6 LETTER FROM MR. W. H. HUDSON. [Jail. '$, 



warm weather, the larvae of our Great-horned Beetle rise to the 

 surface, throwing up little mounds of earth as Moles do ; often they 

 are so numerous as to give the plains, where the grass is very closely 

 cropped, the appearance of being covered with mud. These insects 

 afford a rich harvest to the Teru-teru (Fanellus cayennensis), which 

 in such plentiful seasons are to be seen all day diligently running 

 about, probing and dislodging them from under the fresh hillocks. 

 The Gulls, not having been endowed with a probing bill, avail 

 themselves of their superior cunning and violence to rob the Terns. 

 I have often watched their proceedings for hours with the greatest 

 interest. Many hundred Terns are perhaps visible running busily 

 about the plain on all sides ; near each one a Gull is quietly standing 

 regarding his intended dupe with the closest attention. The instant 

 a great white larva is extracted, the Gull darts with such sudden fury 

 to seize it, that the Teru is forced to take wing, and a violent chase 

 ensues. The depredator follows close upon the Plover in all his 

 turns, screaming all the time, until the Teru, frightened or tired out, 

 drops the prize, and slopes towards the earth with a disappointed 

 cry ; instantly the pursuer's flight is checked, he hovers a moment, 

 watching the worm fall, then straight and suddenly drops himself 

 after it, swallows it with customary greediness, and hastens after the 

 Teru to resume his watch. 



" Many Gulls constantly hover about the Est and us to feed on the 

 garbage that is usually found in abundance about cattle-breeding 

 establishments. When a cow is slaughtered they collect in great 

 numbers, and quarrel with the domestic fowls over the offal. They 

 are also faithful attendants at the shepherd's hut ; and if a dead lamb 

 remains in the fold when the flock goes to pasture, they regale on 

 its carcass in company with the Chimango. Numbers of them are 

 constantly seen soaring over the low shores of the river, and, when 

 the tide goes out, quarrel on the sands over dead fish, stranded fry, 

 or whatever animal refuse may have been left. 



" The slaughter-grounds adjacent to the city are also haunted by 

 hosts of these neat and beautiful scavengers. Here numbers may be 

 seen hovering overhead, and mingling their excited cries with the 

 bellowing of thousands of wild cattle and the shouts of men at their 

 rough work — at intervals, wherever a little space is afforded, dropping 

 themselves on to the ground reeking with clotted blood and entrails, 

 greedily snatching up whatever morsels they can on the instant, and 

 yet getting no speck or stain on their delicate dress of lily white 

 and ethereal blue. 



" It is only when their food is very abundant that the Gulls move in 

 great bodies; at other times they are seen singly or in small parties ; 

 but at night they often congregate in myriads in some large pool, 

 where they will sometimes keep up a great screaming until morning. 



" Their curiosity or anger seems greatly excited by the appearance 

 of a person on foot on the open plains ; no sooner has the Gull spied 

 him, than he sweeps toward him with a rapid flight, uttering loud 

 indignant screams, that invariably attract all its fellows within 



