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Gull, Herring — This large and handsome bird is in habits and 
appearance very much the same as the Lesser Black-backed Gull, 
and frequents similar localities ; in fact, these two birds often occupy 
what might be called a joint-colony ; at certain parts the Herring- 
Gull being in greater numbers, while in other districts the Lesser 
Black-backed out-numbers it. The Herring-Gull is slightly larger 
than the Lesser Black-backed, and the black of back and wings is in 
this bird replaced by a delicate shade of pale grey, the lighter 
colouration tending to make the bird appear still larger, relatively, 
than its congener. This species is also a frequenter of our coasts, 
tidal rivers, and estuaries, where ofttimes gliding on scarcely moving 
wing, it will outpace and even circle round a fast-going steamer, 
patiently following mile after mile to discern with surprising keen- 
ness any eatable fragments thrown overboard, which it will lag behind 
to pick up; thereafter with a few strokes of its powerful pinions over- 
taking the vessel in a few moments. The nesting haunts of this bird 
are similar to those of the Lesser Black-backed, as are also the nest 
and eggs. 
Gull, Kittiwake — This charming sea bird derives its name from 
the resemblance of its cry to the syllables “ Kit-i-wake.” It is a 
summer visitor in large numbers to our coasts and islands, where it 
nests usually in conjunction with Guillemots and Razorbills, but 
this bird builds on the ledges of the cliff-face a nest of seaweed and 
grasses, in which it lays its two or three eggs, stone colour^ spotted 
and blotched with grey and brown. In colour this bird is a 
delicate grey on the back with the breast and under parts pure white, 
the eye is large, full, and dark, and the bill greenish-lemon. On its 
first arrival on its nesting ground, before its plumage is soiled by con- 
tact with the nest or rocks, it is exquisitely dainty in its purity of 
colour. A visit to the breeding haunt of a colony of sea fowl, is to 
many memorable, and dominant above many points of recollection 
may be that of lying on the short wind-swept turf, blue sky above, 
blue sea below, while the gentle cry of “ Kit-i-wake, Ki-hi-tt-wake,” 
sounds ceaselessly as the gleaming white birds circle round their nests. 
The young of the Kittiwake resemble their parents in general 
colour, but are marked with black atnid the grey of the back and 
wings. In August they begin their southward flight, and by the 
end of September, the thronging, busy colony is tenantless and 
deserted, to be so till spring again comes round. 
Gull, Lesser Black-backed — This bird, a resident in Britain 
throughout the year, is numerous and widely distributed along our 
coast-lines. It is a large and handsome bird, white in colour but with, 
as the name denotes, back and wings of blue-black colour, and with 
a large and powerful beak. The young do not become mature until 
their fourth year, and are until then of a dull white colour, speckled 
with grey. The Lesser Black-backed Gull has few, if any, good 
qualitieSj nay, is indeed both thief and murderer. They nest most 
usually in the vicinity of other sea fowl, and are ruthless robbers 
of the eggs and young of such species as Guillemots and Kitti- 
wakes, selecting a moment when the parent bird is absent, to make 
a dash and seize their prey. Their nest is a slight structure of dry 
grasses, placed upon the green slopes of the cliffs along our coast-line 
and islands, but occasionally they will select an island on some 
fresh-water lake, or even the heather of the open moorland. The 
eggs are three in number, somewhat variable in shade, but usually 
of a greenish stone ground-colour, spotted and blotched with grey 
and black, and are not to be distinguished from those of the 
Herring-Gull, save by identification of the bird as she rises from 
the nest. 
