The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-05
SEA GULLS IN UTAH.
Why They Are Loved, and No Law Is
Needed to Protect Them.
New York Sun,

new 10TH ouil'
More than forty-fiye years ago" SAD! SAD
Eldred Hitchcock of Salt Lake city, the
Legislature of Utah Territory passed
law making it an offense, punishable by
heavy fine. to kill a sea gull. Whether or
not that law has been ra-enacted by the
State Legislature 1 don't know, but 1T
makes no difference whether 1t has or not,
for there is nothing that flies or walks or
sWims that the farmers of Utah have more
affection for than they have for the sea
I'm 1S4S, the second year after the Nor
mon pioneers had settled out there, when
the crops were young and green ana prom
isfng for an abundant harvest, which the
settlers very much needed, suddenly there
came a most extraordinary VISITATION OF
crickets, black. Voraclous ana oVerWneIIIn-
ing. They came hopping down from the
mountain sides upon the fields in the salt
lake and adjacent valleys, and covered the
growing grain, leaving barrenness and des-
olation in their wake. The hopes of the
pioneers turned to despair as they saw
their crops disappearing day by day before
this deVourlng plague ana were louu III
lamentaton, because they regarded IL as a
curse sent upon them for some shortcOm-
ing. No human effort was capable of sue
cessfully combating the hordes OF sable IN
scots as they advanced over the land and
the heartsick farmer could do nothing but
stand idly by, a despairing witness to the
destruction of his season. labor.
But another extraordinary manifestation
was in store for the Utah pioneers. One
day the sky suddenly became dark with
endless flocks of birds that came from the
direction OF the coast. They dropped down
in thousands upon the -cricket-scoGrged
fields Then it was discovered that they
were gulls of the kind that at intervals
were wont to visit Salt lake In small and
scattering groups. The gulls at once set
to work at devouring the crickets. From
morning until night they gorged them
selves increasingly with the ravaging pests.
Day after day this singular pursuit and
destruction of the invading insects con-
tinued until the plague had disappeared
before it. and the guls rose and winged
their way westward toward the Pacific.
Then there We're days of thanksgiving and
praise, for the crops We're saved and ruin
was Warded from young Utah. 1t was soon
after this that the Legislature passed the
ognition of their services during that
memorable visitation of crickets, which
was the first and last of the kind in the
history of that region
Every season since then gulls In more
than usual numbers visit the farming dis
tricts about Salt lake. but never in any
force approaching that g~eat raid of rescue
in 1S4S. Some seasons thousands OF them
may be seen in the fields. They follow
the plowman along the furrow Familiarity
and fearlessly. Wherever there is a newly
plowed field there the gulls may be seen
deVouring the grubs of harmful insects the
turned-up furrOw exposes to sight The
birds seem to know that the farmer is their
friend. for they hover about and around
him, and even permit themselves to be
captured without much protest. They
Voar by millions the worms and insects
that are injurious to the husbandman. So
there is no need of the law making it an
offense to kill one Of these birds The
farmer would almost as soon think OF kill
ing his brother"