The Pomarine Jaeger 
Nesting. — Does not breed in California. Nest: On the ground, of grass and 
moss. Eggs: 2 or 3; pale olive-green or deep olive-drab, sparingly spotted with 
slate color and two shades of umber, chiefly at the larger end, where they become 
confluent (Brewer). Av. size 66 x 47 (2 .60 x 1.85). 
General Range. —Chiefly northern part of Northern Hemisphere. Breeds in 
high Arctic latitudes (north at least to Latitude 83); migrates chiefly coastwise, and 
winters south to Galapagos, Peru, Africa, and Australia. 
Occurrence in California. —“Common fall migrant coastwise * * * * Occurs 
off ‘Point Pinos in every month of the year' (Beck) though only common during August 
to October” (Grinnell). 
Authorities. — W. E. Bryant (Stercorarius pomarinus), Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 
ser. 2, ii., 1889, p. 87 (San Francisco); J. Mailliard, Condor, vol. vi., 1904, p. 15 (San 
Francisco hay) \ Beck, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 4th ser., iii., 1910, p. 61 (off Point Pinos); 
Cooke, U. S. Dept. Agric., Bull. no. 292, 1915, p. 7, map (distr., migr.); Bent, U. S. 
Nat. Mus. Bull. no. 113, 1921, p. 7 (life hist.; desc. nest and eggs, etc.). 
FISHER-FOLK, because of their exposed situation, have ever been 
at the mercy of pirates and free-booters; and the same rule obtains in 
the bird-world as among men. The Bald Eagle stands ready to relieve 
the Fish Hawk of his hardly-won prey, and the Man-o’-war-bird sweeps 
the southern main on a perpetual quest for fish-laden Gannets and Peli¬ 
cans. In the northern waters the gentlemen of the sea are the Jaegers— 
hunters. Here upon wings marvelously swift and cruelly graceful, the 
little corsairs hurry to an fro to observe which of their fisher-friends has 
made a catch, and to make instant requisition of it. It may even be a 
Glaucous Gull that has just swallowed a herring, and if detected in the 
act the Gull moves off screaming, while the little bully darts at him 
repeatedly, and prods and browbeats him until he is glad to disgorge 
for the sake of being rid of his persecutor. 
The Kittiwake Gull is the acknowledged thrall of this rapacious 
viking, and if his eggs or callow young escape the devouring beak, it is 
only that they may henceforth share the spoils of the sea with their 
merciless master. Bullies are also cowards, and it pleases us to learn 
that this larger species stands in awe of its lesser kinsmen, the Parasitic, 
and the Long-tailed Jaeger, and that it has to submit to a drubbing now 
and then at the hands of one or another of these peppery assailants. 
Jaegers follow their victims southward in the tall, and in their 
movements and abundance bear pretty constant relation to those of the 
Terns. Beck says that they may be found off Point Pinos every month in 
the year, but that they are really common only during the fall migrations. 
It is pretty certain also that they winter to some extent all along our 
southern coast, but we are not able to pronounce upon their abundance 
relative to that of the following species. 
