1917 BIRDS OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ISLANDS 31 



Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., iv, 1868, p. 11. (3) Cooper, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., iv, 1870, p. 

 79. (.'/) Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, Water Birds N. Am., ii, 1884, p. 384. (.5) Grin- 

 nell, Pasadena Acad. Sci., i, 1897, p. 24. (6) Grinnell, Pasadena Acad. Sci., ii, 1898, 

 p. 8. (7) Godman, Monog. Petrels, ii, 1908, p. 101. (<S) Willett, Condor, xii, 1910, p. 

 173. (9) Willett, Pac. Coast Avif., 7, 1912, p. 18. (10) Wright and Snyder, Condor, 

 XV, 1913, p. 89. 



Abundant during summer, fall, and the first part of the winter. Originally 

 described from a bird taken by J. G. Cooper (1) near San Nicolas Island. Coop- 

 er (-i) found it to be the most abundant and easily approached species of Tubi- 

 nares near San Nicolas, where the water is shallow and small fish numerous. 1 

 have seen individuals around the Coronados during the months of June and 

 July; and L. M. Huey (MS) saw a few in the same locality on August 13, 1914. 

 H. A. Gaylord (6) noted birds near Catalina May 12, 1897. A. van Rossem and 

 1 met with the species the last of April and first of ^fay, 1911, near Santa Cru/ 

 Island. G. Willett (S) recorded it from Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa, June 7, 

 1910, where, by the 24th it had liecome quite plentiful, and the same writer {9) 

 encountered it near Anacapa and Santa Cruz in November and December, 1907. 



32. Puffinus opisthomelas Coues 



Black-vented Shearwater 



Puffinus oinsthomelas (1) Anthony, Auk, xiii, 1896, p. 225. (:i) Grinnell, Pasadena Acad. 

 Sci., I, 1897, p. 24. (3) Grinnell, Pasadena Acad. Sci., ii, 1898, p. 8. (.'/) Anthony, 

 Auk, XVII, 1900, p. 247. (.;) Grinnell, Pac. Coast Avif., 3, 1902, p. 15. (6) Bailey, 

 Handb. Birds West. U. S., 2d ed., 1904, p. 35. (7) Godman, Monog. Petrels, ii, 1908, 

 p. 109. (S) Linton, Condor, x, 1908, p. 126. (S) Osburn, Condor, xi, 1909, p. 136. 

 (lU) Linton, Condor, xi, 1909, p. 193. (11) Howell, Condor, xii, 1910, p. 186. (12) 

 Willett, Pac. Coast Avif., 7, 1912, p. 18. (i3) Grinnell, Pac. Coast Avif., 11, 1915, p. 26. 



Puffinus gavia (1-)) Breninger, Auk, xxi, 1904, p. 219. 



Abundant except in the breeding season, sometimes making its appearance 

 in early May, but not becoming plentiful until some time later. Remains until 

 February at least. During July, August and September these birds are partic- 

 ularly abundant in the channel. I noted half a dozen individuals several times 

 during the middle of May, 1910, near the Coronados {11), and J. Grinnell {2) 

 saw several off Catalina May 12, 1897. C. B. Linton {10) saw the species near 

 San Clemente in the winter of 1908, and G. Willett {12) encountered it several 

 times near Santa Cruz Island in Noveml)er, 1907. 



As has been stated in print many times, there are four eggs that were said 

 to be of this species, in the National iMuseum, collected by Captain Scammon on 

 Santa Barbara Island. As most of us on this coast have viewed the above rec- 

 ord with considerable distrust, I wrote Dr. C. W. Richmond in regard to it, elic- 

 iting the following: "The eggs are in all probability those of Cassin's Auklet 

 {Ft. aleuticus) with which they agree in size and texture of shell. They had 

 written on them, in pencil, 'Egg of the Mutton Bird, Santa Barbara Id. Cal. ' 

 From this beginning someone had added (on the data blank) 'Puffinus gavia f, 

 and as the eggs of Puffinus were not common in our collection at that time, the 

 determination passed muster for the time being". This undoubtedly solves the 

 question. Opisthomelas nests in large colonies, and as it does not invariably 



