Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-14
TAMENEss OF WILD ANIMALS.
Instances From an Island Where Life
is Protected.

From the Scientific American.
That wild animals become extremely
tame Is well known. The wild quail OF
southern California will enter gardens and
nest there. and in the protected season
have seen a flock standing in a country
road jaunty male between them, and my
horse not twenty feet away, moving only
when moved. and then with reluctance.
Several years ago some residents on one
of the channel islands OF southern Cali
fornia introduced number of black-talled
deer. which were protected to such an ex
tent that in time they discovered that they
were privileged characters and assumed
nearly the absolute contempt for human be-
ings held by the sacred bulls of india that
crowd men and women from the road.
They persisted in entering gardens, day and
night, destroying the plants, and finally to
locate them the jewellers on the island had
bells fastened to them. One buck made his
home near the town of Cabrile and walked
about the place and over the hills with the
freedom Of a dog. When a boat landed
off the pier the buck ran down to greet
the newcomers and share their lunch, and
became welcome guest at barbecues and
lobster and clambakes
Nearly all animal life is protected at this
island. l have counted half a hundred bald
eagles in an eleven mile run have seen them
take large fish from the water within easy
nacles that are not difficult OF approach.
The sea birds are equally tame. Gulls
gather in fiocks few feet from those who
feed them. in the winter flocks of cormo-
rants swim into the bays and are so tame
that they merely divide when a boat passes,
and fishermen often find that the cormo-
rants take off bait fast as they can put
1t on. Gulls dash at bait, and have seen
long winged bird resembling the petrol
follow my line under water at a cast using
its wings to fly along, and take the bait,
and at times scores OF sea birds are seen
inshore feeding upon small shrimps, pay
ing attention to observers DhOf nh n %
them.
The most remarkable illustration of tame
ness to be seen here is that of the sea lions.
For ages the animals have held possession
of a mass Of rock on the shore of the
islands. A few years ago many were killed
by vandals, but laws were passed, and for
protected and the rookery has increased in
size until a split has recently occurred and
another settlement has been established
half way up the island
1t has been the custom for years for fish,
ermen in cleaning their fish to toss the
refuse into the bay, and the sea lions form
ed the habit OF coming down to the bay at
this time to dine thereupon. At first only
one or two came; now a band Of two large
bulls and several females make their head
quarters at the bay, or spend most Of the
time there, constituting valuable sani-
tary corps, as they eat every fragment Of
not feeding the sea lions pass the time ly
ing within few feet of the beach, sleep
ing or playing. the females and young leap
ing from the water and going through
various tricks Of interest to the looker-on.
But a few feet away from the sea lions
are the boat stands of the fishermen and
boatmen and boats are moving out and
over the sea lions constantly, yet they are
apparently oblivious to the men, who never
modest them. This has had a peculiar re-
suit. The enormous animals have become
SO tame that they almost allow the men
to touch them and readily come out upon
the shore to feed from their hands. It so
happened that I was upon the sands when
no sea lions were in sight, and, upon ask
to whistle, as though calling for dog,
and to call, Here, Benz" repeating the
call several times, whereupon out from
among the anchored boats appeared not
only Ben, but two large bull sea lions,
which must have weighed half a ton, fol-
lowed by two or three smaller females.