The California Gull 



they say, during the past month, had engulfed them. Nesting material 

 being more difficult to procure in this section, most linings were of the 

 scantiest, and few were seen which excited our cupidity. 



As in the other colony, the season was near the hatching point, and 

 perhaps one-third of the eggs were pipped. 



The census conducted on the afternoon of the 3rd showed a total of 

 499 occupied nests, of which 10 with young (one or more), 64 singles, 290 

 twos, 134 threes, and one four. Again, the number of nests which con- 

 tained two eggs exceeded all others put together, and outnumbered the 

 threes, two to one. A few more nests, ten or a dozen, were noted on the 



Taken on P aoha\l stand 



Photo by the Author 



following day in an outlying colony. To this total of over 500 pairs should 

 probably be added 100 for those overlooked, hatched out, or destroyed, 

 a total for the colony of 600 pairs, and for the island of 850. 



On the occasion of a second visit to the Black Rock colony, we heard 

 gull voices from Negit, half or three quarters of a mile distant. Accord- 

 ingly, we importuned Mr. McPherson for passage, and were allowed 

 three riotous hours upon the island on the following day (June 5th). We 

 found here on the east point of Negit Island the most populous colony of 

 all. Because our visit took place at high noon, and because fully half the 

 eggs were either hatched out or were in the act of hatching, we made a 

 very hasty survey and neither attempted to cover the whole ground nor 



1408 



