THE 



A Monthly Magazine Devoted to Research in Natural Science. 



Vol. I. 



ALBION, N. Y., DECEMBER 15. 1894. 



No. 2 



An Ornithological Paradise. 



Some Observations Gleaned from a So- 

 jonrn or. the Famous Farailone Islands. 



By C. Barlow, Santa Clara, Calif. 



I have been asked to give the read- 

 ers of "The Museum" an accurate 

 and comprehensive account of bird 

 life on tfie wonderful Earallone Is- 

 lands, and while I am aware that 

 much has been presented on this sub- 

 ject, I believe there is much more to 

 be learned. 



There is a fascination in visitmg the 

 homes of the sea-birds on the rocky, iso- 

 lated cHffs, and while the surroundings, 

 of collecting along the creeks and in 

 woodland are lacking, there is much 

 to interest and instruct. The South 

 Farailone Island, which is the only 

 accessible one of the group lies about 

 35 miles out in the Pacific from San 

 Francisco, and if one has pecured the 

 necessary permit he then may take 

 his chances on catching an out-going 

 tugboat, which usually cruises out as 

 far as the islands, in search of vessels 

 bound in. The Farailone Island be- 

 ing centrally located has been the 

 most popular collecting ground to or- 

 nithologists, but each summer collec- 

 tors became more numerous, restric- 

 tions placed on granting permits, and 

 one is indeed fortunate to secure, at 

 the present day, the permission which 

 will entitle him to a landing on the is- 

 land. 



Myself and friend were in San Fran- 

 cisco the middle of June but found 

 that no boat was to leave the follow- 

 ing morning, so we spent the time as 



best we could. However we had as- 

 surance that on Sunday morning, the 

 17th a "tug" would go out, so we ac- 

 •cordingly camped on and about the 

 wharf, for "eternal vigilance" is the 

 price of catching a boat bound for the 

 Islands. Si.x o'clock found the staunch 

 tug steaming toward the Golden Gate. 

 The morning was one of those clear 

 ones seldom to be encountered at sea. 

 As we got well off the mainland sea 

 birds began to appear, but soon a 

 dense fog shut out the scene and no 

 bird life was visible excepting a lonely 

 albatross which swept about the boat 

 now and then. Soon the shrill voice 

 of the fog siren on the Island came to 

 our ears and a few moments later a 

 long blast from the stentorian whistle 

 of the tug announced to the inhabi- 

 tants of the Island our arrival, and 

 presently the cliffs loomed' up out of 

 the fog. A boat put out and we were 

 shortly landed and were among the 

 vast rockeries of Sea Fowl which were 

 screaming on all sides. 



The South Farralone is about one 

 mile in length and one-half mile wide 

 at its broadest part. In places it 

 narrows down to a mere neck of land. 

 Throughout are peaks and elevations 

 which the keepers call "mountains" but 

 in places are flat areas several acres 

 in extent which extend to the ocean. 

 On these flats are rocks and bowlders 

 and the bleached bones of birds and 

 rabbits. There is not a tree of natur- 

 al growth on the entire island but in 

 spring a pulpy weed known as "faral- 



