1917 BIRDS OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ISLANDS 33 



the intervening islands. Near Anaeapa G. Willett (18) found it common June 

 5, 1910; and H. Wright (Condor, xv, 1913, pp. 87, 90) noted the remains of either 

 a Bhick or Socori-o Petrel on the island itself, July 5, 1912. It is likely, however, 

 that this was a bird caught at sea by a Duck Hawk, and, when partly eaten, 

 dropped on the island. 



A. W. Anthony (4) visited the Coronados April 21, 1896, and found that 

 melania was then mating and hunting nesting sites. He gives their notes as 

 "Tuc-a-roo, tuc-tuc-a-roo", which is a very good rendition of their call. When 

 D. R. Dickey (MS) visited the islands May 15, 1914, no petrels were observed, 

 although the colonies were gone over most carefully by three people. On May 26 

 a few pairs were found together on the nests, but no eggs had been laid ; on June 

 12, fresh eggs were the rule. ]\Iy first fresh egg in 1910 was found June 17, but 

 on the same date in 1918, A. van Rossem and I found that incubaation was 

 slightly more advanced. The earliest date that I have seen downy young was 

 July 4. On August 13, 1914, A. van Rossem and L. M. Huey (MS) say that 

 all the young birds were small, not more than a week old and most of them newly 

 hatched. One fresh egg was discovered besides several incubated ones. 



These birds do not nest in colonies but are apt to be scattered anywhere 

 about the islands. Where especially favorable sites occur, however, several nests 

 may be within a few feet of each other. The best place to look for eggs is under 

 or between good sized boulders. Here a little dirt may be scratched away at the 

 entrance of the nest cavity in order to make room. From over a hundred nests 

 examined 1 have found only half a dozen occupying true burrows that may have 

 been excavated by the birds themselves, but as these were all in a colony of 0. 

 socorroensis, I prefer to believe that they were originally made by the latter, and 

 later preempted by melania. As many more were in very old burrows of the 

 Cassin Auklet. For a short time after completing the nest site, and before the 

 egg is deposited, both birds of a pair will be found occupying the burrow during 

 the day, but after laying, only one parent, either male or female, will be found 

 at home. No structural material is used, the egg being. laid on the bare ground. 

 It is usually pure white, but rarely there is a suspicion of a lavender wreath 

 about the larger end. I find that the average measurements of thirty-six speci- 

 mens are 1.39x1.02 inches. Extremes are 1.28 to 1.48 in length, and .96 to 1.08 

 in diameter. D. R. Dickey and A. van Rossem (3IS) state that the bird, while at 

 or on the nest during the night, utters a note suggestive of the song of the wren- 

 tit. 



The young are covered, except the chin, with slaty down, and are most un- 

 attractive little things. This down clings to the end of the plmnage until after 

 the body feathers at least have made their full growth. Nine times out of ten, 

 when removed from the nest, the old bird will vomit a short stream of dark, or- 

 ange colored oil, several times repeated, to a distance of four feet or more. She 

 will savagely bite the finger of her captor and will even lay hold of her own wing 

 in her rage. The oil has the typical petrel pungence, comparable to no other 

 odor with which I am familiar, but to those who have spent happy days in the 

 colonies, it is not unpleasant. It will cling to specimens after they have been 

 shut up in cases for years. This oil, by regurgitation, constitutes the food of the 



