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 May, 1916 A VISIT TO HAT AND EGG ISLANDS 121 other or toward strangers. Each brood remained together in the nest appar- ently until able to fly. They are rather pugnacious in their disposition when approached. They emit a sound that closely resembles the dry "chuck" of the blackbird, while the parent sounds a drawn-out ah-h-h-h-h-h, when the nest is approached. If the stranger goes too close to the nest, the chicks either attempt to retreat, or stand their ground and strike at the intruder, and a sharp click is heard as their mandibles snap together. The young do not belie their reptih'an ancestry either in their uncanny long necks and staring eyes, nor in this method of defense by striking. It was a rather impressive aspect that the half-grown herons presented as they stood in stoic, stork-like aspect on their nests, patiently awaiting their usual allowances. No accurate observations were made of the feeding of the young herons. One instance is perhaps worthy of mention. An adult heron was seen to alight on a rock some rods from a nest of younglings. As the persistent visitor dd not leave the vicinity, the bird stood for some time and finally regurgitated what was probably meant to be the afternoon meal of her brood. Upon exam- Fig. 39. PELICAN EGGS DESTROYED BY GULLS. ination of the mass of material disgorged a partially digested fish eight inches long was found, as well as the scales of another fish and other material that could not be identified. GENERAL HABITS OF THE GULLS, HERONS AND PELICANs.--The easy, grace- ful, flowing type of flight, as well as the soaring of the gulls, was illustrated in countless examples. This slow waving of the wings i.n flight seems to correlate exceedingly well with this bird's method in starting flight. It is a fact often observed that the gull seldom if ever perches, but rather alights upon the ground where it procures, in this section of the country, 15he greater part of its food. When the bird starts flight it opens ad beats its. wings through small arcs, ad runs along the ground to gain momentum for a launch into the air. In other words, the gull normally beats its wings so slowly that it can, only with great fficulty, rise into the air by its wings alone, hence it brings into play its auxiliaxy organs of locomotion. In alighting it is a matter of some interest to note the position of the wings, which are placed in vertical