July, 1909 
NOTES OX THE BIRDS OF LOS CORONADOS ISLANDS 
135 
about five hundred feet high. It is covered on the eastern slope with a sparse 
growth of cactus and ice plant, and occasional patches of grass and low brush. The 
western slope is devoid of vegetation. This island is more heavily overgrown with 
brush than the others and consequently contains more birds. The Quail are found 
here only, and would undoubtedly be quite numerous were it not for the depreda- 
ions of a wild house-cat, and the occasional visits of excursionists carrying guns. 
The easternmost of the two middle islands is about three-quarters of a mile 
north of South Island, and is merely a large jagged rock covered with low brush 
and guano. The other is twice as large and lies a short distance to the westward. 
It contains nothing of interest and is unimportant. 
About three-quarters of a mile northwest is North Island, the most interesting 
of the group. This island is one and a half miles long and three-quarters of a mile 
wide, and about seven hundred feet high at the highest point. The sides are very 
steep and are only accessible at the amphitheater-like slope near the eastern 
extremity. The entire island is overgrown with ice plant, which in the amphi- 
NESTING SITE OF XANTUS MURREEET IN CAVE AT EXTREME RIGHT OF 
OPPOSITE SHORE: NORTH ISI, ANI), I,OS CORONADOS 
theater covers up a soft powdery earth. While digging out Anklets our clothing 
became saturated with the sticky fluid from the ice plant, and coated with mud, 
which made our work very much harder. However, this was not the only strenuous 
part of our collecting, for during my last trip we were caught in a heavy wind while 
three miles south of North Island. With the wind and current against us our task 
was by no means an easy one; but these experiences, if not too serious, lend interest 
to a trip. 
On April 4, 1908, Mr. R. H. Beck and the writer made our first trip to the is- 
lands. The little launch "McKinley” took us out and landed us at the cove near 
the north end of South Island. We stayed on the Island one week, making side 
trips to North and Middle Islands to photograph and collect in the rookeries there. 
Two months later, on May 30, with a friend, Mr. Chester Lamb, I made the 
second trip. This time we campt on North Island at the base of the cliff on the 
eastern end. 
By making two trips at these different dates I was, therefore, able to ascertain 
with some certainty the breeding habits of the sea birds of the islands. On the 
