The California Gull 



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Taken in Mono County 



Photo by the Author 



A WINGED COMMOTION 



California Gulls was not conspicuously different from those of Western 

 Gulls or Glaucous-wings under like circumstances. In fact, I suspect that 

 a critical study of the notes of these species would reveal an exact parallel- 

 ism; and that all the major expressions could be identified or referred to 

 a provincial modification of speech, — an accent rather than something 

 generically different. 



Among the notes two occasioned special interest, one a gulping note 

 of protest, which sounded absurdly like hellp; the other a crone-like 

 objurgation in solemn, measured tones to which the whole tribe listened. 

 This, too, was uttered with the mandibles almost closed; and its utterance, 

 so different in cadence and quality from anything else heard in the entire 

 babel of sound, made a strong impression. Among them all, certain voices, 

 or it may be special sounds, came out on occasion with the tone of author- 

 ity. For example, at a time when most of the birds had returned to their 

 eggs and were sitting uneasily upon them, and during an unceasing medley 

 of protest or anxiety, would come a certain note which would cause the 

 entire colony to leap into the air, although we had done nothing whatever, 

 at least at that particular moment, to excite fear. It might have been 



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