1A.O Anthony, Petrels of Southern California. |_ April 



hopping from twig to twig in the manner by which so many of 

 the smaller birds as clearly display their anxiety as they do by 

 their notes of distress. 



The male bird did not appear at all and, after waiting for him 

 some three-quarters of an hour, we collected the female together 

 with the nest and eggs. 



PETRELS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 



BY A. W. ANTHONY. 



From the day that I saw my first Petrel dancing over the 

 waves of the Pacific none of the birds of southern California so 

 thoroughly interested me or so completely baffled all attempts at 

 a more intimate acquaintance. Several species were often com- 

 mon off shore and during such times dozens would pass and 

 repass a sailing vessel but always keeping just out of gunshot. 

 All of the coast islands were examined for breeding colonies but 

 owing to my lack of experience and knowledge of their breeding 

 habits, several years passed before any clue was found to their 

 very restricted nesting grounds. In May, 1895, a small colony 

 of Socorro Petrels was found on one of the Coronado Islands, 

 but it was too early for eggs, and I was unable to revisit the 

 island again at the proper season. Armed with the knowledge 

 gained in 1895 I visited the island April 21, 1896, and camped 

 five days, thoroughly exploring the northern and two middle 

 islands of the group. On the first night of my sojourn I had 

 scarcely fallen asleep, curled up on a rocky shelf just above the 

 water, when I was suddenly recalled to my senses by a loud 

 Tuc-a-roo., tuc-tiic-a-roo within two feet of my head. The call was 

 repeated from half a dozen directions and as many bat-like forms 

 were seen flitting back and forth in the moonlight along the cliffs 

 and hillside. One or two attempts to shoot them proved utter 

 failures and the black forms soon moved out to sea, returning 

 at intervals of an hour or so all night. The next afternoon I 



