The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-08

ale. .siands. \ new and singular in
duStry has been developed IN inc
gathering of these eggs for the market
by Italian and Greek fishermen who
peril their lives In fran fishing boats
and in scaling the rocky islets for the
eggs Of the munro.
Three clusters of rocky islands OF
volcanic origin. thirty miles from san
Francisco. i'm the Pacific ocean, form
the Faralons. South Farallon being the
largest and the only one inhabited. Al
though of surprising interest on &C
count of their wild picturcsquoness and
the rnvriads Of birds which there find
a summer home. the Farallons are sell
dom. II ever. visited 10y the tourists.
They are difficult of access, small fish
ing boats or an occasional outgoing
tug being the only means of transit.
South Farallon is about a mile IN
,on,.th. and half a nile wide. every
where cut up by jagged bridges. pre-
cipitous bluffs. pinnacles and rocky
points. the highest. where the light
house is situated. being $40 feet above
the sea The whole island may be said
90 be a vertahlc city of the birds, cover
sng their eggs in dense colonies swim
nine and diving or wheeling by thou
sands through the air with shrll, in
cessant cries The bird census there
never mas been taken.
Besides the murre. which lays the
marketable ogss, tufted pLnins west
EN- gulls. three species of cormorants,
Cassins auklet. the a-hy petrol and the
pigeon sUillenOt breed in large num-
bers.
Tie murre lays one large. poar-shap-
ed egg having about twice the capac-
~ OF a hens egg. This is curiousiy
and beautifully marked in many shad g
Of red. brown green. in surprising Sari-
alton. The eggs sell readily at twenty
cents dozen in tie markets, and that
they are considered valuable as q food
supply. is evidenced by the fact that one
hundred and sixty thousand dozen are
Consumed annually
In spite of this enormous product the
birds seem 20 be almost as prolific as
ever although near the close of sea-
sons collecting, many "runt" eggs are
found.
Two men who We're left on Sugar
Loaf. an isolated rock 1S feet high. col
lectcd one hundred and eight thousand
nurTe's eggs IN one season.
The eegors usually consist Of twelve
10 fifteen men, who inspect the great
rookerlcs carly in the season to see II
the birds have begun laying. When tho
time IS ready 10 begin work. curious,
but necessary performance takes place.
The whole island is gone over and All
the murre's eggs within reach are
broken or thrown into the sea. This is
10 insure fresh eggs. for the eggers
maintain that an egg that has been sat
upon for a day is unfit for market. This
IS a time of rejoicing for the sea gulls,
who love 10 feed upon the murre's eggs,
and arc relentless pirates. robbing the
poor murre at every opportunity, of the
one egg she so zealOusly guards.
Unlike the gull. the murre makes no
INST whatever. covering its egg on any
bare rock that will support it.
II left undisturbod. the INJURIES would
lay but one egg each. during a season,
but as they are robbed, they continue
laying.
The collecting outfit Of the egger is
simple. a cotton -four sack is ns1de
into an egg shirt" by cutting out a
hole In the bottom for the head, and
one on each side for arm holes; gather
ing string about the mouth Of the sack
permits IL 10 bc drawn tightly about the
waist. while a slit down the shirt IN
front makes an opening for slowing