BABY GULLS 155 



It is pleasant to know that some of these 

 sea-lovers are so devoted to the briny deep 

 that they even drink its to us nauseous 

 water, as Mr. Brewster has proved by the 

 conduct of a gull in confinement. This bird, 

 a kittiwake gull, refused to drink at all 

 until sea-water was provided for bathing, 

 when he rushed at it as if dying of thirst, 

 and from that time flourished upon his salty 

 beverage. 



One of my most interesting experiences 

 with the sea-lovers was with young gulls. 

 One afternoon I was attracted by strange 

 cries which seemed to come from the sea. 

 They sounded like the cries of a dog in dis- 

 tress, and as they continued some time I 

 went down to the shore to see if I could do 

 anything to help. The shore was very rocky, 

 and full of crevasses into which a dog might 

 possibly have fallen. 



When I reached the shore, behold a party 

 of gulls, twenty or thirty of them, some sit- 

 ting quietly on the water, others flying 

 around and alighting a busy, happy 

 group, and as I saw in a moment a 

 nursery party. There were the young in 



