52 



THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



HABITS OF YOUNG GULLS IN CON- 

 FINEMENT. 



{Lams occideti talis . ) 



I had a pair of young Western Gulls 

 from the Farallone Islands sent in as pets, 

 and odd-looking ones they were, too; more 

 in comparison like gray goslings than any- 

 thing I could mention. As they grew from 

 their downy plumage into full-feathered 

 birds they proved to be the most interesting 

 pair of birds I ever owned. 



They soon learned to come by their 

 names, "Jack" and "JiH," of falling up- 

 hill fame. F'or protection at night, as well 

 as to keep them from wandering off in the 

 early dawn, they were put into a headless 

 barrel. They retained their thick coat of 

 downy gray plumage till late in the fall — 

 October. They came to me on the first of 

 July, 1887, and some of the fine down could 

 be seen still adhering to the edges of the 

 new feathers, over the whole body. The 

 neck and head were the last parts of the 

 Gulls to feather out. 



The first plumage was a dull stone gray, 

 just as all the Gulls look in the fall that 

 come into San Francisco ba3\ For food 

 they were not at all particular as to quality 

 or quantity, only so it could be got into 

 their capacious gullets, which latter never 

 seemed to get filled up at an}- time. Many 

 a time I have had my attention called to 

 their sparring tilts with the house cats, for 

 the food dish. It would sometimes lead to 

 a great deal of argument between them, as 

 to who should have the bones. At times 

 one of the Gulls would drive off the cats 

 while the other Gull would get his fill; 

 then the other would take a turn. At any 

 other than eating times they were on the 

 most friendly terms with the cats, and 

 would even all be cuddled close together 

 in the sunny places. 



Toss them dry bread and they would take 

 it and run for any water in sight, when it 

 was doused about till soft, then gulped 

 down in haste, and back they would rush 

 for more. Cold potatoes, mush, griddle 



cakes, bones, sour milk — all went in as 

 good provisions for Gulls. Cold griddle 

 cakes were a joy to them; throw them into 

 the air and they would be caught on the 

 fly with a cry, and worked down whole in 

 no time, while crooking and flapping their 

 wings for more. Bacon rinds was a side 

 dish that would make them fairly dance a 

 breakdown. They got so they would go 

 out when the chickens were fed grain and 

 pick up the kernels — only when extra hun- 

 gry, though. 



When the young Gulls first came, and 

 were kept in the barrel, it was as good as 

 a chicken on a hot stove lid to see their 

 actions on being let out in the mornings. 

 They would give one or two calls, then set 

 into a gentle rising motion up from the 

 ground of six to eight inches, caused by 

 undulalions of the outstretched wings, done 

 with long even flaps, making them look 

 very graceful and beautiful as they turned 

 about, bowing and calling to one another. 



These performances brought to mind 

 what I have read of the Sandhill Crane's 

 dances, held in their great fall gatherings 

 before migration. This morning exercise 

 of the young Gulls was a trying of their 

 wing powers, so to speak, and a salutation 

 of the morning. Then they would strike 

 on a run for the dish of water, fishing 

 around in it, and throwing it over them- 

 selves for a bath, which seems to be a char- 

 acteristic habit of the Gulls. I have often 

 noticed them at the Farallone Islands in 

 large numbers along the shallow water 

 edges or at low tide, on kelp-covered rocks 

 in the early morn, taking their regular dip, 

 then to start off food hunting. 



When Jack and Jill got older they were 

 more demonstrative in all their actions. 

 When extra famished, and they wanted to 

 show it, they would hang about the kitchen 

 doorway, calling and following me about; 

 or even chasing the chickens, as though 

 they ought to have some grain for them- 

 selves. One day, on my mother holding 

 up a piece of cheese to one of them, the 

 Gull, after several futile attempts to reach 



