'S92I Mackay 0)1 r/ic f/i'iiiiisr Gull. 



225 



the air. At other times tliey will follow the line oF surf along thb 

 beaches for miles hinitiny for anything- that mi<i^ht prove available 

 for food. They will also collect in numbers and follow the llsh- 

 in^:^ vessels, especially when they arc cleaninii; lish and throwinj;- 

 the entrails overboard, for which they ti<;ht and stru<^;jjle, .giving 

 vent to their feelings in screams. When flying about, they ordi- 

 naril)- keep at an altitude of about thirty to forty V'^i'^^ls ; the head 

 is carried low with eyes scanning the surface of the ocean and 

 adjacent shores. When danger is discovered while flying near 

 the shore they make a backward movement of the wings and fall 

 ofl' before the wind if practicable. When it is blowing hard they 

 will Irequently alight in numbers just outside of where the rollers 

 are breaking and under the shelter of the beach. Here they will 

 sit, with necks and feathers drawn down, with every appearance 

 of contentment, regardless of wind or weather. They will fre- 

 quently alight on the beaches in nimibers when it blows hard, 

 selecting such places where the headland has been blown o'di 

 level with the beach, such places, I suppose, being considered 

 safer, as aflbrding a wider scope of vision. When wounded 

 they are apt to show fight, biting quite hard. 



I think it more than likely that some of our American birds, as 

 also the European form {Lams ai-o-c7itat?is), cross the Atlantic, 

 reaching the several shores by following the many steamships, 

 the very close resemblance of these two forms (the European 

 bird only being slightly smaller) renders it most difficult to dis- 

 tinguish one from the other, except for expert ornithologists, 

 into whose hands few seem thus far to have fallen. 



When flying about Herring Gulls do not associate together in 

 large numbers, being oftener seen in twos and threes. It is with 

 considerable hesitation that I regard them as gregarious within 

 a strict interpretation of the term, for they apparently only come 

 together when there is some particular reason for doing so, 

 as for instance something to eat, or to roost on some sand shoal 

 or rest, and not apparently because they /ike to be together. I 

 regard them as very curious and much afraid that some of their 

 companions may fare better than themselves. Although they 

 accuiuulate in considerable numbers at times on the sand bars, 

 beaches, flats, and back of the breakers when resting on the 

 ocean ; they do not seem to me to evince much friendship for 

 each other during the period in which they remain on this coast. 

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