LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS 41 



hanging the water. The famous Bird Rocks in the Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence are probably the farthest south these birds 

 breed, constructing substantial nests of grass and seaweed 

 on inaccessible ledges. The ground color of the two or 

 three eggs is yellowish buff or greenish gray marked with 

 irregular spots of brown and lilac. 



Frequently the birds nest in very close proximity to each 

 other, resorting annually to the same filthy, guano-covered 

 rocks. The Pacific kittiwake, inhabiting the northern coast 

 of Northern America, breeding in Alaska, is the western 

 form. 



THE HERRING GULL* 



The American Herring Gull is found throughout North 

 America, nesting from JNIaine northward and westward 

 throughout the interior, on the large inland waters, and 

 occasionally on the Pacific; south in the winter to Cuba and 

 Lower California. This gull is a common bird throughout 

 its range, particularly coastwise. Colonel Goss, in his Birds 

 of Kansas, writes as follows of the herring gull: 



" In the month of June I found the birds nesting in 

 large communities on the little island adjacent to Grand 

 INIanan ; many were nesting in spruce tree tops from twenty 

 to forty feet from the ground. It was an odd sight to see 

 them on their nests or perched upon a limb, chattering and 

 scolding as approached." 



The young gulls grow rapidly. They do not leave their 

 nesting grounds until able to fly, though half -grown birds 

 are sometimes seen on the water that by fright or accident 

 have fallen. The nests are composed of grass and moss. 



