44 LONDON BIRDS 



without going further than the ' ornithological obser- 

 vatory ' in St. James's Park. 



The comings and goings of the Sea Gulls were, when 

 they first began to arrive in any considerable numbers, 

 in close relation to weather changes, and, almost in- 

 variably, preceded them. 



The arrival of the first considerable party, noticed in 

 October 1895, which included two or three Herring 

 Gulls in full adult plumage, was immediately followed 

 by an unusually early winter, which covered the east 

 end of the ornamental water with a coating of ice. 



Ten days or so later a second and much larger party 

 arrived. There was nothing in the appearance of the 

 weather at the time to account for their coming ; but 

 next morning all were riding, closely packed in the lee 

 of the peninsula, with heads to a heavy wind, and the 

 telegraphic weather reports spoke of a ' stormy ' sea on 

 the east coast. 



Again, one morning a few weeks later, a large, newly- 

 arrived party were to be seen on the water. The 

 weather was mild and still ; but before half the night 

 was over light sleepers were awakened by rattling 

 window-frames and the howls of half a gale of wind 

 among the chimney-stacks. 



Science has made giant strides since the days of 

 Augustus; but in our knowledge of the springs of 

 action in birds we are not yet very much farther 

 forward than we were when Virgil told in immortal 

 verse the weather signs to be read in the flight of 

 Coots and Cormorants, and, looking about for an 



