THE BLACK-HEADED GULL. 55 



menacing actions to frighten intruders away from their 

 retreat. The birds, both old and young, remain about the 

 neighbouring fields and meadows until their departure for 

 the sea-shore, and when that takes place they do not 

 return until the succeeding spring. 



Like all Gulls, the Black-headed Gull is a capital 

 swimmer, and it is very interesting to watch them on the 

 sea just raising themselves high enough to escape a broken 

 wave, and then settling on the water as before. When 

 in search of food they follow one another with some 

 regularity. 



The food of the Black-headed Gull consists of small 

 fishes, insects, worms and grubs. Of the latter they 

 consume large quantities ; they are frequently seen where 

 ploughing is going on, and exhibit as much partiality for 

 a newly- turned furrow as is shown by the rook or any 

 inland bird; but at other times their tastes are much 

 coarser, and they may be seen quarrelling and screaming 

 on the water over some unsavoury morsel that may possi- 

 bly have found its way from some drain or sewer. Ac- 

 cording to Yarrell, the eggs of these birds (which are sold 

 in large quantities for culinary purposes) resemble in 

 flavour the egg of the duck, but are of inferior quality. 



The adult plumage of the Black-headed Gull is de- 

 cidedly out of the common ; the beak, legs, and feet are a 

 bright vermilion ; the eyelids orange, and the hides hazel ; 

 the head and upper part of the neck and throat dark brown, 

 darkest when first assumed, and gradually growing lighter 

 as the autumn approaches ; the back and sides of the neck 

 pure white ; back, French grey ; wings grey, margined 

 with black ; tail white, and the whole of the under part of 

 the body pure white. The length of the bird is about 



