Sept., ?9o5 [ AMONG THE SEA BIRDS OFF THE OREGON COAST, PART I equilibrium and at the same time, reach forward with his foot and scratch his ear. But what is beauty, if it is 'only skin deep? A gull is not,the white- winged angel that the poet sees. A gull, in his own country, will steal like a politician and murder like a pirate. They swarmed about us like_'vultures after a battle. The ?ninute our approach drove a murre or.?,cormorant front its nest, the saintly-looking scalawags swooped down to eat the eggs and young. The gulls are freebooters and robbers on the island, but it is only when the other birds are frightened from their nests that they have a chance to carry out their nefarious trade. l?.ternal vigilance is the pricethe cormorants and tourres pay for their eggs and young. Their possessions are never left for an instant without a guard unless on account ot a person. But the fittest manage to survive on the rock, and these gulls are the most useful birds to man in the bays and rivers about the water-fronts of our cities. They are valuable as scavengers and should be protected in every way possible. Three of them are equal to a buzzard. Ten of these gulls are equal to a pig. .? The gull picks out a comfortable spot and builds a respectable nest, and that is about the only creditable thing he does on the rock. 'l he grass-covered roof of the island is his favorite nesting place, although many
select the niches in the bare rock on
the face of the cliff. The gulfs eggs lie right out in the open and never seem to be bothered by other birds; they, therose|yes, do not ravage the '"?:? homes of their own kindred. The ?.?2?2 eggs are of dull earthy and chocolate- ?,?.%g'?; brown tints, with darker blotches, ? ' t *?e- matching their surroundings so per- ? .??' - - fectly, that we had to be constantly on the lookout to keep from stepping ? '? ?' '""' on them. When the eggs were "?.?" ? hatched, we found the nestlings were ?' '? protected by equally deceptive ?"_?.j'? ?r X'X /? %' clothes of a mottled grey color. '- ", The old gulls were very solicitious for their young. The minute you go vou-G GU?a. ,'""m,,G about their homes, they hover over Courtes? of The Paci/h ,11onlhlt you with loud, warning calls, watch- ing every move you make. They teach their young to keep hidden and to lie close. I have seen more than one gull impress this upon her children. One day I was walking along a ledge and came abruptly to a place where l could look down the top slope. Below me a few yards, I saw two half-grown gulls; one crouched beside a rock, but the other started to run down the ridge. He hadn't gone two yards before the mother dove at him with a blow that knocked him roll- ing. He got up dazed. and struck off in a new direction, but she swooped again and rapped him on the head till he see?ned glad enough to crawl in under the nearest weed. Occasionally we found the gulls very pugnacious. There was one mother that had a nest of three young birds on a narrow ledge, and every time the pho-
