Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-03
WOMAN DECLARES
BIRDS HARMLESS
SAYS TERMS DO NOT DESTROY
FISH
AUDUBON SOCIETY SECRETARY
WRITES LETTER
Jaro Won Schmidt's Assertion Taken
Up, and Interesting Facts Are
Shown in Naturalist's
Letter


Schmidt and published in Los Angeles
Herald few weeks ago, concerning the
law protecting terms, has attracted
nidesnread attention. Mr.. Won Schmidt
has received a letter from a Pasadena
woman who takes exception to his as
sertion that terms are great destroyers
of fish. AS a naturalist and a Sports
man of some renown, Mr. Won Schmidt
speaks as one who knows from first
hand observation, and his opinion on
such subjects are accepted by a wide
circle of acquaintances.
Mrs Myers is well known as an
official and prominent worker of the
Audubon society. The letters exchanged
between Mrs. Myers and Mr.. Won
Schmidt follow:
"IUS ANGELES, May 30.-Mr. Jaro
Van Schmidt-Dear Sir: I was much
interested in your article In today
Herald in regard to the terms and other
fish eating birds. Since you feel that
the Audubon society and the legisIa-
tors have done an unwise thing in CIV
ing protection to certain species OF
birds, / feel that 1 must say few
words I'm justification of their act.
perhaps the terms do all that you
say in the east. OF that am not pre-
pared to say, but l am sure you are
over estimating their harm along this
coast. In the first place, the tern that
you cite as being harmful (Sterna
hirando) is not positively known to
have been found in California. Joseph
Grinnell In his check list places these
birds in the hypothetical list, and says
of them: Said to occur as migrant
through the state, but record of local
ity and specimens are wanting.
Mrs. Bailey, wife of Vernon Bailey,
chief of the biological survey at Wash
ington, speaks of these birds as 'scav-
engers,' so perhaps you are mistaken
In thinking that they eat nothing but
fresh fish.
'I think I am correct in saying that
the only terms that nest down this way
are the least terms. These are the
birds that nest at Bolso Chico, New
port and Balboa. have made a study
of their nesting habits and know that
they brood the eggs. They are sup
posed to eat insects, and I believe they
do, but even if they do not there are
not enough of them left to cut fig
ure in the destruction of fish.
"I have been told that the great blue
herons besides catching mice and grass
hoppers, also catch gophers on the hills
above the marshes that they frequent.
Surely you would not place the now
almost extinct snowy heron in your list
of harmful birds? Because of wo-
them left TO do any harm, even II they
were not known to be, economically,
neutral or harmless.
"I feel that neither our president, DR..
Jordan. who is now In the east settling
fish differences between United States
and Canada, nor our vice president, DIR.
Holder, also a fish authority, would
approve the protection of birds that
would really be detrimental to fishing
interests.
Perhaps you do not know that the
Audubon society is not at war with the
true sportsmen of the state, but rather
hopes to work with them in securing
suitable protection Of our birds. We
would be most glad to work with the
gun clubs and sportsmen in an effort
to secure protection to the birds you
as being in need of 1t. Please
do not put us all down as silly senti-
Some of us who love the
birds and would protect them because
of the delight we get out of them also
make careful studies of them. and
know the good they do economically.
Yours truly,
HARRIET WILLIAMS MYERS.
"(Nrs. William RI"
Mrs. Harriet w Myers, Assistant
Secretary of the Audubon Society of
California-Dear Madam: Your letter
dated May 30, and addressed in care of
the Los Angeles Herald came in my
possession only the day before yester-
day. and I hasten to reply.
Il am very sorry that the contents
of your letter have not been able to
change my opinion in regard to the
mistaken protection of destructive birds
by our legislation.
You say in your letter: Perhaps the
terms do all that you say in the east,
but you are overestimatng their harm
on this coast Do you really think that
a tern viii be a fish eater in the east
and a scavenger and insect eater in the
west of this continent? You say fur
ther: The large tern (Sterna hirundo)
is not positively known to be found In
! can furnish you 100 speci-
mems in one day to convince you that
I am right.
You state also: Mrs. Bailey. wife of
Mr. Bailey, chief of the biological sur
vey at Washington, speaks Of those
birds as scavengerS. Now / have been
the habits of these birds for
thirty years, and never saw them take
a dead fish. although there were plenty
Of dead fish left on the seashore after
drawing the seine. All the small fish
were picked up by the seagulls, but
never touched by the terms, which were
very numerous during the seining. l
have killed a good many terms for tax
idermist purposes and examined their
crops, and found only small fish of all
within.
"YOu say as Mrs. Bailey speaks of
those birds as sCaVengers that / must
be mistaken There is my thirty years
of observation against Mrs. Bailey's
statement why should you conclude
that I must be mistaken except you
argue that a woman is always right?
You state, also, that you have made a
study of the nesting habits of these
birds on this coast, and that they brood
the eggs I can show you hundreds of
their nests at the Bolsa Chico at this
time, and you will never find a bird on
its nest during sunshine, as the sun
does the incubating The birds cover
their eggs only at night or during fog
or rain.
"You say further. 'reservedly,' They |
are supposed to eat insects, and I be- |
lieVe they do Dear madam, how many i
crops of these birds have you exam |
ined? You say: Even if they eat fish, |
there are not enough left Of these birds |
to cut any figure in the destruction of i
fish, These terms are very swift fly
ers, which makes them skllful in catch |
ing fish, and safe against hawks. there |
fore, having no enemies, they have
multiplied In the last year to such an
in an alarming number, that
they are now a pest to the fish indus |
try on this coast,
"I can show you on our ocean front |
age of about three miles between 50O0l
and 10000 of the lesser terms. and many