The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-10-05
Sea Fowl In q Storm.

Far out to sea the birds utter wild
cries of alarm when the ocean begins to
darken and the wind to moan across the
extensive waste of waters, and with all
the speed possible they fly toward some
point of land to escape the danger. The
few which are caught in the storm far
from the land make the wild screaming
of the storm more horrible by their pite.
Gus cries and excited calls. Washed
hither and thither by the relentless
storm, they fly around in hopeless search
for some harbor of retreat. Should the
light ct some passing vessel or the fash
light If warning light house attract
their attention, they are lured on to
danger far greater than that experienced
from the waves and winds.
Storms do not always warn the birds
in time to permit them to reach the
shore. The terms, petrels, gulls, ducks
and other sea fowl may be far from shore
sktmming over the water in graceful
sweeps when coast storm suddenly
comes out of the northwest. At the first
sign of such g. change in the weather the
birds invariably seek some harbor Of
safety, but if the storm shuts them out
from the coast they are forced to fly
around in Aocks until accident leads
chem to retreat. Sea fowl at such times
flock together and lost company may
number thousands, representing a hete'
rogeneous collection of all the species Of
sea- birds. Such motley collections fire.
quently dash against the light house of
some exposed point, where hundreds are
killed by the collision.
Ocean steamers serve as an allurement
for them, and they follow the light of the
vessel as a moth does the candle light.
If not attracted by any light the birds
fly around until exhausted by their ex-
ertions or until the storm abates. Dur
ing prolonged storms thousands of lost
sea fowl are destroyed upon the ocean
through their inability to reach land or
to outride the furious gales. While q
large proportion of the flock would
eventually succumb to the fury of the
wind and waves, there are many others
that would show their marvellous powers
in outriding the storm.
To fly against gale that is blowing at
the rate of forty or fifty miles an hour
would require bones of iron and muscles
of steel, and the lost birds very rarely
succeed in holding their own in such a
storm. They buffet With the gale bravely,
circling around and around to make
headway against it, but in time they are
swept far out to ses. The waves offer no
resting place Tor them and they are
forced to trust entirely to their wings for
safety. After heavy storms of several
days the terms and petrels have been
found thousand miles from the shore,
weak and almost dead from their exer-
tions. Others have been discovered
floating on the water dead, the black and
blue patches on their bodies telling the
terrible story of strain aud hopeless exer' =
ton. Incoming vessels have brough ia
solitary sea fowl that would light upon
the masts of the ships when completely
exhausted after fighting against the
storms.
Floating spars and wrecks have been
the means of saving the lives of such
lost birds. They would float on them
for hours or days until they become
thoroughly rested from their labors, and
then they would begin their long journey
toward some shore at the first favorable
opportunity. Their instinct at such
times is unerring, and they generally
make for the nearest point of land,
although it may be hundreds of miles
away and they a-e completely turned
around. 1t may be, however, that they
take their bearings from the sun while
they are floating upon their temporary
restless buoys.
When the storm approaches the long,
sharp whistling of the curlewu, the wild
cries of the sea gulls and the sharp,
piercing screams of the terms announce
that danger is at hand. The sea grows
restless and choppy, an occasional puff
of wind will moan across the water and
force whitecaps into motion. The birds
then assemble along the shore, some seek
ing for their food among the rocks half q
mile out, while others will run along the
beach or go to the inland marshes. AS
the fury of the storm increases all OF
them will get in beyond the reach of the
wild waves. The heavy wind makes Hy'
ing difficult art, and most of them
trust to their legs. They run along the
sand or hide in the rocks. The terms and
gulls will occasionally venture out over
the waves to fish for food, but they soon
find that the work is Improbable. When
the storm has subsided the coasts are
great objects of interest to the sportsmen
Every species of sea fowl is to be found
somewhere along all the beaches or in
land marshes. They do not return to
the wids sea for 2 lay or two after the
storm has abatcd, and then they are
driven there by the hunters gun.
What She Brought to her Husband 81
Noon Recess.