Song Birds and Water Fowl 
tempts to find the more fugacious water fowl, 
which are constantly on the wing—here to-day, 
and to-morrow perhaps fifty miles away. 
But, go where one will along the coast or 
larger rivers in winter, he will not be long in 
discovering the almost omnipresent gulls, win- 
ter’s cold and snowy emblem; particularly, 
that most abundant species in this region, the 
herring gull. In point of numbers and general 
prevalence this species predominates over all 
the others, at least hereabouts, as much as 
English sparrows over all the other winter birds 
on land. Herring gulls—named from their 
diet—are almost always on the wing, always 
eating, and never satisfied. But their feast, 
although perpetual, is not elaborate; for, at 
least in their summer home, they rarely get be- 
yond the fish course. As this, however, con- 
stitutes the fuel for maintaining almost endless 
motion, it is hardly to be wondered at that 
they should be voracious. 
Those who have only seen these birds upon 
the wing would not be able to judge of their 
appearance in repose, which is graceful and 
aérial, rather than aquatic. I know of no 
better comparison than an enormous pigeon, 
two feet long, but web-footed. 
156 
