The Zoologist— December, 1866. 521 



consequently we see them, if they alight, taking a slight sweep before 

 renewing their labours; not so the kittiwake, for, flying a foot or two 

 above the water, he can dip and rise incessantly. The long tarsi and 

 stiff feet of the wading gulls would materially inconvenience rather 

 than assist them to rise from the water. Mother Nature has adapted 

 every bird for its own manner of feeding, and had the wading gulls the 

 short tarsi and the limber toes of the kittiwake, they would be incapable 

 of wading and feeding on our bleak strands, which they so much help 

 to enliven. The kittiwake also fishes when swimming: here again 

 the strong tarsi and the diver-like feet give it strength and activity in its 

 motions. On account of its pliable phalanges and their soft webs it is 

 ill adapted for walking. It swims, like the other gulls, with the 

 breast deepest and the tail elevated, the head carried crouched, and 

 progresses by short side-to-side jerks, caused by the striking out of 

 one foot at a time. Like everything else in Nature, the swimming of 

 the gull is carried on in a beautiful manner: instead of the whole foot 

 (tarsi and phalanges) being struck out, only the toes and their webs 

 are used, the tarsi being held in such a slant that they give the least 

 possible resistance to the water. When resting I invariably find it to 

 select a barren rock on which to alight, lying on itp breast or standing 

 with the head crouched. In the stormiest weather it seems to prefer 

 the sea to the land, 



Crij. — When fishing its notes vary: "key — e," "t — we — ah," 

 "t — we — ah — ak," "anriie," most probably denoting anger, disappoint- 

 ment and pleasure. When wounded I have heard it saying " me — 

 are — ow" in a way that the oldest tom cat might envy. When hunted 

 by the skua it screams in a very spiteful manner. 



Nidijication. — The kittiwake begins to nest early in May : the 

 favourite situation of the nest is on the natural shelves of precipices 

 and cliffs overhanging the sea, though it is often found in crevices 

 and other suitable places on these cliffs. The accounts of authors, 

 that the kittiwake selects certain elevations for its nest, I cannot con- 

 cur in, for I have found it at all elevations, remote from as well as 

 among guillemots, razorbills and puffins. Its nest is large, deep and 

 compact, and built of sea-weeds, grasses and floating rubbish. The 

 most eggs laid are three, which 1 consider the true number: when two 

 are found I accuse some plunderer, such as the raven, of a theft. Their 

 ground colour varies — olive-green of various shades, pale or yellow- 

 brown and dingy white, spotted, blotched and occasionally streaked 

 with brown, gray and purple. Duriug the breeding season, as at all 



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