2926 Tue ZooLocist—FEBRuARY, 1872. 
friends the gulls: in many instances nothing but the shafts of the 
feathers are left, all the rest having been devoured by moths; and 
very odd-looking fellows some of these moth-eaten specimens are, 
with nothing but the shafts of the feathers sticking out of the skin, 
“like quills upon the fretful porcupine.” But i suppose I must 
not say much more upon this subject, as the Museum is now closed 
to the public, and it was only with a good deal of trouble, and 
rather as a favour, that I obtained admission to this “ chamber of 
horrors.” I think I ought, however, to add that since I left I have 
been informed that Mr. Couch, the birdstuffer, has offered his 
services gratuitously, one day a week, to restore all such specimens 
as may be found capable and worthy of restoration. 
Of their live birds, the Guernsey people seem to have taken more 
care than of their dead ones in the Museum, for since my last visit 
the States have passed a “ Sea-Bird Preservation Act,” or, to give 
it its more correct title, “ Ordonnance provisoire pour la protection 
des oiseaux de mer.” A few extracts from this Act may be in- 
teresting to some of your readers, more especially as some discussion 
has been going on in the columns of the ‘ Field, ‘Land and 
Water,’ and other papers, as to the utility of our own Act, and the 
benefit to be derived by either curtailing or extending the list of 
birds to be protected, and the time during which such protection is 
to be afforded. After reciting that “le nombre des oiseaux de 
mer sur les cétes des iles de ce bailliage* a considerablement 
diminué depuis plusieurs années; que les dit oiseaux sont utiles aux 
pécheurs, en ce qu’ils indiquent les parages ou les poissons se 
trouvent; que les dit oiseaux sont utiles aux marins en ce qu’ils 
annoncent pendant la durée des crouillards la proximité des 
vochers.” The Act goes on to provide for the protection of both 
the birds and their eggs, as follows:—“ Sec. 1.—Il est defendu 
de prendre, enlever ou detruire les ceufs des oiseaux de mer dans 
toute l’entendue de la jurisdiction de cet ile, sur la peine d’une 
amende qui ne sera pas moindre de sept livres tournois et n’excédera 
pas trente livre tournois.+ Sec. 2.—Depuis ce joir au 15 Octobre 
prochain, il est défendu de tuer, blesser, prendre ou chasser les 
oiseaux de mer dans toute l’entendue de la jurisdiction de cette 
ile. Sec. 3.—Ceux qui depuis ce jour au 15 Octobre prochain, 
auront été trouvés en possession d’un oiseau de mer recemment 
* The bailiwick extends over Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Jetto and Herm. 
+ 14 livres tournois equal to £1, 
