COMMON GULL. 211 



they dive perpendicularly downward, with the greatest 

 velocity. The flesh of these birds is rank and unpalatable ; 

 but they are shot for the sake of their beautiful skins, 

 which are dressed with the feathers on, and afterwards 

 made into muffs and tippets. 



The length of the Crested Grebe is generally about 

 twenty-three inches. The head is reddish, and round 

 the neck there is a black collar. The body is brown 

 above, and white below. The secondary quill-feathers 

 are white. The bill is flesh-coloured, and brown at the 

 tip. The feet have each four toes, and are lobed, and 

 not webbed. 



48. GULL TRIBE. 



These birds are generally found in flocks, in the 

 neighbourhood of sea-shores; and they are sometimes 

 seen by navigators at tjie distance of many leagues 

 from the land. They swim with great ease, but are not 

 able to dive with so much agility as most other aquatic 

 birds. 



Common Gull. There are no species of water-fowl so 

 widely dispersed over the world as these ; and near the 

 British shores they are particularly numerous. On the 

 muds of salt-marshes, after the retiring of the tide, and 

 on the shores of the larger rivers, they are generally occu- 

 pied in picking up and eating such animal substances as 

 the water has left. At particular seasons of the year they 

 resort to the inland parts of the country. Their nests are 

 formed on the sea-rocks. Their eggs, two in number, are 

 about the size of those of a L hen, and of an olive-brown 

 colour, marked with dark red blotches, or irregular 

 spots. 



