Economic Reasons for Protection 85 



of black crickets which came down upon their 

 grain fields and swept them as clean as though 

 they had been burned with fire. The first year's 

 crop was thus destroyed. With characteristic 

 courage next year the Mormons sowed their 

 seed again, but no sooner did the crops give 

 promise of a bountiful yield, when again came 

 the black crickets, bringing dismay to the settlers. 

 But just at this juncture a wonderful thing 

 happened. Suddenly, and seemingly from no- 

 where in particular, came a great avenging army. 

 Hundreds and thousands of Franklin gulls 

 poured themselves into the grain fields and 

 annihilated those black crickets until there 

 wasn't so much as a chirp left. It looked like 

 a miracle from Heaven and the settlers thought it 

 was. And the grateful Mormons did not forget. 

 The gulls have been protected ever since, both 

 by law and sentiment, and recently a suitable 

 monument was erected in Salt Lake City in 

 recognition of their services. 



Certain otherwise beneficial birds complicate 

 matters by devouring predacious beetles, ich- 

 neumon flies, and others which are themselves 

 useful because they destroy harmful insects. 

 But then again these predacious insects destroy 

 some useful insects, complicating the matter still 

 further, and making it extremely difficult to 



