1917-] A Bird Colony in the Gulf of Mexico. 41 



that of tlie Fulmar, in order to aid it to rise above the 

 waves. 



On 19 November an immature Glaucous Gull was seen 

 off Kinnaird Head. It followed us for a short tirae^ chasing 

 the Kittiwakes occasionally. 



21 November'. Calm, rather cold. Heligoland Right. 



Birds were almost as conspicuous by their absence in the 

 Biglit as the enemy's ships of which we were in search. 



An occasional Kittiwake, tvro Gannets in the distance, 

 and one or two Guillemots and Razorbills were the only 

 birds observed. 



III. — A little-knoivn Bird Colony in the Gulf of Mexico. 

 By Lieutenant J. N. Kennedy, R.G.A., M.B.O.U. 



The Alacran Reefs lie in latitude 22° 30' N. and longitude 

 89° 30' W. in the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico, some ninety 

 miles north of the coast of Yucatan. The reefs form a large, 

 roughly elliptical ring, inside which are numerous heads of 

 coral with intermediate veins of deep water. Many parts 

 of the reefs are awash, whilst on others grass and samphire 

 grow luxuriantly. 



In May 1912 I paid a short visit to the reefs, in the course 

 of which I had an opportunity of landing on two small 

 islands at the southern extremity, called respectively 

 Pajaros Island and Chica Island, where the bird-colony 

 .which forms the subject of the present paper is situated. 



On May 19 I had noticed small parties of Sooty Terns 

 returning to the islands from the calm waters inside the 

 reef, where they had been fishing. During the night, which 

 was sultry, there seemed to be little sleep in the colony, for 

 the faint high-pitched murmur of many bird-voices came to 

 us continuously over the water. 



On the afternoon of the 20th of May we arranged an 

 expedition to the islands which lay some considerable 



