Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-06-18
ALBATRoss EGGS FOR FOOD.
New Dangers which Threaten One OF the
Bird Tribes of the Pacific.

New Dangers which Threaten One OF the
Bird Tribes of the Pacific.
News that albatrosses are being de-
stroyed literally by myriads on an is
land newly acquired by Uncle Sam
may we'll excite dismay, in view of the
interesting character of those birds
from geological and romantic view
point. The island in question is that
of Laysan, to the northwest of Hawaii
"a volcanic rock three miles long and
trihe less in breadth-on which
these sea fowl breed in enormous
numbers. Unfortunately for them, q
local guano deposit attracts diggers
for that valuable fertilizer, and their
eggs are gathered wholesale to feed
the workmen. Though the birds them
selves are not seriously disturbed the
removal of their eggs, not only by the
wheelbarrow load but by the carload,
must soon result in the practical ex-
tinction of the species thereabout
1t is the government bureau of
ornithology that calls attention to this
unfortunate state of affairs, and, in the
forthcoming year book of the depart
ment of agriculture, Dr. T. S. Palmer
will speak of dangers threatening
Cnc'e Sans bird colonies in other
regions. Perhaps the most striking
instance is afforded by the Farallones,
and certainly the most important in a
financial way. These islands, or
rather rocks, off the coast of Cali
fornia 80 miles west of the Golden
Gate are the breeding ground of
myriads of sea birds, chiefly western
gnlls and INJURIES. For nearly so years
murre eggs have been collected there
and shipped TO the San Francisco
market, where they find ready sale
at from II to 20 cents per dozen-a
price only little less than that of
lasts about two months, beginning
near the middle of May, the eggs are
shipped regularly once or twice
week. The main crop is gathered on
South Farallone, the principal island,
and chiefly from the great rookery"
at the west end. The bird lays only
one egg, which is deposited on the
bare rock. When the season opens
the men go over the ground aud 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 systema-
ti"ally picked up and shipped to mar
ket.
The business is in the hands OF
Italians and Greeks, and although
only dozen or 15 ''eggers" are en-
ployed the number of eggs gathered
is simply enormous. 1t is said that
in 1854 more than 500, 600 were sold
in less than two months, and that be-
tween 1850 and 1856 three or four
millions were taken to San Francisco.
Since then the value of the eggs has
declined, and the output has also fallen
off considerably. In 1884 there were
gathered 800, 600; in 1886, about 1OS,-
900, while in 1896 the crop was re.
duced to little less than $4,000.
The Farallones being government
lighthouse reservation, the 'eggers"
were allowed on the islands formerly
only by suffrance. From 1850 to 1880
the Farallone Egg company remained
in almost undisputed sway, but was
dispossessed in 1881 by the authori-
ties. Afterward the keepers employed
men to gather the eggs. But in 1897
the attention of the ligh thouse board
was called to the decreasing numbers
of the 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
collected for food on the Pribilof is
lands, in Bering sea, and H. w. Elliott,
the naturalist, mentions that on the
occasion OF his first visit to Walrus
island, in July, 1872, six men in less
than three hours loaded a large boat
carrying four tons with eggs to the
waters edge. Large colonies of water
birds, such as pelicans, gulls, terms
and herons, may be found at points
along the coasts of the United States
during the breeding season, and in
certain localities the eggs Of some of
these species are highl esteemed and
find a ready market-as on the eastern
shore of Virginia, where eggs of the
laughing gull are considered a great
delicacy, and are gathered in large
numbers for sale to hotels and private
individuals. But in the qualification
of this taste there is the same ten
dency toward determination, which is
manifested in the case of feather col
lecting. Boston Transcript.
Hawthorne's Tenderness for Animals.
George p. Bradford and Mr.. Haw.
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