File:British birds' eggs and nests - popularly described (1870) (14732239066).jpg

Identifier: britishbirdseggs00atk (find matches)
Title: British birds' eggs and nests : popularly described
Year: 1870 (1870s)
Authors: Atkinson, J. C. (John Christopher), 1814-1900
Subjects: Birds Birds Birds
Publisher: London New York : G. Routledge and Sons
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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m time to time, but in cases of no greatfrequency. 309. LESSER BLACK-BACKED GVlAj—iLamsfuscus). Yellow-iegged Gull.—This Gull is seen in sufficient numbers,and all the year round, on many parts of the British coasts, andin the south as well as the north. It almost exclusively preferslocalities to breed in which are characterised by the presence ofrocky cliffs, but yet makes a nest of some considerable thickness—even when placed on the grassy summit of some rocky island— of grass loosely bundled together in large pieces, and placed msome slight depression or hollow of the rock. Its nests areititermingled, in several places, with those of the Herring Gull; inmany places greatly exceeding those of the latter, in others asgreatly inferior, in number. The eggs (two or three in number)vary greatly in colouring,—from a warm stone-colour, throughshades of brown, to pale green or light olive-green. The spotsand blotches vary too, and vary greatly, in number, size, position PLATE XII.
Text Appearing After Image:
Mke. 2. Common Gull. 3. Lisser Black-heade 1 Gull. 4 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 165 and intensity; neutral-tint, cliestnnt brown, and dark brown beingall met with, and sometimes in the same specimen.—Firj. 3,jylate XII. 310. HERRING GVlAi—ilarns argenfatus).A very numerous species in many different parts of the king-dom, where rocky coasts sufficiently high and precipitous are metwith. I have seen it abundantly at Plamborough Head and St.Abbs Head, and in smaller numbers on many parts of the York-shire coast north of Elamborough, as well as in others not distantfrom St. Abbs. It usually selects for the site of its nest a flatledge or other rock-surface towards the upper part of the cliif;but wiU sometimes build on a low rock or grassy island. Thenest is like that of the last species, but even larger, and usuallycontains three eggs. These so strongly resemble those of theLesser Black-back as to make it very difficult to distingushbetween the one and the other. Mr. Hewitson says the o

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