CHAPTER II 

 GULLS AT ST. IVES 



Gulls in fishing harbours Their numbers and beautiful appearance at 

 St. Ives Different species Robbing the fishermen How they are 

 regarded The Glaucous gull or Burgomaster Cause of the 

 fishermen's feeling A demonstration of hungry gulls A gull 

 tragedy. 



TO a bird lover the principal charm of St. Ives 

 is in its gull population. Gulls greatly out- 

 number all the other wild birds of the town 

 and harbour put together, and though they have not 

 the peculiar fascination of the jackdaw, which is due 

 to that bird's intelligence and amusing rascalities, 

 they are very much more beautiful. 



Of all feathered creatures gulls are ever the quickest 

 to discover food thrown accidentally in their way by 

 man. In many lands, crows, vultures, carrion hawks, 

 and omnivorous feeders generally acquire the habit of 

 watching the movements of the human hunter and of 

 travellers in desert places for the sake of his leavings. 



'9 



