

SIXTH DAY.] OMENS. 165 



almost certain, that, as the cold air flows down into 

 it, a deposition of water will take place. 



POIET. I have often seen sea-gulls assemble on 

 the land, and have almost always observed, that then 

 very stormy and rainy weather was approaching. I 

 conclude, that these birds, sensible of a current of 

 air flowing from the ocean, retire to the land to 

 shelter themselves from the storm. 



ORN. No such thing. The storm is their element ; 

 and the little petrel enjoys the heaviest gale, because, 

 living on the smaller sea insects, he is sure to find 

 his food in the spray of a heavy wave and you may 

 see him flitting above the edge of the highest surge. 

 I believe, that the reason of this migration of sea- 

 gulls, and other sea birds, to the land, is their 

 security of finding food. They may be observed, at 

 this time, feeding greedily on the earth worms and 

 larvae, driven out of the ground by severe floods ; 

 and the fish, on which they prey in fine weather in 

 the sea, leave the surface, when storms prevail and 

 go deeper. The search after food, as we agreed on a 

 former occasion, is the principal cause why animals 

 change their places. The different tribes of the 

 wading birds always migrate when rain is about to 

 take place ; and I remember once, in Italy, having 

 been long waiting, in the end of March, for the 

 arrival of the double snipe in the Campagna of Rome, 



