WATER BIRDS 



gull as it flew slowly close to the water at 

 Ipswich, when a great fish, possibly a shark, 

 threw itself completely out of the water at 

 the bird. The gull flew up quickly, but soon 

 circled down and dipped close to the water 

 where the fish had disappeared, as if to satisfy 

 its curiosity as to the cause of the strange dis- 

 turbance. 



The great black-backed gull is a fine fellow, 

 larger than the herring gull, and is distin- 

 guished by black wings and back that contrast 

 well with his snow-white head and tail. To 

 this arrangement of plumage he also owes his 

 name of '' saddle-back." His bill is of a 

 bright lemon hue, excepting the front part of 

 the lower mandible, which is washed with 

 brilliant carmine that shades out on the edges. 

 When he opens his mouth his gape is seen to 

 be orange and his tongue salmon in color. 

 His eyes are pale straw colored stenciled with 

 delicate gray lines, and his eyelids are edged 

 with vermilion. A close acquaintance is 

 needed before all these charms are revealed. 



In the migrations and during the winter the 

 saddle-backs are common birds on this shore, 

 and, although their nearest breeding place is 

 Nova Scotia, two or three generally spend the 



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