‘THE BIRDS OF DEVON.’ 29 
Black-headed Gull (p. 382). 
At the beginning of July 1892 Mr. G. F. Mathew saw many Black- 
headed Gulls in full adult plumage flying about at Instow, in N. Devon, 
where we have never ourselves seen them at this time of the year. Mr. 
Elliot informs us that there were many about Kingsbridge Estuary in the 
early part of June 1895, with well-developed black heads, but with the 
tails tipped with brown, showing immaturity. In the autumn and winter 
this is by far the most numerous species on the South Coast of Devon. 
On June 8th, 1894, we visited the largest Gullery of this pretty species 
in the 8.W. counties. Crossing over from Poole in a boat we landed on 
the western side of the harbour, and a walk of about half a mile over a heath 
brought us to a shallow pond of about two acres, fringed with rushes, 
and studded with small islands covered with rushes and dwarf willows. 
This was Ower, the nesting-place of the Black-headed Gulls. As we 
came near the birds began to rise off their nests, until we had the whole 
colony hovering low over our heads, screaming and complaining, a 
beautiful snow-white cloud against the sky. Every now and then one of 
the birds darted down and almost struck us on the head. There was also 
a constant arrival of single birds coming in from the sea with food for 
their young. Numerous young Gulls were hatched, and could be seen 
swimming on the water among the rushy islands. We also saw a good 
many eggs. We estimated the number of birds as at least 2000. We 
disturbed a brood of young Teal, apparently but recently hatched, which, 
together with the two old birds, swam out and mingled with the baby 
Gulls. The Gulls will not allow Wild Duck to nest anywhere near them, 
and kill all the ducklings when they discover them, tearing off their 
heads; but they tolerate the Teal, as their young are darker in plumage, 
and have a close resemblance to their own. When the young Gulls are 
first hatched they exactly resemble the eggs in colour, and are of a dull 
buffy-brown, spotted and streaked with black. About a month later they 
have nearly attained their full size, are in the first brown, grey, and 
white plumage, and have a faint orange tint upon their breasts. Raids 
are frequently made upon the Gullery by Harriers, either to steal the 
eges or to devour the young, as has been witnessed at Studland and 
elsewhere. 
Mr. Howard Saunders writes (in his ‘ Manual,’ p. 649) :—‘“ This species 
might more appropriately be called the Brown-headed Gull, for the head 
is certainly not black,” an opinion that we (M. A. M.) share; but there 
is a considerable difference of tint in the coloration of the dark head 
according to age and the time of the year. The name “ Black-headed 
Gull” might be restricted to the Mediterranean species (Larus melano- 
cephalus), whose head, at the breeding season, is really jet-black. There 
have been two examples of this species of Gull obtained in the British 
Islands, both in the winter, one in December 1886, from Breydon Broad, 
Norfolk, the other in January 1866 (but not identified till 1871), from 
