§28 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
margins of the tertials, and less white on each side 
of the vent. 
I'he egg is oval, and white.* 
This last family appears occasionally to be of 
considerable service to man in various ways, several 
of the species included in it at times coming inland 
to feed, and picking up worms, grubs and other mis- 
chievous insects, after the manner of Rooks: it also 
appears that they occasionally do a little damage, 
but not much in proportion to the good. Besides 
this they are of some service to the fisherman, by 
pointing out to him where the shoals of fish are to 
be found, as where these are, the Gulls always con- 
sregate for their own purposes, and thus point out 
to him the spot where he may cast his net with the 
best prospect of success. 
My labours in regard to the Birds of Somer- 
setshire are now come to an end. I have been 
able to enumerate as many as 216 different species 
as having been found in the county; some of them, 
certainly, mere chance visitors, making their ap- 
pearance only accidentally or under pressure of very 
special circumstances; still by far the greater part 
* Yarrell, vol. ili., pp. 677, 678. 
