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KITTIWAKE. 



and winter it often leaves its breeding haunts and 

 moves southward. In this latter season we find it 

 generally distributed round our shores, but in the 

 breeding season it is very local on account of the few 

 suitable sites which can be found for its colonies. 

 It is one of the commonest of our British Gulls. In 

 its habits it differs little from others of the same 

 family, but perhaps it is less shy than most of them. 



KITTIWAKE. • 



Its food consists principally of small fish which it 

 catches on the wing, striking the surface with a loud 

 splash as it darts for its prey ; it also feeds upon any 

 garbage or floating refuse which it can pick up. In 

 confinement it will require to be fed upon fish and 

 must have a plentiful supply of water to bathe in. 



When the breeding season commences the birds 

 retire in large flocks to the cliffs which rise sheer and 



