Song Birds and Water Fowl 
its peculiar note, breeds no farther north than 
Maine. ‘This latter species goes quite far south 
in winter, and is not seen in this region again 
until spring. A special rendezvous of herring 
gulls in winter is at the mouths of our larger 
rivers, like the Hudson, which are always 
utilized for seaports, and whose shipping affords 
variety and abundance of food. 
In plumage there is a strong family resem- 
blance in all the species, yet with distinct marks 
of difference. On the under side all of them 
are pure white, except two, which have a slight- 
ly rosy tint. On the back and wings most of 
them are, like the herring gull, overspread 
with a beautiful pearly-blue mantle, as delicate 
a tint as is ever worn by the daintiest little 
warbler. The herring gull—which is the one 
commonly seen far out at sea by transatlantic 
travellers, and following the ship with all the 
devotion of hunger—is easily distinguished 
from others that are very similar, by the dis- 
tinct black on the tips of the longest wing- 
feathers, covering a very small area, it is true, 
but wonderfully conspicuous even at a long dis- 
tance, as the bird wheels about and inclines 
the body. Occasionally one sees, in a flock, a 
specimen that is quite dark throughout, a sort 
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