But other birds came; great, roaring, man-made birds, that rose whirring from its barrenness and startled the gulls until they grew accustomed to the sight and sound of them.

Low houses grew in orderly rows.

More of the giant birds came.

Nowadays the people of San Diego, looking out across the bay, will sometimes look again to make sure whether the sailing object they see is an airplane or only a gull.

In time the gull will flap its wings; the airplane never does.