314 ANSERES. LARID^E. 



even in the form of the beak, straight, slender, 

 and swelling towards the tip, as well as in their in- 

 ternal anatomy, they shew a manifest approach. 

 The typical Gulls are much more land-birds than 

 any others of their Order : those of the subgenus 

 Xema in particular roam much inland, feed on 

 insects and worms, build their nests among her- 

 bage in low meadows near the sea, lay eggs of an 

 olive colour marked with large brown spots, and 

 undergo seasonal changes of plumage ; all of which 

 might be predicated of the Charadriadce. 



The characters of the Family may be thus 

 summed up : the beak is slender, compressed, gra- 

 dually, not abruptly bent; the nostrils pierced in 

 the middle of the mandible : the wings are very 

 long and pointed; the hind toe elevated, very 

 small, and not united by a membrane. The pre- 

 vailing colour of the plumage is white, often varied 

 on the upper parts by a pearly grey, or black. 



These birds are found in all parts of the world, 

 feeding greedily on all kinds of animal substances ; 

 others, as already remarked, seek their food in the 

 interior of the land, which consists of slugs, 

 worms, and the larvae of insects. Some few are 

 bold and cunning, attacking other marine birds, 

 and forcing them to disgorge the fish they have 

 swallowed, which these then snap up before it 

 reaches the sea. 



GENUS LARDS. (LiNN.) 



In this genus the beak is strong, hard, com- 

 pressed, cutting, slightly curved towards the 

 point ; the lower mandible with a strong angle : 

 the nostrils lateral, near the middle of the beak, 



