ON 



SCOULTON MERE, NORFOLK, 



AND THE 



BLACK-HEADED GULL {Larus ridibundus). 



By Mr. G. D. ROWLEY. 

 (Plates LXXVL, LXXVIL, & LXXVIIT.) 



It rained zoologically (i. e. "' cats and dogs ") on May 15th, 1877, when 

 I started from St.-Neots station to meet Mr. Keulemans at Scoulton Mere, 

 who came from London on purpose to sketch the illustrations which 

 are here seen, permission being first obtained from the owner of the 

 gullery, John Weyland, Esq., of Woodrising, Norfolk. 



Mr. Robert Baldry, the agent, had kindly made every arrangement 

 for us ; and we found James Brown, the keeper (who has been there 

 eighteen years), w^aiting. 



The first intimation of the proximity of the Gulls was a flight of 

 them feeding in a cornfield near Scoulton church, which, like some others, 

 has a reed-thatched roof — an indication of a fenny neighbourhood. 



The sight of the birds of Scoulton, as they rise in a dense mass, filling 

 the air like snow, is certainly very beautiful ; and the sound of the 

 multitude of voices is music to the ornithological ear. 



The Gulls chiefly congregate at each end of '^ the hearth," as the 



VOL. II. 3 I 



