The Jay as raider.
THE BLACK-HEADED GULL.
(Larus ridibundus.)
This Gull is a migrant in Hungary. Many, however, pass the winter with us, leaving the frozen inland waters for the open streams of the rivers, where they pass their time until spring returns. It has quite adapted itself to life on land, and there is no bird which more assiduously follows the plough in those districts where it has its nesting place on the inland waters, or more zealously clears the cornfields, meadows, and rush-beds of all kinds of noxious worms and grubs, than this gull. It also feeds its young on these insects, and many of the landowners, have to thank the Blackheaded Gull that they are free from the annoyance of these pests. It frequents the ponds and lakes, however, in autumn, and makes havoc among the little fishes. Its screeching call can be heard at a great distance, “Kreā, Kreā,” or “Krackackark.”
It is an exceedingly useful bird, and ought to be protected.
This species is generally distributed on our shores all through the year in Great Britain, but in spring it betakes itself to marshy places near the coast and to inland lakes and meres. Near Poole in Dorset is a colony of these Gulls, they ought rather to be called Brown than Black-headed; on the coast of Essex, several in Norfolk, small ones in Yorkshire—one large one near Brigg in Lincolnshire; and those of Aqualate Mere in Staffordshire and Norbury have existed for some centuries. In many other districts to the North they are even
USEFUL.
