370 The Zoologist— September, 1866. 



Barren Gtdls, — I cannot conclude without some remarks on this 

 subject, as it is an important one. Taking the gull naturally, I cannot 

 think it lives to be barren ; taking it as man has left it, I can quite 

 believe it to become barren, and that long before its natural term of 

 life, and for these reasons : according to Nature the gulls have but one 

 brood in the year ; to satisfy man they are often forced to lay two, if 

 not three, broods : this is sufficient to exhaust the propagating agents, 

 though not of necessity the health ; so that gulls may live to be barren. 

 There may be two kinds of barrenness, temporary and chronic. It is 

 generally admitted that the gull will have only three broods of eggs in 

 a season (and only one if not molested) : supposing three broods of 

 eggs deposited and taken before the end of June, then for that year it 

 is barren : this is temporary barrenness. Chronic barrenness would 

 be when the power of propagating had ceased, either from excess of 

 age or from a frequent, undue and unnatural tax on the virile organs. 

 I also believe that most of the sea-fowl are polygamous or indiscri- 

 minate, or, in other words, the males think that tuum is metim. 

 Particularly in gregarious sea-fowl I have witnessed this, and have 

 seen females not refusing three lovers, following. I hope you will not 

 say as a friend did, laughing, " Ton my soul ! you are a nice 

 observer." 



Masked Gull. — Before making any observations on this bird I 

 should like it to be understood that 1 do not emphatically deny the 

 existence of a gull distinct from L. ridibuudus, with a mask instead of 

 a hood, but that I do consider it doubtful, and particularly many of 

 the so-called masked gulls shot and seen in British waters. Before 

 giving my experience of vuisked gulls 1 shall put the following 

 questions, which I earnestly hope, and I am sure every reader of the 

 'Zoologist' will join in the wish, some experienced person will 

 answer, and set all controversy at rest : — 



1st. Where is the habitat of the masked gull ? 



2nd. Has a gull ever been found breeding with a mask instead of a 

 hood } If so where and when, and by whom found } 



3rd. Locality of nest, character and description of the eggs proved 

 to be those of L. capistratus ? 



4th. Does the only difference in plumage lie in a mask instead of a 

 hood, and the colour of the bill and feet ? 



