Bendire.] 1QQ [October 6, 



apparently. I had no idea that these birds nested so early, as on the 

 first of the month the lake was completely covered with ice, and I 

 found some snow on this very island on the 16th, when I took the 

 eggs. I add the measurements of nine specimens of the eggs, giving 

 the extremes, namely, the largest, roundest, and smallest: 3.72 by 

 2.40 inches; 3.86 by 2.55 in.; 3.87 by 2.32 in.; 3.62 by 2.40 in.; 3.60 

 by 2.40 in.; 3.57 by 2.35 in.; 3.20 by 2.51 in. (this egg, in shape, 

 resembles a large egg of the bald eagle); 3.17 by 2.23 in.; 3.20 by 

 2.21 in. The eggs were all fresh when taken, none had been laid 

 more than four days, which would make the 12th of April their 

 first deposition. All the nests were made to contain certainly two 

 eggs, if not more ; but about one-half as yet contained only a single 

 egg. Several of the party cooked some of them, but 1 do not believe 

 they hanker after any more. We brought back five unblown ones, 

 and have an old hen sitting on them. 



" I returned from my second trip to Malheur Lake yesterday morn- 

 ing (28th). The occipital crest in the specimens procured is, at least 

 at this season, not yellow, and none of the feathers on the breast show 

 this color. The crests of five specimens I shot show scarcely any 

 difference in tint from the balance of the body, excepting that the 

 elongated feathers have more a soiled than a pure white appearance. 

 I should, however, call none yellow. 



"All the birds that I saw, both male and female, and whether on 

 or off the nest, had 'centre-boards' on the bill, and the statement 

 that the male alone has this singular appendage, according to my ob- 

 servations, is not correct. I had a number of opportunities to observe 

 the birds when not over fifty yards from them, and a strong field 

 glass to assist me besides. They appear very sensitive about having 

 their nesting places disturbed. On my second visit I found they had 

 all left the island on which I took my first eggs, and had buried in 

 the sands the few we had left. They occupy an island now about 

 half a mile from the first one, and when I visited it there must have 

 been on it more than a thousand eggs. Many of the nests contained 

 three and four eggs each, all evidently laid by the same bird. The 

 majority of the nests, however, contained only two, and I believe 

 that many do not lay more than two eggs at a sitting. 



" These birds are by no means ungraceful in their movements and 

 show a great deal of tact and good sense in their fishing expeditions. 

 West of the island where they breed, is their favorite fishing ground. 



