The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-20
HOUSE & HERMANN, s.' o. St zs.,s st.


| boat came in loaded with flour barrels
which were soon fillsd with eggs. The
method Of collecting was interesting The
men entered the bush, which grew thick
and TO height Of perhaps seven feet, and
made their way over the hot sand on their
| hands and knees. man would drop down,
clear away place before him. and reach
out for ell the eggs in his range. piling
| them up in a heap; then crawl along eight
or ten feet deeper into the bush. piltng as
he went. In his wake came others who
packed the eggs in bags and carried them
to the beach, where they were placed in
| the barrels; first a layer of bay cedar
leaves, three inches thick, then a layer of
eggs; over this was placed more leaves,
and so on until tie barrel was filed. when
it was carried away over TO the boat
Collecting eggs in this way by whole
sale had its attractions as a novelty. but
If man had been obliged 10 do it he
would have considered himself badly
treated. The normal temperature out in
the air was terrific. but in the bush
where the suns rays were reflected ON the
sand. where there was no draft. it was
intolerable. To add to this the struggling
birds raised a stifing dust from the
branches; they rushed blindly at the pick
ers, beat their faces with their wings,
threw the fine sand this way and that
hit on the head by eggs which the birds
often dropped. One negro took off his old
straw hat, and was mopping his head with
his bandana when tern dropped an egg
fairly on his brown pate. II was exciting
but as some one remarked, a little of it
went a great way.
Tug-Of-War Between Crab and BIRD.
Some days later the writer visited the
Island again, and the scene was repeated
though the birds were now much more
savage, almost attacking the invaders.
This was because the sun had Matched the
eggs, and the sand under the bushes was
a squirming mass of birds each adding
its squeaking to the general clamor The
birds seemed to number tens of thousands.
crawling about in every direction. and the
question of each bird feeding its own young
was an interesting problem, TO the mother
at least who had to distinguish her own
offspring among SO many.
The parent birds were now ranging the
reef more; feeding upon sardines and fly
ing fishes and the key was converted into
a gigantic commissary in which fish was
the sole commodity. Every gull had TO
be fed several times a day. and the unu-
sual supply of food brought a large army
of land crabs, which not only preyed upon
the fish, but upon the birds themselves
Lying in the hot, suffocating bush, gasp
ing for breath. the writer was the observ-
er of many strange conflicts; in one in
stance. while under low tree in which
noddy had built The gulls laid their eggs
in slight depression in the sand. just
sufficiently dug out to prevent the eggs
from rolling. relying upon the heat of the !
sun tc do the work of Matching during the
day and most of the night so far as could
be learned the bird only covering the eggs I,
when it was too cool for them, though /
some sat upon them all night
The noodles, on the other hand. had /
built nests in the low bay cedar six or
seven feet from the grounl formed of a /
few twigs dropped togethez. the most be- /
ing almost weak and poorly constructed ,
as that of the wild dove. AS crude as was
this platform, the egg managed to keep
its position, and when the young appeared /
Il evidently knew enough to remain in one
place
AS the writer was watching such a bird
evidently & day or two old the other
appeared with a small flying fish I
which she dropped into the nest and be-
gan to eat. then feeding the little bird.
a commoticn was noticed in
the bushes a few feet beyond and looking
around the observer saw a purple sand
,rab. half as large as the small bird
making its way in that direction, crossing
from branch to branch. finally reaching
he nest. The noddy now flew away when
he crab seized the remains of the flying
lsh. which the young bird held, and then I
began at once a tug of war. The crab
was presently re-enforced. as up from the
ground several big hermit crabs began to
,rawl. having scented the feast from afar,
md it was not long before six or seven
.rabs were fighting for the fish attacking
he bird itself whenever opportunity Of
cred and that they would ultimately
lave crowded 1t off and over the edge
here was no doubt; but wher' the young
,ird was being hard pressed. s hermit at