Herring Gull by John James Audubon Art Print

An archival premium Quality Art Print of the Herring Gull by John James Audubon for sale by Brandywine General Store. In this painting the artist features a male and a young bird of the Herring Gull also known as the Silvery Gull. The painting was made in November at the entrance of the harbor to St. Augustine Florida. The male is flying in the air above the young bird who is setting on a little spit of land that is covered with raccoon oysters. These birds were picture or plate number 291 in the first Havell edition of the great ornithology reference book, The Birds of America by Audubon and was engraved, printed and colored by R. Havell in 1836. Larus Argentatus - Mr. Audubon describes the Herring Gull thus "On the 22nd of May, 1833, I was kindly received with my party on board the United States revenue cutter Swiftsure, commanded by Captain COOLEDGE, and on the morning of the next day was landed on White Head Island, at the entrance of the Bay of Fundy. This island is the property of a worthy Englishman of the name of FRANKLAND, who received us with great hospitality, gave us leave to ransack his domains, and invited us to remain as long as we pleased. The Herring Gulls, he said, were breeding in great numbers, and we might expect good sport. We immediately set out in search of them, directing our course toward the pine woods, in which we were informed we should find them, and in approaching which we passed over an elevated marsh of great extent. As we came up to the place I observed that many of the Gulls had alighted on the fir-trees, while a vast number were sailing around, and when we advanced nearer, the former took to wing, abandoning their nests, and all flew about uttering incessant cries. I was greatly surprised to see the nests placed on the branches, some near the top, others about the middle or on the lower parts of the trees, while at the same time there were many on the ground. It is true I had been informed of this by our captain, but I had almost believed that, on arriving at the spot, I should find the birds not to be Gulls. My doubts, however, were now dispelled, and I was delighted to see how strangely Nature had provided them with the means of securing their eggs and young from their arch-enemy man...." Audubon bird print #291