86 HERRING GULL, 
wardly by the use of feet, wings, and bill. For this rea- 
son it nests near the water’s edge, often where it can 
slide from the eggs directly into its true element. The 
nest is a slight depression in the earth, in which are laid 
two elliptical eggs, in color olive-brown, slightly spotted 
with blackish. 
LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS. (ORDER LONGIPENNES.) 
GULLS AND TERNS. (FAMILY LARIDZ.) © 
No birds are more widely distributed than the Gulls 
and Terns. Some species are pelagic, visiting the land 
only at long intervals and when nest- 
Pati: 3m: ing; others live along the coast, and 
smithsonianus. several species resort to inland waters. 
ae ost About one hundred species are known, 
‘fifty being Gulls and fifty Terns. The former are, as a 
rule, larger, stouter birds than the latter, and, generally 
speaking, are more maritime. The commonest of the ten 
species found in the Eastern States is the Herring Gull. 
It nests from Maine northward, and is found southward 
along our coast from October 1 to April. This is the 
Gull we see in such numbers in our bays and harbors, 
flying gracefully and apparently aimlessly about, but in 
reality ever keeping its bright black eyes fixed on the 
water in search of some floating morsel, which it deftly 
picks from the surface. It frequently follows vessels, 
hanging over the stern day after day, and deserting its 
post only to feed on scraps thrown overboard from the 
galley. There are said to be reliable records of these 
birds following the same vessel from the Irish coast to 
New York Harbor. 
Gulls do excellent service in devouring much refuse 
that would otherwise be cast ashore to decay; but, useful 
