The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-03
CAROLINA WATERS
Audubon Society Doing
Monumental Work.
Several Species of Birds that Had Be-
come Extinct, Growing Numerous
Again. FIourishing Fishery. In
land Waterway.

Mr.. Brimley, Curator of the Mu-
scum. has returned from q vacation
spent mainly at Cape Hatteras, and
has many interesting things to tell
about his trip. When questioned about
the shark story from Davis Shore, on
Core Sound, Mr.. Brimley said that
nothing was known about it down that
way so far as he knew. He was near
the place on Monday, on the way
from Ocracoke to Morehead, but no
unusually large sharks were seen, and
the population seemed to be on and in
the water as usual.
The fatback (mehaden) fishery
was in a fiourishing condition in Core
Sound. At one place, in tlse upper
part of the sound, no less than fifteen
large sharpies were in sight at one
time, all, apparently, purse-seining for
fatbacks, and the sight of this num-
Der of the most graceful craft atioat
cruising on the lookout for schools of
fish or slowly moving back and forth
while their purse boats were making
a set, is described as being beau
tiful moving picture. The run down
Core Sound, from Harbor Island Light
to Morehead, is most fascinating
one and full of interesting sights and
experiences.
While at Bunton (the postoftice
for Cape Hatteras) Mr.. Brimley visit
ed a number of the sea-bird colonies
on the sound, in company with the
game warden for that district, Mr.. n.
+. Jemnett. Some very interesting
photographs We're taken but some of
the best opportunities were missed
owing to rainy or cloudy weather on
one shoal, in a space of absolutely
bare sand and Shells approximately
u dc hxy tttil 10 a
colony of Royal Terms, their apologies
for nests being SO close together that
care had to be exercised to prevent
treading on the young and eggs. Mr..
Jennett had counted over three thou
sand eggs and young birds on this
small space shortly before and when
visited by Mr. Brimley the young and
adult birds seemed almost living
mass. The young were too small TO
fly and huddled together like flock
of sheep as they ran along the edge
of the water, while the old birds
circled back and forth low down over
head in a constantly changing, wheel
ing. fiuttering cloud of screaming
graceful forms. 1t was picture
unique in Mr. Brimley's experience,
familiar as he is with the wild life
of the State, but the lowering clouds
and rain squalls made picture TAX
ing impossible. oyster catchers, Will
sons Tern. Laughing Gull, Least Tern
andf Black Skinner were nesting all
along the bare parts of this shoal but
the Royal Terms had this one end of
it to themselves Brown Pelicans
were seen in other places, no less
than fifty of these great birds being
counted in one bunch, and two
splendid specimens were secured for
the museum.
The Audubon Society has done a
great work in protecting the nesting
places of those beautiful sea birds that
years ago added SO much to the beau
ties of Cardinals waters. Five years
ago several species were nearly extinct,
but now they are increasing greatly
in numbers and may, if the good work
continues become numerous once
more.
From the top of Cape Hatteras
Light House-which, by the way, is
the tallest light house tower in Amer
ica,-on a moderately calm day Mr..
Brimley counted twenty-one large
sailing vessels, three and four masted
schooners, beating back and forth try
ing to round the Diamond Shoals off
the Cape, feat apparently impossible
with the wind anywhere from south
east to southwest Attention was
called to this fact as an additional ar
gument in favor of the proposed IN
land Waterway through the North
Carolina Sounds, as the coasting trade
is large off there, and vessels are
often delayed for several days at a
time waiting for change in the wind.
The statement was made to Mr.. Brim-
ley by a man living near the Life
Saving Station that one day last July,
when the wind had remained to the
southwark for twenty-siX days in sue
cession, he counted hundred and five
sailing vessels to the northward of
the Cape, unable to proceed on their
journey by reason of adverse winds.
The trouble seems to be that if they
head off shore sufficiently far to clear
the outer shoals they are met by
southerly current against which they
cannot make Roadway. An inland
channel through the sounds, of suffi-
cient depth, would, 1t is said, obviate
all this delay.