204 The Sea-Gull. 



especially if performed by a specimen of one of the 

 larger gulls. They are, in fact, birds of great 

 character, each individual having ways of its 

 own. 



Their noisiness they cannot be said by their 

 best friends to possess musical voices is to some 

 few people an absolute bar to their being kept as 

 pets. We, however, can only pity those whose 

 nerves are so highly strung, as they thereby lose, 

 at all events, the chance of the friendship of one 

 of these delightfully intelligent birds. 



Some knowledge of these birds and their habits 

 may be obtained by watching those in the Zoo- 

 logical Gardens, where a considerable number are 

 kept, pinioned and in a semi-domesticated condi- 

 tioD, yet living so happily, that many of them nest 

 in the spring, though we fear with, as a rule, little 

 satisfaction either to themselves or their keepers. 

 Here the birds may be seen in all states" of 

 plumage, from the mottled brown of the first year 

 to the pure white and grey and black of the adult. 

 Since the large aviary was built last year, matters 

 have been so ordered that some of the smaller 

 gulls may be seen unpinioned, and, therefore, able 

 to use their wings. 



In London, as we have said, gulls are only occa- 

 sional visitors, and the Londoner must go far from 

 town to make certain of seeing them in all their 

 beauty. 



