( 80 ) 



the eggs are smooth and glossy, hut 

 the gloss seems to wear off as incuba- 

 tion proceeds.' 



Notes. — This species frequents more 

 or less open waters and does not seem 

 to be especially careful about conceal- 

 ing itself. It may be seen in the larger 

 lakes and marshes, running about over 

 the lily pads or swimming back and 

 forth. Its food consists largely of shell 

 fish. Its cry is said to resemble that 

 of a kitten. 



Family, Larldae, the Gulls and Terns. 



This family contains about 100 

 species, divided nearly equally between 

 the two sub-families. About one 

 fourth of the known species occur in 

 China. 



Sub-Family, Larlnae, the Gulls. 



The upper mandible of the Gulls is 

 curved, but not swollen at the end. 

 The tail is generally white, sometimes 

 tipped with black ; the tail feathers of 

 about equal length. 



Gulls are chiefly maritime and 

 pelagic. In flight the bill points 

 forward in the plane of the body. 

 They procure their food largely by 

 picking it from the surface of the 

 land or water with their strongly 

 hooked bills, and not by plunging or 

 darting. The food consists of fish and 

 other aquatic life, and also very largely 

 of refuse of all sorts which accumulates 

 on the surface of harbors and bays. 

 Inland they sometimes feed on insects, 

 such as grasshoppers, etc. 



Gulls pass much time resting on the 

 water. They nest in colonies usually 

 on the ground. The seasonal change 

 in their plumage is not great, and 

 affects chiefly the color of the head. 



