104 British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



Buckley and Harvie-Brown say that " before beginning to make their nests 

 the Kittiwakes do not freqiient the rocks much, but sit in flocks on the water 

 just below. When forming their nests one bird seems to remain at home to 

 guard the materials collected, generally sea-weed of some sort, while the other 

 forages for it. As soon as the bird arrives with the weed,, it drops it on the 

 ledge, and the other takes it up in its bill, places it where it wants it, and then 

 stamps it down. After a short rest and a few little interchanges of an amiable 

 nature, the first bird drops lightly off the ledge and flies off for more material. 

 Every now and then a bird will commence its cry of ' Kitti-ake, Kitti-ake' which 

 is taken up by the others near it until the noise is quite deafening. A stranger 

 lighting near the nest of another bird is instantly driven off, and this occasions 

 another outcry of ' Kitti-ake! A bird in immature plumage, but not of the 

 year, was not allowed to land on the ledges, but was driven off immediately it 

 tried to settle." 



The Kittiwake incubates its eggs for about a month, at the end of which 

 time, the little chicks emerge covered with long down, buffish-white everywhere 

 except on the back and thighs which are dark-grey, margined with creamy yellow ; 

 bill bluish-black, legs and feet lead-blue. These little creatures are bound, on 

 account of the site of the nest, to remain in or close to their birth- spot till they 

 have become fledged. During their tender months they are assiduously fed by 

 their parents. Mr. Harvie-Brown has recorded some notes sent him by Mr. Watt 

 of Skaill, in the Orkneys, that when these Gulls are building their nests, they are 

 in " constant flight from early morn until late at night, taking a track one way 

 coming from the headlands, and another returning. They pick up a fresh-water 

 weed, that is thrown up on our loch, for the purpose of making their nests soft 

 and comfortable. When their young are out the same flight continues to and 

 fro. I concluded that it was with food for their young, so shot one to see what 

 it was. The crop was full, and on opening it, was astonished to find a mass of 

 Daddy-long-legs, like, at first sight, a ball of worsted." 



" The young Kittiwake is fed in a manner something similar to a pigeon. 

 The old one arrives and sits on the edge of the nest, its neck largely distended 

 with food, remaining there for some time as if ruminating. Presently she puts 

 her head down and shakes herself, probably as soon as she feels the food is 

 sufficiently macerated ; she then opens her mouth and the young one puts its 

 bill into hers, and takes out the food, and this is done until it is satisfied. The 

 old bird never feeds the young until she has sat some time on the ledge, 

 however importunate it may be, no doubt because she feels the food is not in a 

 fit state for it to digest easily " (Harvie-Brown). 



