The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-18

point of affectionate interest. second 10
/ none, comes the stormy petrol. or Mother
Carey 5 chicken, a darling wee wanderer.
common 10 boih hemispheres. and beloved
I by all sailors. With its delicate, glossy
black and brown plumage just hecked
wSih white on the open wings, and jus
long, slender legs reaching out first on
one side aud then on the other as if 10
feel the sea, il nestles under the very curl
of the mOSi mighty pillows. or skins the
sides OF their reverberltiug green abySses
content as does the lark over the lush
meadow. Howliug hurricane or searching
snow blasts pass UNDECIDED over that vel
vety black head. The brave bright eyes
dim not nor does the chsery little note
falter, even If the tiny traveller must needs
cudIle up close under the lee Of some big
ship for an occasional crumD. only once
have we known an Individual cruel or
senseless enough to harm stormy pc
tUel. and then the eXecra tons OF his snip
mates fairly scared MIN into repentance.
They seemed TO have solved The secret OF
perpetual motion, and often at night
careful listener may hear their low cry,
even If he is not keen-sighted enough TO
see them fit beneath him.
But apart from these true oceanic no
MAIDS are the large class of sea birds who,
while gathering their food exclusively
from the sea, never go to any great dis
lance from land. The difference between
them and the birds before mentioned IS
so strongly marked that, unobserVant as
sailors are generally, there are few who
do not recognize the vicinity Of land upon
catching sight of man-o'-war's bird,
BOBBY, gannet or bo sun. All these birds,
whose trivial designations seem somehow
more appropriate than the nine-jointed no.
menclature of the schools, frequent for
preference more accessible shores than the
craggy pinnacles generally chosen by the
holder outhiers. OF the first named, the
"man-o'-war' or "frigate" bird very lit
tie can be said to his credit Michelet has
rhapsodised about him in curious effu-
sion, of which one can only say he seems
to have confused three distinct birds I'M
der one head. Were this bird to receive
an entirely appropriate title, it would be
pirate" or "buccaneer,"' since it is only
upon the rarest occasions that he conde-
scends to fish for himself, choosing rather
to rob humber birds of their well-earned
prey. No sea bird mounts so high as he
rising into the clear blue until only a black
speck to the unasssted eye. Usually, how
ever, he contents himself with a circlng
poise at an altitude of about 200 feet
whence he Keeps steadfast watch upon all
that tFanspires beneath.
With his long tail dividing and closing
like the halves of a pair of shears, and
the brilliant scarlet pouch at his neck
til some fussy BOBBY, like an overladen
housewife hurrying home from market
comes Tapping along toward her nest.
Then the broad pinions suddenly close,
and down like lightning comes the ma
rauder. With a wild shrek of terror BOBBY
disgorges her fish, but ere it reaches the
water, out flash the black wings again
and with a grand sweep the assailant has
passed beneath his frightened victim
caught the plumber, and scared skyward
In like manner these birds may some
times be seen to catch a flying-fsh on the
wing. truly marvellous feat. 1t IS, never.
theless. a pathetic sight to see them, when
old age or sickness overtakes them, sit
ting IN lonely dignity among the rocks
where they breed helplessly awaiting
with glazing eyes and dropping plumage,
the tardy coming of deliverance.
As for the BOBBY, whose contemptuous
name is surely a libel, space as now far
too brief to do anything like justice to its
many virtues. In a number of ways il
corresponds very closely with the manners
of our domestic fowls, notably in its care
of its brood, and utter change in it's habits
when the young ones are dependent upon
it. Ofsstupidity, the only evidences really
noticeable are its Indifference to the APP
preach of generally dreaded dangers when
IL is drOwsy. At night one may collect as
many from their nesting places as can be
desired for they make no effort to escape.
but look at their enemy with a full, steady
eye, wherein there is no speculation what
ever. Numberless instances might be col
lected where the tameness, as well as the
abundance, of boobies have been the
means of preserving human life after ship
wreck, while their fish and eggs are by
no means unpalatable.
-s-e-e