152 THE GULL. 



sagacity "ihey portion out the lake or canal Trhere they uri 

 upon duty. They hunt about, they plunge, they rise a 

 hundred times to the surface, until they have at last found 

 their prey. They then seize it with their beak by tht 

 middle, and carry it to their master. When weary they 

 are suffered to rest for a while, but they are never fed till 

 their work is over. In this manner they supply a very 

 plentiful table ; but still their natural voracity cannot b« 

 restrained even by education. While they fish, they have 

 always a string fastened round their throats, to prevent 

 them from devouring their prey ; as otherwise they would 

 soon satiate themselves, and then discontinue their pursuit. 

 Such was formerly the practice in England ; and as late af 

 the reign of Charles I. there was an ofl&cer of the household 

 who bore the title of Master of the Cormorants. 



THE BLACK AND WHITE GULL. (Larus martnus.) 



Gulls frequent principally the northern countries, and 

 do not dive so much as the other water fowl ; they chiefly 

 Bubsisting on the gregarious fish which they catch near the 

 surface of the water. When the sea is rough, they come 

 into the harbours, and feed on worms. Occasionally they 

 will even eat carrion. They fly with great rapidity ; theii 

 body being light, and their wings long. It is not until the 



