338 A STRONG DIGESTION. 



food, of which it seemed to have had but little during its 

 absence, being offered the bird, the same was eagerly 

 seized by it, when it allowed itself to be once more 

 made prisoner. 



"When domesticated, the Great Black-backed Gull is 

 very gluttonous, devouring everything that comes in its 

 way. This was somewhat ludicrously exemplified in the 

 case of a young one presented by me to a friend in 

 Wermeland. The kitchen-maid had lost two napkins or 

 dishclouts, for which ineffectual search was everywhere 

 made. At length, however, she noticed., something re- 

 sembling a rag protruding from the bill of the bird in 

 question, and taking hold of it, she, to her utter astonish- 

 ment, drew forth, " hand over hand," from its gullet one 

 of the missing napkins, which it had swallowed bodily. 

 What became of the otlier napkin was ncA^er ascertained, 

 though it Avas strongly susjiected it had been previously 

 bolted and digested by the Gull ! 



In an eatable point of view, many look on the 

 Gull family as little better than carrion; but from per- 

 sonal experience I can testify that with even moderate 

 cookery these birds, more especially when young, may be 

 rendered very palatable ; not exactly " king's meat," or 

 a dish for a king, as the Swedish peasants say, but one 

 that a hungry man can with pleasure discuss. The Dutch, 

 like sensible people, duly appreciate Gulls ; so at least 

 may be inferred from the numbers one at times sees 

 hanging to the rigging of their vessels. 



Of the Common Gull [Fisk-IIdse, Sw. : Fisk-IIaago, 

 Norw. ; Larus canus, Linn.), which are numerous, both in 

 the " Skargilrd " and the Wenern, I have little to relate, 

 other than that in a particular island of that lake, 

 near to the so-called Wermelands-Niis, these birds are in 

 the frequent habit of " treeing." On several occasions, 

 indeed, I have myself seen them perched on the tops of 



