THE COMMON GULL. 391 



all events, they then leave the estuaries for the purpose of 

 breeding ; and where the grounds are favourable, which of 

 course means, where they aiford plenty of food, they assemble 

 in great numbers. Authors have, doubtless quoting some 

 " authority " seriatim, as use is, described them as breeding 

 on the "ledges of rocks." Now, if by "ledges" the elevated 

 banks and shelves of rocks be meant, I have great doubts if 

 anybody ever saw a common gull there, even resting. 

 Kitty-wakes, herring-gulls, the smaller black-backed gulls, 

 gannets, and other birds which show a good deal of white, 

 are found in such places, and do nestle there ; and as the 

 sights of birds obtained in such situations are anything but 

 microscopic, one is very likely to be deceived. But the 

 common gull is not a bold shore bird, it is a beach bird in its 

 general habits ; and true to these, it is not a rock-breeder, 

 but a marsh-breeder. It is true that, if the place abounds in 

 food, and there is no suitable breeding ground near it inland, 

 it may breed on the lower islets, and even along the shores 

 of the more elevated ones. But tens of thousands may be 

 found on the same inland marshy lake, especially if spotted 

 with islets, at the distance of twenty miles from the sea, and 

 not returning there till they take their broods with them. 

 Nay, they inhabit somewhat pertinaciously, and will haunt 

 the same lake, though cultivation is carried close to its 

 margin. Animals very often seek shelter in places analogous 

 to those in which they are bred; and though it be not 

 exactly true that the hunted hare doubles in search of her 

 mother's form, it agrees with the analogy of nature, that a 

 bird should seek shelter in danger, under the same circum- 

 stances of place (for these are the keys of instinct) in which 

 it found safety and support when young and helpless. We 

 ourselves have a touch of the same in us ; and perhaps 

 there never was a man sick or wounded in a strange land, 

 to whom the house of his nativity, even though a hovel 



