54 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 13-No. 4 



Lark (Shirnella magna nec/hcta), Kuddy-horned 

 Lark (0. alpestris rubea). Mexican Raven 

 (_Corvus corax simiatus). Rock Wren (Salpincte.g 

 obsoletus), Bank Swallow {Clivicola ripariri). 



Other species were seen but not identified. 

 We visited Gull Island twice. The birds were 

 so numerous here, that after I had bej^au to tire 

 my gun they flew into the air so thick as to 

 nearly obscure the SUM from view. 'I'he Water 

 Birds named below were all found in breeding 

 season on this Island. 



Black Oyster-catcher (ifemra(o/)«s hachmani). 

 Western Gull (Lams occidentalis'), Heerman's 

 Gull {Lams heermani), Brandt's Cormorant 

 (Phalacrocoraz penicillatvs) Farallone Cormo- 

 rant (Plinkicrocorax dilophus alboriliatns), 

 Baird's Cormorant (Phalacmcorax pelayiciis 

 resplendens), Tufted Fufiin {Lunda cirrhata). 

 Pigeon Guillemot {Ccphus columha). Cassin"s 

 Anklet, (Ptychoramphus aleucicus). Black Turn- 

 stone (Arenaria melanocephaln). Surf Scoter 

 (Oidemia perspicillata) , California Pelican (Pel- 

 icanus californicus) . 



I collected a large number of skins from this 

 Island but very few eggs, as it was late in .Uily 

 and the season hail nearly closed. 



The last visit made was on San Nicholas Is- 

 land. The appearance of this Island was very 

 near the same as San Miguel, only it contained 

 about twenty-three thousand acres. The visit 

 was made in the middle of autumn and lasted 

 for about fifteen days. The Island is situated 

 nearly one hundred miles from shore, and is 

 probably less frequented by the land birds, ex- 

 cept those which are residents. 



The immber of species seen were limited in 

 number. The Mexican Raven ( Corcus corax 

 shuiatns), was very common and tame, a large 

 number of them feeding upon the carcasses of 

 seals that I shot while there. The sheep 

 owners on the Island complain a great deal 

 about them. They say the Havens pick the 

 eyes out of the young lambs, then wait until 

 they die and afterwards eat them. 



I can not say as to the truth in this matter. 

 but no case of the kind ever came to my notice 

 while on the islands. The following is a species 

 of birds seen on this Island : 



Bald Eagle {Haliceetusleucoa'plialus), Burrow- 

 ing Owl {8. cunicularia hi/pogcea). Brewer's 

 Blackbird {Scoleocophagus cyanocephalus) , 

 Black Flycatcher {Snyornus nigricans), Eock 

 Wren {Salpinctes obnolp.tus). Solitary Sandpi- 

 per (Totanus solitarh(K)y'Blnck Turnstone (^-Ire- 

 nania melanocepjhala). Brant's (Cormorant 

 (Phalacrocoi-ax penicillatus), Royal Tern {Sterna 

 maxima), Western Willet {Sijiaphemia sendpal- 



mata inornata), California Pelican (Pelicanus 

 calif ornicMs), Western Gull {Larus occidentalis). 



The Black Turnstone was found very com- 

 mon on San Xicholas. In some cases, I saw 

 over a hundred in a single flock. They were 

 very tame and shot with little trouble. On our 

 return trip, I saw ijuite a number of the Short- 

 tailed Albatross (Dinmedea albatros). One fol- 

 lowed our boat for some distance, but we were 

 unable to secure him. 



Numbers of the Red Fhalarope (Cri/mophi- 

 lus fiilicarius), were jilso seen standing on 

 floating pieces of kelp. I expect to return to 

 California, and visit the Santa Barbara Islands 

 again the latter part of the present year, so 1 

 hope I will be able to furnish the readers of 

 the O. & O. with some descri])tive notes of 

 some of the species. 



On Making Exchanges. 



BY WALTER HUXIE. 



No doulit many collectors have had the same 

 aversion to making exchanges that I had until 

 quite lately. I always like to look upon iny 

 collection as the result of my own labor, and 

 to the yawning gaps in a series of specimens I 

 was utterly oblivious. These gaps are of two 

 kinds, and tlie only way a collector who is 

 rooted to one spot can fill theui is by exchange 

 or purchase. Now among my finches when I 

 come to study them over, I find that I possessed 

 comparatively few in perfect plumage, for 

 many of them are only winter visitors in this 

 locality. Field, (hipping, White-Throated and 

 Swamp Sparrows were all in winter dress. So 

 of the Goldfinch and many others. After sup- 

 plying tliese, I find there were still gaps to fill 

 before I could get a good study collection of 

 this family. Of all the brilliantly colored little 

 buntings, I possessed only the Nonpareil. And, 

 of course, those species of a strictly northern 

 and western habitat, I could only hope to ob- 

 tain through my correspondents. Now that the 

 various little groups begin to enlarge them- 

 selves, 1 find that my own specimens possess 

 an additional value to me. Something in the 

 same way that we take a grain more of pleas- 

 ure in an uncultivated country acquaintance 

 after he has been out a little in good society 

 and becomes polished up a bit. And what I say 

 here of the Finches is yet more true of the War- 

 blers. Some of my own little dull colored fel- 

 lows look quite cosey and sociable when they 

 take their place among the circle of their bright 



