THE GULL TRANSFORMED. 213 



miraculous visitation by fixing a penalty of five 

 dollars upon the head of every gull in the Terri- 

 tory. And now, the birds having found con- 

 genial nesting-places on solitary islands in the 

 lake, their descendants are so fearless and so 

 tame that they habitually follow the plow like 

 a flock of chickens, rising from almost under the 

 feet of the indifferent horses and settling down 

 at once in the furrow behind, seeking out and eat- 

 ing greedily all the worms and grubs and larvae 

 and mice and moles that the plow has disturbed 

 in its passage. The Mormon cultivator has 

 sense enough to appreciate such service, and no 

 man or boy dreams of lifting a finger against 

 his best friend. 



Extraordinary indeed was this sight to eyes 

 accustomed to seeing every bird who attempts to 

 render like service shot and snared and swept 

 from the face of the earth. Our hearts warmed 

 toward the " Sons of Zion," and our respect for 

 their intelligence increased, as we hurried down 

 to the field to see this latter-day wonder. 



Whether the birds distinguished between 

 " saints " and sinners, or whether their confi- 

 dence extended only to plow-boys, they would 

 not let us come near them. But our glasses 

 brought them close, and we had a very good 

 study of them, finding exceeding interest in their 

 ways : their quaint faces as they flew toward 



