1917 BIRDS OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ISLANDS 27 
particularly fond of newly hatched cormorants and will gulp them down with 
the utmost satisfaction. If the youngster is too large or if it happens to be a pel- 
ican chick instead, they will just as cheerfully peck a hole in its skull, just to be 
doing something. A. W. Anthony (12) saw one pull an adult Cassin Auklet 
from a shallow hole, and swallow it with the same relish that it did the egg a mo- 
ment later, and he has watched them in the act of dismembering half grown cor- 
morants. Asa rule, however, this destruction takes place only when a human in- 
truder invades the colonies; if we would deny ourselves the pleasure of walking 
through these in the nesting season, it would certainly help to put the economic 
value of occidentalis on the right side of the ledger. 
gy Larus argentatus Pontoppidan 
HERRING GULL 
5 
Larus argentatus (1) Grinnell, Pasadena Acad. Sci., 11, 1898, p. 7. 
Xvi1, 1915, p. 204. 
Probably of regular occurrence in winter. On April 5, 1915, I noted two 
adults of this species at San Clemente, and during the following week, one or 
two were seen daily about the harbor. J. Grinnell (7) found that it was present 
in small numbers at Catalina during December, 1897, and secured one specimen. 
While at Santa Cruz Island in April, 1915, W. L. Dawson (2) saw two of these 
birds at close range. 
(2) Dawson, Condor, 
20. Larus californicus Lawrence 
CALIFORNIA GULL 
Larus californicus (1) Grinnell, Pasadena Acad. Sci., 1, 1897, p. 23. (2) Breninger, Auk, 
xx1, 1904, p. 219. (3) Linton, Condor, x, 1908, p. 82. (4) Osburn, Condor, x1, 1909, 
p. 136. (5) Willett, Pac. Coast Avif., 7, 1912, p. 14. (6) Cooke, U. S. Dept. Agric., 
Bull. 292, 1915, p. 41. 
Undoubtedly commmon about all the islands during the winter months. C. 
B. Linton (3) says they were common at San Clemente during January and Feb- 
ruary, 1907; and during the latter part of March and first of April, 1915, in the 
same locality, D. R. Dickey, L. M. Huey and I noted them daily in company with 
the Western Gulls. A. van Rossem saw several at Santa Cruz Island April 24, 
1911, and C. B. Linton (WS) has taken speciemns there. 
mile. Larus delawarensis Ord 
RING-BILLED GULL 
Larus delawarensis (1) Howell and van Rossem, Condor, x1, 1911, p. 209. 
As on the mainland, this species is probably almost as common in winter as 
the last, but in some plumages it is so difficult to distinguish between the two 
that it is impossible to determine their relative abundance. I have seen a few in- 
dividuals at Catalina in April, and during the same month, 1911, A. van Ros- 
sem and | positively identified several at Santa Cruz Island. 
