Larus a. smi thsonianus . 
Cambr idge, Mass. 
18SS. than the usual proportion of young to adults. 
■December. On the afternoon of the 11th as I was passing Fresh Pond 
■ ( 2 ). shortly before sunset the Gulls started on their evening 
flight to the sea, all departing in two flocks, the second 
following the first after an interval of about five minutes. 
All the birds of each flock left the water at practically the 
- 
■ 
same moment and flew straight down into Cambridge Hook. When 
they neared its extremity they turned back and began ascending 
in spirals until they had reached an elevation of about 200 
yards when they formed into a compact cluster and gradually 
drifted off out of sight to the eastward soaring in small 
circles for the first quarter of axmile and at the last mov¬ 
ing more swiftly in a straight course. There were about 300 
birds in all and their flight was very beautiful and impressive. 
Not once during the past autumn have I seen any of the 
Gulls which have assembled at Fresh Pond in such numbers, 
flying about in search of food. They used to beat back and 
forth along the shores frequently swooping down to pick up a 
■ 
small fish but of late years they have evidently frequented 
the Pond solely to rest and bathe on its sheltered surface. 
