Vol. XVII 
as ANTHONY, Nesting Habits of Shearwaters 247 
parts. /. auricularis also has the bill entirely black and also 
_ stouter.” 
The species is dedicated to Mr. Newell, who has paid consid- 
erable attention to Hawaiian birds and has made extensive 
collections. 
NESTING HABITS OF THE PACIFIC COAST SPECIES 
OF THE GENUS RUFFINTGS. 
BY A. W. ANTHONY. 
aie Vise 
THE BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER (Puffinus opisthomelas), the 
most abundant of our Pacific Shearwaters, is extremely plenti- 
ful off the coast of central California during the summer months, 
and is found at all seasons of the year south of the Santa Barbara 
Islands. How far north its range extends I am unable to say, 
but I have seen what I was reasonably sure was this species off 
the Columbia River in November. Since its summer range is so 
far to the north it is a little strange that no breeding grounds 
have been discovered north of the Mexican Boundary. 
Several years since Major Bendire wrote me that there was in 
the National Museum two or three eggs said to have been taken 
on one of the Santa Barbara Islands. As I now remember, he 
expressed some doubt as to the location, but considered the iden- 
tification correct. That it does not nest on any of the larger of 
the Santa Barbara group, I am certain, since the foxes that 
inhabit the islands would exterminate them, but it is possible 
that on some of the smaller islands where there are no enemies 
a few may be found nesting. South of the Santa Barbara Islands 
I am confident none are found until Guadaloupe is reached, about 
two hundred miles south of the National boundary. 
Several years since, I found the Black-vented Shearwater 
(Puffinus gavia) rather common on Guadaloupe, where their bur- 
rows were dug under huge blocks of lava in several parts of the 
island, but in no place was there any large colony. Their nests 
