John Johnston 1948 Bonaparte's Gull 2 17 Aug. in steep descent to the mud flats. The tide was now ebbing almost at low water. When most of this large flock had either landed on the shore just above the water, or in the water within 50 feet of shore; one individual seemed to take the show to himself. He would fly speedily & wildly, making jerbing turns first to the right that to the left off his course as he flew about 3 feet over the heads of the others on the water. Then he would swoop up, turn quickly at the apex of his upward swoop & swoop down again. Sometimes he would swoop up to about 25 ft., level off smoothly, then "parachute" his way back down to the water in the most graceul manner of gliding. All the while, he was uttering the muzzy rasp of these gulls.