n8 ANIMAL LIFE UNDER WATER 



a particular instance, and no indication of the 

 feeding habits of gulls in general. 



During 1913 456 gulls .were examined 

 throughout the year. The birds were collected 

 where the majority are to be found — viz. along 

 the seashore, ten miles up the estuaries of rivers, 

 and two or three miles out to sea. 



Of gulls shot in these situations, the great 

 black-backed, lesser black-backed, kitti wakes 

 and terns were found to feed mainly upon fish, 

 and evidence of food fishes were found in 60, 30, 

 83.5, and 50 per cent, of these birds respectively 

 at the time they were examined'. 



From what I have written it will be realised 

 that a considerably larger proportion had taken 

 fish during the day. The contents of lesser 

 black-backed gulls on Rona showed a very much 

 higher percentage of fish. 



That these birds take enormous numbers of 

 fish is not denied, neither is it contended that 

 they benefit the agriculturist. This is, however, 

 not the case with the herring, common, and 

 black-headed gull ; 82, 92, and 167 of these birds 

 respectively were examined during 1913-14 in 

 the situations I have described, and opposite is a 

 table of the contents found : 



