Gull

[Celt.] A web-footed sea-bird. Gulls live upon fish, but many follow ships for long distances to pick up the pieces of food thrown the beaks of pelicans. They vary in size, some being small like pigeons, others about 17 inches long. The bill is yellow, and the feet and legs of a greenish-white color. The back and wings are gray, but the head, breast, tail, and under part of the body are pure white. The gull lays three eggs of brownish-olive color, nearly as large as those of the common fowl. All gulls have weak feet and three webbed toes. The largest gulls are the burgomaster or glaucus gull, and the skua or Arctic gull, which frequent the Arctic regions. The tern or sea-swallow has long slender wings. The albatro (q.v.) is another large gull. The stormy petrel (q-v.) is the smallest of web footed birds.