48 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



manns, impassive, haughty, silent. If you press 

 inquiry they suddenly take to wing and fill the 

 air with low-pitched mellow cries of strange 

 quality and sweetness. And go where you will 

 at that season, the Heermann's Gull is guiltless 

 of local attachments — in the North." {Birds 

 of Washington.) 



Another observer notes that these Gulls dis- 

 play considerable intelligence in their pursuit of 

 herring, when the fish are traveling in schools. 

 The birds approach these schools from the rear 



along in the direction the herring are swimming 

 until the fish come to the surface, when the birds 

 renew their diving captures. 



The systematic robbery of the Pelicans, an 

 amusingly impudent performance, is also de- 

 scribed by Mr. Dawson. " Often a long train 

 of Pelicans is seen, as the tide is rising, slowly 

 wandering around the bay,- each one attended by 

 one or more of these Gulls which are usually 

 some distance behind. Whenever a Pelican awk- 

 wardly plunges into the water and emerges with 



f hoto by VV. L. Finley and H. T, Bohlmau 



HEERMANN'S GULLS 

 They are inveterate loafers, and, while other Gulls are engaged with family cares, they stand on one side, impassive, haughty, silent 



and take the fiih near the surface bv diving for 

 them. As the herring discover their jnirsuers 

 they sink some distance, but the school continues 

 to travel in the same direction. The Gulls seem 

 to know this, for after having reached the head 

 of the school, they circle to the rear, and follow 



its enormous scoop net full of fish, its parasites 

 arc sure to be ready and fearlessly seize the fish 

 from its very jaws, the stupid bird never resent- 

 ing the insult, or appearing to take the least 

 notice of the little pilferers which it could easily 

 rid itself of by one blow, or even swallow alive." 



LAUGHING GULL 

 Larus atricilla LiniKcits 



A. O. U. Number 58 



Other Name. — Black-headed Gull. 



General Description. — Length, 16 inches. Color, 

 white with dark slate-gray mantle and almost black 

 hood. 



Color. — Adults in Summer: Hood, dark slaty-black 

 e-xtending further on throat than on back of head; a 

 white spot above and below eye; neck all around, rump, 

 tail, tips of secondaries and primaries, and entire under 



