Fulica — Gavia 79 



this bird in mind, from the time that I read Aristotle's 

 History of Animals, and then especially when through the 

 wind failing or blowing contrary, the anchor being dropped, 

 we have been calmly awaiting a more favourable wind. The 

 anchor being weighed this bird immediately flies to us in 

 the company of Gulls, promising something to itself by way 

 of food out of the refuse cast forth from the ship ; at last 

 exhausted by its constant cries it merely utters " keph," as 

 Gulls cry " cob." And hence they are called Sea-Cobs by 

 our countrymen. It may be that some of the race of Fulicae 

 are grey, though Pliny, when on the authority of Juba 

 he relates that the birds known as Diomede's are white 

 like Fulicae, seems to put down all Fulicae as white ; for 

 classical authorities speak not in any class of what more 

 rarely, but of what more frequently occurs. Gulls nest in 

 the same places as do Fulicae, forsooth on lofty crags and 

 rocks about the sea. 



Of the Gavia. 



Aapo<?, gavia, a se cob or a see-gell. 



Aristotle makes two kinds of Gaviae, one white, which 

 seeks its food about the sea, the other grey, which seeks it 

 round the lakes and rivers. Now I think that the white 

 Gavia differs but little from the Fulica, only indeed as to 

 the hood and beak. The grey Gavia, which comes up to our 

 rivers and lakes, is always querulous and full of noise. It 

 catches little fishes and eats worms upon the banks of lakes. 

 There is another small bird of this kind, called Stern 1 in local 

 dialect, which is so like the sea Lari that it seems to differ 

 from them only in its size and colour ; for it is a Larus, 

 though smaller than the sea Lari and blacker. Throughout 

 the whole of summer, at which time it breeds, it makes such 

 an unconscionable noise that by its unrestrained clamour it 

 almost deafens those who live near lakes and marshes. This 

 I certainly believe to be the bird whose vile garrulity gave 

 rise to the old Proverb " Larus parturit." It is almost always 

 flying over lakes and swamps, never at rest, but always open- 

 mouthed for prey. This bird nests in thick reed-beds. The 

 sea Gaviae breed on crags and rocks about the sea. 

 1 The Black Tern {Sterna nigra). 



