. Arctic explorations: the second Grinnell expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, 1853, '54, '55. 5. ^X^-. GLAUCOUS AND TRIDACTYL GULLS. mothers, with long necks and gaping yellow bills,swooped above the peaceful shallows of the eiders,carrying off the young birds, seemingly just as theirwants required. A more domineering and insatiablerapacity I have never witnessed. The gull wouldgobble up and swallow a young eider in less time than 320 PREDATORY INSTINCTS. it takes me to describe the act. For a moment youwould see the paddling feet of the poor little wretchprotruding from the mouth; the
. Arctic explorations: the second Grinnell expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, 1853, '54, '55. 5. ^X^-. GLAUCOUS AND TRIDACTYL GULLS. mothers, with long necks and gaping yellow bills,swooped above the peaceful shallows of the eiders,carrying off the young birds, seemingly just as theirwants required. A more domineering and insatiablerapacity I have never witnessed. The gull wouldgobble up and swallow a young eider in less time than 320 PREDATORY INSTINCTS. it takes me to describe the act. For a moment youwould see the paddling feet of the poor little wretchprotruding from the mouth; then came a distension ofthe neck as it descended into the stomach; a fewmoments more, and the young gulls were feeding onthe ejected morsel. The mother-duck, of course nearly distracted, battles,and battles well; but she cannot always reassembleher brood; and in her efforts to defend one, un-covering the others, I have seen her left as destituteas Niobe. Hans tells me that in such cases sheadopts a new progeny; and, as he is well versed inthe habits of the bird, I see no reason to doubt hisassertion. The gl
Size: 2374px × 1052px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookpublisheretcetc, bookyear185
