BIRDS 431 



heather. The approach of a stranger is sufficient to disturb the 

 nearest birds, and, should he cross their ground, every gull in 

 the colony wheels noisily overhead, the birds passing backwards 

 and forwards so rapidly that to count their numbers accurately 

 is a difficult undertaking. Roudsea moss is a broad level, 

 intersected by many open drains, covered closely with heather 

 and the cross-leafed heath, tussocks of sedge and coarse grass 

 intervening. Here, as in the other gulleries of our area, the 

 birds nest chiefly in the centre of the moss. This year [1891] we 

 found eggs and birds in all stages on the 29th of June. The 

 nests chiefly contained two eggs, advanced in incubation, but 

 three is not an uncommon number, and we found one clutch of 

 two eggs to be quite fresh. Some few of the young birds were 

 squatting in open ground, but the greater proportion, whether 

 small or three-parts grown, hid themselves, burying their heads 

 in heather, though the grey mottled down of the upper surface 

 was seldom entirely concealed. The old birds are never more 

 vehement than when their young are feathered. These last 

 hide up with cunning craftiness in drains and under cover, but 

 are less disposed to take to water than the young of the Great 

 Black-backed Gull. They resist capture strenuously, and when 

 released run away in hot haste to some fresh hiding-place. 

 During the breeding season the old birds are indefatigable in 

 catering for their young. The small pink bivalve (Tellina tenuis) 

 is a favourite food, as attested by the numerous pellets contain- 

 ing the remains of this shell which I have observed on all our 

 gulleries. On Roudsea one youngster threw up a crab and a 

 flounder ; we replaced the crab in its gullet, much to its apparent 

 satisfaction. There and at Foulshaw they seem to feed chiefly 

 on small crabs and the above-mentioned shell, but on Bowness 

 and Solway Flows there can be no doubt that fish form a con- 

 siderable portion of their diet. They are also fond of catching 

 moths. At all seasons of the year a few examples of this gull 

 frequent the inland waters of our rivers, and may be observed 

 daily passing and repassing. In autumn the immature birds 

 frequent the estuaries, and often rob smaller gulls. Some pro- 

 bably depart before winter, but at that season this Gull is 

 plentiful all along our coast-line, even in such coarse situations 



