The Herring Gull 



as early as the first of September. By October there is a fair sprinkling 

 of this species in most harbor-haunting or coastwise flock of gulls, but the 

 local status of the species is incessantly changing. Much depends upon 

 weather conditions in southern Alaska and British Columbia. A storm or 

 a cold snap as late as January will bring thousands of gulls of this and 

 allied species hurrying down from the North, and may quite alter the com- 

 plexion of the local gull fauna. 



Many birds attach themselves to coastwise vessels, and some few 

 follow faithfully from Eureka to San Francisco, or from the Bay Cities to 

 San Diego. Vessels plying to Portland and Puget Sound ports put further 

 out to sea, and so lose their Larine super-cargoes, but as they approach 

 the Golden Gate they are greeted by waiting crews of these enthusiastic 

 and hungry servitors. When not dancing in close attendance upon ships, 

 the gulls move extensively along the coastline at the dictation of the pre- 

 vailing wind. Even in midwinter, when the birds would prefer to remain 

 in the South, they seem to have no choice but to breast the wind, and so 

 will move up the coast hundreds of miles in a day, if the wind is from the 

 west or northwest. They work their way down coast again in calm 

 weather, or else breast the south wind. In migratory flight, or when 



Taken in Santa Barbara County 



FOLLOWING THE PLOW 



Photo by the Author 



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