Indian Birds 
screams of these kites of the sea are indelibly 
impressed upon the memory of most Anglo- 
Indians. 
These magnificent fliers are able to keep 
pace with the steamer for hours at a time 
without putting forth any effort. They 
saunter through the air in the wake of the 
ship, and when anything edible is thrown over- 
board they drop down and pick it off the 
water (they can swim like ducks), and having 
devoured what there is to be eaten, they fly. 
on after the ship, and catch it up in a few 
seconds. 
They are largely scavengers. At sea-coast 
stations no sight is more familiar than that of 
a number of crows and gulls squabbling over 
the little fish, etc., that the fishermen throw 
away when overhauling their nets on the sea- 
shore. (Illus. B. D., p. 272; also B. B., p. 190.) 
The three commonest gulls in India are : 
196. Larus ridibundus : The Laughing Gull. 
(F. 1490), (J. 980), IV.) | 
A white bird with grey shoulders and some 
black in the wings. In summer the head and 
neck become brown and in winter traces of 
this usually remain. The bill and legs are red. 
A winter visitor to India. 
210 
