64 BULLETIN 121, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



PluTiiages. — Mr. Leverett M. Loomis (1900) says regarding plu- 

 mages : 



Several specimens (apparently adult) have the white of the under parts 

 immaculate anterior to the lower abdomen. Others (apparently immature) 

 have the white more or less variegated with gray, the chin and throat being 

 densely mottled, sparsely mottled, or faintly streaked, and the breast and 

 abdomen, in extreme examples, transversely marked. The majority of forty- 

 seven specimens have whitish mixed with the dark of the lower tail-coverts. 



Behavior. — We saw a few pink-footed shearwaters, one of which 

 was shot, while cruising off the coast of southern California, be- 

 tween Santa Cruz Island and Santa Barbara, on June 4, 5, and 6, 

 1914. They were associated with large numbers of sooty shearwaters, 

 circling about over the roughest parts of the channel, and, as they 

 did not appear to be migrating, were probably summer sojourners. 

 In general appearance and behavior they closely resembled our 

 familiar Cory shearwater of the Atlantic coast. 



Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway (1884) publish a brief account of 

 the habits of this species, based on Doctor Cooper's observations, as 

 follows : 



They are generally seen in flocks several miles off the sliore, flying like 

 the albatross, by rapid flappings, alternating with sailings. They congregate 

 quiclvly around slioals of fish, and dive to a short distance beneath the water 

 in pursuit of them. They often rest on the water, swimming very lightly, 

 but not rapidly, and appear to be the most active when the wind roughens 

 the surface of the water, enabling them to scoop up small fish from the 

 agitated tops of the waves. Dr. Cooper further states that he found this 

 species most abundant and most approachable about San Nicholas Island, 

 wliere the water is shoal and small fish are numerous. The birds were molting 

 about the first of July. 



Mr. RoUo H. Beck (1910) says of the occurrence of this species 

 near Point Pinos, California: 



These shearwaters are common sojourners in this vicinity after their breed- 

 lug season in the South Temperate Zone. Eight individuals seen February 

 27, 1907, probably belonged to tlie vanguard of that year. Before the end 

 of November the majority take their departure, only stragglers remaining. 



Mr. Leverett M. Loomis (1895), who has made exhaustive studies 

 of the Tubinares in the vicinity of Monterey, California, says that : 



The flight of these shearwaters when migrating is not as direct as that of 

 the black-vented and dark-bodied. Tliey circle frequently and cross their 

 track, much as swallows are wont to do when migrating singly or in small 

 companies. 



Again he says (1900) : 



Previous to May 27 comparatively few pink-footed shearwaters were ob- 

 served. In June they became quite abundant. Males greatly outnumbered 

 the females, which was also the case in the autumn of 1S96. Individuals fre- 

 quently came close to the boat, seemingly prompted by curiosity. 



