266 REPORT OF FIELD MEETINGS. 



performance on Cheviot, proposed a visit to the " Gulleries " 

 near Weetwood Moor, not more than a mile and a half distant. 

 Piloted by an enthusiastic ornithologist — Mr. Isaac Clark, 

 jun. — who had visited the place the preceding evening, we 

 were soon at the spot, and in the midst of thousands of Black- 

 headed Gulls, which rose screaming at our approach. By the 

 side of the little loch, among the rushes and heather, the nests 

 were in hundreds, each containing from two to four eggs ; or 

 sometimes the little downy chicks had taken the place of the 

 eggs and were hard to distinguish from their surroundings. 

 Our guide took us to a rush that rose above the water by the 

 side of the lake, where he had discovered a Coot's nest con- 

 taining eggs the previous evening ; but in the interval the eggs 

 had changed into black downy chicks. A Mallard with her 

 brood was also observed to rise with the Gulls and escape to a 

 safe distance. 



The morning of Thursday, the 23rd, was spent in short 

 rambles in the vicinity of Wooler ; the afternoon being left free 

 for a visit to Chillingham Castle. Driving by way of Fowberry 

 Tower and Chatton, the east lodge of Chillingham was reached 

 after a pleasant drive. The Earl of Tankerville had kindly 

 granted permission to visit the park and the wild cattle ; so the 

 park keeper was ready to conduct us to the place where he 

 had located the herd earlier in the day. It requires careful 

 stalking to get within easy distance of viewing them, but 

 under the keeper's guidance this was at last successfully 

 accomplished, and from behind a clump of brackens we were 

 enabled to view them at a distance of not more than 200 yards. 

 Although the herd numbered 57, it is rather singular that 

 there were Only four calves ; no doubt the close inbreeding for 

 so many generations accounting for the fact. In that portion 

 of the park where the cattle were grazing we found abundance 

 of the beautiful Ti'ientalis enropcea in full flower. We next 

 visited the " Heronry," one of the few breeding places of this 

 bird in the county. As usual the nests were seen in the tops 

 of the tallest trees, and though we did not see them all, the 

 keeper informed us that last spring there were 24 nests in all. 



