THE PLAINS 



345 



around the flock of clamorous birds, viewing first their 

 heads then their tails, without their attempting to face the 

 cause of alarm. 



The California Gulls on Shoal Lake, devoured the eggs 

 deserted by White Pelicans, but neither on Crane Lake nor 

 on Big Stick Lake, where another large colony was found, 



Ring-billed and California Gulls 



were the Gulls observed to prey upon the eggs of other spe- 

 cies. At the latter place, they gathered the crumbs which 

 fell from the Pelicans ' table and did not hesitate to drive the 

 great birds from their own board. 



I did not succeed in learning to distinguish these Gulls 

 by their notes alone, although there is a difference in their 

 voices ; nor could I determine the significance of their var- 

 ious calls, as, with head down or again with head pointed 

 upward, they uttered their characteristic kow-kow-kow, or 

 kee-ow. A harsh cuk-cuk-cuk appeared to be a note of alarm, 

 while a call in which the syllables oo-eek, oo-eek were prom- 

 inent, was more in the nature of a song. 



