GULLS AND TERNS 



(Family Laridce) 



Gulls 



(Subfamily Larince) 



Kittlwake 



(Rissa tridactyla) 



Length — 16 inches. 



Male and Female — In summer: Deep pearl gray mantle over back 

 and wings. Head, neck, tail, and under parts pure white. 

 Ends of outer wing feathers — primaries — black, tipped with 

 white. Tips of tail quills black. Hind toe very small, a 

 mere knob, and without a claw. Bill light yellow. Feet 

 webbed and black. In winter: Similar to summer plumage, 

 but that the mantle is a darker gray and extends tcf back of 

 heck. Dark spot about the eye. 



Range — Arctic regions, south in eastern North America in winter 

 to the Great Lakes and the coast of Virginia. Breeds from 

 Magdalen Islands northward. 



Season — Autumn and winter visitor in the Middle States. Com- 

 mon north of them all winter. 



It is the larger herring gull that we see in such numbers in 

 our harbors and following in the path of vessels along our coast; 

 but the watchful eye may often pick out a few kittiwakes in the 

 loose flocks, and north of Rhode Island meet with a company of 

 them apart from others of their kiii. Skimming gracefully along 

 the surface of the water, soaring, floating in mid-air, swooping 

 for a morsel in the trough of the waves, then with a few strong 

 wing strokes rejoining their fellows as they play at cross-tag 

 in the sky, the gulls fascinate the eyes and beguile many a 

 weary hour at sea. 



Along the shores of the Arctic Ocean, on the craggy cliffs of 

 Greenland, and beyond, large colonies of kittiwakes nest on the 



35 



