28 BIRDS OF OHIO. 



state at some time of the year, and five which appear oc- 

 casionally. 



While flying over the water in search of food they hold 

 the head horizontally, so that the bill is in a line with the 

 body. They do not plunge into the water for a fish or other 

 food, but settle upon it, or take fish or other food from the 

 surface. They catch fish alive, eat dead fish which may be 

 thrown upon the shore by the waves, and eat greedily of 

 the garbage thrown out from coast cities. The^ smaller 

 gulls may also eat some insects. Gulls often follow in the 

 wake of ships and snatch any morsel of food which may be 

 thrown into the water. 



As scavengers the gulls take first rank because they are 

 the most numerous birds along our coasts. They congre- 

 gate about the garbage scows in great numbers and prevent 

 garbage from washing ashore to pollute earth and air. The 

 laws for their protection should leave no room for a doubt 

 as to their meaning in the mind of any one. 



9. (43.) LARUS LEUCOPTERUS Faber. 274. 



Iceland Gull. 



Synonyms: White-winged Gull. 

 Wheaton, Ohio Agri. Report, 1860, 370, 379. 



Besides the record which Dr. % Wheaton has left us, of the 

 capture of two or three specimens in Cleveland harbor, on 

 the authority of Mr. R. K. Winslow, the only record is for 

 Lorain, Dec. 22, 1888, on the authority of Mr. L. M. Mc- 

 Cormick. A specimen was captured near Lorain on the 

 lake, and preseved in the Oberlin College museum. 



10. (47.) LARUS MARINUS Linn. 275. 



Great Black-backed Gull. 

 Synonyms: Saddle-back, Coffin-carrier, Cobb. 

 Audubon, Orn. Biog., Ill, 1835, 98. 



Dr. Wheaton's records for this gull are admittedly weak, 

 and I am therefore glad to strengthen them by one actual 

 capture and one other record which is hardly open to ques- 



