River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-03-31

%zM ECENT news dispatches from
10 Honolulu reported that the rev.
M& enue cutter Thetis, which had
VI been ordered to visit Laysan
and the other bird islands be-
longing to the Hawaiian group in or
der to Investigate rumors that Japan
ese were slaughtering the birds breed
ing on these islands, had returned
with % Japanese prisoners and ESQ.,
900 pairs of wings valued at 100000
which had been taken from birds
killed by the Japanese and seized by
the cutter officers as evidence.
These bird islands are among the
most remarkable in the world. The
Hawaiian islands proper number IL.
Eight of these, Hawaii, Maui, Oahu,
Kauai, MolOkai, Lauai, Kahoolawe and
Niihau, are inhabited, while Molokini,
Lehua, Kaula and Nihoa are uninhab-
tied. In addition are number of
small islands and reefs, many of the
latter awash at high water, running
nearly thousand miles to the north
westward, some of which are famous
as breeding places for birds and are
temporarily occupied by workmen
OF the guano companies which have
their headquarters in Honolulu.
Americans have been gathering
guano from Laysan and a few of the
other islands for some years. Even
before annexation Japanese plume
hunters had been visiting the islands,
where they slaughtered thousands of
the birds, shipping the wings and
feathers by way of Asiatic ports to
Europe. This practice was forbidden
by the United States at the time Ha-
wait was annexed, but for several years
afterward a tugboat was the only gov
eminent vessel stationed at the
islands and the poachers were unmo-
Tested and became very venturesome.
Many of the larger Japanese sam
pans engaged in fishing for the Hon
olulu market are fitted with power en-
gines, and the fact that some of them
made mysterious trips, lasting a week
or two at time, aroused the govern
ment's suspicious. These were further
strengthened by reports that Japan
csc steamers were visiting the bird
islands and surreptitiously taking
away the plumber gathered by the
small boats.
In order to control the situation the
government a short time ago made a
bird reserve of Laysan and the other
bird islands of the group. OF this
group Laysan, which is about eight
hundred miles from Honolulu, has
been called the most remarkable bird
island in the world 1t is a small
island, being three miles in length and
half a mile in breadth, is formed like
a shallow platter, and at It's highest
point is not more than thirty feet
above the sea. In the center is a la
COON not connected with the sea.
At the time of the writer's first visit
to this island, in May, 1902, the nest
ing season was in full swing and there
were hundreds of thousands of birds
upon the island. Among these could
be seen the albatross, a number of
species of tern, the noddy. putin,
petrol, tropic bird, man-o'-war. teal,
strictly land birds.
The most striking things to visitor
are the great number of birds. their
surprising tameness and the deafening
noise they make. Whenever we
wished to converse it was necessary
to shout. Few of the birds seemed
frightened, and with a little care we
were able to approach most of the
species as closely as we wished. In
fact when the camera tripod had been
adjusted several of the albatrosses
came up to it and examined it atteE-
lively.
The various species are found more
or less in colonies. The number Of
breeding birds is so prodigious that
favorable space is at premium, and
several species live one above the
other, some burrowing below the sur
face. others breeding on the surface,
while still others have their nests at
varying heights on the shrubs. AS
one member OF the party put 1t, 1T