Song Birds and Water Fowl 



tempts to find the more fugacious water fowl, 

 which are constantly on the wing — ^here to-day, 

 and to-morrow perhaps fifty miles away. 



But, go where one will along the coast or 

 larger rivers in winter, he will not be long in 

 discovering the almost omnipresent gulls, win- 

 ter's cold and snowy emblem; particularly, 

 that most abundant species in this region, the 

 herring gull. In point of numbers and general 

 prevalence this species predominates over all 

 the others, at least hereabouts, as much as 

 English sparrows over all the other winter birds 

 on land. Herring gulls — named from their 

 diet — are almost always on the wing, always 

 eating, and never satisfied. But their feast, 

 although perpetual, is not elaborate; for, at 

 least in their summer home, they rarely get be- 

 yond the fish course. As this, however, con- 

 stitutes the fuel for maintaining almost endless 

 motion, it is hardly to be wondered at that 

 they should be voracious. 



Those who have only seen these birds upon 

 the wing would not be able to judge of their 

 appearance in repose, which is graceful and 

 aerial, rather than aquatic. I know of no 

 better comparison than an enormous pigeon, 

 two feet long, but web-footed. 



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