724 



THE GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. 



Unies, uttered ilelilieialely and witlnpiU much slinw (jf energy. L'sed chielly 

 in domestic conversation of uncertain import. 



Orcc-ch, orcc-ch, orcc-ch. an an an — An e.xpressii in of greeting as 

 when uttered Ijy a sitting bird welcimiing one almul tn aliglit. The notes of 

 the tirst series are trumpet tones in uliich the second syllable of each member 

 is raised to a higher pitch, while the \i;)ice is clroppetl again on the third. The 

 second series is lower and more tri\-ial but still enthusiastic as tho congratula- 

 tor_\- to the guest arri\'ed. 



K(i — shouted once, or thrice repeated, in (juelling a clamor. "'Hist! 

 Hist! \ ou're mal-cing ton much noise: he's watching us." 



Aralili — a shnv and mournful trumpeting, usually uttered awing to 

 express anxiety or grief, as at the loss of a chick. 



Oo anil. DO anil — repeated indetinitely. Notes of coa.xing and endear- 

 ment usually addressed to children, but occasionally to wedded mates. The 

 cooing" of dcjves does not express so much adulation, or idolatrous tlevolion, as 

 the gull throws into these most domestic tones. 



(^.laucous-wing is the gull par c.vcrllcncL- of Washington. Indeed, the 

 faiuiliar, ntjte-book shorthand "G. W. Gull" deserves to be e.xpanded into 

 George Washington Gull, by way of loyally. No other gull is known to nest on 

 the islands of the lower Sound, where ten or a d(.«en small colonies of this 

 species remain. Among the 01_\'mi;)iades there are ten principal colonies, boast- 

 ing in the neighborhood of eight thousand Ijirds all told, while detached groups 

 and scattered pairs haunt ])ractically e\er\- a\'ailal)le rock from Destruction 

 Island northward. 



The nesting colonies comprise adult birds exclusixeh' : and since the ju\e- 

 niles are practicallv absent from the harbors in summer, Washington knows 

 nothing of their whereabouts at that season. I'.arly in the lall both adults and 

 ycjung begin to appear in the harl)ors and inland waters, and their nunil>ers in- 

 crease steadih' until. b\' the time winter is established, ihey outnumber all other 

 species, sa\'e /,. hracliviiiyncliiis, ten to one. As nearl)- as we can determine, 

 liowe\'er, the locallv l)reeding adull binls retreat down the coast and their place 

 is supplied b\' others from the North. In this sjiecies, moreover, the succession 

 of size appears to re\erse the usual order, inasmuch as the southern-bred birds 

 average larger. 



From a Photoginfh, Cof\right. roo/, by IV. L. Da-csnn. 

 A NATURAL FRIEZE. 



GLAUCOUS-WINCED GULLS ON RAILING, SEATTLE. 



