436 GULLS. 



the deep water towards the surface, come in cunningly for their share,— falhng 

 upon the frightened shoal, and seizing one or more, which they instantly 

 gobble up."— AUDUP.ON. 



The nest of the pelican consists of a mass of grass, sedges, and other aquatic 

 plants, and is generally placed quite close to the edge of the water. The eggs 

 are two or three in number. During the process of incubation, the male is 

 said to furnish his partner with food, and when the young are hatched, both 

 parents are assiduous in attending upon them. In disgorging their prey for 

 the nourishment of the young, the birds are described as pressing the pouch 

 against their breast, and it is probable that the notion prevalent among the 

 ancients, that the pelican in times of scarcity nourished her young with her 

 own blood, must have originated in the gesture above mentioned, — when the 

 bright red tip of the bill, strongly contrasted with the white plumage of the 

 breast, would have the appearance of being dipped in blood. 



FAMILY VI 

 THE GULLS. LARID.E. 



General Characteristics. — Bill of various forms, more or less straight and com- 

 pressed on the sides; the nostrils lateral, generally longitudinal, and sub-medial; 

 the wings lengthened and pointed ; the tail more or less long and of various forms; 

 the tarsi generally moderate, strong, and covered in front with transverse scales; the 

 toes moderate, with the anterior ones united by a full web, the hind toe usually short 

 and elevated. 



In this family, of which our Sea-Gulls furnish well-known and 

 characteristic examples, the wings are well developed, and the 

 birds possess considerable powers of flight. The bill is variable 

 in its form, but generally rather elongated and compressed, — not 

 furnished with a distinct tip, as in the Procellaridae ; while the 

 nostrils form linear or oval slits in the sides of the upper mandible, 

 without any trace of tubular structure. The feet, which are placed 

 moderately forward, so as to enable the bird to walk with ease, 

 are generally small ; the three anterior toes are well united by a 

 complete web, and the hinder toe is small, and raised above the 

 level of the rest. 



The sea-gulls are very generally distributed and numerous in 

 most parts of the world, but are most abundant in the northern 

 and southern latitudes. They fly well, and float very lightly and 

 buoyantly over the surface of the waves, but do not swim much, 

 and are incapable of diving. They are generally noisy, screaming 

 birds, living together in considerable flocks. Their food consists 



