Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-07-19
GzzA26EZIWG III Loo

fish and bird life The bird population alone
probably cannot be equaed in any other part of
the world Tens of millions of feathered fowl
make their home these lonely specks of land
repairing thither each year in countless focks
to establish rookeries and to rear their young
The reefs and waters about the islands fairly
swarm with fish and other forms of life, that
they really form densey populated natural
logical garden.
To the naturalist, the out-of-door enthusiast the
nature study photographer the who sim
ply loves outof-the-way places and the unusual
and novel these islands leave little to be desired
chance to run down along this chain is the
opportunity OF lifetime and bound result in
a really worth while eXperence-one that will
live fresh in the memory long after the details
OF other trips and experiences have been mingled
with the commonplace of life
Unfortunately at present, visiting the islands
in the reservation is not the simple matter that
It should be, that it is hoped it may be made
in time. In former years the operations of
guano company then engaged in exploiting the
guano or bird lime deposits the islands made
1t possible, by invitation, to make the Journey to
Laysan Island from Honolulu during the summer
months in one of the company's sailing vessels.
While the islands of the chain all different
from each other and all intensely interesting,
Layson is In certain sense typical of most Of
them. It is raised coral atol approximately two
miles across that in general form has been COM
pared to a broad, shallow platter composed en-
tirely of sand or raised coral reef not than
sand rim which completely surrounds the salt
water lagoon that occupies the central part Of the
island This lagoon is of special interest since
its water contains more salt than does that of the
opes sea. This interesting fact tells much of the
geological history of the island and points unms-.
takably to the origin of the land 1t shows 1t to
be circular coral atoll that at the time of Its
elevation above the carried the water of the
lagoon up to its present level Since that time,
and 1t must have been very long ago, the waters
have evaporated to some extent and left that
which remains concentrated and salty than
1t was when the island first made About the
edge Of the lagoon the boggy earth is covered with
crystals of salt mixed with chips of guano This
shell-like substance sparkes in the sun and sug-
gests band of silver at the waters edge About
N this barren ring is narrow band covered with
n low creeping vines Back of this again is growth
III OF juncas which is backed up in turn by a ring
M of low bushes The prevailing plant of the island,
y however is kind of coarse bunch grass that
grows three or four feet high More than score
of plants have found a footing there during the
long period that has elapsed since the dry laad
first rose that at the time of its discovery and
indeed, the occasion of my first visit for a
sand island it was well supplied with a low
growth OF hardy vines. grass and shrubs Unfor-
tpnatey the Introduction of rabbits on the island
has marked sad change since then.