BY THE WAYSIDE 
29 
SCHOOL BRANCH DEPARTMENT 
Every Wisconsin School Branch is required to subscribe for at least one copy of BY THE WAYSIDE 
they? The gulls often follow the ships 
Letters to this department should be 
written on only one side of the page, should 
give name, age and address of the writer 
and should he mailed by the first of the 
month; Illinois writers sending to Miss 
Mary A. Hardman, Academy of Sciences, 
Chicago, Ill., and Wisconsin writers to Mr. 
Roland E. Kremers, Madison, Wis. To 
each writer whose letter is published will 
be sent an illustrated leaflet on some bird. 
For the best letter each month we will send 
a second leaflet. Preference will be given 
to letters about the bird study for the 
month and to original observations. 
Any Wisconsin society may, by paying 
the express, have the use of the Gordon and 
Merrill Libraries of bird books by applying 
to Mr. Ivremers. 
Wisconsin parties should apply to the 
University Extension Division, Madison, for 
colored bird slides. Illinois Schools may 
use. without expense, a library or a lecture 
with lantern slides, by applying to Miss 
Runnel, Academy of Sciences, Chicago. 
THE BIRD OF THE MONTH 
The Herring Gull. 
Inasmuch as Mr. Burrill is asking us 
to care for the Herring Gull especially 
I in winter by feeding it, let us become 
a little better acquainted if possible 
| with this beautiful bird. Of course 
I not only the herring gull, but all other 
birds and all plants and animals as 
well have a beauty which can be and 
is appreciated by those who have be¬ 
come familiar enough with living 
things. But this bird is one of the 
creatures which appeals even to a per¬ 
son who is not fond of animals. It is 
a large bird, easily seen and not very 
shy if it is not annoyed. When fed 
and protected it will become rather 
| tame. Indeed, the sailors whose ships 
j, it follows and who feed it the refuse 
! from the kitchen become very fond of 
the birds and consider them as tokens 
of good fortune. And why shouldn’t 
Hi I 
far from land and arc the only living 
things to be seen on the wide expanse 
of the ocean. The bright plumage 
makes them pretty to look upon: the 
pure white of the underparts; the pearl 
of the upper parts or mantle as it is 
called because when they are resting 
lightly on the water the darker shade 
gives the appearance of a mantle worn 
on the back: the broad white tail; the 
gracefully formed pure white head; 
all are resplendant in the bright sun¬ 
light against the dark waves and foam¬ 
ing white caps on a clear brisk day. 
Now thev will circle over the steamer 
*/ 
searching every corner of the deck; 
at such close range we may see clearly 
their powerful, hooked, bright waxen 
yellow beak and their carmine feet 
held close to the body. Noav they will 
fly in a flock at some distance seeking 
to find food. Or again they will lazily 
follow in the Avake and at such times 
they Avill often sIioav you what easy 
work it is to soar. They simply make 
themselA r es comfortable, spread their 
wings and glide along, tilting occa¬ 
sionally now this way now that as 
some breeze disturbs their balance 
slightly, but neA r er once flapping their 
wings. Don’t you wish you might 
move as gracefully? Some of the her¬ 
ring gulls’ relatives, the albatrosses, 
are still more expert and have been 
known to soar for hours without ap¬ 
parently moving their wings. Just 
how they do it, we don’t know, but we 
feel rather certain that their large 
wings and powerful v\dng muscles have 
something to do with it. If there is a 
lake near your home, watch this 
