CALIFORNIA WATER BIRDS. 21 7 



Puffinus griseus. Dark-bodied Shearwater. — After 

 the i6th of June this Shearwater apparently occurred 

 only as a south bound migrant. During the passage of 

 its migratory waves it was very abundant. It was ob- 

 served both years. A series of forty-seven specimens 

 was secured the second season. 



Phalacrocorax penicillatus. Brandt's Cormorant. — 

 The going and coming of the " Shags " in their fishing 

 excursions into the bay from their rookery at Seal Rocks 

 is the most striking feature in the bird life of the vicinity 

 of Monterey during summer. They were abundant in 

 1892 and still more abundant in 1894. The latter year, 

 also, wedge-shaped flocks were formed earlier and more 

 birds were found at the outset on the rocks along the 

 shore. 



Sometimes solitary Cormorants returning to their rook- 

 ery joined the files of migrating California Murres, and 

 frequently single Murres were observed bringing up the 

 rear of strings of outgoing Cormorants. On one occa- 

 sion a California Brown Pelican was seen at the end of 

 a line of Cormorants. 



Great rafts of these Cormorants collected on the bay 

 whenever " the feed came in." At the distance these 

 gatherings present a very peculiar appearance. The 

 water seems to be thickly set with black sticks, often cov- 

 ering an area of several acres. Gulls, particularly, con- 

 gregate with the Cormorants upon such occasions. 



Two rookeries were discovered; one at Pt. Carmel, 

 and the other at Seal Rocks. June 25th I visited the 

 former, which is situated on a rock, or little islet, in the 

 ocean at the extremity of Pt. Carmel, about fifteen yards 

 from the mainland. This rock rises perpendicularly some 

 forty or more feet above the water. At first sight it does 

 not seem that it can be scaled, but closer inspection re- 



