SILVERY GULL. 
47 
gun on White Head Island for several years past, and I daresay you will 
not commit any greater havoc among them than is necessary, and to that 
you are welcome.” 
I was much pleased with the humanity of our host, and requested him to 
let me know when all the Gulls, or the greater part of them, would abandon 
the trees and resume their former mode of breeding on the ground, which 
he promised to do. But I afterwards found that this was not likely to 
happen, because on some other islands not far distant, to which the fishermen 
and eggers have free access, these Gulls breed altogether on the trees, even 
when their eggs and young are regularly removed every year, so that their 
original habits have been entirely given up. My opinion that, after being 
thus molested for some time longer, they may resort to the inaccessible 
shelves of the high rocks of these islands, was strengthened by Mr. Frank- 
land’s informing me that many pairs had already taken refuge in such 
places, where they bred in perfect security. The most remarkable effect 
produced by these changes of locality is, that the young which are hatched 
on the trees or high rocks, do not leave their nests until they are able to fly, 
while those on the ground run about in less than a week, and hide themselves 
at the sight of man among the moss and plants, which frequently saves them 
from being carried away. The young on the trees are shaken out of their 
nests, or knocked down with poles, their flesh being considered as very good 
by the fishermen and eggers, who collect and salt them for winter provision . 
Some of the nests which I saw were placed at a height of more than forty 
feet on the trees, others, seen in the thickest parts of the woods, were eight 
or ten feet from the ground, and were placed close to the main stem, so as to 
be with difficulty observed. It was truly curious to see the^broad-winged 
birds make their way to and from them in these secluded retreats. The 
nests placed on the ground were several yards apart, and measured from 
fifteen to eighteen inches in diameter, their cavity being from four to six. 
The lower stratum consisted of grass, plants of various kinds, moss and grey 
lichens, and the whole was lined with fine bent, but without any feathers. 
Those on the trees measured from twenty-four to twenty-six inches in 
diameter externally, and were composed of the same materials, but in greater 
quantity, the object of which I thought might be to allow more space to the 
young while growing, as they could not enjoy the pleasure of running about 
like those hatched on the ground. Perhaps, however, the smaller size of 
the nests placed there may be owing to their belonging to the younger Gulls, 
as I have often observed that the older the individual the larger is its nest. 
Mr. Frankland informed me that they frequently repair the old nests at 
the commencement of the breeding season, and I found the assertion proved 
by my own observation. The eggs, which are three, measure three inches 
