Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-01-13


tide sweeps them off. still sleeping, upon
the tossing waves. Yet, in spite of their
! seeming forgetfulness to all their surround
lngs, 1t is difficult matter to walk up to
| them, for at the slightest intimation of
| danger their heads come out from under
their wings with jerk, and rising heavily
they Hap away to some more secure re-
treat. Though careless in their manner of
feeding they are very neat in their plu-
mage and spend hours every day in dress
i ing their feathers. Frequently found in
company with the preceding species are
the glaueus.wingsd and California gulls,
the former much resembling it though cas-
| lily distinguished by its larger size and
shorter wings. which make its flight less
graceful and well-sustained, and the latter
being much smaller than either of its
companions, and with lighter colored back
/ and wings.
These California gulls are great pest
! TO the pelicans, which they closely follow
in their search for food, and when they
have seized fish nimbly snatch it from
the open pouch, often alighting on the lub-
! berly birds very head for the purpose, and
bear it away in triumph. The abused pei
! lean, however, seldom reseuts the theft.
! but calmly turns away for other game, OF
/ which, perchance, he Is again deity rob
] bed by his sprightly and conScienceless
/ neighbOr. When no peicaus are Mt hand
/ these teathered hodlums betake them
/ selves TO honest work, and catch their own
/ fish in very skillful manner.
OTHER VARIETIES OF GuLLs.
/ The ring-biled gulls are also pretty con
/ slant visitors to our harbor and natcruiZc
/ with the ether varieties already enumerat-
+ ed, which they resemble in general appear
aucc, habits and flight. They are OF very
I sympathetic natures, and it one Of their
I number is Shot and wounded will hover
/ over It with every expression OF deep
( solicitudc, and even try TO hclp il rise again
+ into the air. nor do their efforts cease until
I several shots have been fired among them.
I when they seem TO appreciate the situation
and slowly retire in overwhelming circles
Other and rarcr varieties are the white
/ headed Uii-a beautiful blrd, easily distiu-
guI>hablc by lt> snow-whitc head, blend
/ ing into ashy-lead color on the back aud
breast, ana 4 Olood-rcd bill !, Suckley's gull.
miniature copy OF the glaucus-wiuged
. gull. ana rarc>t OF ALL the IVORY gul. ut
peculiarly brilliant white pumase aud
light yellow bill. Bonaparte's gun IA hand
some aud graceful species, smaller than
amy Of thr others aud easily distinguished
by IL black mead and neck, i also a rHth-
cr frequent visitor, and differs from other
bird, ut IL class in beng very good catiu4
quite equal, think. to the larger rails.
lhi, j. probably due to the character Of
IL food, which j, more delicate than that
sought by the other species, and consist,
. largely. al certain seasons, OF CoIcpptcrouS
insects. which il secures III the air. after
the u'anucr o, a swallow hthi noticed.
. a. Tar A. NupW, in no uthc. Lu,,. Though
All these varieties feed togt Tier amcabiy.
tic.r breeding places are always kept It~-
E iuct; Iud. though several MAY 5i,ud u
ine same island, their nests ARE not adjt-
Gent. The >hut guil~. DIT Ju-crS. Whose
characteristics are Il more robust torn aud
dArAcr puna4e than those uf the tIur
-uu>. seem 10 DC without representatives
. IN mi, coast with the exception, posi-
by, of the common Saua which j. the only
one .ot thc genus which roAm> lar from
lis Arctic nome.
HABITS Oh TERMS.
( The principal representation Of The Tern
u family on our coast j. For,tcr's tern. whose
z elegant costume ot lavender ana white
black head and neck aud scarlet bill aud
feet. coupled with it, Size ana graceful
. flight, seem to make il the Pacific repre-
sentative Of the common Wilson'S tern OF
. The East and South. The elegant and roy
al terms are occasionally met IN the BAY.
/ the latter much resembling Furster's tern,
except in being much larger. and the form
cr being distinguished by the peculiar.
>atluy cream color OF itS lower parts,
I which. unfortunately, fades badly III stuffed
specimens. The Elegant tern is very rare,
I however. ana il i doubtful whether il j.
able to support it, claim to place in our
local fauna. The Slendcr-biileI tern. j. al
} 80 a constant visitor. aud cud, the list Of
, Lur,ddc known 70 mhubit these Waters a
group OF birds OF most Interesting habits
aud life and one whose history j. uriy too
incomplete a. yet. They we'll Illustrate
what j. seen in every branch OF natural his
tory, tile singular adaptation Of al. lrc To
. il surroundings. IL j. difficult to conceive
81 a group "i birds which could better ~
ptt-> .u all their actions the ~pirI, ot .'ir
>rI. \" my-trJlOu- iI their Lille are th-v. n.
lirr and careless Ia sunlight and calm. ANA
- impressive aud awful N thcic -,orn-
driven hl2ht ana midnight screams 10
near thc,r weird, wild cries in Il tempest,
ana ID see their phantom shape, Hitting
under the lightning over phosphorescent
ana Jagged pillows, they seem very de-
lnor.s OF the night. or witches. who. to
further their dark designs. had changed
their human forms. Let US now turn re-
luctautly from them and look To another
group. no less interestin. and much lrore
grotesque.
r,rr-prrIc, rtsu,x,
~ ,ei -1 oN,' ao'ei 49, 'sIic SPECIES VI pen
e"ns az ~, 'ounu upon tnls coast VIZ: the
hi-..i, .n-oli.eu u "ilte peiloan' ahu the
plo"u ~ fi VI MOI p.opeiy .ne grey peilcah,
wy ri ~ uiIt oelnS very Iare anu .he iatter
eAoeeu.ns! coih'ion' % me "l'lte peilcan'
90, 80 pie'ers ~ uesn VA; mateI ~ SAT- lholiSh
io.tl,i "poii ooln, "n'le the iallti ls purely
inAi .'le III its picielenIes anu haoltS. mere
a. ~ .iioa s.,s ulai oiius uPoai tne G"as.
.'iai s,'ese sa'ne peneans' aL't upon laiu
Nv ntiu = ihole ti,,I umh"a,u helr M huge, COZ
n u,nnai 1'; atE '''tie auapteu iol m"ihinS'
d a,,u ~ h auuio w.; ~ uIoh - poe1r! coii-
pale 81 W. inIo hac,. net neus arc .nio" !.
,Hy aiuiy pa.A anu t"cy seem ABOUT 70
tHppe une, a., ao seil ,'tp' out e'iet 1;, le'
wy" Wv. 'i'' 80 tuey hic u''
,hnon'.h n. ~ al 49,. % ,ee' .usn tneu i
and - j., nuooaf,I on.,,n o, ~. Ia'.n
go oaoh - e, ~; .t'. a"u Vi'e'
49, "1stn Ttl tsh; .oi vneit 'tn,t ptes WI. cas.