62 



THE NIDIOLOGIST 



we were within a few 5'ards of them the 

 majorit}- took to the water, while two or 

 three of the oldest and largest remained 

 iil)on the rock 'standing guard' over the 

 young calves. As we advanced these 

 masses of 'blubber' moved slowh^ and 

 clumsily towards us, with their mouths 

 open, giving us to understand that we had 

 better not disturb the repose of the juvenile 

 iions;' but the moment we threw a stone 

 at them they would scamper off and leave 

 the young lions to the mercy of their 

 enemies. 



"The birds, which are by far the most 

 numerous, and on account of their eggs, the 

 most important, are the Murres, or Foolish 

 Guillemots, which are found here in myri- 

 ads, surmounting every rocky peak, and 

 occupying everj- small and partially level 

 spot upon the islands. Here it lays its 

 egg, upon the bare rock, and never leaves 

 it unless driven off, until it is hatched; the 

 male taking its turn at incubation with the 

 female. One reason wby this may be the 

 case, perhaps, is from the fact that the 

 Gull is watching ever}^ opportunity to steal 

 its egg and eat it. 



"When the young are old enough to 

 emigrate, the Murres take the-m away in 

 the night, lest the Gulls should eat them, 

 and as .soon as the young reach the water 

 they swim at once. Some idea may be 

 formed of the number of these birds by the 

 Farallone Egg Company having, since 

 1850, brought to the San Francisco market 

 between three and four millions of eggs. 



'It is a clumsy bird, almost helpless on 

 land, but is at home on the sea, and is an 

 excellent swimmer and diver, and is very 

 strong in the wings. Their eggs are un- 

 accountably large, for the size of the bird, 

 and, 'afford excellent food, being highly 

 nutritive and palatable — whether boiled, 

 roasted, poached or in omelettes.' No two 

 eggs are in color alike. 



"The 'Big Rookery 'lies on the northwest 

 side of the islatid. This locality derives its 

 name from the island here forming a hol- 

 low, and being well protected from the 

 winds it is a favorite resort of myriads of 



sea fowl, who make this their place of 

 abode and where vast numbers of young are 

 raised. If you walk amongst them, thou- 

 sands immediately rise, and for a few 

 moments darken the air as though a heavy 

 cloud had just crossed and obscured the 

 sunlight on your path. But few persons 

 who have not seen them can realize the 

 vast numbers that make this their home, 

 and which are here, there and everj'where, 

 flying, sitting and even swimming upon 

 the boiling and white-topped stirge among 

 the seals. 



"From this point we can get an excellent 

 view of the lighthouse, 357 feet above the 

 sea, and below, the residence of the light- 

 keepers. 



Everywhere there is beauty, wildnessand 

 sublimity. Here also we can get an excel- 

 lent view of the North Farallones, that, in 

 the dim and shadow}' distance, are looming 

 up their dull peaks just above the restless 

 and swelling waves. 



"Upon these islands, of three hundred 

 and fifty acres, there is not a single tree or 

 shrub to relieve the eye. A few weeds and 

 sprigs of mustard are the only signs of veg- 

 etable life to be seen upon them." 



As the California wild mustard sometimes 

 actually grows high enough for birds to 

 nest in the branches, I should, perhaps, add 

 to the above account that whatever was 

 the case in 1856 there is at the present 

 dav no mustard growing upon the Farallons. 



H. R. Taylor. 



Notes on the Parula Warbler. 



THE PARUEA \VARBh^R(Compsof/i- 

 lypis aniericaiui), or Blue-yellow- 

 backed Warbler {Panda aviericaiux) 

 as it was before being rechristened l)y the 

 A. O. U., is what might be clas.sed as a 

 connecting link between the Paridae and 

 the Sylvicolidae. It is true that the re- 

 .semblancelies mainly in their actions while 

 feeding, but that is very similar as one will 

 stop (while clinging to a twig head down- 

 ward) and pick up an insect with almost 

 the ease and deliberation of a Chickadee. 



They make their first appearance in 

 Massachusetts early in May and by the 

 latter part of the month have paired and 

 commenced building their nests. At thig 



