t=^5=^ft^^2^"0- J?E- Jri^OJ
SM.-M~
Of the many things which interest the visitor
at Laysan the great number of birds and their
absolute fearlessness are perhaps the most strik
ing. Dr. Fisher of the Albatross expedition, writ
ing of his impression of the enormous number
of birds, has very truly said:
"The effect of this at first was nearly over
powering. Where we made our way through the
populous colony of sooty terns we had to exercise
much care to avoid crushing their eggs and
treading on the birds which struggled panic
stricken before us with the old ruse of a broken
wing, and then, taking flight, swarming over our
heads. If wo would converse, it was necessary
to shout.
"Turning toward the center of the island, we
were obliged to cross a wide area with tall grass
and completely honeycombed with the burrows of
petrels. Through the roofs of these tunnels the
pedestrian is continuously breaking, sinking In
the soft soil up to the knee. Prom out of the
shadows of the tussocks young albatross, un
couth and awkward, snapped their beaks at us,
and occasionally losing their balance from over
haste fell forward on their chins. This proceed
ing usually made them actually sick.
