26 THE NAUTILUS. 



about a quarter of the size of the fine ones further south from San 

 Martin and San Geronimo Islands. Further south, at Cape Col- 

 nette, large beds of Mytilus californicus were uncovered at low tide. 

 Among the mussels were fine large Monoceros pauciliratum Stearns 

 and Macron lividus. Wedged in between and attached to the 

 byssus of the mussels we found many Tapes grata Sby. and Tapes 

 staminea Conr., a rather unique place for that genus to be found. 

 A few good Saxicava arctica and one large Entodesma saxicola were 

 added to the list. The largest of the Mytilus were worm-eaten, 

 wave worn and battered, and altogether the most disreputable look- 

 ing specimens I had ever seen. Many of the worst shells had quite 

 pretty pearls snugly hidden in their internal anatomy, some having 

 as many as twenty-six small " seed pearls " and others but a single 

 large one. The pearls from this species, unlike the elegant ones 

 from the ffoliotis, have no commercial value, lacking sufficient 

 luster. The Tegula gallina Fbs. found here were mostly var. tincta 

 Hemphill. The Monoceros pauciliratum were right in their prime 

 here, though we found a few as far south as Cedros. Monoceros 

 engonahim Conr. although small were very good specimens but we 

 found none south of here. 



Another day's sail brought us to San Martin Island, lying five 

 leagues out from the " Bay of the Five Hills." It is a small island 

 of very evident volcanic origin, the crater of its extinct volcano 

 being visible for many miles. On climbing to the summit of the 

 crater we were dazzled by a wealth of golden daisies which carpeted 

 the interior. The only land shell to be found was the ever present 

 Helix stearnsiana, but this seemed to be its southern limit, as we 

 found few here and none further south. A natural breakwater of 

 black lava bouldars runs out for half a mile from the south end 

 forming one of the best anchorages for small vessels on the coast. 

 This island, like San Geronimo, is the breeding place of thousands 

 of sea birds which come here in the spring gulls, cormorants, terns, 

 osprey, turnstones, oyster-catchers, duck hawk, surf birds, pelicans, 

 etc. On San Geronimo Is. hundreds of auklets or " mutton birds " 

 were nesting in burrows which they dig in the sandy earth, laying 

 but one white egg about the size of a pigeon's egg. 



The wild fauna of these southern islands seems to be having hard 

 luck. On Guadalupe Is. the domestic cat, run wild, has about ex- 

 terminated a rare petrel and several other birds from that island. 



