Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/118

 The Herring Gull on Lake Superior 8-

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old feathers, Each contained about a peek of material. formed into a low heap, with a shallow bowl-shaped bed in the top, six or eight inehes across.

The nesting season was past, but we found some half dozen riddled eggs. Judging from these, there were two H'pcs, which we would charac- terize as a gray-green and a gray-brown. Thei approximated in size and form an ordinary hen's egg,

As we climbed up the rocks. the mung Gulls that did not swim away sought refuge by hiding : and so elosely did they blend With the color and

HEILRIM; muss .\ES'[' AND 'rwu wen; (u LIA‘

tone of the rocks that they were scarcely discernahle, even at a distance of but a few feet.

With heads down and hills invariably thrust into the farthest corners. they crouched in the crannies. The appearance of these little Gulls. thus huddled down, strongly suggested kittens.

They were covered with a soft. fur-like down. in color grayish white. indistinctlv mottled with black. The markings on the head are much more sharply defined than on the body. The e_\e is black and the expression alert. The feet, like a puppy‘s. are much too large for the body. and the whole effect is comical. We found these small Gulls usuallv in pairs, and judged therefrom that each famin kepr to itself.

A curious instinct of self-defence—to disgust its enemies—was invari>