94 



THE NIDIOLOGIST 



The Surf Bird. 



{Aphriza 7'irgata) 



THIS peculiar species of the shore birds 

 is more or less common along the sea- 

 washed shores of the Province of British 

 Columbia during the summer season. It has 

 been observed at Hod Sound and Fort Simp- 

 son, but appears to be rare farther north, as it 

 has been but seldom noticed on the coasts of 

 Alaska, and not at all among the Aleutian 

 Islands, but it probably becomes more abundant 

 southward, along the Pacific Coast. In its gen- 

 eral habits it differs but little from the Turn- 

 stones and the Tattlers, and with them, as well 

 as with other shore-fre(iuenting birds, who de- 

 rive their subsistence from the great storehouse 

 of nature — the ocean — it is closely associated in 

 the struggle for existence. Any observant 

 person, whose eyes and ears are open to the 

 sights and sounds of nature, who may have voy- 

 aged on the waters of the West Coast, or taken a 

 summer-day ramble along the shores of this 

 occidental region, either north or south of 

 X'ancouver city, cannot fail to have impressed 

 on his memory a tolerably correct idea of the 

 haunts and home, as well as the sights and 

 .sounds, that affect the daily life of this wan- 

 derer of the sea-beaten shore in the region of 

 the evening sunlight. 



As we leave the entrance to Vancouver har- 

 bor, on board 77ic Islander, on the afternoon 

 of May i6, 1891, heading toward the west, Bar 

 Island lies immediately before us, while beyond, 

 farther toward the sunset rises the fir-clad 

 shores of Vancouver Island, with its long 

 range of snow-capped mountains, glistening in 

 the eveniiig sunshine. But our vessel turns its 

 heading toward the south, and we are soon 

 gliding down the Straits of (ieorgia, sometimes 

 the passage between small rocky islands seems 

 so narrow that we fear our steamer cannot pass 

 through, but as we make a nearer approach the 

 passage seems to widen, and we go through in 

 safety. .Again a rocky isle seems just in the 

 way, and as we are beginning to think that 

 there will be a collision, the vessel changes its 

 course, and jjasses swiftly by like a creature 

 possessed of life and reason ; then, as we are 

 <>ut in more open water, with the shores on 

 either side at times only visible, like a dark 

 cloud on the horizon, our attention is more 

 particularly engaged in observing the various 

 species of water-fowl by which our surround- 

 ings were affected. First, our notice was at- 

 tracted by the different species of the Gull 

 family that hovered around, the difference in 

 size and ]jlumage being the only clew to their 

 specific identity. Some of these are high in 

 he air, others wing their way on a level with 



the deck, while others appear to skim the sur- 

 face of the waves, occasionally ruffled into 

 " white ca])s " by the western breeze. Numbers 

 of different species of the Duck genus jiass to 

 and fro across our waterway; but though they 

 were ])robably all "Sea Ducks," their specific 

 difference was not distinguishable. 



One other species of the swimming birds 

 specially attracts our attention, from the manner 

 in which it progresses along the surface of the 

 water, apparently using both wings and feet 

 and leaving a track of troubled water behind 

 it. \\{t took it to be a species of Puffin. Then 

 a few Petrels crossed our wake at a low eleva- 

 tion above the water. We believe these are rare 

 visitants in this region. On some of the isles 

 some evidence of "bird life " is visible, but from 

 our standpoint these cannot be identified, though 

 they are doubtless "Shore Birds," ])robably 

 Turnstones and Surf Birds, but no land birds 

 are noted from the time we leave Vancouver 

 harbor, where we part with the " Fish Crows," 

 until we arrive in Victoria. If the voyage is 

 northward the scenery is much similar, until 

 the vessel is really out on the ocean waves ; but 

 the native of more southern climes, who has 

 had but little previous experience of a " life on 

 the rolling deep," or in high latitudes, is 

 strangely affected, as for the first time he ap- 

 ])roaches these northern regions and notes the 

 length of the summer days, the shortness of 

 the nights, the different aspect of the stars, the 

 peculiar freshness of the air, and the strange- 

 ness of the fauna and flora that may come 

 under his view, all of which are calculated to 

 impress the sensitive mind with peculiar feelings 

 of sadness and melancholy, which he finds are 

 not only difficult to shake off, but which, for a 

 time, rather increase a desire to be " home 

 again," especially, as is here the case, since the 

 sky is almost daily overcast with dark clouds, 

 from which rain is continually falling. A 

 ramble along the fir-caped, rocky shores is not 

 calculated to foster more favorable impressions. 

 The ap])earance of all natural objects around 

 seems to mark this region as the battle ground 

 between the powers of life and death, in which 

 it seems but a (juestion of time till the latter 

 gains the mastery and holds undisputed pos- 

 session. The vegetation growing on the sandy 

 soil, or the rocky cliffs, is stunted and appar- 

 ently of little use in the support of animal life, 

 while the endless dash of the foam-crested 

 waves of the ocean against the naked rocks 

 seems to indicate the determination of that 

 element to pass its boundaries and engulf the 

 shore, and its moanings as it recoils apjjear 

 but to increase its rage, and it again regathers 

 its forces for another charge to accomplish its 

 purpose. 



