with them. This continued till the end of March 1858, at which time he disappeared. Nothing 

 more was seen or heard of him until the middle of November 1858, when, to the delight and 

 astonishment of all who knew him, he returned one afternoon at the usual time. Meeting the 

 keeper with the box of food, he followed him to the enclosure where he was hatched, and, settling 

 down among the other Gulls, took his dinner as though he had never been away, not appearing 

 the least shy or wild. Here he remained with his parents and the other Gulls, occasionally flying 

 off for a day or two, until the beginning of February 1859. He again departed and by many was 

 given up for lost; others, however, thought he might again return. And on the morning of 

 Saturday last, between eight and nine o'clock, we were gratified to behold the long-lost Gull 

 making his way to his old quarters much improved in his appearance, having nearly completed 

 his adult plumage. He immediately came down and was greeted by his old friends, who evidently 

 recognized him. He appeared fatigued and hungry. I sent for some food ; and he came boldly 

 towards us, and fed almost from the hand. As soon as his appetite was satisfied, he walked 

 about, quite at home among the other Gulls. Since Saturday I have seen him flying now and 

 then over the Gardens and Park, but returning after a short flight." 



The Herring-Gull feeds on small shell-fish, marine animals which it picks up along the 

 coast, small fish, fish-fry, &c; and I have given above an excellent extract from Macgillivray's well- 

 known work respecting the food of this species. On the North-American coast I have observed 

 both this and other species of Gulls feeding on clams, which they carry up to a considerable 

 altitude and drop on the rocks in order to break the shell and get at the animal inside. 

 Mr. Eobert Gray has noticed the same habit in the Herring-Gull of Scotland, and writes: — 

 " When driving one day along the shore between Stranraer and the Mull of Galloway, I observed 

 numbers of Herring-Gulls lifting mussels from the beach, and, after carrying them some distance 

 in the air, letting them fall among the stones so as to break the shells and enable them to get at 

 the contents. I had previously seen Rooks at this ingenious employment, but I never before saw 

 or heard of Gulls exercising their instincts in this manner. Mr. Watson, of Stranraer, informs 

 me that he has frequently observed Herring-Gulls breaking mussels in the same way." 



Baron A. von Hiigel informs me of a peculiar habit of the Herring-Gull, as observed by 

 him, which I think well worthy of record. He states, " on several occasions, whilst shooting 

 wild-fowl in Poole Harbour (Dorset), I have observed the Herring-Gull indulge in a regular 

 mud-bath. Last autumn I watched a whole flock of some twenty or more birds, through a glass, 

 thus engaged. They were on a soft mud-bank, which was barely covered by the receding tide. 

 Their actions reminded one of Sparrows when 'dusting' on some sandy road, so actively did they 

 splash the mud about with their wings. The Gulls continued this for a considerable time, and 

 did not stop before their delicate colouring was quite transformed by the liquid mud. They 

 ended their bath by slightly opening and shaking their wings and then running into the water, 

 where, after ducking and splashing for some time to cleanse themselves from the mud, they 

 returned to the neighbouring dry mud-banks, where, after preening and arranging their feathers, 

 they commenced feeding. I have only noticed this habit in the present species." 



The Herring-Gull breeds throughout Northern Europe and North-eastern America, on the 

 coast or on the small islands close to the mainland, its nest being a small depression in the soil, 

 sometimes with but little, if any, lining, whereas at others they build a bulky nest of grass and 



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