35§ CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



eggs in transportation were piled in the holds of the egg- 

 boats, now they are put into small wooden boxes. Ac- 

 cording to the late Dr. W. O. Ayres, a founder of the 

 Academy (' Water Birds of North America,' vol. ii, p. 

 485), more than five hundred thousand eggs were sold in 

 less than two months in 1854 — a ^ collected in one limited 

 portion of South Farallon Island, and " in the opinion 

 of the eggers, not more than one egg in six of those de- 

 posited on that island was gathered." Dr. Heermann, 

 writing early in the fifties of the Murres on the Faral- 

 lones, says, " The traffic in their eggs from this place to 

 San Francisco and inland reaches the value annually of 

 between one and two hundred thousand dollars " — P. R. 

 R. Rep., vol. x, pt. iv, No. 2, p. 75. 



In past years, it appears, the birds of the North Faral- 

 lones have not been systematically harassed. This year, 

 however, rivals to the South Farallon light-keepers were 

 located there, a schooner taking the eggs off weekly if a 

 landing could be effected. The crop was said to be larger 

 than that of South Farallon. 



It is apparent that unless this devastation is put an end 

 to the Farallon Murre rookeries will ere long belong to 

 the past. A state law prohibiting the sale of eggs of wild 

 birds and prompt action on the part of the lighthouse 

 board will preserve this wonderful marine aviary — second 

 to none of the natural features of California. 



The departure of Murres from South Farallon Island is 

 said to begin about the 1st of July. The early south- 

 bound migrants observed at Monterey ('No. 1 ', p. 180 et 

 seq.) not improbably came in part from the Farallones. 



Larus occidentalis. Western Gull. — A more vag- 

 abond set of Gulls than the Western Gulls inhabiting 

 South Farallon Island during the egg season could scarcely 

 be found. They are arrant thieves, robbing the Murres 



