258 BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



but finding that I had no hostile intentions, 

 they continued their fishing, and I was enabled 

 to watch them at the distance of about forty yards. 

 Seeing that they were getting but a precarious 

 breakfast from the water, it occurred to me to try 

 and feed them. Accordingly I got a roll at the 

 nearest baker's, and began throwing small pieces 

 into the water. At first the birds paid no attention, 

 and I inclined to think my good intentions in their 

 regard were not appreciated ; but at length one 

 bolder than the rest swooped down and carried off 

 one of the pieces. His example was shortly followed 

 by others, and I soon had the inexpressible delight 

 of seeing the whole flock busy feeding within a few 

 yards of me as I leant over the quay. 



Their flight was exceedingly graceful and buoyant, 

 and oftentimes in circling round, on the look-out for 

 food, the birds swept so close to my face that with 

 a butterfly-net I might have caught one. I was 

 particularly interested with the dexterous way in 

 which a piece of bread was taken from the water. 

 Hovering for an instant over the spot, the bird 

 swooped down, and bending the body in the form of 

 a semicircle, it seized the morsel in its bill without 

 wetting the wings or body, and only just skimming 

 the water with its toes. 



KITTIWAKE, Larus tridactylus. Neither the Kit- 

 tiwake nor the Common Gull, next to be considered, 

 are met with so frequently as the Blackheaded Gull, 



