380 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



There were fresh eggs, eggs in all states of incubation, and 

 also young birds to be seen, sometimes running about, but more 

 generally skulking under the grass. The down of the nestlings 

 is a sandy brown colour, with yellowish streaks and mottlings, 

 and they have the beaks black and the feet flesh-coloured. I 

 found one clutch of abnormally coloured eggs — a very pale 

 washed-out blue, with a few faint brown smudges on them, and 

 one or two thin streaks almost black in colour. Standing over, 

 and looking at them as they lay in the nest, they had the 

 appearance of being pale blue eggs without any markings, and 

 were of course most conspicuous. 



The old birds make a considerable noise as one walks 

 through their nests. About ten feet or so overhead fly a crowd 

 of the Gulls, continually chattering, and occasionally swooping 

 downwards at the intruder. Flying at a higher level are the 

 Terns, also uttering all the time their long-drawn cries ; and as 

 an occasional Oystercatcher is disturbed, it will fly rapidly 

 round, continually repeating its shrill whistle. The whole place 

 is pervaded by a faint smell somewhat resembling a fowl-house. 

 Visiting a large colony like this is of course full of interest to an 

 ornithologist, but at the same time it rather gives him a feeling 

 of surfeit, and is not to be compared for a moment to the 

 satisfaction and pleasure to be derived from finding an isolated 

 Ringed Plover's nest, after having exercised the patience neces- 

 saiy to watch the old bird on to its eggs. 



Ravenglass. Except that all the nests here were situated 

 among the sand-hills, the description of the colonies on Walney 

 Island will do equally well for those at Ravenglass. There are, 

 I should say, rather a larger number of Gulls at Ravenglass, and 

 the process of incubation seemed there to be rather more 

 forward. I caught a young bird in this colony which had strong 

 quill-feathers in its wings, and could almost raise itself off the 

 ground as it fluttered along. All the young birds I handled, at 

 both places, were in capital condition, their bodies being almost 

 round. They looked decidedly ludicrous when running (which 

 they could do well, with a rather waddling action), especially if 

 you got them silhouetted against the sky-line, when they appeared 

 as a round ball with a neck stretched out in front, and two lega 

 moving at top speed underneath. There was nothing whatever 



