Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-04-17
LoorlNc GREAT RookERlEs.
Tons OF Sea Bird Eggs on tho Farallon
Islands stolen by PoaChers.


Tons OF Sea Bird Eggs on tho Farallon
Islands Stolen by Poachers.
1t is one of the ironies of fate, says
the San Francisco Chronicle, that while
Great Britain rigidly protects even the
smallest birds on her own territory
during the nesting season, she does not
disdain to lay yiolant hands on the
mammals of q neighboring friendly
power; and, on the other hand. that
friendly power, to :, the United
States, looks calmly on ,hi!e its wild
fowl are decimated wit. sight of its
shores by aliens a., even by its own
citizens.
For it so happens tlas the sea birds
and land birds which :; .nually visit the
Farallon group Tor The purpose OF re-
producing their species have foe to
reckon with whose grasp is as ruthless
as it is fatal. Some idea may be formed
of the annual defamation of Californian
and North Pacific sea birds when it is
stated that 100000 of eggs were
brought into the San Francisco market
from the Farallones in four years, and
chat in an immense majority OF cases
the parent bird produces but single
eggg-none more than three. Even at
the present time the average import of
of sea-birds' eggs from the F'arallones is
100000 annually. BY courtesy they are
called the eggs of the "mulre." AS
matter of fact the true "murre" or
"razor bill" is a tolerab!y exclusive in
habitant Of the seabord OF the Atlantic
ocean north Of Cape Henry.
The Farallon lookeries afford, even
under the existing conditions OF rapid
depopula ion and barefaced, unchecked
spo!iation, wonderful example of the
.----.-~ over Of nature on the shores
of a sub-tro.,ical land. The principal
island the South Farallon-on which
the lighthouse is situated, may run
short of portable water in every dry
season, but the lighthouse people
would never starve for want of animal
food.
Nevertheless, the birds are gradually
deserving the island. The bones of nu-
me.ous species Of Pacific coast birds
rarely or never seen now are common in
the sheltered caves of the group. The
various species of auls and prlfins, the
gullemots, the cormorants are common,
and the plovers and petrels still breed
on the island, but other,C California birds,
once quite familiar visitors to the group,
have sought abodes less disturbed by
the egg-poacher, the ornithologist, aud
the pot-hunter.
vi all the birds on the group the
nutlins a"e the most picturesque and en-
tertalning to the visitor and ornitholo-
gist. The aux family is, however, the
principal contributor to the egg
poacher's wallet. Just as soon as the
merry month of May" approaches
there is a stir among the small schooners
and sailing-vessels in San Francisco
bay, and silently, like thief in the
night, each skipper works his way out
between the heads OF the far Faral-
ZONES" His crew, mostly composed of
Greeks and Italians, with a liberal
srrlnkiing OF waterfront castaways,
effect quiet. unperceived landing on
the South Farallon, usually ON the
Sugar-Loaf rock, to the north west, be-
cause that is the spot where the birds
breed earliest. The cliffs are quite
rugged, and with g. perpendicular Of
nearly $50 feet, so the sport is no child's
play, and accidents are not infrequent.
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 seaweed about
the waistbaud for the eggs to rest on.
n good hand will pick up and get away
with 200 eggs day in this manner.
The eggs OF the "murre," so called,
are quite familiar objects in the grocery
stores of San Francisco about the end
of May or the beginning of June The
earliest eggs are laid two or three weeks
before this, but the poachers usually
break them up for fear of bringing
added or rotten eggs to market.
1t is curious circumstance about
the annual importation OF the eggs of
the murre and its kindred. that the
taste of consumers becomes stated. In
the abstract these eggs are very cheap,
and contain an immense amount of nu-
tltious matter in small compass. But
the rank. tishy taste can not be banished
by the highest culinary skill, and the
Inference is that the bulk of the eggs
that find their way into the market are
put to some use of which the public is
not aware.
Egyptian Rarps.