Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-28

From July to November they are out al
sea. In November they come ashore to
their breeding grounds, sometimes on the
steep sides of the islands, thus chosen
by the birds for purposes of easier flight.
The fat bird experiences a certain diff
Guilty in ascending from the level plain.
When the parent birds come in from the
sea they are very fat and pugnacious.
II they fail in defense by biting and
scratching they vomit a mess Of oily mat
ter on their assailant of such a nauseous
door that the argument is settled instantly
by his disguised flight.
Year after year the birds return in
great flight. A ship has been known to
steam thirty miles through masses of NUT
ton birds resting upon the water and ex-
tending three to four miles on each side
of the vessel.
TIL mysterious birds arrive at the breed
ing grounds in countless myriads, no one
knows whence. A black cloud Of birds
recently reported as seen on a southern
New Zealand river resembled a swarm of
bees. 1t was computed there were forty
acres covered with birds. all swimming
slowly up the river. They continued to ad-
vance TIL the flock reached the battle
ments OF a bridge. One bird, fluttering up,
struck the bridge and was hurled back into
the water. This sounded the signal to
retire and the vast swarm rose as an army
till their density shut out the heavens.
Immediately upon their departure the
banks and breaches were strewn with
sardines. From this small fish the mutton
birds extract the oil and store 1t to feed
their young. When the old birds arrive at
the nesting burrows after a fishing expedl-
ton they place their beaks inside the
gaping mouths Of the young and dis
gorge the oil.
To capture the fat nestlings uninjured
is the chief object Of the bird hunters.
The natives are very careful not to dis
turb the burrows when taking the young
birds.
1t is a profitable industry and is the
sole right OF the natives Before the hun
tiers leave for the hunting grounds they
spend some time in preparing the storage
bags. These are prepared from a species
Of seaweed Bags Of kelp are made in
which the harvest Of seabirds will, be
stored. The bags are blown up, tied and
left to dry, then flattened out and packed
for the passage across the straits.
When the early settlers came into the
Southland the money chance Of the Maori
arrived. Shipping came with them, and
the Maori, being a shrewd bargainer. took
his pressed birds to a merchant and had
them forwarded 10 a port where there was
a good market, receiving I'm exchange flour
and sugar, considered dainties in those
days.
The hunters often take as many as from
400 to 800 birds a day. The season lasts
any time from six weeks to three months
When the hunters reach the islands they
go out I'm the daytime to locate the bur
rows. They look under what they call the
mutton bird tree CSeneclo Rotundi iolio), a
tree whose tough leaves are sent away
from the islands as post cards.
Gathering the birds entails a lot Of labor.
They are handled in all nine times. They
are caught, plucked or scalded to remove
the down, cooled, opened. sailed again and
again, boiled in oil. and then put down in
their own fat.
The nestlings were formerly removed
fIom the burrows on the end Of a split
stick pushed into the burrows till the bird
was felt. BY the old method the stick was
twisted into the birds down and the bird
brought to the light OF day, but gently for
fear Of injury.
Now they dog for them. To Kill his vic
tim the hunter takes the birds head be
tween bis teeth and bites IL hard, This