THE HERRING OR HARBOR GULL 



By MABEL OSGOOD WRIGHT 



C^e i^ational Si00ociation of Sludubon ^otittit& 



EDUCATIONAL LEAFLET NO. 29 



The Sandpipers have ended their pretty cotirtesyings, and no longer patter 

 to and fro upon the beaches and river edges. The flocking Swallows have fin- 

 ished their fall manoeuvers and left the marshes, and the Wild Goose arrows 

 no more fleck the sky. But white wings are bending over the crested waves, 

 and the clamor of call-notes comes from bar and shore, — the high-pitched cry 

 of the Harbor Gull. 



If there is any one kind that deserves the title of our National 

 The Gull's ^^^g^ gj^^ .^ .g ^^jg Harbor Gull, for it is to be found in the 



Season 



Northern Hemisphere wherever there is a sufficient body of 



water to yield it food. For the three or four months of the year that are its breed- 

 ing season, it may be seen only northward from Maine, the Great Lakes, Minne- 

 sota and British Columbia, and in the northern parts of the Old World; but 

 for the rest of the year the Harbor Gulls travel southward as far 

 His Journeys as Cuba on the east, and lower California on the west; and, 

 in Europe, southward to the Mediterranean; in great flocks 

 or only small groups stopping to winter as regularly in certain haunts as the 

 migrant song-birds return in spring to their old nesting-places. 



The Harbor Gull, like some of its land brothers, has two changes of plumage 

 in the year. The full-grown bird in summer wears a beautiful pearl-gray cloak, 

 with black and white markings on the wings, all the under plumage being of 

 the purest silver white, of dazzling brilliancy. The bill runs straight out from 

 the head and is strongly hooked at the end, while the four-toed feet are webbed, 

 and fit the bird for resting on the water and swimming with all 

 T e Gu s ^j^^ g^gg ^j ^ Duck, though without its swiftness. In winter 



plumage, the old bird's head is streaked with gray and brown, 

 while the young bird of the year is generally grayish brown, streaked and spotted 

 on the upper parts, the breast and belly being marked with rusty brown and 

 gray, in the combination seen in some of our Hawks. 



The name Herring Gull was given to this bird beforetime, because, as they 

 were originally fishermen by trade, their presence flying above the water told 

 where schools of herring were to be found. 



Today the schools of herring are less plentiful along our shores, and the 



value of this Gull, though greater than ever, is due to a different 



The Value of gQ^j-^^g^ Coming famiharly about the harbors of great cities, 



Gulls to Man . , , , r , ., r i 



frequentmg the beaches after the summer throngs of pleasure- 

 seekers have left, the Gulls become the heaith-ofl&cers of the coast, gleaning not 



(277) 



