152 
THE GULL. 
sagacity they portion out the lake or canal where they are 
upon duty. They hunt about, they plunge, they rise a 
hundred times to the surface, until they have at last found 
their prey. They then seize it with their beak by the 
middle, and carry it to their master. When weary they 
are suffered to rest for a while, but they are never fed till 
their work is over. In this manner they supply a very 
plentiful table ; but still their natural voracity cannot be 
restrained even by education. While they fish, they have 
always a string fastened round their throats, to prevent 
them from devouring their prey ; as otherwise they would 
soon satiate themselves, and then discontinue their pursuit. 
Such was formerly the practice in England ; and as late as 
the reign of Charles I. there was an officer of the household 
who bore the title of Master of the Cormorants. 
THE BLACK AND WHITE GULL. ( Larus rnarinus .) 
Gulls frequent principally the northern countries, and 
do not dive so much as the other water fowl ; they chiefly 
subsisting on the gregarious fish which they catch near the 
surface of the water. When the sea is rough, they come 
into the harbours, and feed on worms. Occasionally they 
will even eat carrion. They fly with great rapidity; their 
body being light, and their wings long. It is not until the 
