4io Food Habits of the Black-Headed Gull, [oct., 



caught in any mischief ; his food is mice and beetles, and 

 occasionally a lark or small bird." Another writer mentions 

 that he has " counted over twenty mice in the larder of the 

 barn owl for its young. It will occasionally kill a greenfinch 

 or sparrow, but not game." 



Brown Linnet. — This is said to be destructive to small seeds 

 such as mustard, radish and cabbage, also corn and hops. 



Goldfinch. — This is a most useful bird as a seed-eater, as it 

 splits seed before eating it ; some other birds eat thistle seed 

 without splitting and the seed may therefore be distributed. 



Larks. — Larks are generally reported as very destructive 

 to growing crops, strawberries, peas, cabbage, and green crops. 



A report has lately been issued by the Cumberland County 

 Council embodying the results of an inquiry into the food 

 habits of the black-headed gull, Larus 

 Food Habits of the ridibundus, as affecting the farming and 

 Black-Headed Gull, fishing industries in Cumberland. The 

 report contains a statement as to the 

 contents of the stomach and gullet of 100 examples of this 

 bird taken at a variety of places and at different seasons of 

 the year. 



A number of questions were put to naturalists, anglers and 

 fishermen, farmers, and gamekeepers, and a summary is given of 

 the replies of 34 naturalists, 11 anglers and fishermen, 14 farmers 

 and 3 gamekeepers, representing the opinions of 62 qualified 

 observers Of these it may be remarked that 21 had per- 

 sonally examined the contents of the stomach and gullet of the 

 birds. The following table shows the opinions expressed : — 





Farming. 



Fishing. 











a 



















.2 





2 









mful 





eficij 



*3h 

 O 



mful 



Hai 



eficit 



Opir 







0 



a 



<v 



0 



1 



0 



OJ 



0 





a 





pq 



* 







pq 





34 Naturalists ... 



1 



21 



12 





4 



20 



5 



5 



1 1 Anglers and Fishermen 



1 



2 



3 



. 5 



7 



4 







14 Farmers 



2 



4 



8 







3 



1 



10 



3 Gamekeepers... 





I 



2 







2 





1 



62 Opinions ... 



4 



28 



25 



t 5 



! 11 



29 



6 



16 



