SWIMMING BIRDS. Gulls 



The commonest Petrel of the Atlantic coast, from Dela- 

 ware Bay northward ; it is the most plentiful of the three 

 " Mother Carey's Chickens." The Petrels seldom visit the 

 mainland in this locality, but are often seen about light- 

 houses. They seem like the very spirits of wind and waves, 

 dropping and whirling, resting a moment in the trough of 

 the sea, and then off again, tirelessly following in the wake 

 of vessels. Mr. Judson, the keeper of the Stratford light, 

 kept one of these Petrels, which he caught, in captivity for 

 some time. 



Another species. Leach's or the White-rumped Petrel, is 

 common off the Kew England coast, where it is resident on 

 some of the islands, off the coast of Maine. It lays a single 

 egg in a ground burrow. This species is of the same size 

 and general appearance as Wilson's, but has much longer 

 legs. 



ORDER LONGIPENNES : LONG-WINGED 

 SWIxMMERS. 



FAMILY LARID^: GULLS AND TERNS. 



Kittiwake Gull : Rissa tridactyla. 



Length : 16-18 inches. 



Male and Female: Bluish gray above (darker in winter), head and 



neck gray, and bill light yellow. Under parts pure white. Black 



feet, black tips to tail quills. 

 Season : Winter and late fall visitor in the Middle States. In New 



England common off the coast all winter. 

 Breeds: Gulf of St. Lawrence, Labrador coast, and casually off the 



Maine coast. 

 Nest : By choice on rocky ledges over the water. 

 Bange : Arctic regions, south in eastern North America, in winter, to 



the Great Lakes and the Middle States. 



The Kittiwake may be regarded as a winter migrant or 

 visitor along the shore, where it comes in small numbers 

 early in December, associating with the Herring Gulls, but 

 it is plentiful from Massachusetts and Rhode Island north- 

 ward. 



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