The Opelousas courier., 1891-03-21
THE FARALLON ROOkERIES,
WHOLESALE PILLAGTNG OF BIRDS
NESTS FOR THEIR EGGS.
Gathering the Eggs From the Islands
for the San Francisco Market
Egg Poachers at Work.

The Farallon rookeries afford, even
under the existing conditions of rapid
depopulation and barefaced, unchecked
spoliation, a wonderful example Of the
prolific power of nature on the shores of
a sub-tropical land. The principal island
the South Farallon-on which the
lighthouse is situated, may run short of
potable water in every dry season, but
the lighthouse people would never starve
for want of animal food. The rabbits
let loose on the island by an English
master mariner within the memory of
pioneer Californians have acquired pos
session of quite an extensive patch on
| the west side of the cliffs. The puffins
are the sole disputants of the right of
eminent domain, and then only to the
! extent of a claim to deposit eggs in
neglected burrows. Away above and
around the visitor the CLEAN of white
wings and the chorus of cultural re-
monstrances against intrusion is like unto
| Millions smile to the leaves OF Vallam-
| brosa.
Nevertheless, the birds are gradually
| deserving the islands. The bones of
numerous species of Pacific coast birds
rarely Or never seen now are common in
the sheltered caves of the group: The
various species of auks, the puffins, the
guillemots, the cormorants, are common,
and the plovers and petrels still breed OF
the islands, but other California birds,
once quite familiar visitors to the group,
have sought abodes less disturbed by the
egg poacher, the ornithologlst and the
pot hunter.
There is just about a mile in length
and a half mile. in width of trail on the
South Farallon. Not a shrub of any
kind is to be seen, and the Farallon
weed, which supplies the raw material
for the nests Of the birds, is the only
evidence of vegetation. If there were
any other the rabbits would soon get
away with it. Their numbers have, in
fact, been kept within reasonable bounds
by self-limitation. There was not green
stuff enough for the swiftly multiplying
rodents to eat and thousands died of
starvation.
OF all the birds on the group the puff
fins are the most picturesque and enter
tainiEy to the visitor and to the oru1-
biologist. Like most of the Faral1on
seabirds the putin lays but one egg.
The parent birds keep strict guard over
the precious pledge of affection, which,
as before remarked, IS deposited in a
rabbit burrow. If such ? safe hiding
place is not available thk birds burrow
on their own account. Nhe putin is
easily distinguished among the other
birds by its parrot-like beak. 1t is
familiarly known to the visiting
yandals and the egg-poachers as the
s'sea parrot" from this very cireum-
stance.
The aux family is, however, the prin-
clpal contributor to the egg-poacher's
wallet. just as soon as the stmerry
month of May" approaches there is a stir
among the small schooners and sailing
craft in San Francisco Bay and silently,
'slike a thief in the night" each skipper
works his way out between the heads to
the ssfar F~arallones." His crew, mostly
composed of Greeks aud Italians, with d
liberal sprinkling of waterfront cast
Always, effect a quiet, unperceived land
ing OF the South Farallon, usually on the
Loaf rock, to the northwest, be-
cause that is the spot where the birds
breed earliest. The cliffs are quite
rugged, and with a perpendicular of
nearly $50 feet, so the sports child's
play and accidents are not unfrequent.
Each egg-hunter is furnished with a
shirt of special construction, provided
with an open front for slowing away the
eggs, and a bed of soft sea-weed about
The waist-band for the eggs to rest on.
. good hand will pick up and get
away with 200 eggs a day in this
manner. In due course the egg-poch-
srs gather at the place of embarkation
md the unbroken eggs are collected in
baskets for shipment on the
oiratieal looking little schooner in the
ofing.
rails in the gulls, which not only ruth
plumber the nests and carry off the
Eggs, but enjoy a ~cannibalistio feact on
he newly-fedged birds. Most of the
lodgings of the Farallon group make
heir exit from the shell in q featherless
md nude state, in which condition they
urnish as irresistible a temptation to the
4verage gull as the softshell crab to a
epicure. The tiny
are especially defenseless as they
make their way out of the burrows in
vh1cb the natal shell was lying. Hence
t is hat the pioneers of the poaching
'arty, In scaling the cliffs, have often to
through the ordeal of a finish contest
With the gulls. The latter are urged on
like by a desire to protect their own off
pring, SO that thu foremost cliff-climber !
Invariably has a lively time.
The eggs Of the smurre," SO called,
re quite familiar objects in the grocery {
Of San Francisco about the end Of
lay or the beginning of June. The ].
arliest eggs are laid two or three weeks !
efore this, but the poachers usually J
reak them up for fear of bringing adj !,
led or rotten eggs 10 market. AS pre- ! !
iously limited, the murre usually lays :
n egg, and this is distinctly conf .
in shape, large at n end, small and r
at the other. The color of the
gg varies remarkably. Some are of an
gray, with scant brown stripes,
Of a full sea green with black
Dealers often pick out the
rown and gray eggs, pass them off for I
'plovers' eggs, and charge extra prices t
,r them, but the pronounced lshy taste i