The Zoologist — September, 1870. 2287 



amount of deep chestnut and purple. I did not see them any more 

 after this day : they were, however, seen, I understand, in our marshes 

 up to the middle of June. 



Wild Duck. — Several have bred in the marsh this season ; two 

 broods on my own farm were flyers early in June. In the adjoining 

 marshes a pair nested on the top of a bean-stack, and in 1869 (probably 

 the same birds) on a straw stack. 



Brownheaded Gull. — July 1st. We have now some large gatherings 

 of these gulls in the Humber marshes, and with more young immature 

 birds than is usual. The increase of this species in North Lincoln- 

 shire during the last ten years is due to the care taken not to disturb 

 them unduly at their breeding haunts. This is the common gull of 

 the river, except in the winter season, when their place is in a great 

 measure occupied by the common and herring gulls. As far as I am 

 aware the only objection hitherto raised to the well-timed and humane 

 Sea-bird Preservation Act is grounded on the occasional depredations 

 committed by gulls amongst the young of wild-fowl, game and rabbits. 

 Granted that the larger species (for I cannot for a moment think that 

 this can be laid to the charge of any of the smaller gulls, as the 

 common, brownhead, and kittiwake) do now and then gobble up a 

 young duck or grouse during the breeding-season, any [loss to the 

 community on this score is certainly of very httle moment compared 

 with the great advantages we derive from their kindly services in 

 clearing our fields from many noxious and destructive slugs and grubs 

 (and even rats and mice), before whose insidious attacks, we, alone, are 

 powerless to contend. Scores of sportsmen, like myself, living on the 

 coast, can testify that the sea-gull is not incompatible with an 

 abundance of game, not even the most vermin-haling of gamekeepers 

 ever dreaming of waging war against him. In how many instances, 

 indeed, would a few game-eating gulls be the greatest possible boon 

 to the farmer. 



Snipe. — July 12. First arrivals. 



Food of the Sparrow. — July 25. Sparrows feed their young during 

 the spring and summer almost exclusively on insects and their larva. 

 I find, however, that as soon as the sweet, milky grain of the wheat is 

 obtainable it is preferred. The stomachs of thirty-five young sparrows 

 taken to-day from nests about my house, give the following result — 

 one part insects to two parts soft grain. The young were of all sizes, 

 from a day old to others sufl5ciently fledged to fly short distances; 

 some had the stomach filled almost entirely with insects, and others 



