Eggers of the Texas Coast, 



35 



land, they are pleased to flock about the 

 bridges, and receive food almost from the 

 hands of the boys and girls. 



But let us follow the eggers in their next 

 step, which is to hide and lie in wait not 

 far from the breeding places until the poor, 

 ■distressed birds that have not completed 

 the laying of their eggs, have been forced 

 to deposit their treasures just where to- 

 morrow the robbers will find and seize 

 them. In two or three days thousands of 

 the eggs of herons, gulls and terns have 

 thus been stowed away in the boats, which 

 now sail for home. During the period fol- 

 lowing the return of these expeditions these 

 stolen eggs are exposed for sale in the 

 towns along the coast. They are sold 

 cheaply, according to size. As their shells 

 are much more fragile than those of the 

 eggs of domestic fowls, much of the booty 

 has been broken and wasted before reach- 

 ing shore, so no doubt more eggs are lost 

 than eaten. 



This &%%, destruction has not the excuse 

 that it is necessary to provide food supply, 

 for the quality of the wild bird's eggs is in- 

 ferior to that of the eggs of the domestic 

 fowl. Were the eggers to expend the same 

 amount of time and labor in some legiti- 

 mate occupation, there is no doubt their 

 profits would be greater. But then they 

 would have missed what they enjoy as sport, 

 l)ut which must seem ghastly work to one 

 who will think about it. A gentleman bent 

 on scientific work among the birds of Texas 

 says that during the present year it has 

 been impossible to find a complete set of 

 these water birds' eggs, so thorough has 

 been the ruin wrought among them by the 

 egg destroyers. Even worse than this de- 

 struction of eggs is the slaughter wrought 

 by a party of men who took thousands of 

 young pelicans from a breeding place and 

 boiled them down to make oil. The oil did 

 not sell, and the butchers had their labor 

 for their pains. 



We must remember that even when not 



interfered with by man, the struggle for 

 life in the bird world under its natural con- 

 ditions is a severe one. For certain birds, 

 their eggs and young, are the victims of 

 reptiles and other animals, as well as of 

 those stronger birds which are by nature 

 birds of prey. Those who have studied 

 the subject tell us that perhaps nature's 

 destructive work among the birds is only a 

 necessary check upon undue increase. But 

 when man's wantonness and selfishness 

 enter as a mischievous influence among 

 the feathered beauties, it seems as if the 

 balance designed by nature were seriously 

 interfered with. 



One might ask, "What are the pelicans, 

 herons, gulls and terns good for?" They 

 assuredly do no harm, and besides their 

 useful work as scavengers in the shoal 

 waters, they are to be cherished because 

 they are beautiful to look at. Are these 

 creatures not as ornamental in the natural 

 view as they are in the artificial one ? And 

 when the artist paints a water view, does he 

 forget the graceful water bird, which gives 

 life and spirit to his canvas ? 



The same shameful work which has just 

 been described as carried on among the 

 eggs and young birds along the Texas 

 coast is performed all along our shores. 

 Persons living far from the coast lines can 

 form no idea of the sweeping destruction 

 along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. 



Since publishing the pamphlet described 

 above, the band of bird lovers who are try- 

 ing to save the birds we have left to us 

 have begun the work of securing good laws 

 which will protect the birds in all the States. 

 Laws may be passed, but if they are not 

 esteemed and approved by the majority of 

 the people, they cannot be enforced. So 

 let the young people of to-day read and 

 learn all they can about this interesting 

 subject of protecting our birds, for they 

 will be the gainers in the future, if this 

 work be carried to a successful issue. 



Geo. B. Sennett. 



