Vol l906 HI ] Bailey, Notes on Birds of Western Mexico. 375 



until 3.30 P. M. that we landed on the little stretch of sandy beach 

 in the bay on the south side of the island. All during this day we 

 were in sight of large flocks of birds following schools of fish ; those 

 which I distinguished were Brewster's Booby, Red-billed Tropic 

 Bird, Heermann's Gull, Man-o'-War Bird, Black Petrel, and 

 Wedge-tailed Shearwater. A number of puffins and small gulls, 

 were also seen, but could not be identified. 



Isabella Island is three quarters of a mile long by about half a 

 mile wide, 150 feet high at its highest point, with a crater of an 

 extinct volcano almost in the middle of the island. It lies in longi- 

 tude 105°-106°, latitude 22°-22i°. The northeastern side of the 

 island is covered with long grass about sixteen inches high, while 

 the southwestern side is high and rocky, with stunted trees or 

 bushes scattered here and there. The central part of the island, 

 with the exception of the crater, is low and rocky and covered with 

 bushes, which also cover the sides of the crater. After landing our 

 stores and anchoring the boat out in the little bay, the crew pitched 

 camp, making a tent out of the mainsail and using the jib for a 

 floor covering to sleep on. Nearly four days were spent on the 

 island, during which time I was busily engaged in skinning birds, 

 taking photographs, and collecting eggs of the Blue-footed Booby,. 

 Red-billed Tropic Bird, and Man-o'-War Bird. A small Tern 

 — the Pacific Sooty — had already bred and gone, as had also 

 the Royal Tern. One day the crew found a nest of young Great 

 Blue Herons which I had overlooked when going over the island. 

 As the man who had supplied us with provisions had somewhat 

 neglected us, these young birds came in well for food, and were 

 relished by us, as were also fresh eggs of the Blue-footed Booby and 

 Man-o'-War Bird, which we made into omelets. On the after- 

 noon of the third day one of the boys set the long grass on the 

 northeastern side of the island on fire, which burned for twenty- 

 four hours and threatened to drive us from the island. Luckily 

 at this time there were no birds breeding on that part of the island, 

 and by the time we left the fire had burned itself out. With the 

 exception of the boat drifting ashore on the sandy beach one stormy 

 night, which caused no damage, there were no mishaps or startling 

 experiences while on the island. About noon of the 12th we 

 started back for San Bias, and as we had a very heavy fair wind 



