LIFE HISTOEIES OF NORTH AMERICAN GULLS AND TERNS. 171 



and other birds in picking up from the freshly turned furrows 

 quantities of angleworms, cutworms, and other grubs and larvae. 

 Later in the season they resort to the prairies and grass fields to feed 

 on grasshoppers and locusts, many of which are caught on the wing. 

 I have seen them hovering over the water in open sloughs and small 

 ponds and daintily gathering bits of food from the surface which 

 probably consisted of aquatic insects or their larvae, and possibly a 

 few small fish. I have also seen them coursing low over the meadows 

 like large swallows, catching mosquitos and other small insects in 

 the air. I once saw a great cloud of them flying over a large marshy 

 area in the interior of an island in Lake Winnipegosis. They were 

 so thick and so much excited that I thought it must be a nesting 

 colony, but on investigation I found that they were feeding on the 

 swarms of gnats, flies, and other minute insects that were rising from 

 the bushes in long swaying columns like clouds of smoke. The air 

 was full of dragon flies which were preying on the same insects, 

 and probably the gulls were feeding on them also. 



Mr. John F. Ferry (1910) states that the stomachs of three birds 

 taken in Saskatchewan contained remains of numerous midges and 

 Acrididae, a spider, a small mole cricket, a water beetle, and several 

 large dragon-flies. 



Behavior. — In flight the Franklin's gull is as light and graceful 

 as at other times. When traveling long distances, as it does regularly, 

 to and from its feeding grounds, it proceeds rather swiftly, with 

 constant flappings in widely scattered and open flocks at a moderate 

 height. When rising from or alighting on the Water or ground its 

 feet are allowed to dangle, but ordinarily they are stretched out 

 behind and partly or wholly concealed under the feathers. At times 

 small parties indulge in aerial exercise or sport by soaring upward 

 in spiral curves, sailing on outstretched, motionless wings, mounting 

 higher and higher, until almost lost to sight. Large numbers gather 

 regularly at certain spots apparently for the sole purpose of perform- 

 ing these aerial evolutions, and after an hour or so of such exercise 

 they suddenly disappear, as mysteriously as they came, drifting aim- 

 lessly about in roving bands. If one of their number is shot they 

 gather immediately into a dense, hovering screaming flock, darting 

 down toward their fallen companion, but if no more are killed they 

 soon lose interest and silently drift away. 



The Franklin's gull swims with exquisite grace and buoyancy, 

 floating lightly on the surface. About its breeding grounds it is 

 very tame and many a beautiful picture is. seen of a party of these 

 lovely birds, resting on the placid water of some small marshy pool, 

 the delicate colors of their spotless plumage clearly reflected in its 

 glassy surface and offset by a background of dark green reeds. 



