BIRDS FROM THE FARALLON ISLANDS 41 



ble morsels to the hungry gulls. The young are abundantly 

 supplied with small fish, which may be seen lying in and 

 about the nests. 



13. Phalacrocorax pelagicus resplendens. 



Baird's Cormorant. — They are less common than the two 

 foregoing species, with which they do not associate. The 

 nests are built usually in the most inaccessible places, and 

 at all altitudes; some were found so close to the water's 

 edge that they were splashed by the highest waves beating 

 against the rocky shore. The same rookeries are used from 

 year to year, and the same nests are occupied after being 

 robbed, the owners simply adding a few more pieces 

 of weeds before laying. They congregate in colonies of 

 eight or ten pairs, nesting on natural shelves of perpendicu- 

 lar or overhanging rocks. Three or four eggs are laid in a 

 nest of the same material as i<! used by the other cormo- 

 rants. Incubation commences after the first egg is laid, in or- 

 der to keep it protected from the gulls. The birds may be seen 

 on the nests for days before the first egg is laid. 



The eggs of Baird's cormorant may usually be known by 

 their small size, the average dimensions of thirty-six speci- 

 mens (nine sets of four), are 55.5x36.5 mm. By the fol- 

 lowing examples it will be seen that the largest ones are 

 nearly or quite the size of some of the smallest eggs of the 

 other two cormorants, 59 x 27; 59 x 36; 58 x 38; 58 x 37.5; 

 54 X 35 ; 53 x 35 ; 52 x 36 ; 52 x 35 . 



The young are bare when hatched, and do not appear 

 with down until they are, as Mr. Emerson judged, about 

 three weeks old. 



14. Pelecanus californicus. 



California Brown Pelican. — Seven were seen on the 

 rocks one morning. 



15. Fregata aquila. 



Man-o'-War Bird. — A skull of this was found by Gruber 

 on the Island in 1861. 



