‘27 
venture upon it, and the owners of the nests in such localities 
necessarily contribute their full complement of young to the general 
stock. In this manner from 10,000 to 20,000 eggs have been 
obtained in different seasons, and on one occasion even 40,000, 
but this occurred after they had been allowed a jubilee year, and 
been perfectly unmolested during one entire summer. 
The nests, wliich vary considerably in height and general con- . 
struction according to situation, are much Hattcned at the top, and 
loosely constructed of coarse Hag and the withered stems of the 
last year’s reeds, and are lined also with the dried leaves of the 
reed, [lartly obtained on the island itself, and partly from a stack 
of such materials left standing by the side f)f the Mere. In many 
cases, however, the eggs are deposited on some gra.ssy tussock, a 
little lining only being j)laced in a depression on the top. The 
gulls will raise their nests, should the waters rise very much, and 
tlio.se situated near the edge of the island are commonly from half 
a foot to a foot in height. So closely are their nests placed in 
some parts of the “ hearth,” amongst the young reeds, that I have 
counted six or seven in a space of not more than three or four 
yards ; and when one considers the general similarity of the eggs, 
and the still greater resemblance of the young, when first hatched, 
the power that enables each parent bird unerringly to discover its 
own oilspring, is, with every allowance for the marvels of instinct, 
one of those things which no man can understand. 
A few years back, a single pair built their nest in one of the 
small bushes on the island, and reared their 3 'oung, but this eccen- 
tricity was neither repeated by them, nor their example followed 
by others. 
As soon as the old birds are permitted to sit, and no further 
intrusion upon their haunts is permitted, the j'oung are hatched in 
about a month, and as they swim most gallantly, even in their 
downy state, both voung and old soon congregate upon the open 
water, and in large masses present the most beautifully variegated 
patterns, the brown tints of the nestlings blending with the grey, 
white, and black, of the adult bird.s. 
In very dry summers, numbers of the young birds are suffocated 
in the mud as the amount of water decreases, and shoidd the 
gathering of eggs be carried on too late in the spring, the greatest 
difficulty is afterwards experienced by the parent birds in procuring 
