Vol 'ifi^ XH ] Willett, Birds of Forrester Island. 299 



taken to the water. Like the Rhinoceros Auklets, the old birds were occa- 

 sionally seen near the shore but in very small numbers compared to the 

 total number nesting on the island. Their principal feeding ground is, 

 seemingly, well out to sea. 



Brachyramphus marmoratus. Marbled Murrelet. — During 

 the early part of the summer this species was not noted in the vicinity 

 of the reservation and I am sure that it does not nest on the island. The 

 first birds were seen July 25, when three adults were found feeding a little 

 distance from shore. One bird taken at this time was an adult female 

 which, according to the condition of the sexual organs, had nested some 

 time previously. After this date the species was further noted on several 

 occasions. 



It was plentiful in the channels around Prince of Wales and Dall islands 

 throughout the summer and evidently nests in these localities. Mr. W. D. 

 McLeod, of Howkan, informs me that during late May and the month of 

 June he has observed Marbled Murrelets flying down from the mountains of 

 Dall Island at dusk. 



Cepphus columba. Pigeon Guillemot. — Probably 300 pahs on 

 the reservation. Generally distributed along rocky shores, the favorite 

 feeding ground being around the kelp patches close in. This bird has a 

 peculiar habit of sometimes carrying a small fish around in its bill for a 

 considerable length of time before eating it. One bird noted carried the 

 fish for a full two hours, the lower mandible being in the gill and the upper 

 one on top of the fish's head. The nests of the sea pigeon were for the most 

 part inaccessible, being far in the recesses of crevices in the roofs of caves. 

 A nest containing one egg was found June 26. This egg was later de- 

 stroyed by crows, which are very numerous around the sea bird colonies 

 and prey especially on the eggs of the sea pigeon, cormorant and murre. 



Uria troille calif ornica. California Murre. — Probably 20,000 

 pairs nesting on the reservation. The principal rookeries are on the west 

 side of Forrester Island, on Cape Horn Rocks and on Petrel Island. There 

 seemed to be no nests at all on the easterly and more protected side of the 

 island. These birds begin to deposit their eggs about July 20 and probably 

 all the females had laid by August 5. Owing to the destruction of many 

 of the eggs, however, fresh eggs may be found until late in August. This 

 destruction of a considerable percentage of the eggs is due to two causes. 

 First, the thieving crow who finds in the stupid murre an easy victim, and 

 second in the clumsiness of the murres, themselves. Many of the eggs are 

 laid on narrow ledges of cliffs and the clumsy birds when leaving or alighting 

 on the nesting ledge frequently roll the egg over the side of the cliff. During 

 several visits paid to the murre colonies, many eggs were seen thus destroyed. 

 On one occasion an egg dropped Seventy or eighty feet and struck on the 

 back of a murre on a ledge below. The first young murre was noted 

 August 13. 



Stercorarius parasiticus. Parasitic Jaeger. — Migrant. Several 

 birds seen near Lowrie Island August 3. 



