SILVERY GULL. 165 



in length, by two in breadth, have an oval somewhat' ■pyriform shape, are 

 rough though not granulated, and are of a dull yellowish earthy colour, 

 irregularly blotched and spotted with dark umber. They are nearly as large 

 as those of the Great Black-backed Gull; but they differ considerably in size 

 as well as in colour, some being more or less rounded or elongated. The 

 yolk is bright orange, the albumen bluish-white; and they are excellent 

 eating. 



About the beginning of May the Herring Gulls collect into great flocks 

 for the purpose of reproducing, and betake themselves to large sand-bars or 

 mud-flats at low water, where their cacklings may be heard at a great dis- 

 tance. With the aid of a glass you may see them going through their court- 

 ships; the males swell their throats, walk about proudly, throw their heads 

 upwards, and emit their love notes. These general meetings take place at 

 all hours of the day, according to the state of the tide, and continue for 

 about a fortnight, when they all depart and betake themselves to the islands 

 on which they breed. Several of these are situated near the one mentioned, 

 and there is one near Cape Sable, a few miles from the most southern point 

 of Nova Scotia, on which we saw thousands alighted on the trees as we 

 were sailing along that coast on our way to Labrador. Some individuals 

 begin to lay about the 19th of May or a few days earlier, while others have 

 not finished the process until the middle of June. During this period they 

 resort at certain hours to bare rocky islets, on which they copulate. At 

 White Head Island, while we were seated on the edge of a beautiful sand- 

 bar eating our dinner, we saw, on one of these rocks, a vast number, forming 

 as it were a dense mass, which covered about half an acre. At twelve 

 o'clock, we observed that all those which were not sitting on their eggs, flew 

 over us and alighted on the sea, about half a mile from the shore, where 

 they remained upwards of an hour, swimming gracefully but in silence all 

 the while. A seal happening to raise its head above the water frightened 

 them, and all raised their wings as if about to fly. Soon after they rose all 

 at once, separated, and went off in search of food, but returned in less than 

 an hour to the island, flying high and cackling loudly. A little before sunset 

 all those unoccupied with incubation went off to the same rocky islands to 

 roost, flying in silence, and mostly in files. It was curious to observe that, 

 whenever a large flock made towards the sea cackling, all the Ducks about 

 immediately flew off to a considerable distance, as if afraid of them; and we 

 saw that these Gulls, although timorous in the presence of man, shew great 

 courage in attacking predatory birds, such as Jays, Crows, Ravens, and even 

 Hawks, which they pursued and forced into the deep woods, or drove away 

 from the vicinity of their nests. 



Shy and wary nearly in as great a degree as the Black-backed Gull, they 



