1883.] 397 [Brewster. 



shared our fortunes for several weeks. They fed greedily on all 

 kinds of fish and flesh, and rapidly grew into large, noisy, and 

 very vicious birds, ready at all times to bite the hand that fed 

 them. We finally put them overboard in Ellis Bay when they 

 swam directly for the shore, the parting on both sides being ap- 

 parently equally free from regrets. 



77. Larus argentatus, 1 Brtinn. — Herring Gull. 



Abundant throughout the Gulf, breeding almost everywhere. 

 Along the North Shore, as well as on Anticosti, they nested chiefly 

 among the evergreen woods, sometimes in the branches of the 

 trees, but oftener on the ground in openings. Their nests were 

 rarely near together, and I do not remember ever finding more 

 than two or three pairs occupying the same locality, while they 

 were usually distributed at intervals of perhaps half-a-mile over 

 the mossy plains and openings, both inland and along the coast. 

 They spent much of their time sitting on the tops of the trees, 

 where their snowy plumage showed in strong contrast against 

 the dark background. As our vessel approached the shore we 

 co aid often see these Gulls scattered along for miles ; the near- 

 est looking like patches of snow, the more distant like white 

 specks among the evergreens. Every now and then one would 

 fly out to meet us, circling warily about and finally returning to 

 his post of observation. They seemed to be ever on the watch 

 for danger, and doubtless with good reason, for the Indians and 

 fishermen rob them of their eggs whenever they can find them. 

 Their present policy of scattering over wide areas, however, prob- 

 ably preserves the majority of nests from discovery. The only con- 

 siderable colony of Herring Gulls which we visited was at Perce 

 Rock, where, as already stated, many thousands were breeding in 

 company with Cormorants. The old birds and their eggs are 

 safe there, but the fishermen take a heavy toll from the young 

 which often leave the rock before they are able to fly well, and 

 falling into the sea are easily shot or captured alive. Early every 

 morning several boats visited the place for the purpose of procur- 

 ing them. They are eaten, and if properly cooked are by no 

 means unpalatable, in fact we found them among the best of 

 the sea-birds which could be had at that season. 



l Believing the variety Smithsonianus to be untenable, I follow Saunders in refer- 

 ring the American birds to argentatus. 



