126 
THE CONDOR 
VOL. V 
the men on the island can locate the petrels in the walls by the characteristic 
musky odor they give off, but we were not able to do so ourselves, and found the 
easiest way was to prowl around after dark, when, like the anklets, these diminu- 
tive Tubinares are chattering and talking to each other, and to mark the places 
where the sounds came from. In this way we located several but unfortunately 
were not able to find one on the egg in such a position that we could photograph 
it, so that we were obliged to return without a photo of this species. 
These petrels, like others of their kind that nest farther south, are nocturnal 
in their habits during the breeding season, and seem to exchange places shortly 
after dark, the incoming birds replacing the mate on the nest after an exchange of 
courtesies and a chat over the day’s happenings. These conversations are carried 
on in a queer little sing-song twitter, regularly punctuated with a gasp that re- 
FARALLONE CORMORANTS AND YOUNG 
sembles the exhaust of a Lilliputian engine. This twitter is characteristic of all 
petrels, varying with the species, and has been admirably described by Mr. A. W. 
Anthony. 
When flying about in the dim light the petrels resemble bats. Their flight is 
fluttering and zig-zag and they frequently flit by the head of the watcher close 
enough lor him to feel the wind of their wings. Often thej^ run into the glass 
around the big light, or into the telephone wires that stretch from the light-house 
to the keepers houses and the siren, and terminate their erratic careers then and 
there. Small, dainty and velvety, they are the prettiest little birds imaginable, 
and would be perfect were it not for their habit of vomiting oil over everything 
when disturbed. 
We remained on the Farallones nearly three days, returning to San Francisco 
June 5, 1903, and although we had all seen sea-bird colonies before, we were 
