THE 



WILSON BULLETIN 



NO. 63. 



A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF OE^NlTHOLOGY 



VOL. XX. JUNE, 1908. NO. 2. 



JUNE WITH THE BIRDS OF THE WASHINGTON 



COAST. 



BY LYNDS TONES. 



DoziHi the Coast to Destruction. 



While we found the way to Destruction as easy and as pleas- 

 ant as it has been depicted in solemn injunction tO' the careless 

 youth, wie are fain to declare that once arrived at the place its 

 supposed terrors have wholly given place to delights inde- 

 scribable ! It is only too true that this rock, covered with a 

 dense growth of bushes where the light keepers have not 

 cleared it away for beautiful lawns and fertile garden spots, 

 has been the dread of the coasting sailor in times past. It 

 stands out boldly into the Pacific, flanked on all sides by dead- 

 ly reefs and shoals. No boat larger than a small lighter can 

 find a landing place after threading the tortuous ways among 

 the outlying rocks. 



Rain and wind, which had held us for five days at La Push, 

 finally abated. The trip down was uneventful save for the 

 many new islands and rocks with their bird population, and 

 the slightly changing fauna. We noted the gradual disap- 

 pearance of the Tufted Puffin and California Murre and the 

 presence of Pigeom Guillemot and Western Gull among the 

 sea birds. Glaucus-winged Gulls were still numerous and ap- 

 parently the only nesting gulls on the island. 



Our memories of Destruction Island will be perpetually di- 

 vided between the Rhinoceros Auklet, which breeds in abun- 



