The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-27
AlDATRCSS EGGS FOR 1000.

News that albatrosses are being de-
stroyed literally by myriads on an ISL
and newly acquired by Uncle Sam may
well excite dismay, in view of the in
teresting character of those birds from
a geological and romantic viewpoint.
The island i'm question is that of Lay
san, to the northwest of Hawaii--a
volcanic rock three miles long and
trife less In breadth-on which these
sea fowl breed in enormous numbers
Unfortunately for them. local guano
deposit attracts diggers for that valua-
bic fertilizer. and their eggs are gath
cred wholesale 10 feed the workmen
Though the birds themselves are not
seriously disturbed. the removal of their
eggs, not only by The wheelbarrow
load, but by the carload. must soon re-
suit In the practical extinction of the
species thereabout says the Boston
Transcript.
IL IL the government bureau OF or
MYTHOLOGY that calls attention to this
unfortunate state OF affairs. and, in the
forthcoming year book of the depart
ment of agriculture, DIT. t. ;. Palmer
will speak Of dangers threatening
Uncle Sans bird colonies i'm other re-
gions. Perhaps the most striking in
stance is afforded by the Farailones,
and certainly the most important In
financial way. These islands, or rather
rocks of efe coast of California thirty
miles west of the Golden GATE. are the
breeding grounds OF myriads of sea
birds, chiefly western gulls and murres.
For nearly fifty years murre eggs have
been collected there and shipped to the
San Francisco market. where they 1nd
a ready sale at from IL to 20 cents per
dozenr--a price only a little less than
that of hens eggs During the season.
whlcn lasts about two months. begin
ming near the middle of May. the eggs
are shipped regularly once or twice II
week. The main crop is gathered on
SoRh Farallone. the principal island,
and chiefly from the great rookery-'
at the west end The bird lays onIy
one egg. which Is deposited on the bare
rock. When the season opens the men
go over rhe ground and break all the
eggs in sight, so as to avoid taking
any that are not perfectly fresh. The
ground is then gone. over every second
day, and the eggs are systematically
picked up and shipped TO market.
The business II In the hands OF ltal-
Sans and Greeks. and although only
dozen or fifteen "eggers" are employed
the number of eggs gathered is simply
enormous. 1t is said that I'm 1854 more
than 100000 were sold I'm less than two
months and that between 1850 and 1856
three Or four Millions were taken 10
San Francisco. Since then the value
of the eggs has declined. and the out
put has also fallsn of considerably. In
1884 there were gathered 300 900; in 1856,
about los. 900 while In 1896 the crop was
reduced TO little less than $1,000.
The Farallones being government
lighthouse reservation. the "eggers"
were allowed on the islands formerly
only by sufYrance. From 1880 to
the Farallone Egg company remained
in almost undisputed sway, but was
dlspossessed I'm 1881 by the authorities.
Afterward the Keepers employed men
to gather the eggs But In 1897 the at
tention OF the lighthouse board was
called to the decreasing numbers OF
birds. and instructions Were issued
prohibiting further gathering OF eggs
FOR market. thus practically putting an
end TO the business for the present.
The eggs OF the Palias murre are coll
lectsd for food on the Pribilof islands,
In Bering Sea and II. w. Elliott the
naturalist. mentions that on the occa-
sion of his first visit TO Walrus island.
in July, 1872. six men In less than three
hours loaded large boat carrying
four tons with eggs to the waters
edge Large colonies OF water birds.
such as pelicans. gullsterns and herons,
may be found at points along the
COASTS OF the United states during the
breed ng season. and in certain Iocali-
ties the eggs of some of these species
are highly esteemed and find a ready
market--as on the eastern shore or
Virginia. where eggs OF the Laughing
gull are considered n great delicacy.
and are gathered In large numbers for
IL Inc. ID
But in the qualification OF this taste
there is the same tendency toward ex-
termination. which is manifested I'm the
case of feather collecting.