188 KITTl WAKE GULL.
on the water, or in the air, few birds surpass it in buoyancy, grace, and
ease of motion. Bearing up against the heaviest gale, it passes from one
trough of the sea to another, as if anxious to rest for an instant under the
lee of the billows; yet as these are seen to rear their curling crests, the
Gull is already several feet above them, and preparing to plunge into the
next hollow. While in our harbour, and during fine weather, they seemed
to play with their companions of other species. Now with a spiral curve,
they descend toward the water, support themselves by beats of their wings,
decline their heads, and pick up a young herring or some bit of garbage,
when away they fly, chased perhaps by several others anxious to rob them
of the prize. Noon has arrived. High above the mast-head of our tallest
man-of-war, the Kittiwakes float gracefully in wide circles, until all,
as if fatigued, sail downward again with common accord towards the
transparent deep, and, alighting close to each other, seem to ride safely at
anchor. There they now occupy themselves in cleaning and arranging
their beautiful plumage.
The food of this species consists of small fish, sea insects, and small
bivalves, most of which they procure while on wing, even those left dry
by the tide. Unlike the larger species, they do not take up shell-fish to
break them by letting them fall on the rocks; at least I never saw them
do so. Their principal enemies are different species of Lestris, especially
that beautiful one named the L. parasiticus. This tormentor follows the
Kittiwake to the very waters around the Gulf of Florida during the
winter. There with astonishing swiftness, and an audacity scarcely to be
surpassed, it gives chase to the Gull, overtakes it, and forces it to alight
on the water, or to disgorge the fish which it has just swallowed.
The two represented in the plate were drawn at Boston, at the approach
of spring, when the old birds had already assumed the pure white
of the head. This species was so abundant on several of the islands of
the Bay of Boston, that several basketfuls of them were procured in the
course of a few excursions. When one fell to the water, the rest would
hover about and around the boat, until many were shot from a flock.
The case was the same, while we were in some of the harbours of Labrador.
KITTIWAKE GULL. 189
LARUS TRIDACTYLUS, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol ii. p. 8 1 7 — C h . Bonaparte, Synopsis of
Birds of the United States, p. 359—Swains, and Richards. Fauna Bor. Amer.
part ii. p. 4 2 3 .
KITTIWAKE GULL, Nultall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 2 9 8 .
Adult in Summer. CCXXIV. Fig. 1.
Bill shorter than the head, strong, nearly straight, compressed. Upper
mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight and slightly declínate,
until towards the end, when it is decurved, the ridge convex, the sides
slightly convex, the edges a little inflected, straight, towards the end
declínate and arched, the tip rather obtuse. Nasal groove narrow, rather
long; nostril in its fore part, lateral, longitudinal, linear, wider anteriorly,
open, and pervious. Lower mandible with a slight prominence
at the end of the angle, which is long and narrow, the dorsal line then
nearly straight and ascending, the sides convex, the edges sharp and
inflected.
Head rather large, oblong, anteriorly compressed. Neck of moderate
length. Body rather full. Wings long. Feet of moderate length rather
strong; tibia bare below; tarsus somewhat compressed, covered before
and behind with numerous broad scutella, the sides reticulated; hind toe
rudimentary, with a minute knob in place of the claw; the fore toes
rather long and slender, the fourth longer than the second, all scutellate
above, and connected by reticulated entire membranes, the lateral toes
margined externally with a narrow membrane. Claws small, compressed,
slightly arched, rather obtuse.
The plumage in general is close, elastic, very soft and blended, on the
back somewhat compact. Wings very long, rather broad, acute, the first
quill longest, the other primaries rapidly graduated; secondaries broad
and rounded, the inner elongated and narrow. Tail of moderate length,
even, of twelve rounded feathers.
Bill pale greenish-yellow. Edges of eyelids crimson; iris reddishbrown.
Feet black. The head, neck, rump, tail, and lower parts generally
are pure white. The back and upper surface of the wings light
pearl-grey. The first five quills are black at the end, the first on its outer
web also, the fifth with a small white tip, the tips of all the other quills
more or less white.
Length to end of tail 18 inches, to end of wings 20, to end of claws 17;
extent of wings 36£ ; wing from flexure 12, tail 7; bill along the back l £,