BIRD ROCKS. 21 



the circuit of the island, accompanied by our genial host. 

 Only in very calm weather can boats come ashore here, as 

 they have to run under the cliffs and land upon a small, 

 rocky beach, the only place where it is safe for a boat to 

 approach the island. Mr. Whalen told me that the supply- 

 boat, which comes here twice a year, oftentimes has to wait 

 days before she can land the stores. 



I was very much pleased to observe specimens of Sitta 

 canadensis and Cotyle riparia, the former being very tame, 

 and making itself quite at home about the lighthouse, and 

 to obtain a fine immature specimen of the Arcadian Owl 

 (Nyctale arcadia). Mr. Whalen showed me specimens of the 

 Black and Yellow Warbler (Dendroeca maculosd), Yellow- 

 rumpled Warbler (Dendroeca coronata), and Richardson's 

 Owl (Nyctale tengmalmi var. Richardsonii], which he stated 

 he obtained here in June, and that many species of small 

 birds come to the " Rock," of which, unfortunately, he did 

 not know the names, and had not preserved the skins. 



Five species of birds breed here every year, in such num- 

 bers that the fishermen used to gather their eggs by the 

 barrel until the government put a stop to it. These five 



