A BIRDLOVER'S YEAR 



plumage though there is a difference in the 

 skulls of the birds : the resemblance to the 

 petrels is superficial only and related to 

 their similar ways of life. 



Terns and gulls are noisy and sociable 

 birds, frequenting generally the sea coast, 

 though many gulls are to be found inland, 

 especially in Scotland where the sea is never 

 very distant. Some species of gulls breed 

 on the coast-cliffs, others again repair to 

 flat islands, inland lakes and bogs during 

 the nesting season. 



The flight of these birds is particularly 

 graceful and powerful ; they seem to be able 

 to float in mid-air, and then to slant gently 

 down on to the water where they " ride at 

 anchor." 



Terns are more aerial than gulls and they 

 poise themselves with an elegance which is 

 graceful in the extreme. 



The food of all these birds consists mainly 

 of fish and refuse, but inland gulls consume 

 large quantities of worms and insects. The 

 range of this group is cosmopolitan and 

 geologically it appears to be one of the 

 oldest existing orders of birds. 



Owing to their swallow- like build and 

 M 



