88 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XV 
though we nearly leveled that portion of the island in our attempt. By this time 
the wind was kicking up quite a sea and we hastened to return to the shelter of 
the sloop. 
Early the next morning we rowed toward the west end of the island, and 
near the water’s edge found nesting caves of the Pigeon Guillemot, containing 
about half-grown young. We set sail about noon for Santa Cruz Island; and 
the next few days were spent in loafing about the beautiful little harbors that thi.s 
island affords. Various trips into the canyons netted little of unusual interest, 
though the numerous resident land birds were much in evidence. 
It was not until the far end of the island was reached that the “prize find’’ 
of the trip was made. We had stopped to explore the “Painted Cave” from a 
scenic point of view, but once there the great number of Pigeon Guillemots pres- 
ent invited search for their nests. One large sloping ledge, which seemed par- 
ticularly good, was being explored by the aid of a lantern with the hope of find- 
ing a guillemot’s egg unhatched. The way was dark and as the lantern was 
flashed about to find secure footing it fell on a small bird crouched on the open 
floor of the ledge. The bird, evidently blinded by the light, was easily captured 
and proved to be an Ashy Petrel brooding a well incubated egg. Thus encour- 
aged, a most careful search was made with the result that four eggs and one 
small young, together with the adults, were taken. The “nests” were all entirely 
exposed, though one was in a shallow hole in the rocky side of the cave. This 
in light of their usual breeding habits seems strange, because numerous frag- 
ments of rock which had fallen on the ledge afforded hiding places, and were 
utilized for this purpose b)^ the Guillemots. .A. single addled Guillemot’s egg was 
an incident of ^he search, while the young in all stages were quite numerous. 
We went from the Painted Cave, on Santa Cruz, to Santa Rosa where we 
anchored over night. This island did not seem very promising and early in the 
morning of the next day, under double-reefed mainsail, we left for San iVliguel, 
the most northerly and least often visited island of this group. After a long, 
weary day of sailing and salt water shower-bath combined, we anchored in the 
bay at about sundown. 
This island, which is about six miles long and four miles wide, is nothing but 
a vast pile of continually shifting sand. The wind never ceases and a “calm” 
day there would be a storm most any where else. The bay is fairly well pro- 
tected, as it opens toward the east, but even here the sand ladened wind howls 
unceasingly. The one redeeming feature of this place is Prince Island, a small 
rocky island in the mouth of the bay. This big rock or little island, which is 
quite high and steep, is literally alive with breeding birds at this season of the 
year. 
To this place we rowed on the morning of the 12th, and found an easy land- 
ing place for our skiff. Here in suitable places we found great numbers of breed- 
ing birds such as the California Murre, Tufted Puffin, Brandt Cormorant, and 
Cassin Anklet. A rising sea warned us that we must hasten back to the sloop 
while we could safely do so. 
The next day we set sail on the return trip deeply regretting that we could 
not have explored Prince Island more fully. 
The following is a list of birds observed upon the trip, together with brief 
comments on each ; 
Lunda cirrhata. Tufted Puffin. Probable breeding burrows found on the 
rock on northeast end of Santa Barbara Island. Five birds seen in this vicinity 
next day (July 3-4). The birds were quite numerous on the east end of Ana- 
