Larus a.smithsonianus. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1890. At noon a young Herring Gull alighted on the water just Oct.24. off our landing and spent nearly half-an-hour trying to swal- low a dead pickerel which was too large for him. He tore it to pieces about the head when it would begin to sink the mo-, ment he let it go. Each time he would recover it by plunging his head and neck under water. At length he missed his aim and the fish doubtless sank beyond his reach for he rose on wing at once to the height of ten or twelve feet, closed his wings and plunged down head first going quite out of sight excepting the tip of his tail but he came up without his fish. He took his disappointment very coolly and floated on the waves for several minutes plunging his head under them and scattering the water over his back at the same time thrashing the surface with his wings. He was so tame that one of my men rowed past him within ten yards last evening and I sailed my canoe within 30 yards of him before he flew.