52 i'l/(.s.w.s. SiiEPPARD and Wiiitear's Catalogue 



Genus LXI. Larus. 



1. L. null I, HIS (Great Black-backed Gull). 



2. L. ari^viitdtiis (Herring Gull). 



3. L.fiisciis (Less Black-backed Gull). 



4. L. caiuis (Common Gull, Sea Pie, Sea Cob). 



5. L. tridaclijlu.s (Kittiwake). 



6. L. ridihuudus (Brown-headed Gull, Puit). 



Near the centre of the county of Norfolk, at the distance of 

 about twenty-five miles from the sea, and two from Ilingham, is 

 a large piece of water called Scoulton JVIere. In the middle of 

 this mere there is a boggy island of seventy acres extent covered 

 with reeds, and on which there are some birch- and willow-trees. 

 There is no river communicating between the mere and the sea. 

 This mere has from time immemorial been a favourite breeding 

 spot of the Brown-headed Gull. These birds begin to make 

 their appearance at Scoulton about the middle of February ; 

 and by the end of tlie first week in March the great body of 

 them have always arrived. They spread themselves over the 

 neighbouring country to the distance of several miles in search 

 of food, following the plough as regularly as Rooks ; and from 

 the great quantity of worms and grubs which they devour, they 

 render essential service to the farmer. If the spring is mild, the 

 Gulls begin to lay about the middle of April ; but the month of 

 May is the time at which the eggs are found in the greatest 

 abundance. At this season a man and three boys find constant 

 employment in collecting them, and they have sometimes ga- 

 thered upwards of a thousand in a day. These eggs are sold on 



the 



