of the Norfolk and Suffolk Birds. 53 



the spot at the rate of fourpence a score, and are regularly sent 

 in considerable quantities to the markets at Norwich and Lynn. 

 They are eaten cold, like Lapwing's eggs, and also used for 

 culinary purposes ; but they are rather of an inferior quality, 

 and somewhat like Duck's eggs in flavour. The person who 

 sells these eggs gives fifteen pounds a year for the privilege of 

 collecting them. 



This species of Gull never lays more than three eggs the first 

 time ; but if these are taken, it will lay again. We found many 

 of the old birds sitting in the middle of June ; most of these had 

 only one egg in the nest, but a few of them had two. Their 

 nests are made of the tops of reeds and sedge, and are very flat 

 at the top. The eggs vary so much in size, shape, and colour, 

 that a person not well acquainted with them would suppose some 

 of them to belong to a different species of bird. Some are 

 thickly covered with dusky spots, and others are of a light-blue 

 colour without any spots at all. The young birds leave the nest 

 as soon as hatched, and take to the water. When they can fly 

 well the old ones depart with them, and disperse themselves on 

 the sea-coast, where they are found during the autumn and win- 

 ter. By the middle of July they all leave Scoulton, and are 

 not seen there again till the following spring. We were a little 

 surprised at seeing some of these Gulls alight and sit upon some 

 low bushy willows which grow on the island. No other than 

 the Brown-headed Gull breeds at the above mere. A few of 

 that kind also breed in many of the marshes contiguous to the 

 sea-coast of Norfolk. 



Genus LXII. Lestuis. 



1. L. pomarimis (Pomarine Gull). 



A specimen of this Gull killed near Ipswich is in the collec- 

 tion of Mr. Seaman. 



2. L. pa- 



