t)N THE FLIGHT OF GULLS< 
307 
Mr. Dale may truly be said to be tbe great patron of Entomology in Eng¬ 
land ; his fortune enables him to visit all parts of the kingdom, with the view of 
procuring the richest treasures, and I have known many instances of his gene¬ 
rosity being liberally exercised towards entomologists in distress. 
I have been induced to draw the attention of your readers generally, but more 
particularly those who take an interest in the science of Entomology, to the ex¬ 
tensive and richly-stored cabinets of Mr. Dale, feeling assured that his kindness 
and liberality will at all times prompt him to render assistance to the ento¬ 
mologist in the prosecution of his studies, by giving every facility for an inspec¬ 
tion of his admirably-arranged collection. 
Lendal^ York^ 1S36. 
ON THE FLIGHT OF GULLS. 
By Mr, W. H. Benshed. 
It is the custom with many farmers in the neighbourhood of Tonbridge, 
Yalding, and several other places in their vicinity, to manure their land with 
Sprats, which are brought from the sea in barges. In a few days the Gulls 
visit the fields, and it is necessary to have persons constantly upon the spot, to 
drive them off, or the greater part of the fish would be carried away. The course 
of their flight is about N. E., and they pass regularly in parties from the sea in 
the morning, and back again in the evening, going nearly over Maidstone in 
their passage to and from their food. Their discovering the fish at so great a dis¬ 
tance is very remarkable. Can it be by their great powers of smelling ? The 
fish soon putrify, and the effluvium is very great; but I have generally supposed 
that a few individuals first follow the course of the river, and, having ascertained 
the spot where the fish are deposited, they afterwards make a short cut of the 
distance to the sea. It is very amusing to watch their morning and evening 
flight, as they vary their plans, according to the wind and weather. If they 
have a strong head-wind to contend with, they separate and wheel about, beat¬ 
ing upwards, and occasionally sweeping downwards to within a few feet of the 
earth, then, mounting on a sudden gust, seem to hang poised in the air, but, with 
a slight q^uivering motion of the wings, they again dash forward. In fine culm 
weather they fly like the first figure on the next page, and I was once particularly 
struck with a manoeuvre of these birds. It was on a still afternoon in December, 
the clouds were remarkably high, and 
