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  THE 
  VEETEBBATE 
  FAUNA 
  OF 
  " 
  DEE." 
  

  

  before 
  they 
  can 
  obtain 
  water. 
  The 
  matter 
  of 
  feeding 
  the 
  

   young 
  would 
  also 
  be 
  one 
  of 
  great 
  difficulty. 
  This 
  observation 
  

   applies 
  only 
  to 
  the 
  ground 
  before 
  mentioned. 
  

  

  Larus 
  marinus, 
  Linn. 
  Greater 
  Black-backed 
  Gull. 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  is 
  to 
  be 
  seen 
  in 
  small 
  numbers 
  along 
  the 
  

   coast 
  of 
  " 
  Dee 
  " 
  at 
  most 
  seasons 
  of 
  the 
  year, 
  their 
  favourite 
  

   Nesting-places 
  being 
  the 
  sandy 
  point 
  north 
  of 
  Don-mouth 
  and 
  

   beside 
  the 
  Black-dog 
  Rock. 
  In 
  winter, 
  when 
  the 
  bird 
  is 
  in 
  

   greatest 
  numbers, 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  observed 
  there 
  — 
  when 
  the 
  sea 
  

   rolls 
  high, 
  with 
  the 
  wind 
  blowing 
  in 
  strong 
  and 
  fitful 
  blasts, 
  

   while 
  rain 
  or 
  snow 
  falls 
  thick 
  around 
  — 
  flying 
  and 
  wheeling 
  

   in 
  airy 
  circles 
  through 
  the 
  storm. 
  Indeed, 
  I 
  have 
  often 
  

   watched 
  it 
  under 
  such 
  conditions 
  ; 
  ' 
  and 
  the 
  fact 
  of 
  those 
  bold 
  

   birds 
  circling 
  around, 
  regardless 
  of 
  the 
  " 
  elemental 
  wars," 
  

   caused 
  me 
  to 
  forget 
  the 
  storm, 
  and 
  to 
  look 
  back 
  now 
  with 
  the 
  

   utmost 
  pleasure 
  to 
  " 
  days 
  upon 
  the 
  coast," 
  when 
  the 
  wind 
  

   blew, 
  the 
  rain 
  poured, 
  with 
  no 
  living 
  creature 
  to 
  be 
  seen 
  

   abroad, 
  save 
  the 
  Black- 
  backs 
  that 
  flew 
  around 
  and 
  screamed 
  

   in 
  apparent 
  enjoyment 
  of 
  the 
  tempest. 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  does 
  not 
  breed 
  with 
  us, 
  but 
  Edward 
  says 
  

   that 
  "eggs 
  of 
  the 
  Great 
  Black-backed 
  Gull 
  have 
  been 
  found 
  

   on 
  the 
  larger 
  island 
  " 
  in 
  the 
  Loch 
  of 
  Strathbeg. 
  

  

  Larus 
  fuscus, 
  Linn. 
  Lesser 
  Black-backed 
  Gull. 
  

  

  Fairly 
  common, 
  bat 
  not 
  resident, 
  nor 
  does 
  it 
  breed 
  within 
  

   "Dee." 
  "A 
  common 
  species." 
  (Horn.) 
  

  

  On 
  June 
  29th, 
  1873, 
  I 
  saw 
  a 
  specimen 
  of 
  this 
  bird 
  flying 
  

   about 
  beside 
  a 
  breeding-place 
  of 
  the 
  Herring 
  Gull 
  about 
  two 
  

   miles 
  south 
  of 
  Whinnyfold, 
  Cruden, 
  but 
  could 
  not 
  make 
  out 
  

   if 
  it 
  was 
  nesting, 
  and 
  did 
  not 
  see 
  it 
  alight 
  upon 
  the 
  rocks. 
  

  

  Larus 
  ridibundus, 
  Linn. 
  Black-headed 
  Gull. 
  

   " 
  Pottertown 
  Hen." 
  

  

  Abundant, 
  and 
  breeds 
  in 
  many 
  of 
  our 
  inland 
  lochs. 
  For 
  

   long 
  it 
  bred 
  in 
  numbers 
  upon 
  the 
  estate 
  of 
  Pottertown, 
  

   hence 
  the 
  above 
  local 
  name 
  ; 
  and 
  it 
  was 
  generally 
  believed 
  

   by 
  the 
  people 
  living 
  there 
  that 
  the 
  birds 
  were 
  brought 
  from 
  

  

  