5 "6 



viand, and to content themselves with the ordinary 

 produce of the shore. This certainly was not a case of 

 fear, for I have repeatedly observed, in cases of hostile 

 encounter between these two species, that the Herring- 

 Gull has almost invariably proved the victor. 



This Gull is a hardy rover, and seems to enjoy 

 battling against a stiff breeze at sea. In common with 

 other Gulls it will follow ships to great distances from 

 land; but in this respect is not, in my experience, so 

 persistent as the Kittiwake. With plenty of room for 

 exercise, plenty of food, and opportunities for frequent 

 washing, these and most of our other British Gulls may 

 be kept in captivity for many years, and will rear a 

 brood annually. At Lilford an old male Herring-Gull 

 paired with a female of the Dominican Gull (Larus 

 dominicanus), and took his turn upon the eggs, from 

 which two or three young were reared year after year 

 for a considerable period; the produce of this pair, 

 after going through the mottled stage, in which they 

 could not be distinguished from purely bred Herring- 

 Gulls of the same age, acquired a mantle only slightly 

 darker than that of their male parent. I must here 

 mention that the mantle of the adult Dominican Gull is 

 very much more truly black than that of the Lesser 

 Black-backed Gull. These hybrids have never paired 

 inter se or with any other Gulls at Lilford, or, so far 

 as I know, shown any disposition to nest. The 

 Herring-Gulls are very clamorous, and occasionally very 

 savage when their nests are approached ; but although 

 I have frequently seen them stoop to within a few 



