40
NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
the river, or at least not directly across it, and the birds have
always approached the feeding place against the wind, unless the
breeze is very light indeed. A gull comes along at speed close
beside the wall until within a few yards of the spot, when down
go both legs, and the outspread webbed feet are violently paddled
in a direction contrary to the motion of running or swimming and
speed is instantly slackened. Sometimes a more than usually
skilful bird will, by the aid of tail, feet and wings, jerk itself into
an upright position, and then with rapid strokes of wings and legs
fly and drift backwards with the wind for a few moments. The
purpose is to hang as long as possible opposite the spot whence the
expected morsel will appear. When the piece of bread is thrown
up, all the birds close enough dash for it, and that one which
chances to be nearest, or is quickest in its movements, obtains
the prize. The legs seem quite as useful for steering as the
tails. I was very astonished when I first noticed this power of
kicking forwards, which is so effective. If the bird wishes to
slow up and change its direction at the same time, one foot alone
is dropped, and when wheeling suddenly to left or right the
opposite foot pushes on the air just as a man would use his
hands when turning in the water. It is clear that the bird which
has attained the greatest skill in stopping its way has the best
chance of being in a favourable spot for a dash at the food when
thrown up, and this skill can hardly have been obtained when
hawking cockchafers1 and must be largely developed by this
particular fashion of feeding the gulls. It would not be sufficient
for a bird merely to approach at a slow and even rate, because
one which did this would pass the spot a fewer number of times
per hour than one which was able to fly quickly as soon as it
had passed, and, coming round at speed, slow up suddenly in the
important place. Of those birds also, which happen to be
sufficiently near when the food is thrown up, the one which is
most skilful in steering has the best chance of catching it. The
gulls will soon be leaving London for the breeding places in the
Essex marshes. Now, at the end of February, they are
beginning to deserve the title "black-headed." During most of
the winter their heads are of snowy whiteness.—F. W. Elliott,
Buckhurst Hill, Essex, February 27th, 1903.
1 "In the months of May and June they are very busy in the pursuit and destruction of
the cockchafer."- Mr. Hill in Christy's Birds of Essex, p. 266.