THE PROTECTION OF WILD BIRDS IN ESSEX.
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any sense of the humour of their argument! They err in the
opposite way to the good alderman who objected to the purchase of
"so many gondolas" for the public lake. "Why not," said he, "buy
two at first, and let nature take its course?"
The fact is that along the shores and marshes of Essex, Norfolk,
and Suffolk many birds breed regularly that are unthought of
by the average naturalist ; Pochard, Shoveller, Teal, Oyster-
catchers, Ruffs, and Reeves, with many other rare birds, have
already nesting-grounds within easy reach, and if protected would
soon found fresh colonies ; but these birds, though delectable to the
naturalist and sportsman, can afford but a tithe of the pleasure
given to holiday-makers and others by the Gulls and Terns, whose
showy habits give life and beauty to our shores. The Gulls have
been protected in some few places, thanks to the loving-kindness of
private owners ; the Terns, whose public nesting-place it should
have been every one's business to protect, are sadly diminished in
number ; but still enough are left to re-people our shores in a few
seasons, if they be only left alone.
There are many birds which we hardly dare hope to re-establish
at any rate so long as would-be colonists are the mark of every fool's
gun ; the Bitterns, Bustards, Cranes, and Spoonbill, will hardly rank
again as common English birds. Yet there is no doubt these once
were common ; as were Kites, of which Clusius is said to have seen
a most amazing number in London, "that flocked there for the sake
of the offal, etc., which was flung into the streets. To kill them was
forbidden ; and they were so tame as to take their prey in the midst
of the greatest crowds." (The description reminds one of sea-gulls
in the Liffey.) Such a sight will never be seen again in England ;
but many places where men still living have gathered great baskets
full of sea-birds' eggs are now deserted, simply because no eggs were
left to hatch. Such was Peewit Island, of which Fuller in his de-
scription of Essex gives so quaint an account.
" The puits (i.e. Pewit Gulls) "being young consist only of bones,
feathers, and lean flesh, which hath a raw gust of the sea. But Poulterers
take them and feed them with gravel and curds (that is Physick and
Food), the one to scour, the other to fat them in a fortnight, and
their flesh thus recruited is most delicious."
This glory of our shores and islands may return once more ;
possibly the young Gulls may even again become an article of
commerce ; but at any rate there may be enough to rejoice