The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-10
SEA GULLS DRIVEN AWAY.
ONEY THE BLA SpFCrFs
NOW COMMON AROUND UEBE

NOW COMMON AROUND HEBE.
Tho Smaller Terms, Kittiwnk-s, Herr,pr
Guils. Ring-Biiis and Other ynri.n..
Being Killed on by the Feather uun,.r.
Habits OF the Powerful Surviving Birds,
or all the large birds common to this 70 ,,o,
| the only one frequently seen around the Iu.-
portions OF this city is the sea gull. Ocrnstnn.
| ally q wandering hawk may be seen hastan.
ing above the island to more cnnr,ni,J
localities. and during the migrating season tho
wild geese may sometimes be seen moving
across the expaDse OF sky like a written limo i,
| aome strange print. but these are mere rasscrs
by in the trackless highway above moi ovo,
transitory guests whereas the gu,ls are. n not
exactly citizens OF the Creator New York in ,b.
same sense as the street sparrows, NJ Icns,
commuters VINO come In nally 10 business.
returning to their country homes at NIGHT,
Within few years several succie4 nf ,rI,
were common about the rivers and the bay. hus
oil except one have departed The faithful
species Is the large. black backed gnn. which
Is familiar to everyone who has travelled IN
ferry boats in this vicinity. II has soft. GRAY.
ish plumage and broad, powerful wings urnn
which IL scars with. ncrOss or ngains, the wind
as fancy dictates. after metho thus far kent
profoundly secret 10y the varIou. large him.
who possess tho accom- lishm.pt. I, any
man ever discovers that sccre,-apd .
great many men havo triel-the human rae,
may one dry he navigating the uppor air in
like fashion. Those great wings Of tho blnck-
backed gun can. upon occasion. drive the bird
80 powerfully through the air that the swif,es.
express train would be hopelessly out Of tn,
race: but as a rule the bird Ia ia no hurry. p-e-
ferrinR to alternate n few strokes with long.
easy swoops until 1t secs morsc o' food in
the water. when IL darts down like the stroK,
OF n hawk. secures the tidbit. and flaps its wa,
aloft again.
The abundance of food is what brings tn,
gull to this city. Originally II was a lsh eater
but with the approach ~ civilization IL broad-
cned it's diet and now eata a great variety OF
meats. II still eats Ash too and will catch
them II nothing easier turns M. but not being
inclined to work any harder for living than 10
necessary, IL usually contents Itself with float
ing scraps Of meat which II flndS plentiful in
the rivers and the bay. or stalks along on
deserted shores In the vicinity picking up
hotsam ana jetsam ~ what It conceives
to be edible In character. In this way 1t Il,
useful az scavenRer. for its appetite
Is enormous. and flock OF gulls viii.
clean up large cSpanse OF beach in a short
time. The black backed gull IS not timiI IN
nature. 1t has no cause TO be around here. "a
vicinity IL going to pick II quarrel with IT, and
the human hunter does not seek IL. EXCEPT in
the case Of some pnaccustomed dict withq gun
VINO. not having been able to get with Il shoot
Ing distance OF anything else. may take "A shot
at gull rather than come home with the orici-
unlikely 70 biz the bird, and the death rata
among gulls from shooting in this vicinity MAY
be regarded as almost zero
What the exact habit OF LIE Of the local gu'ls
IL nobody knows for a certainty. They DO not
point being The Of Name From tbnr
northward along the maritime Provinces thu
black backed Rulls breed in Wild and sheltered
islands. where humans do not make Undecided
visits. Under these crcumstancrs It Is hardly
night, at least not 10 its regular home Durin:
the fall and winter season when II IA down hers
and Long Islands and to the PaIisaies to 9 spend
the night. Al any rate IL disappears from the
scene s,r oi acton abon. dusk, and early In ,ths
above the bay watching with keen eye Tor a
floating breakfast. The number of Gul,s to be
coming down from the Hudson River. they
seen in trip across the bay. Fly sulls have We
81 SGnGsS ,ssS Se t:Ss9s PsE
Nen who have studied the habits OF these birds
say that the same individuals return here year
black backed gu Is no, found In this region.
md one or two other SerLps sas %hsh
lew years ago were not uncommon In thI,
nousR in the Nsrrows one sse9 ocessonS Gs se aS
ew tern or kittiwake. Relentless. feather
fpntSss are driynS them away from tn. coast
non and there was a large colony OF them on
Plum Island. but since the Government, took
lived there. They still breed on some OF tho
mall island sandbnrs OF Nantucket. though
hing e%ony q tern and nS" herring nn !H su
IN Muskegat Island. projected by law
Ind . s, more w sSSS'ua Vault make pub
lively for any feather hunters who
attempted TO invade those precincts. To the
stands OF the coast o o. virrnia but terrible
lepredatons upon the birds have been COM
'ut, All these gulls ara smaller than the black.
lacked gull and haven't the. travelling power.
here are they seeH moIe eaSs
. Y whence they do not come here. for food.
mailer guls Ernest H. InCersoll. the ornl-
n"GsIi hoo,n sat tse bird, and ro,,ir. .,
he feather hunter bid iair t" XIII OF on ,he
@ 81 ons man INV Who SSps to
i ir do6 s,i east islam Is With c9Ttrsr, Tor
iGsa Thsa LSas AS%s;s had his Ss s sam%sf
BE- students when, the island was given up
honsands OF guI,s ma 10 their homes
here. laying their hig notified corr.
al eggs In, ltts circles OF beach
rrap!ngs which with these birds serve ms
ess Then came the feather hunters
lend o. mine who visited the island last sum-
Ter told me that she found the remains Of
undieds OF dead birds all with the wings Torn
n. and saw dozens Of living gnlls from which
,e wings hal been torn. okinC ont n misrra-
lc existence on the charity Of their bird com
an onS who fed them. Probably I'm a ypar or
70 there won't be any morrlgulis on PeniL ESQ
W great many women In our cities will he
caring winE-trimmed hats. Fortunately the
lack. backed gu'fs wings are rather too large
" decorative hcadgear Purposes accordingly
~ present style, so uR '"SS the stvlC chanpO4r
lnnose that species OF gull vii, floulish, but
he rest. fear, arr doomed"