EARLY SPRING IN MASSACHUSETTS. 155 
March 16, 1860. Saw a flock of sheldrakes 
a hundred rods off on the Great Meadows, 
mostly males, with a few females, all intent on 
fishing. They were coasting along a spit of 
bare ground that showed itself in the middle 
of the meadow, sometimes the whole twelve ap¬ 
parently in a straight line, at nearly equal dis¬ 
tances apart, each with its head under water, 
rapidly coasting along back and forth, and ever 
and anon one having caught something would 
be pursued by the others. It is remarkable 
that they find their finny prey in the middle of 
the meadow now, and even on the very inmost 
side, as I afterward saw, though the water is 
quite low. Of course, as soon as they are seen 
on the meadows there are fishes there to be 
caught. I never see them fish thus in the chan¬ 
nel. Perhaps the fishes lie up there for warmth 
already. 
I also see two gulls nearly a mile off. One 
stands still and erect for three quarters of an 
hour, or till disturbed, on a little bit of floated 
meadow crust which rises above the water, just 
room for it to stand on, with its great white 
breast toward the wind. Then another comes 
flying past it, and alights on a similar perch, 
but which does not rise quite to the surface, so 
that it stands in the water. Thus they will 
stand for an hour, at least. They are not of 
