Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-25
THE! ORIGINAL IN |
WHITE WINGS
Gulls Merit Protection as Scav-
engers on Seacoast Many
Render Important Inland Ser
vices to Agriculture

t"gulp' usually is associated in the pop
ular mind only with the long-Wlngeo
swimmers seen along the salt water
shores and in coast harbors. There are
represented in the United States, how
ever, % species or subspecies of gulls,
including the gull-like birds known
as skuas and jaegers. OF these some
are true inland birds. freauenting prai7
ries, marshes .and inland lakes.
Flocks Of -gulls on the waters Of our
harbcrs: or following the wake Of ves-
sells are familiar sight but not every
observer Of the graceful motions of the
bird Is aware Of the fact that guils are
the original white wings"
AS sea scavengers they welcome as
food dead fish, garbage. and offal of
various sorts, and their services in
cleaning up such material are not to
be regarded lightly. 1t will, however.
surprise manx to learn that some of
the gull family render important inland
SERVICE especially to agriculture. At
least. one species> the California gull.
is extremely fond Of field mice. and
during an outbreak of that pest IN
Nevada in 1907-S hundreds Of gulls
assembled in and near the devastated
alfalfa fields and fed entirely on mice,
thus lending the. farmers material aid
in. their warfare against the pestifer-
Gus little rodents. The skua also feeds
on mice and Jennings. Several species
Of gulls render valuable service to ag-
riculture by destroying insects also,
and in spring hundreds Of Franklin's
fSaI11c in "iCrnnciY nd hn No q
follow the plowman to pick up the in
sect larvae uncovered by the share.
That at least one community has not
been unmindful Of the substantial debt
Lit owes the gull is attested in Salt
Lake City; where stands a monument
surmounted by bronze fgure Of two
gulls, erected by the people Of that
city Gin grateful remembrance" Of the
signal service rendered by these birds
!! at a critical time in the history Of the
community For three consecutive
years-1s4S, 1849, and 185e-black
cricketS by millions threatened to ruin
the crops upon which depended the
very lives Of the settlers. Large focks
Of .gulls came to the rescue and de-
voured vast Numbers Of the destructive
insects. until the fields were entirely
freed from them. It is no wonder that
the sentiment Of the people Of Utah as
reflected through their laws affords
gulls the fullest protection.
Bird Reservations.
OF the IS bird reservations, some ~
situated on. the seacoast or on islands
in the Great Lakes are visited. by the
gulls in migration and frequented by
them during the breeding season. In
these reservations the birds find safety
from human molestation and local
wardens have endeavored to reduces
their Wild native enemies to a mini
num- - -r ~.,
Among the birds frequenting these
reservations are the glaucous- winged,
western, herring, California, and
laughing gulls. Thus these reserva-
tons protect several Of the most i'm
portant species Of North American
gulls. +H =,
- Through the efforts Of individuals
and the National Association of Aud
ubon Societies, guards and wardens
have been employed along the coasts
until it is probable that there is no
Important colony from Maine to Flor
ida not guarded during the breeding
season. A few colonies are protected
on the Gulf coast. and on the Oregon
coast breeding- places are guarded by
State wardens. AS a result Of this
protection herring gulls along the
coast Of Maine have increased con-
siderably, while laughing gulls are be.
ginning ,te be- common ence more in
various localities where they had been
almost exterminated.
Fully ast inportant pe the protec-
ton and incTsase of gialS has been
the enactment of state lays prohibiting
their killing 1t any time Of year and
of laws prohibiting tho sale Of their
Eplumage. Cults. with their close al
lies, the terms. have been among the
greatest sufferers from the millinery
trade. &As ia, usually the case, the birds
Ewere shot on the breeding grounds
Eduring the height of the nesting sea-
Eson, thus causing the death not only
kof the parent birds. but sinsuring, the
death, Of the young birds by lingering
STARVATION. Some years xgo the pub.
Flic awoke to the barbarity of such
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