The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-05-01
ENGLISH SEA ouLLs.
Something About These Most Inter-
estfng OF birds.

Something About These Most inter-
csting of birds.
The gulls breed in marshy places
sometimes at a considerable distance
from the sea, returning to the coast an
soon as the duties of incubation are
over and reappearing in the following
spring. During the breeding season
they become, to all intents and pur-
poses, birds of the country, not only in
their habitat, but in their habits, and
are to be reckoned in no small degreo
among the farmers friends. The num-
Der of their breeding places in Britain
has diminished considerably within his
toric times. Sir Thomas Browne tells
us that in his day these birds were in
such plenty about Horsey that tho
country people sometimes brought
them in carts to Norwich and sold them
eggs in puddings."
The colony of Horsey was dispersed
early in the century and the cattle graze
on it's excellent pasture land which had
been formed by the draining OF the
marshes. The colony did not in a body
seek fresh breeding place, but spread
themselves in small parties over the
breads. Some came TO nest at Rollesby
for n few seasons, but the erection there
of the Yarmouth waterworks, IL Is said,
disturbed them and eventually drove
them away
OF all the then new colonies the most
successful had been that at Hoveton, not
far from Wroxham, the well-known
yachting center. where they bred inter
mittently till 1854. when as many as 30
nests were Matched OF. From that date
the colony may be said 10 have settled
there permanently and they have been
consistently protected Some, doubt
less, went 10 the noted breeding place
at Scoulton mere, probably the largest
In the ingdom-lSnown, like the van
ished one at Horsey, TO Sir Thomas
Browne, who when treating OF these
birds wrote TO Merritt that great
plenty thereof have bred about Seoul
ton mere and from thence sent 20 Lon
don" And Mt this place they have bred
from time immemorial.
The village of Scoulton lies on the
high road between Walton and Nor
witch, and not far from the village Is the
famous mere, some two miles round,
in the middle OF which is a large,
swampy island, with thick growth OF
spear grass and reeds and bearing n
few willows. About the middle of Feb
ruary the birds begin 10 come in and
the stream OF immigration continues
for about three weeks, when the nesting
commences. Not that nest, in the or
binary sense OF the word, Is always
built-at any rate at Scoulton--for the
eggs are sometimes deposited in hol-
low on the ground. Generally, however,
there is some kind of nest OF sedges,
rood tops and withered grass. The
birds begin to lay in April, If the
weather is mild and as soon as they have
fairly settled down the eggs are gath
cred for the market and sometimes as
many as 1000 have been taken in one
day. When the birds are in full laying
and have been left from Friday until
Monday undisturbed, over 1000 eggs
have been collected. No more than
three are laid the first time, though IL
these are taken the birds will lay again;
but in the second and third clutch there
are rarely more than two.
During the breeding season the birds
spread over the country in search Of
food, following the pillow. picking UP
grubs and worms turned up by the
share. One is glad TO know that the
farmers have remembered their feath-
cred friends. Lubbock, In his Fauna
Of Norfolk" says that now and then
year OF jubilee Is given, when no eggs
are taken, and that on one occasion the
eggs were spared at the instance of the
neighboring farmers, who Justly valued
the services OF these birds in the de-
stuction of grubs, etc. AS soon as the
young birds can fly the colony breaks
up and its members depart for the coast,
whore, as rule, they spend the autumn
end winter. BY the middle OF August
the gulls have left their breeding place,
to return no more till the following sea-
sou.-London Telegraph.