The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-02-15
THE GULLs.
Some Facts About our Feather
ed Friends.
RECoLLECTIONs OF A ROVER.
A Mornings Experience Along the
Shores of the GreatiSaIt Lake
A Sailors Story.
For THE HERALD

For THE HERALD!
During one of my voyages on. our
glorious inland sea, in the past sum-
mer, it was my good fortune to gain
little information regarding one of the
most useful, and probably the least ap-
preciated, of our feathery tribe-the
sea gull.
Probably no other member of the
animal creation has figured SO promin-
entity in the early history of the settle
ment of this valley. Many a one will
recollect that momentous period in the
history of the early settlers, when the
grain bins were empty and the popula-
tion-men women and children-were
for days fighting the ever-adyancing
crickets, (whose numbers were so over
whelming) devouring field after field of
the growing crops; and when all efforts
had failed to check the advance-starva-
ton staring the people in the face, and
the stoutest heart had given up ), behold
their salvation. These noble birds
came in countless numbers, made war
upon the crickets, and followed them
even into the door yards. Thus the
destroyer is himself destroyed and the
crops are saved, and the colonization of
the Great American Desert is made
possible. 1t is well then that we should
get better acquainted with our friends
the gulls.
1t is the belief of many that these
birds are not natives here. But such
is not the case.
It may here be asked that, while the
gull appears to be anything but shy
bird, in fact pays but little regard to
the presence of man, and while in
guest Of food will alight within few
feet of the plowman; how many are
there that have seen their nesting places
| will venture to say that there are no
birds more particular upon this point
They will notlay where man can modest
them, but far away on some lonely
beach, or sand bar, where mans foot
has possibly never trod, they will es-
tablish. They build no nests, simply
scratch hole in the sand; do not CON
ceal the eggs, but leave them exposed
to the weather and the rays of the sun.
Like most sea fowl they go in colonies.
While sailing between Stansbury and
Darlington Islands, my attention was
called to constant flocks of these birds
flying low over the water. general
direction east and west. Their rapid
flight indicated business of Importance.
We decided that their nesting places
must be somewhere west of us and that
they were going east for food to feed
/ in a beautiful bay on Darlington
| leland EurIxr W VvhiIa tho
cook was wrestling with the frying-pan
and coffee-pot, | determined to ex-
| plore. From the southwest shore of
the island, found low sand bar ex-
tending out into Lake; this | followed.
| 1t was quite narrow sometimes not over
three feet wide, and not over six inches
I above low, water mark at the highest
part. After following this possibly two
miles, the gulls became very numerous,
| their ,discordant cries were deafening.
They would swoop down closeto my
head as though determined to attack
and expel the intruder from their
sacred domain. Upon the very end of
this reef was a sand knoll, which was
| probably at the highest part three feet
above the lake, and this desolate place
the birds had selected for their nesting
ground. 1t was literally covered with
nests; upon the highest point was a
few dead crossword roots; this seemed
afforded some little shelter and pre-
vented the shifting of the sand in the
wind; it was impossible to walk across
this without stepping on some nest, if
such they might be called. But what
desolationi Not straw, not a weed,
not even twig-nothing but the shift
ing sand, and the litter of the birds.
This spot must be fifty miles west of
the base of food supply, and probably
thousands of birds have been reared on
it during the past summer. What
patient toillng on the part of the parent
birds in finding supplies, and what
millions of grasshoppers, crickets and
beetles must have been consumed.
One peculiar feature of the bird is its
capacity to disgorge the contents of its
crop, or outer-stomach, at will. This
makes his capacity as a destroyer of
vermin unlimited, and keeps his appe-
tite always good. He will eat as long
as food remains in sight 1t also helps
him to carry food a long distance to its
young. for he can gather the grass
4, hoppers in our fields and after carry
ing them for miles, disgorge as his
pleasure.
l selected a nice specimen full size,
but not yet able to fly, who in order to
hide himself had stuck his bill in the
sand and covered up his eyes and
thought himself secure
trudged painfully back through the
wet sand, just in time to catch agaie
from the cook for keeping breakfast
waiting and spelling the coffee.
RoyER.
Salt Lake City, Feb Is, 1885.