166 
THE BLACK-HEADED GULL. 
houses, throwing up pieces of bread, which these birds catch 
in the air. 
The Black-headed Gull is common in Great Britain. 
u In former times, ” says Bewick, “ these birds were looked 
upon as valuable property, by the owners of some of the 
fens and marshes in this kingdom, who, every autumn, 
caused the little islets or hafts, in those wastes, to be cleared 
of the reeds and rushes, in order properly to prepare the 
spots for the reception of the old birds in the spring, to 
which places at that season they regularly returned in great 
flocks to breed. The young ones were then highly esteemed, 
as excellent eating, and on that account were caught in 
great numbers, before they were able to fly. Six or seven 
men, equipped for this business, waded through the pools, 
and with long staves drove them to the land, against nets 
placed upon the shores of these hafts, where they were 
easily caught by the hand, and put into pens ready pre- 
pared for their reception. The gentry assembled from all 
parts to see the sport. 
u Dr. Plot, in his Natural History of Staffordshire, pub- 
lished in 1686 , gives the above particulars, and says that 
in this manner as many have been caught in one morning 
as, when sold at five shillings per dozen (the usual price at 
that time), produced the sum of twelve pounds ten shil- 
lings ; and that in the several drifts on the few succeeding 
days of this sport, they have been taken in some years in 
such abundance, that their value, according to the above 
