May, 1916 
A VISIT TO HAT AND EGG ISLANDS 
115 
the mear vicinity of the island, a very marked musk-like odor was observed. 
This came from the deposits of guano on the rookery. 
A landing was made and a temporary camp pitched on the sandy beach. 
Great care had to be exercised in selecting a camp site to avoid destroying 
the num'erous nests of the gulls. After a hasty supper we examined a few of 
the nests in the near vicinity, and then repaired to our sandy couches to 
impatiently await the coming of Sunday morning. All through the night 
were heard the various calls of the gulls, the occasional hoarse croak of the 
Caspian Tern, now and then the dissatisfied grunt of the Heron. This latter 
bears a close resemblance to the first, part of the very unmusical call of the 
American Bittern. 
The early matins of the gulls forbade sleep after the first appearance of 
dawn, so we all arose early and made a rapid excursion over the nearby beach. 
Near the camp were found sixteen nests of Casnian Terns that had chosen this 
location for their colony. To this reference will be made later. After a hur- 
MER. 
ried breakfast a somewhat detailed examination of the island was made. Hat 
Island is located about thirty-five miles almost due northwest of Salt Air. It 
probably derived its name from its partial resemblance to a broad-rimmed 
straw hat that had lost its band and hence had suffered vertical telescoping. Tt 
is roughly circular in form, about thirty rods in diameter. On three sides the 
beaches gracefully flank the central eminence that rises to a height of some 
seventy-five feet. On the southeast side the beach is much the widest ; also 
from that side a spit extends (shown in figure 35) out into the lake for about 
ten rods. This spit extends for perhaps a mile farther under the water. It 
was formed and is being extended by the prevailing northwest winds that 
cause the waves to beat against the northwest side of the island, where they 
have eroded away the rocks, carried the resulting sand around each side of the 
island, and deposited it on the lee side. At first two short spits were formed 
on either side. As the work of the waves progressed the two spits grew in 
