Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-28
why the Mormons Like Sea-:ulls.

Why the MOrMOnS Like Sea.l:uIls.
From the Salt Lake (Ctah) Herall
There is no biped for which the old farmer of
this Country has more genuine affection than
the utterly valueless-in a marketable sense
sea-gull. This rather pretty bird was quite
abundant in this valley the present year-in
fact it is stated that only once before were
there so many. In the fields few miles below
the city, week or two ago, thousands of them
could be seen. They followed the plowman
along the furrOw and were almost as tame as
chickens. Wherever there was newly plowed
field, there you could see the gull, and as fast
as furrOw was turned up the birds would fiy
behind the piowman and commence devOurin g
the insects which were thus exposed to sight.
They seemed perfectly fearless. And they have
good reason to be fearless here, for the farmer
looks upon them as his friend, and they seem
to understand fully that he holds them in
that light. They fly all about him. within three
or four feet, and while perhaps unwilling to
submit to being caught, they will allow any
other familiarity that can be practced, for they
themselves take great many gOOd-nature(l
iioertles They will not touch grain. or any
thing that the farmer desires should remain I'M
touched they only eat the worms and insects
which are I'M uriOus to the soil and to crOps
Years ago law was passed making it an offence
to kill one OF these birds. The law is probably
yet on the statute books. but it is literally a
dead letter, because there has been no occasion
to call the law into life. A farmer-in fact.
any person acquainted with the habits of the
straightforward almost as soon think of wan
tonly killing one of his own chickens as of in
tentionallv harmng one Of these queer birds.
AS before stated, law was passed by the leg
lslature making it an offence TO kill sea-gull:
1t was passed for this reason: In the sec
ond year after the pioneers had arrived
herein 1S48-the large black crickets COM
mon to these mountainous regions made
in nc nd
valleys in the clOuds-fguratiyely speaking.
They did not fly, but came hopping down the
mountain sides in myriads. So vast were their
numbers that the mOuntains were black and
seemed literally alive with the great big, black.
ugly things each one about the size of a large
mans thumb. 1t was at time when the crops
were promising; everything looked green: the
future outlook seemed bright, and the heart OF
the sun-burned and toil-worn pioneer grew
lighter as the prospect of plentiful harvest and
greater comforts grew more and more tangible
with each days growth of the healthy grain.
But blacker than the CLOUDS of coal-black
crickets which came hopping down the noun
tain slopes in countless numbers, leaving Barren
ness and desolation In their wake, were the
clouds OF despair which filed the heart of the
weary hnsbandman as this new and unlocked
tor curse came slowly but surely toward the
pride. the joy. and the promise of the early set
ter-his fields of waving corn and grain The
foe was utterly uncomfortable SO far as human
I
heart-sick farmer could do but stand idly by
and see the labor of the season DESTROYED.
Children gazed with wonder and terror; women
looked with eyes full of tears. and strong men
watched with hearts of despair. It was an
awful hour. But 10! q wonder! The sky is
filled with large birds they fly toward the
scene OF the disaster, and they alight in the
fields where the crickets hold supreme SWAY,
inen comes q change. At once the flocks OF
birds begin to eat the criekets From morn Tin
nigh they continue, never ceasng. When filled
until they can hold no more they vomit up the
black mass, and again continue to eat the
crickets. This is kept up day after day until
not one OF the deyouring host is seen; the crope
are saved, and the birds fy away. This bird
was the one which could recently be seen in the
nelds and which was then more abundant than
at any time since the event above mentioned II
was not surprising that the pioneers should re-
turn thanks to God for his succOr and tl1at for.
ever after the seal-gull should be looked upon
- dear friend, TO beprotected and encouraged.