The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1897-09-22
SEA GULLS IN UTAH.
Why They Are Loved, and No Law Is
Needed to Protect Them.

Why They Are Loved and No Law IS
Needed to Protect Them.
"More. than As years ago." said
E1dred Hitchcock Of Salt Lake City,
"the legislature of Utah territory
passed law making it an otfense,
punishable by heavy fine, to kill a
sea gull. Whether or not that law
has been re-enacted by the state leg
islature don't know, but it makes
no difference whether it has OF not,
for there is nothing that flies or
walks OF sWims that the farmers Of
Utah have more affection for than
they have for the sea gull
TN 1S4S, the second year after the
Mormon pioneers had settled out
there, when the crops were young
and green and promising for an
abundant harvest, which the set
tiers very much needed, suddenly
there came a most extra ordinary
visitation. Of crickets, black, vora-
oious and overwhelming. They came
hopping down from the mountain
sides upon the fields in the Salt Lake
and adjacent valleys and covered
the growing grain, leaving barren
ness and desolation in their wake:
The hopes Of the pioneers turned to-
despair as they saw their crops dis
appearing day by day before this
devouring plague, ,andthey were loud
in lamentation because they regard
ed it as a curse sent upon them for
some shortcoming No human effort
was capable of successfully combat
ing the hordes Of sable insects as
they advanced over the land, and
the heartsicl farmer could do moth
ing but stand idly by, a despairing
witnss to the destruction Of his sea-
son S labor.
'sBut another extraordinary man
Hesitation was in store for the Utah
pioneers. One day the sky suddenly
became dark with endless tloc1s Of
birds that came from the direction
of the coast. They dropped down in
thousands upon the cricket scourged
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 de-
vouring the crickets. From morning
until night they gorged themselves
increasingly with the ravaging pests.
Day after day this singular pursuit
ana destruction Of the invading in
sects continued until the plague had
disappeared before it, and the gulls
rose and winged their way west
ward toward the Pacific Then there
were days Of Thanksgiving and
praise, for the crops were saved and
ruin was warded from young Utah,
It was soon after: this that the legis-
1Gturo passed the law protecting sea
gulls as some little recognition Of
their service during that memorable
visitation Of crickets, which was the
first and last of the kind in the his
tory of that region.
EVERY season since then gulls in
more than usual numbers visit the
farming districts about Salt Lake,
but never i'll any force approaching
that great raid OF rescue in 1913.
Some seasons Thousands of them
may be seen in the fields They fol
low the plownan along the furroW
familiarly 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 linn, and even permi t
themselves to be captured without
much protest. They never eat grain
or any farm crop, but devour by
millions the worms and insects that
are injurious to the hrsbandman
So there is no need Of the law MAX
ing it an otTcnse to kill one of these
birds. The farmer would almost as
soon think of killing his brother. .
New York Sun,