360 LARIDiE. 



particular headland alluded to^ but at the rocks of the Horn 

 generally, in June 1832, the kittiwake was greatly more numerous 

 than the herring-gull. The later period of the season, however, 

 may have a great effect on their comparative numbers. 



On a visit made to the islands of Arran, off Galway Bay, in the 

 summer of 1834, by Mr. E. Ball and myself, the herring-gull 

 was found in great numbers breeding on the lofty cliffs of the 

 largest island ; and we were told of BilFs Rock, off Achil, being 

 another nesting-place. Under Larus fuscus, a low rocky islet'^ 

 on the Kerry coast is mentioned, on the authority of the late 

 Mr. T. r. Neligan, as resorted to by that species and the present 

 for the purpose of nidification. It has abundance of ordinary 

 building haunts around this coast, as the Magharee Islands, the 

 cliffs at both entrances to Dingle harbour, the small SkeUig rock, 

 and similar places.t On the adjoining coast of Cork they espe- 

 cially abound in the breeding-season ; at the Bull and Cow Rocks, 

 off Dursey Island ; the cliffs of Bear Island, and those at Cape 

 Clear; J — they also build in numbers along the coast between the 

 Sovereign islands and the Reannies, both inclusive, where the nests 

 are made of dried grass, and a few of them easily reached ; but 

 the greater number are inaccessible. || On the coast of Waterford, 

 and at suitable cliffs round to that of Dublin, they nidify ; — among 

 others here, Howth, the islands of Ireland^s Eye and Lambay, 

 may be named. 



In numerous localities distant from breeding-haunts, I have in 

 the midst of the season of incubation remarked, in full adult 

 plumage, one or two pair of these gulls, which doubtless took no 

 concern with the cares of the world in connection with offspring. 



* Audubon (' Orn. Biog.' vol. iii. p. 589) gives a most interestiug account of 

 colonies of this species, that on Whitehead Island, at the entrance of the Bay of 

 Fundy, build on trees in consequence of their nests on the ground having been 

 robbed. He also mentions (p. 5U2) these bii-ds as rising higher and higher into the 

 air with mussels until they are broken by the fall. Mr. Johu D. Ferguson (Dnnve- 

 gan Cottage) informs me that this is a common habit of the gulls in the islaud of 

 Skye (where L. argentatus and L. canns arc the prevailing species), and may be 

 witnessed any day on the shores towards the entrance of Dunvegan Loch. 



t Mr. R. Chute. X Mr. J. F. Townscnd. || Mr. R. WaiTen, Juu. 



