THE HERRIXG GULL. 143 



During incubation the birds are bold and daring, and 

 when approached closely make a loud and continuous 

 clamouring, and rise to a great height in the air, wheeling 

 round and round. 



Herring Gulls are easily tamed, and have been known to 

 breed in captivity. They are also very useful in a garden, 

 as they will support themselves almost entirely on slugs 

 and worms ; they have been known to live thus many 

 years in confinement. 



Like the other members of the family, they are inde- 

 fatigable swimmers, and the flight is buoyant and easy, 

 though somewhat slow, the long wings beating to 

 and fro somewhat in the same mariner as those of the 

 Heron. 



They frequently leave the coast and wander inland. 

 They may be seen on damp marshy land, grass fields, and 

 arable lands freshly ploughed; here they search for worms, 

 grubs, insects, and, in fact, anything that may turn up. At 

 these times they do a great deal of good. 



In summer, the adult bird has the bill yellow, the 

 corner of the under mandible being red ; the i rides straw 

 coloured ; head and neck pure white ; the back and all the 

 wing-coverts are a delicate French grey ; tertials tipped 

 with white ; primaries mostly black, but grey towards the 

 centre ; the first primary has a triangular patch of white at 

 the end, and the second and third are also marked with 

 smaller patches of white ; the upper tail-coverts and all the 

 tail feathers are pure white ; the chin, throat, breast, and 

 all the under portion of the plumage is likewise white \ the 

 legs and feet are flesh colour. In winter, the adult birds 

 have the head marked with streaks of dusky grey. The 

 entire length of the bird is about twenty-four inches, and 



