376 THE BIRDS OF DETOX. 



some nestlings in the down, and a few eggs, on the cliffs at Wembury on 

 June 15th, 1883, when we visited that interesting locality with Mr. Gat- 

 combe and Mr. J. Brooking-Eowe. There were then fifty pairs of adults 

 flying about the bold cliffs. Formerly this Gull bred in great numbers at 

 Ladram Bay, and the boatmen on the Exe are wont to term the young 

 birds " Ladram Gulls." Many still frequent the Red Sandstone cliffs there, 

 and a few may be seen at the mouth of the Otter. The Herring-Gull 

 varies greatly in size. One as large as an ordinary Great Black-backed 

 Gull occurred at Plymouth, Feb. 3rd, 1876. The wing measured 19 inches 

 from the carpal joint (J. G., in Utt., and Zool. 1876, p. 4901). We saw 

 one of this size near Exmouth, July 20th, 1887. 



This beautiful species is very common throughout the year all round 

 the coast of Devon and Cornwall, and, to the eyes of the naturalist, lends 

 by its presence an additional charm to many a picturesque and rocky 

 shore. From the Tors at llfracombe, the Castle Eock in the A' alley of 

 Rocks at Lynton, from many a dark cliff on the North Cornwall coast, 

 from the Land's End itself, and along the tamer coast-line of the south, 

 we have watched the Herring-GuU as it sailed in circles overhead 

 clamouring angrily, or swept with measured flight along the cliff either 

 up or down the channel according to the tide. However wild and 

 delightful the coast scenery and refreshing the breeze which came to us 

 off the sea — however gladly we hailed again those sweet scents of cliff- 

 flowers which can only be inhaled upon the shore, — had the Gulls been 

 wanting we should have felt that something was missing to complete the 

 enjoyment of the landscape which their presence, as tiny specks of white 

 on the sea below, on the shelving ledges of the cliffs, or in the air above, 

 rendered perfect to our sense. "We have never realized the charm given 

 to cliff scenery by the Gulls more fully than at Tintagel. Passing through 

 the churchyard, where the graves were covered to the depth of a foot or 

 more with lady's bed-straw (Galium verxim) and the air was perfumed 

 from its golden blossoms, we left the lonely church, and came out on the 

 side of the cliff with the wild promontory on which one part of the old 

 castle stands immediately before us. It was a glorious July day ; the sea 

 beneath caught the sunlight and answered back with " countless 

 laughter " ; the scent of the sea-pink wafted on all sides was itself a 

 delicious reminder that we were on the coast ; the strange old-time ruins 

 above us on the mainland shimmered in the sun ; a few Kestrels were 

 poising themselves across the deep blue of the sky; and the silvery 

 Herring-Gulls were sailing solemnly along in little parties of three or five 

 but a few feet above the ground, all heading to the north, and seeming to 

 follow without any deviation the line of flight which their predecessors had 

 taken, which tracked all the windings of the cliffs. Slipping quietly a 

 little further down the steep hillside, we placed ourselves beneath this 

 aerial path which the birds had chosen, and sitting close behind one of the 

 ruined walls of the old castle we soon had some of the Gulls passing over- 

 head, and so near did they come that had we stretched out our walking- 

 stick it seemed as if some of them might have been touched upon the 

 breast. They took but slight notice of us ; one or two gave us a grave 



