17 MARCH 1950, Page 18

Sea-birds and Oil

Sut,—In the Spectator of March 3rd Sir William Beach Thomas says: " To clean a bird of oil is difficult but it can be done with success." It would be interesting to know the method. Last year I and a friend were sitting on Brighton beach in February when some_ way along the coast from us at the edge of the waves we saw a fluttering object. It turned out to be a gull with oil on its wings. We took it to a branch of the R.S.P.C.A. and were told that little could be done as the birds swallow the oil as well as getting it on their feathers, and this is injurious to them internally.