270 
THE BIRDS, ETC., OF WALNEY ISLAND. 
HARRY B. BOOTH, M.B.0.U. 
THIS season the members of the Bradford Natural History and 
Microscopical Society arranged an Excursion further afield than 
usual, and by taking advantage of a day trip to Barrow-in- 
Furness, visited Wainey Island on June 8th. 
At Grange, we noticed the great increase of Shelducks, many 
of which could be seen on the shore and on the sea as we stood 
on the station platform. A pair of Blue Titmice was also 
seen industriously feeding a nestful of voung ones down the 
centre of an iron gas-lamp in one of the streets of Grange. 
Arriving at Barrow, a short journey on a light railway 
brought us to Piel, where we briefly inspected the well-equipped 
Marine Laboratory of the Lancashire and Cheshire Fisheries 
Board, under the superintendence of Mr. A. Scott. From here 
a short journey of two or three miles in a fishing boat enabled 
us to land on the south end of Walney, near to the Salt Works, 
where we were soon amongst the hordes of nesting birds. The 
watcher (a new hand who knew very little about the different 
species) had estimated the number of breeding birds to be 
between forty and fifty thousand. 
The Black-headed Gull was found to be by far the most 
numerous species, comprising quite two-thirds of the total 
numbers present. Many acres of grassy sand dunes were 
almost covered by their nests. There was an extraordinary 
diversity in the ground-colour and markings of their eggs, 
which were noted in all stages of incubation, several just being 
chipped by the young chicks inside. Young birds just hatched 
and still damp were seen, and through every stage up to about 
a fortnight old, the larger ones running away in small flocks 
from the intruders. Many dead young birds were noticed, and 
no doubt the long-continued cold and wet weather had greatly 
contributed towards this excessive mortality. Numerous egg- 
shells were strewn about, chiefly the work of a small flock of 
Jackdaws and a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls; these discreetly 
sat upon the sand near to the sea during our visit, and no 
doubt were almost as much annoyed by our presence as were the 
parent gulls, who gave indications of their anger by constant 
harsh cries. 
The Common Tern.—This appeared to be the most 
numerous of the Terns present, and were nesting in one large 
Natvralist, 
