164 



WESTERN SERIES OF READERS,, 



HARRY R. TAYLOR, now a 

 newspaper-writer, lives in 

 the city of Alameda, Califor- 

 nia. He has studied birds 

 extensively, both those which 

 live near the sea aud those 

 which are always found on 

 land. He has traveled 

 through lonely valleys and 

 climbed rough mountains, 

 seeking for the nests of rare 

 birds, in order to properly 

 study the habits of their 

 builders, and has spent con- 

 siderable time on the Faral- 

 lones with the sea-birds. Mr. 

 Taylor has written exten- 

 sively on the subject of birds, 

 and has published a delight- 

 ful little book called The Story 

 of the Farallones. 



one is allowed to land with- 

 out permission. We may 

 be very glad that they are 

 thus kept for the vast flocks 

 of sea-birds. 



Other creatures, as sea- 

 lions, live in the water near 

 the rocks, and sometimes 

 creep up their sides, and 

 I once saw a number of 

 whales swimming close to 

 the island cliffs. 



The Farallones are the 

 first land one sees when 

 coming in from a long voyage over the broad 

 Pacific, and though they are rocky and barren, 

 they then seem like the finest land in the world. 

 They tell you that you are almost home; and how 

 sweet that word sounds after you have sailed for 

 thousands of miles! 



The bright beam from the lighthouse warns 

 ships in the night to keep away from the rocks, 

 and when the fog hangs over the ocean, great 

 steam-whistles are loudly blown. 



So if you ever see the Farallones from some 

 hilltop, or pass them while sailing, remember 

 that they are the great home of the sea-birds. 



