100 A Joiir?}ri/ Arrnss fhr Sirrras—S . Califorfiia. 
along the sands the whole way; a fair morning's work. The 
birds noted on the way were a pair of Turnstones (Arenarhi 
iulerpres), and two or three pairs of Grey Plover (C sqnatn- 
rola). I liave shot these occasionally, and can see no difference 
between them and the English bird {»S. helvetica). Like the 
latter they are indifferent eating. After lunch I ^volked aorosp 
the sandhills and found on the other side an extensive iagoon. 
Bronze Ibis {Plegadis autuimmlis), Black and White Godwits 
{Limosa lapponica haueti), and Grey Godwits (L. liarmastica) 
were feeding in large flocks, as were hundreds of Whiml>rels. 
Another little bird swimming about in considerable numbers 
was the Grey Phalarope {Thalaropus lohatus). Tliey look like 
miniature Gulls on the watei' as they float very high. I have seen 
them swimming out of sight of land and looking thoi oughly at 
home. On land they are equally active, and run about like 
Sandpipers. On the way back to the waggon I flushed a Red- 
necked Phalarope (C . fuUcarius), a very much rarer bird. I 
have no doubt but that its mate was sitting somewhere amongst 
the sandhills, but although I looked for some time, I was not 
successful in finding its nest. We had now passed outside the 
shelter of the Islands, and the regular Pacific swell was rolling 
in. In the surf numbers of Velvet-, and White-winged Sooters 
(Oedemia americana and 0. degJandi) were diving, and we 
occasionally saw a few sleeping on the sands, but they do this 
presumably with one eye open, as they never let us get very 
near. I never remember getting within gunshot of one. Further 
out to sea, an immense flock of Fulmer Petrels ( Fidmanis 
glacialis glupischa) were flying north. The flock extended a^ 
far as the eye could see in both directions, and must have con- 
tained millions of birds. After a storm I have occasionally picked 
up an injured one on the sands. They are rather repulsive birds 
with their wide open nostrils and oily smell. I should judge 
them to be alx)ut as large as our Herring Gull. This evening 
we reached a spot where a spur of the coast range ran down 
to the water's edge, and we could see that it would be only 
possible to get by at low water. At the back of the sandhills 
was a fresh-water marsh, also impossible for wheeled traffic. 
It was a case of either retracing our steps— which, of .'ourse, 
we were loath to do, — or trying our luck at low-Avater, which 
would occur soon after midnight. So, as there was a full moon, 
