church as the direct representative of the Highest
should believe these to be really birds of God, and should accordingly
cherish them? Well would it be for themselves if other Christian peoples
were equally believing, and protected and cherished other winged
messengers, sent just as truly to protect their crops.

The shrewd man who wielded the destinies of his people beside the Salt
Lake secured the future usefulness of what they considered the
miraculous visitation by fixing a penalty of five dollars upon the head
of every gull in the Territory. And now, the birds having found
congenial nesting-places on solitary islands in the lake, their
descendants are so fearless and so tame that they habitually follow the
plow like a flock of chickens, rising from almost under the feet of the
indifferent horses and settling down at once in the furrow behind,
seeking out and eating greedily all the worms and grubs and larvae and
mice and moles that the plow has disturbed in its passage. The Mormon
cultivator has sense enough to appreciate such service, and no man or
boy dreams of lifting a finger against his best friend.

Extraordinary indeed was this sight to eyes accustomed to seeing every
bird who attempts to render like service shot and snared and swept from
the face of the earth. Our hearts warmed toward the "Sons of Zion," and
our respect for their intelligence increased, as we hurried down to the
field to see this latter-day wonder.

Whether the birds distinguished between "saints" and sinners, or whether
their confidence extended only to plow-boys, they would not let us come
near them. But our glasses brought them close, and we had a very good
study of them, finding exceeding interest in their ways: their quaint
faces as they flew toward us; their dignified walk; their expression of
disapproval, lifting the wings high above the back till they met; their
queer and constant cries in the tone of a child who whines; and, above
all, their use of the wonderful wings,--"half wing, half wave," Mrs.
Spofford calls them.

To rise from the earth upon these beautiful great arms, seemed to be not
so easy as it looks. Some of the graceful birds lifted them, and ran a
little before leaving the ground, and all of them left both legs
hanging, and both feet jerking awkwardly at every wing-beat, for a few
moments on starting, before they carefully drew each flesh-colored foot
up into its feather pillow,

"And gray and silver up the do