Indian Birds 



paratively feeble. (Illus. I. G. III., pp. 339, 

 359. etc.) 



l^he Gulls, 196-199 



Gulls are very familiar birds to every one 

 who has performed the journey from England 

 to India. The beautiful flight and the loud 

 screams of these kites of the sea are indelibly 

 impressed upon the memory of most Anglo- 

 Indians. 



These magnificent fliers are able to keep pace 

 with the steamer for hours at a time without 

 putting forth any effort. They saunter through 

 the air in the wake of the ship, and when any- 

 thing edible is thrown overboard they drop 

 down and pick it off the water (they can swim 

 like ducks), and having devoured what there is 

 to be eaten, they fly on after the ship, and catch 

 up in a few seconds. 



They are largely scavengers. At sea-coast 

 stations no sight is more famihar than that of 

 a number of crows and gulls squabbling over 

 the little fish, etc., that the fishermen throw 

 away when overhauling their nets on the sea- 

 shore. (Illus. B. D., p. 272 ; also B. B., p. 190.) 



The four commonest gulls in India are : 



196. Larus ridihundus : The Laughing Gull 

 (F. 1490), (J. 891), (IV.) 



