

 visitant to the bay, and not often seen near the 

 coast except during a continued spell of rough 

 weather. In late autumn and in winter Skuas 

 may be met with in the bay ; these birds, 

 however, are pelagic in their habits, rarely come 

 right in to the coast, and are generally observed 

 well out from shore or about the whiting grounds 

 off the bay. Examples of three out of the four 

 British species have been obtained in Tor Bay. 



