NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



The Gull. 



(Genus — Larus.) 



Diet. — The gulls are the scavengers of the ocean and its 

 shores. They feed on the dead bodies of whales, seals, fish, 

 and other forms of marine life cast up by the waves. They also 

 eat small Crustacea, mollusca, and kindred creatures. They 

 seldom take live fish other than small ones isolated at low tide 

 in shallow pools. Gulls often travel considerable distances 

 inland, and prey on carrion and noxious insect life, chiefly 

 grasshoppers and crickets on the veld. All species of gulls are of 

 considerable economic value. On the various islands around 

 the South African coast the black-backed gulls {Larus 

 dominkanus) destroy the eggs and young of the jackass penguin. 



The Tern. 



(Genera — Hydrochelidon and Sterna.) 



Diet. — The terns frequent the ocean, the coast, lagoons, 

 rivers, marshes, ponds, and lakes in search of fish and Crustacea 

 which constitute the bulk of their diet. 



The African Skimmer. 



[Rhynch ops flavirostris. ) 



Diet. — Various aquatic creatures including fish, also fresh 

 water algas. It frequents the larger rivers of South Africa. 



The Skua. 



(Genus — Stercorarius.) 



Diet. — The skua, sea hen, or sea hawk attacks and robs 

 gulls, gannets, and other birds of the fish they catch. It also 

 feeds on the cast-up bodies of whales, seals, and large fish. 

 The skua attacks and kills various kinds of sea birds. 



The southern skua [S. antarcticus) is the best-known skua 

 along the South African coasts. 



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