THE RING-BILLED GULL. 427 



that of the breeding time; for the immature specimens, 

 though seen in leisurely flocks all summer, farther south on 

 the Great Lakes, never appear on the breeding grounds in 

 spring. The colonies resorting thither are all in the full 

 purity of their final summer plumage, and thus their beauty, 

 as a part of the landscape, is greatly enhanced. Like the 

 Gull family in general, this bird has two moults, one in the 

 spring and one in the fall, and during winter the mature 

 bird has the head and neck streaked with gray. 



From its name, one might suppose that this bird subsists, 

 mainly at least, on herring, but it captures with equal read- 

 iness any fish of proper size, dashing at the surface, or drop- 

 ping into the water, a few moments, to secure it, but rarely, 

 if ever, plunging after it. It also feeds on various 

 kinds of miollusks, holding the shell in its claw, after 

 the manner of a Hawk, and breaking it with its bill in order 

 to secure the contents. Dr. Coues " once found remains 'of 

 a Marsh Hare in the stomach of one of these Gulls." I 

 have seen it pick up the newly-skinned body of a Common 

 Tern, thrown on the water, and gulp it down at a mouthful, 

 scarcely retarding its flight. In fact, it will feed on almost 

 anything, and in certain localities is an excellent scavenger. 



THE RING-BILLED GULL. 



Observing the Herring Gulls, on Georgian Bay, one will 

 notice certain individuals very much smaller than the rest, 

 while their form and color, as well as their general habit, are 

 precisely the same. On shooting one of these, however, it 

 will be discovered that the bill is greenish-yellow at the 

 base, followed by a broad band of black encircling it at the 

 gonys, while its tip is bright chrome; the angle of the 

 mouth and part of the cutting-edges of the bill being red, 

 and the legs and feet of a dusky green. On measuring 



