Song Birds and Water Fowl 



its peculiar note, breeds no farther north than 

 Maine. This latter species goes quite far south 

 in winter, and is not seen in this region again 

 until spring. A special rendezvous of herring 

 gulls in winter is at the mouths of our larger 

 rivers, like the Hudson, which are always 

 utilized for seaports, and whose shipping affords 

 variety and abundance of food. 



In plumage there is a strong family resem- 

 blance in all the species, yet with distinct marks 

 of difference. On the under side all of them 

 are pure white, except two, which have a slight- 

 ly rosy tint. On the back and wings most of 

 them are, like the herring gull, overspread 

 with a beautiful pearly-blue mantle, as delicate 

 a tint as is ever worn by the daintiest little 

 warbler. The herring gull — which is the one 

 commonly seen far out at sea by transatlantic 

 travellers, and following the ship with all the 

 devotion of hunger — is easily distinguished 

 from others that are very similar, by the dis- 

 tinct black on the tips of the longest wing- 

 feathers, covering a very small area, it is true, 

 but wonderfully conspicuous even at a long dis- 

 tance, as the bird wheels about and inclines 

 the body. Occasionally one sees, in a flock, a 

 specimen that is quite dark throughout, a sort 



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