Jan., 1915 
BIRDS OBSERVED ON FORRESTER ISLAND, ALASKA 
37 
gently oozing from a ease reposing on the deck of one of the outgoing fish 
buyer’s boats. 
7. Cepphus columba. Pigeon Guillemot. The Pigeon Guillemot was 
represented on Forrester and the adjacent islands by approximately five hun- 
dred individuals. Almost every headland was the home of a small colony, and 
yet their nests were surprisingly rare. A small community a short distance 
south of the camp was kept under observation, and judging from its experi- 
ence it is probable that they suffer greatly from the depredations of the fish 
crow. Out of six pairs only one succeeded in hatching a brood, and cracked or 
punctured shells indicated the culprit. Fish crows were seen on several occa- 
sions skulking about the cliffs after several cormorants had been disturbed 
and left their nests, and in one instance an egg was carried off and dropped 
though not eaten. The natives report that the fish crow destroys the eggs of 
Fig. 16. North shore of Forrester Island; nesting place of the Glacous-winged 
Gull and Pelagic Cormorant 
every species of Bird whose nests are exposed, and they declare it to be fully 
as great a pest as the eagle. 
The first eggs were seen during the third week in June, and the period of 
incubation appears to last about three weeks. 
8. Uria troille californica. California Murre. it was the general belief 
of the fishermen that the murre outnumbers every other species of bird on 
Forrester Island. This opinion appears to rest largely upon the fact that 
where they roost on the cliffs or float on the sea they form dense flocks often 
of great size. Nevertheless their nesting places are confined to a few sharply 
defined areas, and a careful estimate renders it probable they do not exceed 
fifty thousand individuals. The full population was in evidence by the last 
of May, though the nesting season did not commence until the latter part of 
July. Their food consisted almost wholly of sand launces, varied by an occa- 
sional shrimp or amphipod. 
