130 THE BIRDS OP CALCUTTA. 



young duck, is yet open-eyed and downy, and able to get 

 about and look after itself to some extent ; thus being an 

 interesting link between the active chick and the blind 

 naked helpless nestlings of so many birds. The brown- 

 mottled plumage, which is the first feathering of the young 

 Gull, is also probably a protection, while it gains strength 

 of wing and experience, for, as one may see at home, 

 where so many Gulls are bred, it makes the young bird 

 much harder to see when on the shore than is the old one 

 in its grey and white dress. 



Another advantage Gulls have in the struggle for exis- 

 tence is their readiness of resource ; their ease and grace of 

 flight is patent to every observer, and though they are not 

 very swift on the wing, they can easily follow and circle 

 round a steamer. On the land they run about actively, 

 without the usual waddle of a water-fowl, but with a pretty 

 mincing gait peculiarly their own ; and on the water they sit 

 lightly and gracefully, though they do not swim very fast 

 and cannot usually dive at all. In case of need, they perch 

 readily enough, though their feet are not suited for taking 

 a grip of anything, and they have to rely upon balance. 



Above all, they are very easily accommodated with food ; 

 fish they like when they can get it, but they are not very 

 clever fishers, and Lheir best opportunity is when the hap* 

 less fry are hard beset by the bigger members of the class 

 below, and are not in a condition to look after themselves ; 

 and so they fall back on insect and vegetable food and 

 garbage of various sorts, including especially what is 

 thrown overboard from ships and fishing-boats. It may 

 be that their scarcity in warm seas is due to the compara- 



