28o CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. [Proc. 3D Ser. 



September 2j. A trip during the forenoon, two miles 

 northwest of the buoy, disclosed little movement beyond a 

 scattering southward flight of Dark-bodied, Pink-footed, 

 and Black-vented Shearwaters, the last predominating. 

 About noon, however, a great army of Dark-bodied Shear- 

 waters appeared from up the coast. The line of march, off 

 the Seaside Laboratory, was not more than half a mile from 

 the land, although no low fog prevailed. There were sev- 

 eral divisions — each a solid phalanx about an eighth of a 

 mile deep — following closely one upon the other. Between 

 these, there were many individuals and companies. In all 

 my previous experience I never encountered such a vast 

 host, the most extensive summer movements amounting only 

 to straggling columns. Not less than a quarter of a million 

 passed in review during two hours and a half. They paid 

 little heed to the boat. Occasionally one would give a 

 passing salute, uttering its call-note. Much of the time we 

 were within thirty yards of the flank nearest the shore — so 

 close by, the movement of the myriads of wings was dis- 

 tinctly audible. The birds appeared to be under the direc- 

 tion of leaders, for every few seconds one, among those 

 going by, would rise some twenty feet above its comrades, 

 and then drop back into the ranks, apparently having recon- 

 noitred the shore-line ahead. Surrounded by the Shear- 

 waters, and keeping pace with them, were several squads of 

 Forster's Terns, a white Fulmar, and a party of Shore 

 Birds, apparently Black-bellied Plovers. Two companies 

 of the Terns decoyed when dead birds were tossed into the 

 air, but so bent were they upon the march, they halted only 

 a moment. With the rear guard were a great many Black- 

 vented Shearwaters. A few Pink-footed were seen, but 

 they did not mingle with the others, although flying in the 

 same direction. The generative organs of the Dark-bodied 

 examined displayed great functional enlargement. 



There was a notable increase over previous days in 

 Pomarine Jaegers and Royal Terns — five of the former and 

 above a score of the latter being observed. Northern 

 Phalaropes exhibited a falhng off in numbers. Some move- 

 ment took place in ' fresh water ducks. ' A female Shoveller 



