42 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 79 



resembles quite closely. It was not so tame as the fork-tailed gull 

 and did not giv^e the same opportunity for photographic work. At 

 Villamiel, Albemarle Island, where the buildings are near the beach 

 which lies behind the reefs, the gulls use the tops of the homes as 

 resting and lounging places, a habit so common among the relatives 

 at northern seaports. 



This colony of gulls seemed to have adopted a new and rather 

 effective method of procuring food with little effort to themselves. 

 The shallow stretch of water that lies betAveen the beach and the 

 reefs is used by a number of pelicans for fishing purposes. While 

 watching their awkward but effective diving we were surprised and 

 amused to see hovering gulls alight on the heads of the pelicans that 

 had made successful catches. For some reason, in a few moments 

 the pelican opened its mouth, when the gull adroitly removed a 

 portion of the catch and flew away with it. During half an hour 

 several gulls were seen to perform this trick. This was not observed 

 elsewhere. 



CREAGRUS FURCATUS (Neboux) 



Fork-tailed guU 



Larus furcatus Neboux, Zool. Voy. Venus, Atlas, 1842, pi. 10. ("Monterey," 

 California.) 



A male was taken at Tower Island, June 14, 1929. 



The type locality of Monterey assigned to this species is probably 

 erroneous. The species was described from the collections obtained 

 on the voyage of the Venus, and it is suggested that the bird was 

 obtained while the ship Avas en route from the Galapagos to Cali- 

 fornia. 



To those who have lived Avhere gulls are numerous both as to 

 individuals and as to species, and where perplexing immature plum- 

 ages are often confusing, a vague feeling of disappointment comes 

 as they sail a sea Avithout gulls. When we left Panama behind, gulls 

 faded aAvay astern and Ave saw no more until we Avere approaching 

 Tower Island of the Galapagos group. We still were several hours 

 aAvay when a pair of beautiful fork-tailed gulls met the yacht, circled 

 around it several times, and then started on their return as if to 

 pilot us to the island. When we sailed to the westAvard from the 

 Galapagos not another gull Avas seen over the stretch of 7,000 miles 

 traA^eled, until Ave Avere within a few hours of the journey's end, when 

 gulls began to come out to us, as the Farallons, off Golden Gate, 

 became visible through the haze. 



The fork-tailed gull was seen at all of the Galapagos Islands 

 visited, and Avhenever rocky ledges were approached they appeared 

 in numbers usually associated Avith the sooty gull, the only other 

 species found in the region. 



