40 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Being the tamest of the cormorants, their nests can be ap- 

 proached within a few feet before the birds reluctantly crawl 

 off, and if no furthur advance is made, they crawl awkwardly 

 back upon the eggs, knowing that the gulls will take them 

 at once if deserted. If frightened by the too close approach 

 of any one or the report a gun they take wing, but soon re- 

 turn. The flight of the cormorants from their rookeries is 

 spoken of by Mr. Emerson and others as a wonderful sight. 

 The eggs of this species, fifty examples of which have been 

 measured, average 60.7x39.5 mm. The most noticeable 

 sizes are 64.5x38.5; 64x40.5; 63.5x41; 63x41; 57x38; 56.5x38 

 millimeters. 



12. Phalacrocorax penicillatus. 



Brandt's Cormorant. — They commence laying about the 

 same time as the Farallon cormorant, selecting places rather 

 accessible to an oologist, where they congregate in large 

 rookeries, principally at West End and Sugar Loaf. Like 

 the other species they often have great difiiculty in getting 

 a nest built, as the thieving gulls will carry away the weeds 

 about as fast as they can gather them. The eggs are usually 

 four, sometimes five or even three in number, and vary 

 somewhat in shape as well as size. Some eggs are rather 

 oblong and pointed at the ends, others shorter and blunt at 

 one or both ends — characters which are noticed in all the 

 cormorants' eggs from the island, there being no rule of 

 shape to guide one in identifying the species. 



Eleven sets of four eggs and two sets of three give an 

 average size of 62.5x38.5 mm. 



Special measurements of eight examples to show the ex- 

 treme variations offer the following results, 66.5x38; 

 66x37.5; 65x36; 64x40; 61.5x37; 59.5x41; 57.5x40; 

 56x38 millimeters. 



The young are hatched entirely naked, their skin resem- 

 bling a greasy, black kid glove in appearance. In this con- 

 dition, and even after the down is on them, they are irresisti- 



