CHAPTER I. 

 GULLS AND TERNS. 



The Gull Family Changes Great Skua Richardsoris Skua 

 of Plumage Characteristics Terns Sandwich Tern- 

 Great Black-backed Gull Lesser Common Tern Arctic Tern 

 Black -backed Gull Herring Roseate Tern Lesser Tern 

 GullCommonGullKittiwake Black Tern. 

 Black-headed Gull Skuas 



AMONGST the many natural objects that 

 JT\. confront the visitor to the sea, there are none 

 more readily detected than birds. The wide waters 

 of the ocean and its varied coast-line of cliff or sand, 

 shingle or mud-flat, are the haunts of many birds 

 of specialised type. Many of these birds are only 

 found on or near the sea ; they are as inseparably 

 associated with it as the beautiful shells and sea- 

 weeds and anemones themselves. Some of these 

 birds are common and widely distributed ; others 

 are scarce or local in their habitat ; some frequent 

 the shore, others the water ; whilst many are 

 equally at home on both. Again, many of them 

 are migratory, or of wandering habits; some but 

 summer visitors, others winter refugees. It matters 



