CALIFORNIA WATER BIRDS. 1 7 



Lunda cirrhata was not met with. Its absence is at- 

 tributed to local distribution. 



Ptychoramphus aleuticus. Cassin's Auklet. — Com- 

 paratively few were seen near the land. Offshore, how- 

 ever, they were common, particularly upon the ocean. 



The exposed culmen in eight specimens in a series of 

 twenty-two exceeds .75 inches, in two extreme examples 

 reaching .83. Ten individuals (summer and winter birds) 

 of the same series have the throat decidedly paler than 

 the chin and jugulum. In a female (Aug. 7th) it is almost 

 pure white. 



Synthliboramphus antiquus. Ancient Murrelet. — 

 About five hundred yards from the surf, a belt of drift 

 kelp, extending from the Seaside Laboratory around Point 

 Pinos, had gained an anchorage on the rocky bottom. 

 The narrow strip between this breakwater and the beach 

 was the favorite resort of Ancient Murrelets, except on 

 the rare days when there was a north wind, which in- 

 variably drove the bird life of the bay away from the 

 exposed south shore. A good many were also found 

 near the surf in the little coves in the direction of Mon- 

 terey and some were seen several miles out from the land. 

 In the sheltered places they chiefly frequented food ap- 

 peared to be abundant. They were great divers and 

 swimmers under water, and voracious in their pursuit of 

 small fry, occasionally driving the fish to the surface in 

 the eagerness of the chase. Often not a Murrelet would 

 be in sight for some time. Then a pair or a small company 

 (the largest one observed numbered nine individuals) 

 would suddenly appear from the depths. Unlike the 

 Marbled Murrelets, they did not generally seek safety in 

 flight when pursued. Neither did they dive as soon or 

 remain as long under water when keeping out of the way 



Proc. Cal. Acad. Sol, 2d Ser., Vol. VI. ( 2 ) February 21, 1896. 



