O / b THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



Lesser Black-backed Gull. Lamsfuscus, Linn. 



llesident ; bi'eeding in small numbers on Lundy Island and in places 

 along the north coast as far as Lyumouth. The late Mr. Gatcombe 

 informed us that the llev. li, A. Julian must have made a mistake in 

 stating that he fouud this species breeding on the clift's at AVeml)ury on 

 July 4th, 1S52 (' iS^aturalist,' 1853, p. 117), as the Herring-Gull is 

 the only species that breeds at that locality. Adults in pairs are, 

 however, seen in nesting-time about the coast between the Dolt Head 

 and Bolt Tail, where' there are suitable grassy slopes for them to 

 breed upon (K. P. N. and E. A. S. E., MS. Notes). This Gull is most 

 numerous on the south coast and its estuaries in wiuter and spring after 

 storms. It is a spring visitor to Plymouth Sound, appearing usually at 

 the end of March, and kee])ing in pairs. Adults leave the Plymouth 

 waters by the 1st of May, but immature non-breeding birds are seen in 

 flocks sometimes as late as Juno ; the breeding birds return again early in 

 August with their young (J. G., Zool. 1872, pp. 3051, 3101, 3150; 

 1874, p. 4228 ; 1875, p. 4449 ; 1878, p. 55). Mr. E. A. S. Elliot has seen 

 birds of this species on the coast at Thurlestoue in May, and some at 

 Eantham on Aug. 24th, 1878. Mr. J. H. Gurney shot one on the Dart 

 April 10th, 180(3 {iti litt.). Mr. Stevenson found it on the Teign in 

 winter and spring after storms (Zool. 1859, p. 5794). We observed a large 

 flock of adults and young off Teignmouth on Aug. 24th, 1874. A very 

 beautiful specimen was shot at Salmon Pool, just below Exeter, 

 March 31st, 1870, and one at Stoke Canon, May 3rd, 1884, after stormy 

 weather, but it is a very scarce species on the Exe estuary. Mr. 0. V. Aplin 

 saw flocks off Morthoe, North Devon, in August 1880 (Zool. 1887, p. 71). 

 This Gull is a resident throughout the year on the Devonshire coast, 

 but is never numerous. We have found it nesting on the cliffs in the 

 neighbourhood of Lyumouth, and a few pairs breed on Lundy Island, On 

 islands which we have visited at the nesting-season we have always found 

 the Lesser Elack-backed Gull breeding in little communities by itself, and 

 there is never the least difhculfy in examining the eggs (of which very 

 pretty varieties may be obtained), as the nests are placed among the 

 grass and fern on the top of the cliffs. The Lesser Elack-backed Gull 

 does not very often come inside the estuaries, keeping to the cliffs and the 

 salt water. In the spring pairs may be seen commonly feeding in the 

 water-meadows, where they are very wary, keeping well out in the centre 

 of the fields, and frequently flying from one to another with somewhat 

 musical and laughing notes. We have a splendid adult and a young bird 

 in its second year's plumage which we secured at the same shot as they 

 were feeding on a splashet in North Devon, after having waited patiently 

 for them for a long time in a hedge with a heavy duck gun. 



Mr. Itodd states that this Gull is seen on the Cornish coast in flocks in 

 the winter and S2)ring, but does not specify any nesting-station ; and 

 although Mr. Mansel-Pleydell supposes that it may breed on the Portland 

 and Purbeck cliffs, he was without any positive information on the point. 

 On the North Somerset coast this Gull (in our experience) is rather rare. 



