13 JANUARY 1933, Page 14

The spending of a great part of their time on

the Moors rather than the sea is not peculiar to any one species of gull. Black-backed gulls, both greater and less, herring gull and black-headed are all found regularly on some Scottish moors, and all are accused of harrying grouse and other ground, nesting birds. Mr. Arthur Thompson attributes the change of habit in fact to the evil influence of oil on the sea. The birds have been frightened from their proper element and resorted to the land, not from malice prepense, but for the mere preservation of life. The natural instincts have been frustrated, and the natural balance Upset.

W. BEACH THOMAS.