J54 THE GREAT TERN. 



birds may, at first sight, appear a benefit to mankind ; \fiA 

 when we consider how many persons are sustained by 

 their fle^h, either fresh or salted, we shall find no satis- 

 faction in thinking that these poor people may in time 

 lose their chief support. The Gull usually builds on the 

 ledges of rocks, and lays from one egg to three, in a nest 

 formed of long grass and sea-weed. It defends its young 

 with great intrepidity. When the natives of the Fero 

 Islands attempt to plunder the nest, the parent birds 

 attack them with such vehemence that, on the men holding 

 a knife perpendicularly above their own heads, the Gulls will 

 sometimes transfix themselves in pouncing on the invaders. 

 Most of the kind are fishy tasted, with black stringy flesh ; 

 yet the young ones are better food ; and of these, with 

 several other birds of the penguin kind, the poor inhabitants 

 of the Arctic regions make their wretched banquets. They 

 have been long used to no other food ; and even a salted 

 Gull can be relished by those who know no better. 



THE GREAT TERN. (Sterna huundo.) 



This bird is about fourteen inches long, and weighs foir 

 ounces and a quarter. The bill and feet are a fine crimson, 

 fcho former is tipped with black, and very slender. Th 

 back of the head is black ; the upper part of the body is ■ 



