±22 Ray, Fortnight on the Farallones. Loct 



into the foaming surf, thus gained the open sea (see Plate XXV). 

 Some were terribly thrown about in the breakers but apparently 

 received little injury. On our entrance the main body took flight, 

 with a mighty roar of wings, and so close did they fill the cave 

 that it behooved us to get behind boulders to prevent being struck 

 by them. Many birds still remained in the cave, retreating deep 

 into the branching recesses or, sheep-like, huddled into the cor- 

 ners, where they could be picked up by the hand. The multitudes 

 which took wing would wait, scattered over the water about a 

 quarter of a mile from shore, until the commotion was over and 

 would then come trooping back to the cave. 



The murre when caught is by no means a peaceable captive, as 

 anyone who has come in range of its strong, sharp-pointed bill 

 will testify. The closeness of the tiny feathers on the head and 

 neck have the appearance of, and feel to the touch like, a piece of 

 satin. It is a most ungainly bird on land ; if put to flight when on 

 some abrupt eminence they can usually gain sufiicient momentum 

 to continue ; otherwise they scramble, with the aid of their wings, 

 clumsily over the land and boulders, and in their endeavor to 

 hurry frequently strike with force against the rocks. 



From my own observations I do not think that in a battle royal 

 the gull with its hooked bill has any advantage over the murre 

 with its stiletto-like weapon, but succeeds in its high-handed rob- 

 bery by better control of wing and foot and overwhelming num- 

 bers. The gulls swoop down when the murres have been flushed 

 from their eggs and secure the booty, or a number by harassing 

 a single bird simultaneously from all sides finally start the 

 egg a rolling. It is amusing to see a bob-tailed, erect, soldier-like 

 murre with an egg between its legs and a single swaggering gull 

 endeavoring to secure it. Every time the gull cranes its neck for- 

 ward for the egg the murre also bends with a vicious snap of its 

 bill, which the gull is wise to dodge ; and thus the birds will keep 

 salaaming, like two polite Japanese, until another gull comes to aid 

 its fellow or, unaided, the bird gives up the attempt. The cave 

 colonies are the only ones where the murres are secure from per- 

 secution by these bird-pirates. 



The murre's egg is admirably adapted for the situations in 

 which it is laid, as its pear-shaped form prevents its rolling except 



