THE CALIFORNIA GULL 23 



less fish in the net for every pound of salable ones. Most 

 of the gulls had not yet gone to their breeding grounds 

 and so there was a royal feast for them all day long. I 

 am sure I never saw so many gulls at one time in my life 

 before or since. 



But fishermen are not lifting their nets every day in the 

 year, and it is only for a short season that these birds are 

 enabled to feast on fresh fish as they did that day. Or- 

 dinarily they follow ships back and forth watching for 

 the cook to empty the slops from the kitchen into the 

 water or for some interested passenger to throw food to 

 them. They eat almost any sort of food. I have seen 

 them fight as earnestly over potato parings, bread crusts, 

 and other refuse as over fish thrown into the water. When 

 the tide is going out they often gather in large numbers 

 along the shore, feeding on any small creatures that may be 

 left stranded. I have never seen them eat starfish, but 

 they will feed on sea cucumbers and small crabs and shell 

 fish as well as on dead minnows that are washed ashore. 

 Because of these habits of feeding, those who have tried 

 to eat gulls tell me that their flesh is so strong and rank 

 they are not fit for food ; so they are never killed for that 

 purpose. As they are enormous eaters and are always 

 ready to pick up anything that is thrown into the sea, they 

 are valuable as scavengers to the people who live along 

 the shore. In fact, anywhere in the United States or Can- 

 ada it is against the law to kill sea gulls. I have never 

 seen one shot, altho I have frequently seen the stuffed 

 skins. They are powerful in flight, often remaining on 

 the wing for hours at a time ; when they tire they settle on 

 the water to rest. They have webbed feet like the rest 

 of the swimmers and are consequently able to swim as well 



