BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY. 



91 



twisting and turning like a Hawk, until finally the Herring Gull, hard pressed, 

 dropped a clam, on which the big fellow at once pounced. Their cry is easily 

 distinguished from that of the Herring Gull, being deeper and coarser. 



In winter, they are very fond of resting on the Salvages, rocky ledges off 

 the coast of Cape Ann. 



I have noted their field marks and distinguishing points from the Herring 

 Gull in the annotations on that bird. 



18 [51] Larus argentatus Briinn. 

 Herring Gull; "Gray Gull." 



Abundant resident ; does not breed. 



Especially along the northern sandy shores of Essex County, particularly 

 at Ipswich and Coffin's Beaches, the Herring Gull is to be found at all seasons 

 of the year, — always abundant. Their numbers have noticeably increased dur- 

 ing the last three or four years, owing to the efforts of the Audubon Society in 

 protecting them on their breeding places on the coast of Maine. During the 

 winter they are seen in great numbers in the harbors and in all protected bays. 

 At this season they are more apt to visit the flats, creeks, and marshes, while in 

 the summer they are chiefly to be found on and near the sand beaches and their 

 outlying bars. During October and November, and again in the spring migra- 

 tion, they often tarry for a while in the large ponds, and I have seen numbers 

 standing on the ice of a pond in December, even when there was no open water 

 near. They also frequent the rocky ledges off the end of Cape Ann. In June, 

 July, and August they are often particularly abundant at the beaches. 



As their nearest breeding place is at No-Man's-Land in Penobscot Bay, 1 1 1 

 miles to the northeast of Ipswich Light, and from there on eastward down the 

 Maine coast, some explanation must be given for their presence here. The 

 common explanation is that those that pass the summer are immature and bar- 

 ren birds. This is certainly true, but is, I believe, only a partial explanation, 

 because it hardly seems credible that so many adult birds as are found here in 

 summer should be barren. I have made numerous counts and have sometimes 

 found in June and July in some flocks as many as a quarter of the birds in the 

 adult or nearly adult plumage. At other times during these months a flock will 

 be seen where nearly all are in dark, very immature plumage, while near at hand 

 may be a small flock of apparently full adults. Many of the large flocks contain 

 from five to ten percent of adults. On the 21st of June, 1903, I saw at least 



