BIRDS OF LOWER CALIFORNIA. 255 



constructed, were upon the same maDgroA^es as were used 

 by the frigate pelicans, but only the highest branches were 

 appropriated by the cormorants. Later in the season the 

 mangroves on the opposite (east) side of the lagoon were 

 clustered with nests of cormorants. 



When I first visited this colony (January 14, 1888) a few 

 of the nests contained eggs, and scores of others were in 

 varying stages of construction. The great rush of cormor- 

 ants to Santa Margarita Island did not occur until April or 

 latter part of March . 



The cormorant's nests were easily distinguished from 

 those of the man-o'-war birds by their higher situation upon 

 the mangroves and by their greater size, particularly the 

 height. Composed of small sticks, they formed a pile a foot, 

 more or less, high, a slight depression on top was lined 

 with seaweed, two or three colors being sometimes found 

 in the same nest, giving an odd effect in contrast with the 

 eggs. The sea-weed is gathered along shore, and perhaps 

 also obtained by diving, as I was led to suppose from watch- 

 ing some of the birds. I noticed a cormorant upon 

 the water with something in his bill, evidently sea- weed for 

 nest lining, which he was endeavoring to bring to shore, 

 but being harassed by a number of man-o'-war birds which 

 hung over him, it was only after many attempts and after 

 all but one of the birds had left him, that he finally got 

 fairly on the wing and gained the nest. As he swam shore- 

 ward with the sea-weed, one after another of the tormentors 

 would swoop gracefully down and attempt to seize the weed, 

 but it was dropped in time to save it from the robbers and 

 then regained by diving. Sometimes the cormorant would 

 go entirely under to avoid the birds, taking the sea-weed 

 with him. Again, when there was a little lull in the 

 frequency of attacks, he would take wing, but would at 

 once drop to the water and dive when overhauled by one of 

 the man-o'-war birds. Six times I saw him get fairly under 

 full headway only to go down each time under the attack of 



