THE SEA-BIRDS' HOME 63 



swing me out over the water, washing faint and far 

 below. A long breath, and I was climbing again. 



We were on the outer 

 Rock, our only possible as- 

 cent taking us up the sheer south 

 face. With the exception of an 

 occasional Western gull's and 

 pigeon guillemot's nest, these 

 steep sides were occupied en- 

 tirely by the California 

 murres, penguin - shaped 

 birds about the 

 size of a small 

 wild duck, choc- 

 olate-brown 

 above, with 

 white breasts, 



BRANDT'S CORMORANT 



which liter- 

 ally covered the sides of the three great rocks wher- 

 ever they could find a hold. If a million meant any- 

 thing, I should say there were a million murres nest- 

 ing on this outer Rock ; not nesting either, for the egg 

 is laid upon the bare ledge, as you might place it upon 

 a mantel, a single sharp-pointed egg, as large as a 

 turkey's, and just as many of them on the ledge as 

 there is standing-room for the birds. The murre broods 

 her very large egg by standing straight up over it, her 

 short legs, by dint of stretching, allowing her to strad- 

 dle it, her short tail propping her securely from behind. 



