BIRDS FROM THE FARALLON ISLANDS. 25 



BIRDS AND EGGS FROM THE FARALLON ISLANDS. 



BY WALTEE E. BRYANT. 

 Read December 19, 1887. 



Situated about thirty -five miles west from San Francisco. 

 California, is a cluster, or rather three clusters, of rocky 

 islands commonly known as the Farallones. Upon the 

 charts, these islands are individually designated as North, 

 Middle and South Farallones. 



The latter island is the largest, and the only one inhabi- 

 ted; all the sea-birds that nest on the others are also found 

 upon the South Farallon. It is regarding this island and 

 the adjacent rocks that this paper will treat. 



The islands have been occasionally visited by naturalists, 

 but their stay has usually been of short duration, a few 

 hours oftentimes; or, if they stayed for days, the time has 

 been largely devoted to the accumulation and care of spec- 

 imens rather than to the study of the birds which congre- 

 gate in countlefiS numbers during the breeding season. 



Mr. AV. Otto Emerson, who visited the South Farallon 

 from June 14th to July 2d, 1885, and again from May 2d to 

 June 2d, 1887, has generously placed with me his match- 

 less collection of birds and eggs and his notes regarding 

 them, for publication. Mrs. W. H. Rugg, wife of the chief 

 light-keeper, has contributed interesting notes and data 

 concerning many of the birds, particularly straggling 

 species. 



The first impression of the island, Mr. Emerson tells me, 

 is that it is low, rounded and knoll-shaped; but on ap- 

 proaching nearer, it discloses its high, rough and rocky 

 character. By the time the anchorage at Fisherman's Bay 

 is reached, the island and adjacent rocks are seen to be 

 fairly alive with birds, whose clamor and rushing wings, as 



2d Ser., Vol. I. Issued January 19, 1888. 



