COMMON TERN; MACKEREL GULL 17 



Haven Pond, scaring up a crow which was seeking 

 its food on the edge of the ice. This shows that 

 the crows get along the meadow's edge also what has 

 washed up. 



March 16, 1860. I also see two gulls nearly a mile 

 off. One stands still and erect for three quarters of an 

 hour, or till disturbed, on a little bit of floated meadow- 

 crust which rises above the water, — just room for it 

 to stand on, — with its great white breast toward the 

 wind. Then another comes flying past it, and alights on 

 a similar perch, but which does not rise quite to the sur- 

 face, so that it stands in the water. Thus they will stand 

 for an hour, at least. They are not of handsome form, 

 but look like great wooden images of birds, bluish-slate 

 and white. But when they fly they are quite another 

 creature. 



[/S'ee also under American Merganser, p. 27; Wild 

 Ducks, p. 50 ; Wild Goose, p. 61 ; General and Miscel- 

 laneous, pp. 412, 413.] 



COMMON tern; mackerel GULL 



June 21, 1857. At East Harbor River, as I sat on 

 the Truro end of the bridge, I saw a great flock of 

 mackerel gulls, one hundred at least, on a sandy point, 

 whitening the shore there like so many white stones on 

 the shore and in the water, uttering all together their 

 vibrating shrill note. They had black heads, light 

 bluish-slate wings, and light rump and tail and be- 

 neath. From time to time all or most would rise and 

 circle about with a clamor, then settle again on the 

 same spot close together. 



