10 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[Jan. 1, 1S69. 



ASSOCIATION POR THE PROTECTION OP 

 SEA-BIRDS ON THE ENGLISH COAST. 



IT is well known that the English coast, on some 

 of its loftiest cliffs and boldest headlands, has 

 from time immemorial been the favourite haunt— 

 during the breeding season— of a variety of gulls 

 and other sea-birds; and so long as railways, 

 steamers, aud other means and motives of locomotion 

 did not invade their privacy, they were secure from 

 all but those smaller chances of loss arising from 

 the occasional visit of a sportsman or a tourist. 



Those days of seclusion and security are now, 

 unhappily, among the things of the past; and a 

 systematic destruction of sea-bird life has become 

 so completely the abnormal state of things that it 

 is felt that, unless steps be immediately taken to 

 protect them from harm— and, if possible, secure 

 them from molestation — during the incubating 

 period, by some stringent legislative enactment, 

 there will soon be no birds left on the English 

 coast. 



It was recently stated in the leading journal that 

 one person alone had a contract for 10,000 birds, 

 the wings being largely used as an article of com- 

 merce ; it seems, however, to be quite overlooked— 

 or, if foreseen, to be a matter of indifference— that, 

 even in an economical point of view, the supply 

 must soon be followed by scarcity, with no source 

 left to which to look for its possible renewal. 



There are other grounds, however, of more im- 

 perial interest than the mere decoration of female 

 attire, upon which an appeal may and must now be 

 made on behalf of the sea-birds of Old England. 

 It is understood to have been already proved before 

 the Manx authorities, in procuring a special Act 

 for the Isle of Man, that the cry of the birds in foggy 

 weather will more effectually warn the seaman of 

 his danger as he approaches the rock-bound coast, 

 than either the fog-bell or the beacon-light could 

 do; while the fisherman, earning his honest liveli- 

 hood among the finny tribes of the deep, is often 

 guided where to cast his nets, or where to drop his 

 line, by the hovering of the sea-birds over the 

 tbickest of the shoal. 



Other arguments might be adduced why these 

 birds should have the fostering care of our country's 

 laws, instead of being left to what must otherwise 

 be their speedy and cruel fate ; a plea might be put 

 in hi favour of that which constitutes, to every lover 

 of the beautiful, one of the charms of the wildest 

 parts of our coast scenery; but it is hoped that enough 

 has been said to warrant the publication of this ad- 

 dress, inviting co-operation and support for an asso- 

 ciation, the object of which is to endeavour to carry 

 an Act through Parliament, in the ensuing session, 

 for the purpose of preventing the destruction of sea- 

 birds during the breeding season. 

 The following facts and figures were communicated 



by Commander H. H. Knocker, R.N., to Land 

 and Water, and will show the necessity for prompt 

 action. It takes only "the Yorkshire coast-line 

 between Scarborough and Bridlington, a distance of 

 about IS miles, and which includes Piley, Speeton, 

 Bempton, and Flamborough, North and South. 

 The lowest estimate of numbers has been taken, 

 that there may be no charge of exaggeration." 



Time which the birds are on the coast (say from 

 the middle of April to the 10th of August), llOjdays. 

 Say 25 boats daily (Scarborough, Piley, Plambo- 

 rough, Bridlington), with 2 guns in each boat (many 

 take 4 or".,6), will make 50 guns ; then 15 guns on 

 shore" (Mr. Dobson, guumaker, has let out himself 

 as many as 21 per day) gives a total of 65 guns. 

 Allowing 15 birds to be shot or wounded per gun, 

 this will give 975 birds per day, or 107,250 for the 

 season. Add to this number 12,000 birds per season 

 destroyed by professional bird-killers, and we have 

 a total of 119,250 birds killed for pleasure and gain. 

 Take also into calculation the egg -collectors, and 

 compute them at 8, each of which would collect 100 

 eggs per day for 42 days, and we have a total of 

 33,600 eggs taken annually. 



Allowing that two-thirds of the birds shot have 

 young ones or eggs, this gives 79,500 young birds 

 or eggs lost by their parents being destroyed. This 

 does not include the numerous ones lost when the 

 birds are frightened off the rocks, and sweep off the 

 young or eggs they are sitting on. We then have 

 107,250 birds destroyed by pleasure parties, 



12,000 birds destroyed for gain, 



33,600 eggs taken, 



79,500 young birds starved to death or eggs lost. 



232,350 birds and eggs shot, wounded, die, and 

 taken in the breeding season, or between the middle 

 of April and early in August. 



Those who wish to join the association are 

 requested to send their names and addresses to one 

 or other of the honorary secretaries — viz., the 

 Rev. H. P. Barnes, the Vicarage, Bridlington ; and 

 Mr. Harland, Bridlington, Yorkshire. 



A subscription of five shillings or upwards con- 

 stitutes membership. 



THE PAST YEAR, 1868. 



AS one of the objects of Science-Gossip is to 

 record the variations which each year pre- 

 sents, a few observations on the past season, in 

 addition to those which have been abeady recorded, 

 may not be out of place. 



In the spring of last year I referred to the 

 variegated leaves which had even then become 

 noticeable from their frequent occurrence; and I 

 may remark, in passing, that the variegated elder, 

 which I then mentioned, bad its later leaves of the 

 usual colour, although the earlier ones were green 



