142 FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



of Orkney and Shetland. Travellers have met with it in 

 the colder climates of Iceland, Greenland, Scandinavia, 

 and Melville Island and it is said to be well known in 

 many European countries, especially in some of those 

 bounded by the Mediterranean Sea. Yarrell says : " These 

 birds are very numerous in the Golden Horn at Constanti- 

 nople, and so tame that they will approach close enough to 

 be struck with an oar. " It is plentiful in North America. 



The Herring 1 Gull derives its name from its partiality to 

 fish as an article of diet ; it prefers this sort of food to any 

 other, and preys indiscriminately upon all and sundry that 

 may approach the surface. During the fishing seasons 

 these birds approach the nets with great confidence, and 

 may be seen swimming and flying over the finny captives 

 in great numbers. At such times they betray no more 

 fear of the fishermen than so many ducks or chickens. 

 They possess ravenous appetites, and their stomachic capa- 

 cities seem quite as well developed as their appetites. The 

 numbers of fish destroyed by these birds at such times must 

 be well-nigh incredible. They often follow pleasure boats 

 round the coast, feeding on any scrap of offal, or anything 

 else that is thrown overboard. 



Naturally these Gulls are of shy habits, like others of 

 their tribe. But in protected places they soon become 

 very familiar. 



The nest is made of grass, and generally placed on the 

 flat ledges of cliffs, or any suitable spot of a similar charac- 

 ter near the summit. Three eggs are laid ; they measure 

 about two and a half inches in length, and are nearly one 

 inch and three-quarters in diameter. The grounding is a 

 pale olive brown, spotted and blotched with different sizes 

 of dark brown. 



