164 SILVERY GULL. 



gun on White Head Island for several years past, and I daresay you will not 

 commit any greater havoc among them than is necessary, and to that you are 

 welcome." 



I was much pleased with the humanity of our host, and requested him to 

 let me know when all the Gulls, or the greater part of them, would abandon 

 the trees and resume their former mode of breeding on the ground, which 

 he promised to do. But I afterwards found that this was not likely to 

 happen, because on some other islands not far distant, to which the fishermen 

 and eggers have free access, these Gulls breed altogether on the trees, even 

 when their eggs and young are regularly removed every year, so that their 

 original habits have been entirely given up. My opinion "that, after being 

 thus molested for some time longer, they may resort to the inaccessible 

 shelves of the high rocks of these islands, was strengthened by Mr. Frank- 

 land's informing me that many pairs had already taken refuge in such 

 places, where they bred in perfect security. The most remarkable effect 

 produced by these changes of locality is, that the young which are hatched 

 on the trees or high rocks, do not leave their nests until they are able to fly, 

 while those on the ground run about in less than a week, and hide themselves 

 at the sight of man among the moss and plants, which frequently saves them 

 from being carried away. The young on the trees are shaken out of their 

 nests, or knocked down with poles, their flesh being considered as very good 

 by the fishermen and eggers, who collect and salt them for winter provision. 



Some of the nests which I saw were placed at a height of more than forty 

 feet on the trees, others, seen in the thickest parts of the woods, were eight 

 or ten feet from the ground, and were placed close to the main stem, so as to 

 be with difficulty observed. It was truly curious to see the broad-winged 

 birds make their way to and from them in these secluded retreats. The 

 nests placed on the ground were several yards apart, and measured from 

 fifteen to eighteen inches in diameter, their cavity being from four to six. 

 The lower stratum consisted of grass, plants of various kinds, moss, and grey 

 lichens, and the whole was lined with fine bent, but without any feathers. 

 Those on the trees measured from twenty-four to twenty-six inches in 

 diameter externally, and were composed of the same materials, but in greater 

 quantity, the object of which I thought might be to allow more space to the 

 young while growing, as they could not enjoy the pleasure of running about 

 like those hatched on the ground. Perhaps, however, the smaller size of 

 the nests placed there may be owing to their belonging to the younger Gulls, 

 as I have often observed that the older the individual the larger is its nest. 

 Mr. Frankland informed me that they frequently repair the old nests at 

 the commencement of the breeding season, and I found the assertion proved 

 by my own observation. The eggs, which are three, measure three inches 



