Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-03-17
BIRDS OF THE SEA.
THEIR INACcEssIBILlTY FINDERS ANY
 CLOSE OBSERVATION.

Habits of the Albatreas-Comeso on Notion
 less Pinions Out Of the Biue-The True
 Children of the Air-BeautifuI Mother
 Careys Chickens.
 A writer in the London Spectator says of sea birds: In obedience to the growing demand for more intimate knowledge of birds and their habits whole libraries have been written, and still this literature increases; but while in this there is nothing to cavil at, one cannot help feeling that the marvellous life of the sea birds has re- eeived far from adequate attention. Like so may other denizens of that vast and densely populated world of waters, their inaccessibility has hinder ed that close observation by trained naturalists necessary in order to de- scribe them Gs they deserve. And this want is really to be wondered at sec ing how fascinating is the study of oceanic fauna, and remembering what wealth of leisure is enjoyed by mas tefs of sailing ships, which alone af- ford opportunities for observing the life of the sea-people.
 Easily first in point of interest, as we'll as size, comes the lordly alba tross, whose home is far south of the line, and whose empire is that illim- itable area of turbulent waves which sweep resistless round the world. Compared with his power of vision Sailors give all things except ship the epieene gender 'shea), the piercing gaze of the eagle or condor becomes myopic, unless, as indeed may be the case, he possesses other senses un- known to us by means of which he is made aware of passing events interest ing to him at incredible distances from them. Out of the blue void he comes unhasting, on motionless pinions, yet at such speed that, one moment a speck hardly discernible, turn but your eyes away, and ere you can again look around he is gliding majestieally over head.
 Despite his incomparable grace of flight, when gliding through mid-air with his mighty wings outspread, when ashore or on deck he is clumsy and fll-at-ease. Even seated upon the sea his proportions appear somewhat un- gainly, while his huge hooked beak seems too heavy to be upheld. On land he can hardly balance himself, and the broad silky webs of his feet soon become lacerated. Thus his vis- it's to the lone and generally inacces- sibIe rocks which are his breeding places are as brief as may be, since even eonjugal delights are dearly pur- chased with hunger and painful re- straint. A true child of the air, land is hateful to him, and only on the wing does he appear to be really at home and easeful
 At the bottom of the size scale, but in point of affectionate interest second to none, comes the stormy petrel, or Mother Carey's chicken, darling wee Wanderer common to both hemi- spheres, and beloved by all sailors. With it's delicate, glossy black and brown plumage just feeked with white on the open wings, and its long slender Iegs reaching out first, on one side and then on the other as if to feel the sea, it nestles under the very curl of the most mighty pillows or skins the sides of their reverberating green abysses content as does the lark over lush meadow. Rowing hurricane or search ing snow blasts pass unheeded over that yelyety black head The brave. bright eye aims not. nor does the cheery little note falter, even if the tiny traYeler must needs euddle up close under the lee of some big ship for an occasional crumb.
 A pugnacious sparrow the other day flew into the elephant house in the Central Park rnan a oarip New York