The Western Gulls 
protests; larger birds are 
dismembered by two 
gulls assisting in the 
operation, after the well- 
known manner of barn¬ 
yard chickens with a 
worm; and before the 
adult cormorants have 
recovered from their 
fright and returned tP 
protect their homes, a 
colony of several hun¬ 
dred nests will be almost 
destroyed. I have 
found young Western 
Gulls feeding on cormo¬ 
rant squabs half a mile 
or more from the nests 
from which they had 
been abducted.” 
In this connection 
I cannot forbear some 
trenchant criticism of 
the policy which the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture 
has hitherto pursued 
with reference to the 
protection of certain 
coastal breeding grounds 
of the sea-fowl, ft was 
highly proper that cer¬ 
tain threatened species, such as the California Murre and the three 
species of Cormorants and the Black Oyster-catcher, should be 
guarded, not alone from the age-old depredations of the natives, but 
from the increasing encroachments of irresponsible whites; but when 
that protection, applied indiscriminately, had the effect of fostering and 
multiplying the worst enemy of those sea-iowl, namely, the Western 
Gull, the actual effect has been the direct opposite of that ostensibly 
intended. The Western Gull has thrived mightily under protection, 
while the other bird population has steadily decreased. If we are to 
assume to regulate the affairs of the sea-fowl, we must really regulate 
to the advantage of the greatest number of species, and not continue 
Taken on the Southeast Farallon 
Photo by the Author 
HEY! THERE! 
THE PHOTOGRAPHER HAS BAITED THE BIRDS WITH MURRES EGGS, AND THE OTHER FELLOW 
HAS “ BEATEN HIM TO IT” 
