406 



8 



be seen reposing, often intermingled with Common Gulls, and sometimes with individuals of the 

 two black-backed species. The flight of this Gull is strong and buoyant, direct and unwavering 

 when the bird is proceeding toward a distant place, and then usually elevated, but on ordinary 

 occasions somewhat devious, although from its size this species is not capable of turning and 

 winding so dexterously as the smaller kinds. When engaged with a shoal of fry, the Herring- 

 Gulls hover over the water, now ascending to the height of perhaps twenty feet, then skimming 

 close over the surface ; and on observing an object, stretching upward and vibrating their wings 

 and letting down their feet so as to touch and sometimes pat the water, they pick it up without 

 alighting. Sometimes they plunge partly into the water, and occasionally pick up their prey 

 while swimming. All this while they emit now and then a loud and rather shrill cry. Their 

 food consists of fishes of small size, occasionally large dead fish, crabs, echini, asterise, and 

 mollusca. In winter and spring they often travel in bands over the fields, searching the pastures, 

 and more especially ploughed land, for worms, grubs, and insects. At that season they may 

 sometimes be seen on lakes, either solitary or in small flocks. They walk, and even run, with 

 ease, and not ungracefully. Often, on the sands, they may be seen rapidly patting the surface 

 with their feet ; but the purpose of this action is not understood, although some have supposed 

 it to be the causing of worms to emerge. In frequented parts they are very shy, seldom allowing 

 a person to come within two hundred yards ; but where they are little disturbed they are less 

 suspicious, although under any circumstances they keep out of reach of ordinary shot. They 

 repose on beaches and headlands, sometimes standing on one leg, but generally lying down. 

 During very tempestuous weather they fly inland, or betake themselves to some partially sheltered 

 place, near highwater mark, and then lie flat on the ground. On such occasions I have seen 

 them detained several days in one place, apparently without food, the wind- being so high that 

 their excursions were but short. They may then be more easily approached ; but as their flesh 

 can scarcely be relished as food, they are not much liable to be molested, unless in the neigh- 

 bourhood of towns." 



In the 'Proceedings of the Zoological Society' for 1859, Mr. A. D. Bartlett, the well-known 

 Superintendent of the Zoological Gardens, gives some most interesting notes respecting the habits 

 of the Herring-Gull, which I cannot do better than quote as follows : — " ' In the beginning of 

 June 1850, a Herring-Gull (Larus argentatus) hatched out her young ones in the enclosure 

 (No. 17), which is overshadowed by two weeping ash trees. The male bird had assisted her so 

 constantly in incubation, that his strength gave way, and he died just as the young birds were 

 chipping out of the shell. The female then became restless, left the eggs, and was only induced 

 to resume her place for the few hours which were necessary to complete the hatch by the keeper 

 having arranged the dead body of her mate in counterfeit presentment of the position he generally 

 took up near her when not himself upon the eggs.' — Extract from ' Garden Guide,' 1852. It 

 will, I hope, be understood that the birds so hatched in 1850 were the parents of the individual 

 whose habits I now wish to record. This bird was one of two hatched about the latter end of 

 May 1857, and was reared by its parents in the gardens, where it remained during the summer 

 and autumn of that year. At the commencement of the winter he was in the habit of flying 

 about (not being pinioned), and occasionally staying away a day or two, then for a iveek or more, 

 returning again generally about feeding-time, and alighting among the other Gulls and feeding 



