THE WATER BIRDS OF SAN MIGUEL ISLAND. 21 



Our Zostera is somewhat different from that of the Atlantic 

 coast, the leaves nearly one half inch wide and ten to thirteen 

 nerved; the fruit is also larger than the eastern form. Cali- 

 fornia is a land of large products, which may in some meas- 

 ure explain this fact; but our plant is considered a new 

 variety by Rev. Thomas Morong, who describes it under the 

 name Zostera -marina, var. latifolia. 



THE WATER BIRDS OF SAN MIGUEL ISLAND. 

 BY CLARK P. STREATOR. 



Situated about sixty miles westerly from Santa Barbara 

 is the island of San Miguel, which lies farthest west of the 

 Santa Barbara group. The Island is owned by Mr. "W. H. 

 Mills of San Francisco, and through the kindness of this 

 gentleman I was permitted to go there to make a collection of 

 birds that frequent the locality. We left on the 26th of June 

 on the sloop Ocean King, and with a fair wind we reached the 

 Island in about twenty-four hours. On approaching the 

 Island the view is not very inviting, the cliffs rising two or 

 three hundred feet, between which descend ever shifting banks 

 of sand. By following a steep trail to the mesa we observe a 

 fine pasture almost as far as the eye extends, but on reaching 

 other parts of the Island I found it barren, and half of the 

 area drifting sand. It altogether contains 13,000 acres, and 

 is stocked with the choicest horses, cattle and sheep. At one 

 time the Island was densely populated with Indians, which 

 is well proven by shell heaps that cover hundreds of acres, 

 and in some places to the depth of ten feet or more. One day, 

 as I was climbing around a point of rocks, I discovered a cave, 

 and upon entering found the bottom covered with human 

 bones, but as it was very dark, and not having any matches, 

 I then abandoned the search, but two or three days after, in 

 company with Mr. Crawford, who has charge of the Island, 

 I again visited it, and with the aid of a candle, found the roof 



