COMMON AMERICAN GULL. 101 



gesticulations. As soon as the birds are paired, they give up their ani- 

 mosities, and for the rest of the season live together on the best terms. 

 After a few weeks spent in these preparatory pleasures, the flocks take to 

 wing, and betake themselves to their breeding places. 



On an island within a few miles of Eastport in Maine, I found these 

 birds breeding in great numbers in the beginning of May. Their nests 

 were there placed amid the scanty tufts of grass. On the Gannet Rock, 

 early in June, they were breeding on the shelves towards the summit, 

 along with the Guillemots, while the Kittiwakes had secured their nests 

 far below. The different species kept apart, but yet exhibited no anti- 

 pathy towards each other. On the 18th of July, we discovered a low 

 rocky island at the bottom of a bay ten miles from the open sea, opposite 

 the harbour of Little Macatina, on the coast of Labrador, where we found 

 upwards of two hundred nests, all containing eggs with the chicks more 

 or less advanced. The number of eggs in each nest was three or four, 

 more generally three. They resembled those of the Great Black-backed 

 Gull in form and colour, but were much smaller, measuring two inches 

 and three quarters in length, by one and five and a half eighths in their 

 greatest diameter. There was considerable diversity both in the tint 

 of their ground colour, and in the number and size of the spots on 

 them, as is the case with the eggs of most water birds. In general, 

 however, they were of a dull dark cream-colour, thickly blotched, sprink- 

 led and touched with different shades of purple, umber, and black. When 

 fresh, these eggs are delicious food, as I have had abundant occasion 

 to know. The nests were in this place all situated on the bare rock, 

 but in all other respects resembled those found among the grass or on 

 more elevated rocks ; they were formed of seaweeds, well construct- 

 ed, about six inches across within, and twelve in their greatest dia- 

 meter. Some of the nests were much thicker and larger than others ; 

 many were placed within the distance of a foot from each other ; and the 

 whole place was covered with feathers and dung, which emitted a very 

 disagreeable stench, proving to us that it was annually resorted to by 

 these birds. To our surprise the birds were very shy. Among those 

 killed by us were some having all the appearance of mature age, such as 

 I have mentioned above. The number of individuals among them hav- 

 ing the black ring on the bill was much greater than among those found 

 near Grand Manan ; some, however, were without this ring, and on 

 others it was but partially marked. Some had no white on the tips of the 



