129 



NOTES ON THE BLACK-HEADED GULL 

 NEAR GARSTANG. 



J. A. JACKSON. 



Warrington. 



(Read before the Warrington Field Club, February iSth, 1887.) 



The district my remarks refer to is mainly comprised witliin a radius 

 of six or seven miles of the little town of Garstang in North Lan- 

 cashire. Taking the town as a centre, you will observe on the map 

 that the sea-coast is not very far away, say five miles, to the north- 

 west, and about the same distance to the east runs a range of hills, 

 rising on the Yorkshire border to a height of 1,700 feet. These hills, 

 unfortunately, do not show up on an ordinary map. but form a most 

 important feature in the appearance of the countn,-. The land near 

 the hills is mainly stiff heavy soil, most of it ' green side up,' as 

 generally expressed, or in other words, used for grazing purposes, for 

 which it is well suited. More towards the west and the sea-coast 

 extends the Fylde district, which is mostly reclaimed moss-land, and 

 a great part of it used for potato-growing, for which the light black 

 soil seems admirably adapted. 



When flying, the head of the Black-headed Gull {Larus ridibimdiis) 

 appears quite black, and has earned for it the title of ' petch ' (or 

 ' patch ') in the district I refer to. 



I will now proceed to put before you a few remarks as to the 

 habits, etc., of this Gull as seen near Garstang, where for a part of 

 the year it is a regular and welcome visitor. It first makes its 

 appearance with us about the middle of February, a few pairs 

 appearing flying over the ploughed fields. At this period the plumage 

 is as follows — head and neck, white ; all the under-plumage, white 

 slightly tinged with rose : upper plumage, bluish ash : primaries 

 white, edged with ash, and broadly tipped with black. About three 

 weeks later, the dark brown colour on the head and upper part of 

 the neck is fully developed, and it is about this time they first make 

 their appearance in quantity at the breeding-ground. The birds are 

 now much more plentiful, and follow the plough on the low-lying 

 peaty lands most assiduously, evidently searching eagerly for food in 

 the newly-turned furrows. As the spring advances, the birds are not 

 to be seen so plentifully, except in an evening, when they often come 

 into the grass fields in large flocks. At times some of them ascend 

 high into the air, and judging from their rapid evolutions, are engaged 

 in pursuing some insect prey. The birds are now busy at the great 

 business of their lives,''namely, making their nests and rearing their 



May 1887. K 



