Sufferings of Birds 



GUILLEMOTS were found on the beach near 

 Berwick in a helpless state, their wings and 

 plumage being covered with oil which pre- 

 vented their flying or diving, and when ap- 

 proached they tried to walk away, but were 

 easily captured (Times, 2g.iv.i8). It is 

 curious that between these dates there should 

 be an absence of similar reports ; undoubtedly 

 many oil-carrying or oil-using craft must have 

 been sunk in 1916 and 1917, and it can hardly 

 be supposed that the sea birds had learned 

 to shun the death-dealing oil, and then forgot 

 their lesson. Probably there were many un- 

 observed bird-tragedies on the high-seas. 

 When an American steamer was wrecked 

 on the Goodwin Sands in February 1919, 

 about 1,500 tons of oil escaped into the sea. 

 So thickly did it collect on the surface that 

 GULLS became unable to plunge in search of 

 food. Their heads, beaks, and feathers be- 

 came covered, and many were washed ashore 

 in an exhausted condition (Daily Mail, 



GULLS were occasionally killed by shell- 

 fire from our ships when at gun practice at 



