1 
LESSHll BLACK-13ACKEU GULL. 
None but those who have examined the poisonous concoction would credit the injury inflicted on the 
fishing population hy the vile spirituous liquors sold, bartered, or exchanged for fish, or even gear, by the 
“ Coopers.” This infamous trade is carried on by the bum-boats, hailing mostly from Dutch ports, which 
are perpetually hanging round the fleets of smacks or luggers ; unless the skipper resolutely refuses to allow 
the small boat to be lowered, these harpies frequently dispose of large quantities of their abominable wares, 
their patrons for the most part being found among the inveterate sots and the younger and more inexperienced 
of the ci’ews. Drink is doubtless the cause of more disasters among the smacks and luggers than is generally 
credited, and not unfrequently those who least deserve it suffer. Early in the winter, a few years back, while 
steaming towards the land, a smack with colours half-mast was sighted in charge of a tug. It was afterwards 
ascertained that the whole of the hands, Avith the exception of the master, had been the worse for drink, 
though the vessel was scarcely an hour out of port. The skipper had apparently stretched over the quarter 
to knock the trawl-head on to the beam, and having lost his balance had fallen into the water; the crew being 
helpless, and no vessels sufficiently near to render assistance, the unfortunate man Avas droAAmed. 
During rough and stormy AA'cather in autumn and Avinter these birds make their AA'ay long distances 
inland ; in East Lothian I often noticed immense flocks settled out in the centre of the largest fields, 
liike CurleAVS they invariably paid particular attention to the selection of a spot at some distance from a 
stone wall, being eA'idently AA^ell aAA^are of the chance of concealment to their enemies offered by a “ dry stone 
dyke.” A few of the larger species of Gulls visit the Norfolk broads lying near the coast almost daily 
throughout the year, the numbers greatly increasing toAvards autumn, Avhen the herring-boats are off the 
coast. Stormy Aveather, particularly if from the east, at this season sometimes brings them in thousands 
to the inland AA aters ; with a westerly wind the birds may be seen sitting in flocks stretching for half a 
mile or more along the sandy shore near Horsey, sheltered by the high sand-banks from the force of the 
gale. Some years back I frequently remarked that the flooded marshes along the coast of Sussex attracted 
large bodies of Gulls in Avinter; latterly they appear to have deserted these quarters, resting, Avhen the weather 
is too rough for them to keep at sea, on the mudflats or the A\dde-sp reading shingle-banks. In all the 
localities referred to, these gatherings were composed of the three larger Gulls, the present species in all 
instances being the most numerous. 
Every season, in April and May, Lesser Black-backed Gulls are to be seen in the Channel in a state of 
plumage that might easily be mistaken for the full adult dress ; a comparison of one of these birds Avith 
a specimen procured at the breeding-stations Avould, however, shoAV that the tint of the deep grey on the back 
is far darker, the feathers on the back of the head are also scanty and Avorn, utterly different from the profuse 
glossy covering on the head of an adult. That these birds are plentiful off the south coast may be judged from 
the fact that Avhen tbroAving overboard fish-liver to attract the Stormy Petrel, as well as when driving the 
birds from the shoals of mackerel, I have shot from a dozen to a score repeatedly, all in precisely the same 
state of plumage. These are undoubtedly in the last stage before the perfect mature dress is put on. 
Prom the changes exhibited by this species in captivity, as Avell as from the observations taken on those 
in a wild state, I should imagine that the age of five years Avas invariably reached before the perfect mature 
plumage was assumed and the bird paired and nested. Though a statement occurs, in the recently published 
edition of Yarrell, to the effect that the Lesser Black-backed Gull arrives at maturity and breeds Avhen four 
years old, I prefer to retain my OAvn opinion on the subject, fully believing that these birds are in their sixth 
year (that is, five years old) before they become perfectly adult. 
During their first autumn and Avinter, juveniles of the Lesser Black -backed and Ilerring-Gull are much 
alike in the colouring of their plumage, Avhile the tints of iris, beaks, legs, and webs correspond exactly^ 
The general tone of the plumage of the former is, however, decidedly darker, Avhile youngsters of the latter 
species are, according to my own experience, invariably of greater size and weight. 
