590 HERRING GULL. 



haps, however, the smaller size of the nests placed there may be owing to 

 their belonging to the younger Gulls, as I have often observed that the 

 older the individual the larger is its nest. Mr Frankland informed me 

 that they frequently repair the old nests at the commencement of the 

 breeding season, and I found the assertion proved by my own observation. 

 The eggs, which are three, measure three inches in length, by two in 

 breadth, have an oval somewhat pyriform shape, are rough though not 

 granulated, and are of a dull yellowish earthy colour, irregularly blotched 

 and spotted with dark umber. They are nearly as large as those of the 

 Great Black-backed Gull ; but they diflFer considerably in size as well as 

 in colour, some being more or less rounded or elongated. The yolk is 

 bright orange, the albumen bluish-white ; and they are excellent eating. 



About the beginning of May the Herring Gulls collect into great 

 flocks for the purpose of reproducing, and betake themselves to large 

 sand-bars or mud-flats at low water, where their cacklings may be heard 

 at a great distance. With the aid of a glass you may see them going 

 through their courtships ; the males swell their throats, walk about proud- 

 ly, throw their heads upwards, and emit their love notes. These general 

 meetings take place at all hours of the day, according to the state of the 

 tide, and continue for about a fortnight, when they all depart and betake 

 themselves to the islands on which they breed. Several of these are 

 situated near the one mentioned, and there is one near Cape Sable, a few 

 miles from the most southern point of Nova Scotia, on which we saw thou- 

 sands alighted on the trees as we were sailing along that coast on our way 

 to Labrador. Some individuals begin to lay about the 19th of May or a 

 few days earlier, while others have not finished the process until the mid- 

 dle of June. During this period they resort at certain hours to bare rocky 

 islets, on which they copulate. At White Head Island, while we were 

 seated on the edge of a beautiful sand-bar eating our dinner, we saw, on 

 one of these rocks, a vast number forming as it were a dense mass, which 

 covered about half an acre. At twelve o'clock, we observed that all those 

 which were not sitting on their eggs, flew over us and alighted on the sea, 

 about half a mile from the shore, where they remained upwards of an hour, 

 swimming gracefully but in silence all the while. A seal happening to 

 raise its head above the water frightened them, and all raised their wings 

 as if about to fly. Soon after they rose all at once, separated, and went 

 off in search of food, but returned in less than an hour to the island, fly- 

 ing high and cackling loudly. A little before sunset all those unoccupied 



