Page:Early Spring in Massachusetts (1881).djvu/169

Rh 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 apparently in a straight line, at nearly equal distances 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 an the meadows there are fishes there to be caught. I never see them fish thus in the channel. 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