Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-10-27

Millions of Them ON the south Atlantic
and Pacific Coasts.

Millions of Them ON the south Atlantic
and Pacific Coasts.
The gulls constitute the feathered
ornaments of our harbors and shores,
their singularly graceful fight, long,
slender wings and striking contrasts in
black and white rendering them par
ticularly attractive. On the various
portions Of the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts their breeding places are found,
but it is in the south in isolated regions
that they are seen to the best advan-
tage and in greatest numbers. Thos
who are familiar with an occasional
white winged form flashing over the
waters Of the harbor or bay can form
but little conception of the appearance
of these birds en- masse in the homes OF
their choice. On the southern borders
Of the United States there are several
localities famous as bird collecting
places but none more interesting than
Bird key in the Gulf of Mexico
NY first visit 10 the key was made
while examining the wreck of a large
ship that had grounded in years before
and was "a conspicuous object about
two miles from the key. From the old
wreck ! noticed a singular dark cloud
hanging low over the island, as though
some mysterious smoke had risen from
an invisible source and now tloated
over the spot. Polling the boat over
the reef in that direction | soon solved
the mystery. The cloud was alive, a
mass Of active fuss and feathers; birds,
birds by the million, so il seemed. One
or two came out 70 meet us, and 10 a
distinct murmuring sound was heard,
growing louder and louder as we ap
preached. until soon the o "A was deaf
ening.
The terms now left the island by
scores and hundreds, flying about the
boat with wild cries, darling down with
menacing gesture. Myriads that had
been upon the ground rose, and what
had been an indefinite cloud became an
almost solid mass of birds, creating a
noise like thunder, so that As u boat
crunched on the sandy beach. our voices
were lost, and we could only hear each
other by screaming. This had a sin
gular effect. as on the second every in
dividual ceased its c%latter; silence pro
found seemed TO reign, and the birds
dived or swooped down as If in fear, to
rise again and continue the avian up
roar.
The sight was a most remarkable one.
The birds were of two kinds-the blade
headed tern and the noddy the former
beautiful creatures. with dark heads
and bright. intelligent eyes, veritable
spirits Of the air and gale as they
fitted about. while the noddies. which
were sparsely represented. were dark,
with a pale. light patch upon the head.
The gulls laid their eggs upon the
ground. the uoddies i'm rude nests upon
the trees.
The island or key occupied severa.
acres. perhaps twenty, and was COY
cred with a low scrub Of bay cedal
nowhere more than ten feet in height
with here and there a patch Of cactus
or prickily pear. The birds had pre-
empted every foot Of the ground, &
that it was difficult to step or move IN
, the bush without treading upon tbs
attractive speckled eggs.
The domestic arrangements were
simple enough. as the eggs wer'
? Matched by the sun and hot sand tina
, cooled but little during the night from
J the baking it received during the day
The only enemies the birds had wer,
the hermit crabs. that constitute tn
permanent settlers Of the island. -Sai
> Francisco Chronicle.