2o8 Cincinnati Society of Natural Ilistoy. 



to breed. They live along the Great Lakes, in the damp grounds 

 and marshes of our land, and winter along the southern 

 coasts, and in the marshes and humid ground of the Southern 

 'States. Now, as to the gulls, let me say, that I for one delight to 

 see them in life as they fly hither and thither over the ocean, here 

 poised in flight, there skimming the surface of the emerald waves, 

 now plunging for a moment into the ocean, again battling with the 

 rising tempest. I say I have infinitely more pleasure in seeing 

 them thus than to see their wings or heads, or tails upon a woman's 

 bonnet. 



We are not, I submit, mere animals to eat and drink and noth- 

 ing more. Whatever contributes to our mental and higher nature 

 and to our spiritual enjoyment, is of high utility and value. Now 

 I hold that there is more real elevation and enjoyment afforded by 

 a sight of the gull at home as he in varied flignt moves over the 

 ocean than when his head or tail is located on a lady's hat. 



And I maintain this position is true of birds in general, even 

 though none of them were endowed with song, and none of them 

 were useful as scavengers or as destroyers of insects. Their living 

 presence is better than their lifeless skins. Audubon exi)ressed 

 the opinion of all true lovers of nature when he said, "the moment 

 a bird was dead, however beautiful it had been id life, the pleasures 

 arising from its possession became blunted." 



Another use of the gulls is stated in "Science" and is this. Their 

 destruction and consequent absence from the coast waters the blue- 

 fish fishermen say, is: "A serious evil to them, as formerly when 

 they saw these hovering flocks, they knew that the bluefish were 

 there and could easily be secured." And as to the shore birds I 

 have more to say. They are when living useful to man. 



The gulls, terns, and shore birds are termed by Dr. Langdon, 

 "the scavengers of the ocean, and ornithological tramps; * ^' * 

 whose only 'song' is a 'mere screech or squawk' -'- ^- * and 

 which are not in any degree beneficial to man except for their 

 feathers." This .last statement, I call in question. 1 have already 

 shown some of the ways in which the gulls exhibit th.cir usefulness 

 to man, and a few quotations from Nuttall will indicate the value 

 of the cranes and herons. As to the Whooi)ing Crane, Nuttall 

 says, "They swallow also mice, moles, rats, and frogs with great 

 avidity, and may therefore be looked upon at least, as very useful 

 scavengers. They are also, at times, killed as game, their flesh 



