EGGERS OF THE TEXAS COAST. 



DOUBTLESS most of those who have 

 heard of the Audubon Society, as 

 well as those who are its members, know it 

 as an association devoted to the interests 

 of our beautiful birds; that is, they know 

 that those persons who are members of the 

 Audubon Society are pledged to do what 

 lies in their power to help the birds in the 

 enjoyment of their natural right to live and 

 be happy. But perhaps there are some, 

 even among these willing workers in the 

 good cause, who do not know what a great 

 need has existed, and still exists, that they 

 should not only continue their own efforts, 

 but should try to interest others in this 

 work for the birds. 



The chief reason why we cannot have 

 too much help is because there is an im- 

 mense number of doors of destruction to 

 be watched and guarded. I mean there 

 are so many ways that the birds' enemies 

 have of forcing their way in among the 

 birds, their nests and their young, in order 

 to kill them, destroy their homes or drive 

 them away, that it is only when the birds' 

 friends know and understand the "tricks 

 and manners" of the unfriendly that they 

 can protect the innocents. 



From the information obtained by the 

 efforts of the American Ornithologists' 

 Union and published in pamphlet form, I 

 propose to gather certain facts on this sub- 

 ject, and shall try to present to the readers 

 of the Audubon Maciazine the story of 

 how even the eggs of birds and their young 

 are done away with by tens of thousands 

 on the Texas shore. 



All along our coast line, on the islands 

 and along the shores which are washed by 

 the waters of bays and inlets from Maine 

 to Mexico, the water birds used to assemble 

 in immense numbers in the spring, and lay 

 their eggs and raise their young. But their 

 eggs have been destroyed by thousands 



during the nesting season. When some 

 island or cliff where birds are known to 

 breed in great numbers is covered with 

 nests full of eggs, it is then that these in- 

 human beings come in crowds, and smash 

 or carry away all the eggs, leaving behind 

 them a picture of desolation. This laying 

 waste of the water birds' breeding grounds 

 is called "egging," and is a yearly custom 

 along the Texas shore. 



We are told by the writer in the pam- 

 phlet named above that the report of the 

 scouts, announcing the fact that the birds 

 are settled on the islands and secluded 

 beaches, and are laying their eggs, is the 

 signal to leave every-day work and hasten 

 to the breeding grounds. All sorts of craft 

 are pressed into the service; and tubs, bar- 

 rels and receptacles of every kind are taken 

 along, in which to bring home the eggs. 

 But these eggers, on reaching their harvest- 

 ing spot, begin by a work of destruction. 

 Perchance some beautiful gull or tern has 

 already laid a part or the whole of her 

 clutch of eggs, and they may be partially 

 incubated. In order to avoid carrying 

 away any worthless eggs, these despoilers 

 therefore first demolish every egg to be 

 found. What a picture must the misery of 

 these distracted birds present ! Screaming 

 their protests against such barbarous treat- 

 ment, they fly wildly about in their agony. 

 Under such circumstances the much abused 

 creatures, naturally so gentle, have been 

 known to turn wildly to the nests and 

 themselves dash at and destroy every egg 

 within reach. It seems as if they meant to 

 say to their human persecutors, "Since you 

 are so cruel we will take a lesson from you, 

 and to spite you we will break the eggs 

 you want." Yet these birds are by nature 

 docile and amiable, and when they are en- 

 couraged in their instinctive friendliness 

 toward man, as they are in Geneva, Switzer- 



