1912 BIRDS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 11 



of this bird around the Santa Barbara Islands where they are particularly 

 numerous. Frequently found dead along the beaches. Noted by H. W. 

 Henshaw as abundant off San Diego during the winter of 1884 (Auk n, 1885, 

 387). 



11. (16) Ptychoramphus aleuticus (Pallas). Cassin Auklet. 

 Common, resident along the coast. Breeds on Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz 



and San Miguel islands and probably also on Santa Rosa. In winter may be found 

 on the ocean everywhere. J. Grinnell and H. A. Gaylord took four nearly hatched 

 eggs of this species on Santa Barbara Island, May 16, 1897. At this date the ma- 

 jority of the nests found contained young of various ages (Pub. 1, Pasadena Acad. 

 Sci., 1897, 22)- On visiting Santa Barbara Island in June, 1911, I found that 

 the old breeding colony of these birds was entirely abandoned. From the bones 

 and feathers of the birds found all over the island, I concluded that they had 

 been exterminated by the cats with which the island is infested. On a detached 

 rocky islet about a quarter of a mile from the main island, I found a colony 

 of about a hundred pairs of Auklets nesting. Nine nests examined on June 14 

 contained far incubated eggs. R. H. Beck found incubated eggs and young near 

 Scorpion Harbor, Santa Cruz Island, June 5, 1895 (Bull. Cooper Orn. Club I, 

 1899, 85). I found the Cassin Auklet breeding abundantly on small islands 

 lying off San Miguel Island in the summer of 1910. On June 15 1 took two 

 fresh eggs, but most of the nests contained young (Condor xn, 1910, 172). 



12. (21) Synthliboramphus antiquus (Gmelin). Ancient Murrelet. 

 Regular winter visitant along the coast, south at least to San Diego County. 



C. B. Linton took two birds at Santa Cruz Island December 17 and 18, 190/" 

 (Condor x, 1908, 125). Linton also took several specimens at San Clemente 

 Island in December, 1908 (Condor xi, 1909, 102). A. van Rossem took a 

 specimen from a flock of eight birds at Catalina Island, February 13, 1910 

 (Osburn, Condor xin, 1911, 76). I found a bird of this species dead on the 

 beach at Hyperion, Los Angeles County, March 17, 1910, and Howard Wright 

 found two dead at Terminal Island, Los Angeles County, January 23, 1908, 

 and another on February 8, the same year (Condor xi, 1909, 64). A male was 

 found dead by H. W. Marsden at Pacific Beach, San Diego County, April 25, 

 1904 (Bishop. Condor vn, 1905. 141). 



13. (23) Brachyramphus marmoratus (Gmelin). Marbled Murrelet. 

 Winter visitant on the ocean, south at least to Santa Barbara. The A.O.U. 



Check-List and other lists have repeatedly given the range of this species as 

 ''south to San Diego in winter." There seems to be, however, no authentic record 

 south of Santa Barbara. 



Clark P. Streator took several specimens near Santa Barbara during the win- 

 ter of 1885-6 (Orn. & Ool. xi, 1886, 90). J. H. Bowles has a specimen taken 

 in the same locality- He found it dead on the beach July 30, 1910. On another 

 occasion he saw a bird of this species fishing around one of the piers at Santa 

 Barbara. L. M. Loomis and R. H. Beck have noted the Marbled Murrelet at 

 Monterey from late July (1894) until April 2 (1907). The birds were very 

 irregular in their movements, being plentiful at certain seasons during some 



