March 30, 1900.] 



SCIENCE. 



513 



which formerly thronged our whole coast, 

 have been so nearly wiped out by agents of 

 the milliners that this year's onslaught, already 

 fully organized, will glean almost the last pair 

 from the few small breeding colonies which re- 

 main, wherever these are unprotected. And 

 the larger Gulls, which are not only very beau- 

 tiful, but absolutely essential as harbor scaven- 

 gers, are also being decimated for the same 

 purpose. 



All these species, with their exquisite beauty, 

 their wild voices and their most romantic lives, 

 peopling a realm which, without them, would 

 be oppressive in its dreary grandeur, will reach 

 their breeding places in a few weeks, and the 

 Terns, especially, are liable to be slaughtered 

 the moment they get there ; therefore the 

 promptest action is necessary, if we are to save 

 even the few pairs of the latter which could re- 

 stock our devasted coast when the evil eye of 

 fashion shall have turn'ed to other victims. 



Simple economic considerations make it a 

 matter of course that the Gulls must be saved. 

 An immense horde of them, which naturalists 

 think number anywhere from a hundred thou- 

 sand to a million, gorge twice a day in New 

 York Bay upon garbage. As the hour of the 

 ' dump' approaches, their multitudes fill the 

 whole air to an immense height, over an area 

 of several miles, then gradually settle on the 

 sea in vast white sheets. The whistle of the 

 police boat, the signal to 'dump,' seems to 

 waft them simultaneously into the air, to 

 gather, like dense snow clouds, over the float- 

 ing masses just emptied from the many scows. 



Imagine from what an amount of putrid 

 matter these birds, as big as hens, save the ad- 

 jacent beaches, not to speak of their perpetual 

 gleaning in the actual harbors ! And this is a 

 specimen of what occurs at every port. And 

 shall this incalculable sanitary benefit, and all 

 this beauty, terminate forever, and for no 

 worthy purpose ? 



If money enough can be raised, the Commit- 

 tee of the American Ornithologists' Union will 

 guard every breeding place where there is a law 

 to back them, as Mr. Mackay and Mr. Butcher 

 have done at Vineyard Sound Islands and Great 

 Gull Island. The utmost caution will be used 

 in choosing wardens, and the Committee will 



be glad to receive names of men especia ly 

 suited for the post. Light-house keepers and 

 Life-Saving Station captains will be employed 

 wherever feasible. A very encouraging sum is 

 already in the hands of the Committee. 



The places to be protected are certain islands 

 on the coast of Maine, Long Island, New Jersey, 

 Maryland, and perhaps Virginia and Florida. 

 In Maine alone there is need of all the money 

 we can possibly get, since there single wardens 

 are afraid to face the rough plumers, and some 

 more elaborate organization is the only hope. 



The American Ornithologists' Union there- 

 fore appeals to every bird-lover for money to 

 be used in hiring wardens to protect the birds 

 while nesting. Contributions should be sent to 

 Mr. William Dutcher, treasurer of the Union, 

 at 525 Manhattan avenue. New York City, who 

 will furnish all desired information. 



Abbott H. Thayer, William Brewstek, 

 Pres. Mass. Audubon Society ; Wither Stone, 

 Chairman A. O. U. Com. on Bird Protection; 

 Robert RiDGw AY, President A. O. U.; C. Hakt 

 Merriam, Chief U. S. Biological Survey ; Vice- 

 Pres. A. O. U.; A. K. Fisher, Ass't. Biologist, 

 U. S. Biological Survey ; J. A. Allen, Curator 

 Vertebrate Zoology, Am. Mus, Nat. His.; 

 Frank M. Chapman, Ass't. Curator Ver. Zool- 

 ogy, Am. Mus. Nat. His. ; William Dutcher, 

 Treasurer A. O. U. 

 March 17, 1900. 



NOTES ON ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING. 

 A NEW industrial SITUATION. 



In a pamphlet recently issued by the West- 

 inghouse Companies, Mr. Geo. Westinghouse 

 calls attention to the prospective use of the gas 

 engine on a great scale for the generation of 

 power and, in connection with central gas 

 plants and pipe lines, for the distribution of 

 power. Mr. Westinghouse says that ' ' long 

 familiarity with the electrical industry, the 

 pipe line transportation of natural gas in great 

 quantities, and an active interest in the devel- 

 opment of large gas engines, satisfy me that 

 the great economies which will result from the 

 distribution of power by means of gas generated 

 at central points, and conveyed in pipes along 

 the lines of railway for the operation of gas 



