166 
THE CONDOR 
voi. xrii 
snow, adding to the scene. And it certainh- looked a long way down to wliere the 
surf pounded against the bottom of the cliff. 
We had expected trouble from the old birds while getting the eggs, but thev 
kept Avell out OA'er the water while flying back and forth, never coming closer tlian 
seA'cnty-five yards while we were down at tlie nest. 
After eating lunch we went on around the end of the island, searching the 
cliffs for ]iossible Duck Hawk nests. As nothing of interest was found we started 
back over the trail for camp. A pair of Sparrow Hawks ( Falco sparverins pha~ 
lacna) was noted on the way. They seemed to be much out of place in that tree- 
less place. A larger hawk was noted fl>-ing low over the cactus, which I was for- 
tunate in bringing down with the shot-gun. It was later identified as a male 
Marsh Hawk (Circus Iindsonins) by Mr. G. Willett. 
Camp was reached in time to take a plunge in the surf before supper, which 
was very bracing’’after a strenuous day. The evening was spent in preparing the 
specimens collected on the trip. We had expected a big job in .saving the set of 
eggs taken, but on blowing them found they were both infertile. Here rises a 
question for some of the learned ones. How long would the old bird have incu- 
bated the eggs before leaving them ? The eggs had already been in the iiest per- 
haps long enough to have been hatched, for they were badly nest stained, and the 
lining of the shell came out with the contents of the eggs. 
The following day, Thursday, was spent in canvas.sing the middle island. 
Starting from camp we searched the cliffs along the north side of the island until 
we reached the point where the middle island is .separated from the eastern by a 
small channel of water. At low tide a small beacli is left bare between the two 
islands, but it is impossible to cross over on account of the high cliff on either 
island. With the field glass the cliffs were carefully scanned on the south side of 
the east end, and a second nest of the Bald Eagle was soon located by Peyton. 
This nest was built in a similar location to the first one found, being on top of a 
sharp pinnacle well down from the top of the cliff. Looking through the glass a 
white head could be seen rising up above the edge of the nest, and the old male 
was located sitting on the top of a cliff near by. Nothing could be done with that 
nest until a landing could be made on the east island, so we started back for camp 
along the crest of the cliff on the south side. 
A pair of Duck Hawks {Falco pcrcgrinus anafiiui ) was flushed from one of 
the high cliffs about the middle of the island. They probably had a nest some- 
where iiearb>’, as they would not leave the cliff, but although we spent some time 
searching for it we were unable to locate it. As on the west island, we found the 
Island Horned Larks and Meadowlarks common along the top. A Mockingbird 
{Mi)Uiis polygiotfos Icucof terns') was also noted singing from the top of a bunch 
of cactus. Altliough none was seen b}- our party, Mr. Webster informed us that 
on several occasions he had observed Burrowing Owls on top of the island. 
On returning to camp and telling of our find, Mr. Webster agreed to take us 
aboard the launch and land us down on the east end the following morning. We 
found Mr. Webster very Avilling to assist us in any way he could during our stay 
on the island, and he favored us in several ways in order to make our collecting 
successful. The Bald Eagles are grand birds from an ornithological standpoint, 
but they are looked upon as pests by the sheep owners. Mr. Webster informed us 
that several of his small lambs were destroyed every year when the young eagles 
were almost large enough to leave the nests. 
We were aboard the launch and on our wmy to the east end by siiiiup the next 
morning. As the landing there is very poor we were anxious to get on tlie island 
