294 Court. Treganza Blue Heron. [julv 



the number of nests over those which we found last year. On May 8, 

 1906, we found birds nesting only on the east and northeast end of the 

 island. This year we find that they have circled the island with their 

 nests, with the exception of the southwest end, which is rather sandy and 

 barren of sage and boulders. 



Egg Island is a detached reef at the extreme north end of Antelope Is- 

 land, 300 feet or more in diameter, about one-half mile off shore. Com- 

 posed mostly of reef rocks but -nith some little sand patches. 



Egg Island, May 11, 1906. — Here the Ardea herodias nests in company 

 with Larus californicus and Phalacrocorax dilophus. This island con- 

 tained about fifty breeding pairs. All stages of nidification existed except 

 nest building. The nearest feeding ground for the birds on this island is 

 about fifteen miles. 



The nests on this island are all placed on the higher boulders among the 

 reef rocks, usually beside a large boulder. The boulder is used as a perch 

 for the owner of the nest beneath. Apparently the birds consider this 

 boulder as much a part of their possession as the nest, for should another 

 attempt to ahght on a perch that is not his owti, he is immediately and 

 properly punished for his trespassing. Such an occasion as this is the 

 only time I have ever seen the adult birds show any signs of quarreUng. 



Some of the nests on this island are very handsomely and wonderfully 

 made, two or three nests measuring each about 5 feet in diameter. Most 

 of the sticks used in constructing the nest are of the sage bush. Apparently 

 these nests are very old and have been used for many years, a httle bit 

 being added each year in the way of rebuilding and house cleaning. It 

 seems quite remarkable that the yoimg do not injure themselves fropi the 

 large, coarse sticks which form the inner nest, if the same could be called 

 an inner nest. The depression of the nests is very slight. The depression 

 starts from the outer edge of the nest and very gradually sinks into the 

 center. 



The birds on this island seem to be more filthy than those seen elsewhere. 

 By the time the entire clutch of eggs is laid, the first two or three eggs laid 

 are entirely speckled over the svnface with lice markings. Upon hfting 

 up eggs that are in an advanced stage of incubation, the center of the 

 nest seems to be a seething mass of lice, which must undoubtedly greatly 

 annoy the young when hatched. 



-Four, five, and six eggs seem to form the complete set, four or five being 

 the usual complement, six rarely. A number of photographs were taken 

 on this date of both young and eggs. 



Egg Island, April 9, 1907. — I do not wonder that some of the young are 

 fully fledged and leave their nests before the middle of May, as we foimd 

 three nests containing young from three to four weeks old. 



About twenty-five nests contained fresh eggs. None of the eggs seemed 

 to be at aU incubated; hence there must have been several exceptionally 

 early arrivals. There seemed to be a mmiber of new nests imder construc- 

 tion. Two birds killed for identification. Several photographs taken. 



