BIRDS OF KANSAS. 21 



In the month of June, 1880, I found the birds breeding in 

 large communities on the little islands adjacent to Grand Manan; 

 many were nesting in the spruce tree tops, from twenty to forty 

 feet from the ground. It was an odd sight to see them on their 

 nests, or perched upon a limb chattering and scolding as ap- 

 proached. The greater number, however, were nesting on the 

 rocks. In the trees I had no difficulty in finding full sets of 

 their eggs, as the egg collectors rarely take the trouble to climb; 

 but on the rocks I was unable to find an egg within reach; the 

 eggers going daily over the rocks. I was told by several that 

 they yearly robbed the birds, taking however but nine eggs from 

 a nest, as they found whenever they took a greater number, the 

 birds so robbed would forsake their nests, or, as they expressed 

 it, cease to lay; and that, in order to prevent an over collection, 

 they invariably dropped near the nest a little stone or pebble 

 for every egg taken. 



The young birds grow rapidly. July 26th, I saw at Percy 

 Rock, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, young birds upon the water 

 fully grown. They do not leave their nesting grounds until 

 able to fly; though half grown birds are occasionally seen on 

 the water, that by fright or accident have fallen. Their nests 

 are composed of grass, (often moss and lichens, especially in 

 the trees.) sea weeds, and a mixture of dirt. In the trees they 

 are quite bulky and well woven together, but loosely and slov- 

 enly made upon the rocks, and varying greatly in their size; 

 some with only a slight lining. 



Eggs, usually three, 2.75x1.90. The ground color varies 

 from a pale olive drab to a greenish and bluish white, irregu- 

 larly spotted and blotched with lilac and pale yellowish to dark 

 sepia brown, the markings occasionally the thickest and running 

 together about the larger end; in form, ovate. 



Larus californicus LA\VR. 



CALIFORNIA GULL. 

 PLATE II. 



A rare visitant. One specimen taken by me on the Arkansas 

 River, in Reno county, October 20th, 1880. 



B. 633. R. 60S. C. 777. G. 308, 6. U. 53. 



