HABITS. 595 



ing resort for over three years, and, althbugh a female, as we 

 were informed, is honored with the title of 'Commodore'. The 

 animal generally makes its appearance close at hand whenever 

 within hearing, if called hy name, and when its keeper appears 

 on the lawn, to feed the pelicans, black swans, and other 

 aqnatic birds, which are its comi)anions in the artificial pond, 

 the Commodore does not wait to be invited, but, knowing as 

 well as its keeper the meal-hour, is on the watch, and the mo- 

 ment the food -bearer is seen, the little creature which is not 

 over four feet long lifts itself out of the water over the curb- 

 stones and waddles quickly to its master's side, then holding 

 up its head, with mouth wide open, receives the choice morsels 

 of fish which drop from his hand."* 



The food of this species consists largely of fish, but, like 

 other species, it doubtless varies its fare with squids and 

 shrimps. That it aspires to more ejiicurean tastes is evidenced 

 by its occasional capture of sea-birds. This they ingeniously 

 accomplish by swimming beneath them as they rest upon the 

 water, and seizing them. An eye-witness of this pastime re- 

 lates an instance as observed by him on the Scottish coast. 

 ^' While seated on the bents," he writes, " watching a flock of 

 [Herring] Gulls that were fishing in the sea near Donmouth, 

 I was startled by their jerking high in the air, and screaming 

 in an unusual and excited manner. On no previous occasion 

 have I observed such a sensation in a Gull-hood, not even when 

 a Black-head was being pursued, till he disgorged his newly- 

 swallowed fish, by that black-leg, the Skua. The excitement 

 was explained by a Seal [presumably Phoca vituUna, this being 

 the only species common at the locality in question] showing 

 above the water with a Herring Gull in his mouth ; on his 

 appearing the Gulls became ferocious, and struck furiously at 

 the Seal, who disappeared with the Gull in the water. The 

 Seal speedily reappeared, but on this occasion relinquished his 

 victim on the Gulls renewing their attack. The liberated Gull 

 was so disabled as to be unable to fly, but it had strength 

 enough to hold up its head as it drifted with the tide."t 



They are evidently discriminating in their tastes, and not 

 loath to avail themselves of a fine salmon now and then not 

 of their own catching. Their habit of plundering the nets of 

 the fishermen on the coast of Newfoundland has been already 



* Marine Mam., pp. 166-167. 



t Zoologist, 2d ser., vol. yi, 1871, p. 2763. 



