62 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



fast asleep on the water. On the 20th they had 

 nearly all disappeared. 



FORAGING ROOKS, CROWS, AND GULLS 



There is constantly a certain amount of animal 

 matter to be found floating in rivers polluted by 

 sewage matter, besides the sundry insects and small 

 creatures blown or tumbled into them by accident ; 

 while from the town drains kitchen fragments are 

 washed down sinks and gulleys to the streams. 

 This flotsam is ever a temptation to numerous 

 gulls, which in certain localities assemble to pick up 

 such unconsidered trifles. The entrance of Breydon 

 estuary has been a happy hunting-ground from 

 time immemorial. Here are to be seen congregated 

 at times numerous Black -headed Gulls, Common 

 Gulls, and larger species the "grey" immature 

 of the Herring and Saddleback Gulls in particular. 

 The flood-tide draws the birds together, and great 

 is the commotion if some wasteful mariner, tired of 

 mouldy or stale ship-bread, has thrown overboard 

 some, to him, obnoxious loaves. In a constant 

 mazy flight, squealing and squabbling, the birds 

 work to and fro; now gleaning singly, as some 



