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forms of the present family, and are among the most graceful 

 of birds, while the chaste and harmonious colours of their 

 plumage are always pleasing to the eye. The expanse of 

 wing by which they are characterized gives a buoyancy and 

 ease to their motions which are always beautiful, and their 

 numbers give animation to the lonely shore, or even furnish 

 pleasing accessories to the inland landscape. In the fishing 

 village in which we reside, at certain seasons and on some 

 occasions, sprats are brought to land in such abundance as 

 to be disposed of to agriculturists at the low price of six- 

 pence per bushel, in order to spread upon the fields ; and 

 over these lands, thus provisioned, the Gulls may be seen 

 gathered at a considerable distance from the sea, or, nearer 

 to the shore, they may be observed in numbers following 

 with the Rooks the progress of the plough, and searching 

 among the up-turned furrows for their food ; but wherever 

 present, whether upon the land, or floating on the tranquil 

 waters, or soaring in mid-heaven, or dipping momentarily 

 into the glittering waves, these gentle creatures add life and 

 gladness to the scene. Some of the species are widely dis- 

 tributed, and almost entirely maritime in habits, breeding 

 principally upon precipitous coasts, and feeding on almost 

 any animal matter in addition to the living produce of the 

 seas. 



