The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-05-21
VALUE OF
SEA BIRDS
Useful as Scavengers
On Coasts.
A Good WORK FOR GvLLS
Some Pertinent Figures About the
Frlghtful Destruction of Feath
cred Life in Past Years.

remarkable as it may seem. il an
pears to be a more or less prevalent
belief among certain people that sea
birds possess absolutely no value as
economic factors in the realm of ma
ture. Certain individuals consider if
sport TO shoot gulls and similar birds
as practice; others assume that guIIs
are nuisance and should be killed off
without mercy. An interesting Illus
| tration of this was recently deveiopad
in southern California, where a few
citizens had the temerity to take a
stand for the birds.
The defense took the ground that the
gulls were scavengers and of prime
value to the state; of greater value. in
TACT, to the citizens along shore than to
the dealers in feathers in Chicago and
other centers where feathers are in
demand. The writer prepared as elab-
crate statement as possible bearing
on this point, presenting facts which
were intended to show that the gulIs
on the Atlantic coast, on the Gulf OF
Mexico and on the Pacific, in fact
wherever observed, were of great bene-
NJ. An appeal was made for the birds
as natural ornament to the localities
IN which they were found. Many peo-
pie, ornithologists and Iaymen. testi-
lied along these lines. Residents of
the towns of RedOndo Santa Monica.
san Pedro and Avalon testified to the
fact that the birds are the natural
/ beach scayengers, and that some Of
these places would be unhealthy il
| birds were removed.
Hundreds Of gulIs are seen riding the
/ waves on the beach after a storm feed
ing on dead fish that have washed in.
The majority are on the water. rising
over the heavy breakers in scores as
they come in, to alight again and feed
upon the fishes that are rolled over
and over by the waves. Others are pa
. trolling the beach, picking up the OBJ
Jects cast ashore, and so perfectly is
/ TINS work done that in a short time no
| remains Of the dead fish, thai might
! become a nuisance. are found there
Inc birds at these times present a most
attractive spectacle, and many people
collect to watch their movements.
In Avalon bay number of profess
siOnal fishermen follow their calling.
and when the fish are cleaned every
/ morning it is an interesting sight to
observe these Scavengers perform their
duties. With them in winter are many
brown pelicans, and all are so tame
| that they gather about the head fisher
man, Venetian, and take the rejecta-
menta from his hand, some of the old
guils even allowing him to take them
up. 1t is not necessary to carry the re-
fuse out into the channel; these birds
remove it all; in fact, fight for it.
| This is true of the gulls all along the
shore, and this place is mentioned es-
pecially as the birds are perhaps tanner
here than elsewhere; but everywhere
! they are the natural health guardians
of the coast, performing their duty so
well from San Francisco to San Pedro
in the observation of the writer, there
is not a spot that becomes offensive by
the accumulation of fetid matter
1t would seem that the standing Of
the gulls in this respect was beyond
| dispute, but the attempts of dealers and
| their representatives in their efforts
J to prevent any bird-prOtecting law
from passing at San Pedro demonstra-
ted that there are many who affect to
! believe that the gullS are not scaven-
| gers and should not be protected. The
most remarkable testimony was intro
| duced Men testified that gulls were a
! detriment to the harbor and a menace
/ to public health. One man stated that
/ the killing of gulls was necessary to
enable him to obtain a living, and evil
! dence showed the extraordinary fact
/ that he had been killing the birds to
use, not the plumage, but the bodies
as bats to his lobster and fish traps,
! and as bait for certain fish. Some of
the testimony even at this time is past
belief and well illustrates that deep
| and sOggy ignorance still holds in the
/ civilized parts of the country.
The sea birds of the Pacific coast are
not alone scavengers, but they consti-
tute one of the charms of the country.
An appreciation of this is termed senti-
ment by some. The long lines of slags
flying by the outer islands, the fiOcks
of brown pelicans which swim into the
little bays, the scores of grebes and div
ers which Turk about the wharves, the
long-winged albatross and frigate bird
which occasionally reach these shores,
and many more, have been the delight
a . q q q . . a a