64 
HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
OFF SHORE ROOKERIES OF THE 
FARALLONE ISLANDS, CALIFORNIA, 
U.S.A. 
Publicity Section, 
Audubon Association of the Pacific. 
Bv Dr. Frederick W. D 'Evelyn. 
The Farallone Islands consist of a somewhat 
scattered group of rocky pinnacles lying about 
1.— Chase Littlejohn. 
Young Gull watchfully waiting, South Farallone. 
thirty miles due west of San Francisco. The gen- 
eral formation is fairly well illustrated in the three 
photographs accompanying these notes. They 
have served for many years as markers for the 
too, are found the colonies of Murres, the more 
port of San Francisco and the site for a powerful 
light. With the exception of a few very limited 
pockets there is no soil on the Islands which are 
composed almost entirely of a decayed rock forma- 
tion with a few gravely stretches of beach. They 
have been noted throughout the entire range of 
human knowledge as rookeries where thousands 
upon thousands of off-shore birds breed each sea- 
son. During- a certain period there was a practice 
of collecting eggs during' the breeding season, 
and these met with a ready sale in the San Fran- 
cisco markets, but the birds and their nesting 
grounds are now protected by the Government, 
and no one is permitted to trespass upon the 
grounds or disturb the birds in any way during 
the breeding season. 
On August 3rd, 1917, by the courtesy of the 
Department of Commerce and of the Lighthouse 
Inspector in charge of this district, the Audubon 
Association of the Pacific was enabled to make a 
visit to the most southerly and largest of the 
Islands. As the trip was made in the lighthouse 
tender the stay was limited to the time during 
which the tender w r as engaged in transacting its 
ordinary business, which was a matter of about 
four hours. The Island is possibly three quar- 
ters of a mile in length and rises in three discon- 
nected peaks only one of which it was possible 
to explore during this very limited period. 
Ten species of sea birds habitually breed on 
the Island : — 
1. Lunda cirrhata, Tufted Puffin or Sea 
Parrot. 
% Ptychoramphus aleuticus, Cassin Auk- 
' let. 
3. Cepphus columba, Pigeon Guillemot. 
4. Uria troile californica, California Murre. 
5. Larus occidentalis, Western Gull. 
6. Oceanadroma kaedingi, Kaeding Petrel. 
7. Oceanodroma homochroa, Ashy Petrel. 
8. Phalacrocorax dilophus albociliatus, 
Farallone Cormorant. 
9. Phalacrocorax penicillatus, Brandt Cor- 
morant. 
10. Phalacrocorax pelagicus resplendens, 
Baird Cormorant. 
One land bird, Salpinctes obsoletus, Rock 
Wren, has long been identified with the Islands 
as a constant resident, and since' the planting of 
a few trees which furnish suitable environment, 
Passer domesticus, the English Sparrow, and 
Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis, the familiar rosy 
crowned House Finch, have maintained house- 
holds among these trees. Crows have also been 
observed to breed upon the Islands in years past. 
The birds nest in colonies. The Baird and 
Farallone Cormorants are confined entirely to the 
highest peaks. The Brandt Cormorants are scat- 
tered over the lesser altitudes through what might 
be termed the median belts of the rocks. Here, 
