Skegness Magazine

Source: Skegness Herald 1901

A letter to the Editor:

THE SHOOTING OF SEAGULLS ON THE FORESHORE

DEAR SIR

As one who has spent many happy months at your charming resort, both in winter and summer, during the past few years, may I be permitted to offer a protest against a practice, that has of late become common here. That is the idle butchery of sea birds.

Several young men appear to have acquired guns and licenses – there is nothing discreditable about that; but instead of using them in the more legitimate lines of sport an indiscriminate slaughter of seagulls seems in accordance with their ideas.

So recently as last Sunday, while walking with a lady near the sea, I saw two “sportsmen ” having winged a gull instead of humanely putting au end to it s existence first handled it, then watched with apparent enjoyment the gruesome efforts of the maimed bird to rise, and at last bungle the contents of a second cartridge in their victim.

A hundred yards distant, my lady companion, who was naturally shocked at the wantonness of the whole thing, and I came across another gull, shot dead and left to rot, perhaps by another party.

I am telling you sir, of an incident which occured not miles away bat directly in front of your ClockTower last Sunday morning.

I enclose my card, and beg to subscribe myself

AN INDIGNANT VISITOR.