292 WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



tal. In America it is found as far south as Cayenne and 

 Mexico, but does not appear to inhabit far north of the lim- 

 its of the Union. On the coast of New Jersey they make 

 their appearance in the latter part of April, and are soon 

 discovered by their familiarity and noise ; companies are 

 even seen at times around the farm house, or coursing alono- 

 the river shores, attending upon the track of the fishermen 

 for garbage, gleaning among the refuse of the tide ; or scat- 

 tering over the marshes and plowing fields, they collect, at 

 this season, an abundant repast of worms, insects and their 

 larvae. Great numbers are also seen collected together to 

 feed upon the prolific spawn of the King-Crab. While thus 

 engaged, if approached, they rise as it were in clouds, at the 

 same time squalling so loudly that the din may be heard 

 for two or three miles. 



The Black-Headed Gulls breed in the marshes of New 

 Jersey, but are not seen at this period in New England, and 

 are indeed at all times rare in this quarter. The eggs, 3 in 

 number, are of a drab or olive-grey, thinly marked with small 

 irregular touches of pale purple, and dilute brown. They 

 measure 2^^ inches by 1^. Being apparently a somewhat 

 tender species, they retire to the south early in autumn, and 

 on commencing their migrations, if the weather be calm, 

 they are seen to rise up in the air spirally, all loudly chatter- 

 ing as it were in concert, like a flock of cackling hens, the 

 note changing at short intervals into a ^haw, 'ha 'ha 'ha 'haw, 

 the final syllable lengthened out into an excessive and 

 broad laugh. After ascending to a considerable height, they 

 all move off, by common consent, in the line of their in- 

 tended destination. 



On the 4th of March, (1830) while at Beaufort, North 

 Carolina, in company with several other species, I saw a 

 small flock of these risible Gulls, which every now and 

 then, while amusing themselves by fishing and plunging 



