Larus a . sm i t h sonianus . 
Cambridge 
1899 . 
Nov.29. 
( 2 ). 
Mass. 
Gulls and I 150 Ducks. A few Gulls were coming in from time 
to time at 9 A.M. and at about 11 A. LI. , when the west wind 
started and began to ruffle the pond, at least one third of 
the Gulls rose high in air and departed in the direction of 
Boston. Our count was probably made at about the time when 
the birds were present in the greatest numbers. 
At least eighty percent of the Gulls were old birds (a 
sad commentary on the results of the past breeding season). X 
scrutinized nearly every one of them carefully with my double 
telescope and, as far as I could make out, all but one were 
Herring Gulls. (For this one see note under Larus glaucus ). 
Many of the Herring Gulls slept by spells but the majori¬ 
ty swam slowly about or "rode at anchor" breasting the wind 
and rising and falling with the waves, after the wind had 
roughened the pond. Once there was a sudden and to me quite 
mysterious alarm when the bulk of the flock started and cir¬ 
cled about a few times before realighting but with this excep¬ 
tion the Gulls remained very quiet during the time I was 
make 
watching them. As far as I could^out they were not getting 
or even looking for food while in the water and none of them 
flew about in search of it although they used to do so years 
ago when there were alewivos in Fresh Pond. I saw a young 
bird do a very singular thing. It rolled over squarely on its 
back in the water and floated th©¥=e for half-a-minute or more 
