CHROICOCEPHALUS RIDIBUNDUS.

Black-headed Gull.

Larus ridibundus, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p: 225.
—— cinerarius, Linn. ibid., p. 224.

 

canescens, Bechst. Naturg. Deutschl., tom. iv. p. 649.
erythropus, Gmel. edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. Deo oe
capistratus, Temm. Man. d’Orn., tom. ii. p. 785 ?
nevius, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat., tom. ii. p. 321,
Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Eyton, Cat. Brit. Birds, Dp: od:

 

 

 

Tuts very elegant and interesting species is so abundantly dispersed along the shores of every part of the
British Islands that it would be superfluous to name any particular locality in which it may be found; it is
equally plentiful in Holland, Scandinavia, and all other countries of the Continent, wherever the shores are
of a similar character to our own. During the months of autumn and winter it ascends into deep bays and
the mouths of large rivers, where it paddles about with its pretty red feet over the oozy mud in search of
marine worms, crustaceans, and the fry of fishes, all of which it devours with avidity. If absent from such
localities at any time, it is visiting the fields of the interior for earth-worms and insect-larvee, which are in
equal request. In many parts it is often, like the Rook, the companion of the ploughman, and not unfre-
quently both the sable and the silvery bodied birds may be seen with him in the same furrow. The head
of the Gull is now white, which on the approach of spring gradually gives place to a well-defined hood of
black or brownish black. Hitherto the bird has been only partially gregarious ; now it becomes strictly so,
and large masses leave, almost to a day, for various parts of the marshes and large sedgy ponds, for the
purpose of breeding, just, in fact, as the Rooks leave extensive wastes and resort to their accustomed trees
for the like purpose. The bird now assumes a different kind of life, and earth-worms and insect-food take
the place of crustaceans and sea-worms. Neither the flying cbafer nor the dragonfly is able to evade the sharp
and quickly made turns; and to watch a colony when thus engaged is a very pleasing sight.

This fairy-like bird undergoes several changes of plumage between youth and maturity ; they have, how-
ever been so often described that I think we may dispense with them for matters of greater moment; but I
may mention (although they do not always occur) that I have seen fresh-moulted specimens with the whole
of the under surface suffused with rich rose-colour, the finest I ever saw being one sent up in a fresh state
by W. Thompson, Esq., of Weymouth, which, though so early in the spring as the 20th of March, bad the
black cowl quite perfect, and its bill and feet deep blood-red. When such individuals do occur, they form
indeed most beautiful objects. In size and colouring both sexes are alike at each stage of their existence,
the female, as I have often found it, as large as the male.

Respecting the Black-headed Gull, Yarrell writes as follows :—

“A breeding-station in Norfolk, at a place called Scoulton Mere, where Sir Thomas Brown says this
species bred constantly in his time, three hundred years ago, is thus described by the authors of the ‘ vatalogue
of Norfolk and Suffolk Birds :—*‘ Near the centre of the county of Norfolk, at the distance of about twenty-
five miles from the sea and two from Hingham, is a large piece of water called Scoulton Mere. In the middle
of this mere there is a boggy island of seventy acres extent, covered with reeds, and on which there are some
birch and willow trees. There is no river communicating between the mere and the sea. This mere has
from time immemorial been a favourite breeding-spot of the Brown-headed Gull. These birds begin to
make their appearance at Scoulton about the middle of February ; and by the end of the Airs week in March
the great body of them have always arrived. ‘They spread themselves over the neighbouring country to the
distance of several miles in search of food, following the plough as regularly as Rooks; and, from the
great quantity of worms and grubs which they devour, they render essential service to the farmer. If the
spring is mild, the Gulls begin to lay about the middle of April; but the month of May is the time at which
the eggs are found in the greatest abundance. At this season a man and three boys find oie employment
in collecting them, and they have sometimes gathered upwards of Oe in a day. These eggs are sold
on the spot at the rate of fourpence a score, and are regularly sent in considerable quantities to the markets
at Norwich and Lynn. They are eaten cold, like Lapwings’ eggs, ane also used O. culinary purposes ; but
they are rather of an inferior quality, and somewhat like Dicks eggs in abil The person who sells these
egos gives £15 a year for the privilege of collecting them. ae species of Gull never lays more than three
eggs the first time; but if these are taken, it will lay again. We found many of the old birds sitting in the