ORNITHOLOGICAL WAR-NOTES: 97 



made some observations in his neighbourhood ; and he assured 

 me parts of the beach at Corton had become quite black and 

 tarry, a condition very soon obliterated by drifting sand. 



One live Eazorbill brought me, that was rather cleaner than 

 the general run of the birds, with a Guillemot, was placed in my 

 small aviary ; the former died after a day or two's incarceration, 

 vicious and irritable to the end. The Guillemot, that probably 

 had not been quite so pounded by the waves, lived several days 

 longer, became tame enough to feed from my hand, and would 

 utter a throaty croak of satisfaction when I scratched the top of 

 his head. I have never been successful in keeping either of this 

 species alive for long, as I have the Cormorant, Shag, Gannet, 

 and some others, nor do I think the first two species ever prove 

 satisfactory livers, even if taken unhurt from their native cliffs. 



On October 29th I walked along the beach to Hopton, on the 

 Suffolk coast, finding the high-water mark bestrewn with the 

 moulted feathers of the larger Gulls. On most of them were dry 

 spots and splashes of the offending liquid ; evidently the Gulls 

 had been freely sprinkled with polluted sea-spray, but being of a 

 more restless and suspicious nature had wisely betaken them- 

 selves to less unpleasant quarters. A fisherman assured me 

 that on one occasion the crew of a herring-boat could not shoot 

 their nets " for the tar on the surface — the sea bein' black all 

 around, and smuddered with it." 



It was reported in a local paper that (late in January) when 

 the German cruiser ' Bluecher ' sank in the North Sea, mingled 

 with the human beings struggling for existence were arms, legs, 

 and clothing, with thousands of dead fish (undoubtedly killed by 

 explosions) ; to the latter the Sea-Gulls flocked to enjoy a feast 

 such as had not come in their way for many a day, thus 

 proving that their appetites had very speedily overcome their 

 apprehensions. 



Zool. 4th ser. vol. XIX., March, 1915. 



