12 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 12 
SANTA ROSA ISLAND 
Santa Rosa Island lies five miles westward from Santa Cruz, and is fifteen 
miles long, with a maximum width of ten miles. The shores are bold, high and 
rocky; the highest point is 1562 feet, near the middle of the island. Water is 
plentiful, and the island is covered with vegetation, but there are no large trees. 
There are sheep upon the island and several people live there, but it is hard to 
obtain permission to stay upon it. 
SAN MIGUEL ISLAND 
This is the westernmost island of the group, and is the most difficult to ap- 
proach. Its western point les about twenty-five miles south of the nearest main- 
land, and its eastern point three miles westward from Santa Rosa. The island 
is irregular in shape, seven and a half miles long in an east and west direction, 
and with an average width of two miles. The highest points, 860 and 850 feet 
respectively, are about the middle of the island near the southern shore. There 
is much long grass but no trees, and in the western part there are extensive sand 
dunes. This sand is constantly shifting and encroaching on the remainder of the 
island. The shores are bold, broken and rocky, with a few short stretches of 
beach, the southern shore being more precipitous than the northern. Several 
fairly good landing places occur, and there is some good water. Prince Islet, 303 
feet high, lies a half mile off Cuyler’s Harbor, which is about midway on the 
northern coast. It is a breeding place for many sea-fowl. 
Begg’s, Wilson, and Richardson rocks are all three of small extent, and are 
respectively 40, 15, and 50 feet high. As far as I know, they have been visited 
by no ornithologist. A few gulls and cormorants may make their homes upon 
them, but it is unlikely that they hold anything of greater interest. 
