or little islet, in the ocean at the extremity of Point Carmel, about fifteen yards 

 from the mainland. This rock rises perpendicularly some forty or more feet 

 above the water. At first sight it does not seem that it can be scaled, but closer 

 inspection reveals that a foothold may be had in the seams and protuberances on 

 its water-worn sides. Only on days when the sea is very calm can the rock be 

 landed upon and then only from the sheltered channel separating it from the 

 mainland. We first took a view of the rookery from the mainland. The Cor- 

 morants were very tame, remaining on their nests while we clambered down the 

 sloping rocks and while we stood watching them on the same level, only a few 

 yards away. They were equally tame when our boat drew nearer as we ap- 

 proached from the water. The clefts in the sides of the rock were occupied by 

 Baird's Cormorant and the top by Brandt's. There were comparatively few of 

 the former, but of the Brandt's Cormorant there were upwards of two hundred 

 pairs. Their nests covered the top of the rock, every available situation being 

 occupied. Standing in one place I counted one hundred and eighteen." 



He also states that the Cormorants remained on the nests till he fired his 

 gun and they lingered on the edge of the rock while he walked among the nests 

 a few yards away. On the rock were many piles of sardines, evidently placed 

 near the nests for the use of the sitting bird. 



The nests are nearly circular when placed on top of the rocks, and are usually 

 constructed of eel grass. They are generally placed in the most inaccessible places 

 and at various heights above the surface of the water. The Cormorants frequent 

 the same locality from year to year and experience considerable difficulty in con- 

 structing their nests because of the gulls which frequently carry away the material 

 as fast as it can be gathered. The young, when first hatched, are entirely devoid 

 of plumage and their skin resembles a "greasy, black kid glove." It is said that 

 the gulls feed upon these young birds. 



Mr. Frank M. Woodruff relates the following observations, made during a 

 recent trip to California. He says : 



"The Brandt's Cormorant is the common species wintering in Southern Cali- 

 fornia. Like the California brown pelican and the surf ducks, only the juvenile 

 birds are found in the bay close to the city of San Diego, As one rows about 

 the harbor close to the shipping docks and by the old deserted fishermen's huts 

 along the slips, large numbers of Brandt's Cormorants and pelicans can be seen 

 perched on and almost covering the sunny sides of the roof tops. They sit in 

 rows like sentinels with the head well down upon the shoulders, undisturbed by 

 the noise of traffic, and only by continued rapping on the building with an oar 

 can they be induced to take to flight. They will usually circle for a short time 

 in a lazy manner and then return to their old position. The older birds are 

 rather more wary and usually feed a mile or so from the shore, in flocks of from 

 three to ten. The loose kelp floating in the bay attracts the smaller fish. Such 

 places form their feeding grounds. After they become gorged with fish they 

 fly to the rocks along the jetties and to the cross bars of the buoys, which mark 

 the deep water channels. The birds are perfect gluttons, and as I lifted it into 



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