362 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



ered they generally shrink away as far as they can, but 

 occasionally one will remain on its egg. When tossed 

 into the air they fly without difficulty. Eggs with well- 

 developed embryos were the rule, but there were also 

 fresh eggs and downy young in various stages of growth. 

 In seventeen specimens preserved, the organs of repro- 

 duction, except in one female, displayed marked- degen- 

 eration, showing that the breeding season was about over. 

 Apparently nearly as many males as females were brood- 

 ing. With a single exception, all the examples taken, 

 including a partial albino, were very fat. It seemed 

 strange to find these birds of the ocean rearing their 

 young near the dwellings and within several rods of the 

 siren. None of the feathered inhabitants of the island 

 appeared to be alarmed at the blasts of this signal, re- 

 peated every forty-five seconds when the fog settled 

 down. 



As there are no rats or snakes on the island the Petrels 

 seemingly have no constant enemies to contend against 

 during their sojourn except the eggers and the light- 

 keepers' children who collect the eggs of the Petrels and 

 sell them to collectors. One collector, I was told, gave 

 a standing order for all they could furnish to him. As 

 the preceding species is not distinguished from the pres- 

 ent one, its eggs are sent out as those of the Ashy Petrel. 



Phalacrocorax dilophus albociliatus, 



Phalacrocorax penicillatus, 



Phalacrocorax pelagicus resplendens. — Not any one of 

 the three Cormorants — Farallon, Brandt's, Baird's — was 

 as numerous as I anticipated. Perhaps their numbers 

 have been considerably reduced in late years. When 

 the rookeries of the Murres are invaded by the eggers, 

 the Cormorants nesting near by take flight, leaving their 

 eggs exposed to the Gulls, from whose depredations they 



