272 BOMBAY DUCKS | 
frequently sees when out snipe-shooting, since it does 
not confine its operations to rivers; indeed, it is more 
partial to marshes and tanks. The breast and lower 
parts are black. The tail is deeply forked, hence this 
species is easily distinguishable from the other two 
common terns. It is a very elegant bird. 
The transition from the tern to the gull is an easy 
one; so slight are the anatomical differences that some 
ornithologists look upon both groups as one family. 
The gull, however, is more stoutly built and flies differ- 
ently. It is not so graceful. A gull looks best when 
riding on the water like a duck. It possesses great 
powers of flight, but is not the equal of the tern in this 
respect; its wings are smaller in proportion to the size 
of the body, hence gulls are often seen resting on the 
water, an attitude which terns. rarely adopt, although 
their feet are webbed and admirably fitted to act as 
propellers. 
Gulls are fond of fish, but they are inclined to be 
lazy. In preference to fishing for themselves they will 
follow a ship and pick up the scraps thrown overboard 
by the cook, or will hang about near a human fisherman 
for the sake of the fish rejected by him. Almost any 
day, half a dozen laughing-gulls may be seen in attend- 
ance on the fishermen of the Cooum, waiting for what 
these latter cast away, for there apparently exist aquatic 
creatures at which even a Cooum fisherman draws the 
line! 
A number of crows usually keep the gulls company. 
There is consequently a great scramble for the leavings 
