276 
193. Graculus penicillatus, (Gray).—Brandt’s Cormorant. 
This is one of the Cormorants found upon the Farallone Islands in summer, and no 
doubt breeds also on the Santa Barbara Islands, though I was not able to satisfy my¬ 
self perfectly of its presence on Santa Cruz in June. A specimen, however, taken on 
San Miguel was very kindly presented me by Captain Forney, who shot numbers of 
the same kind. 
194. Graculus violacens, (Gray), var. bairdii, Cooper. 
The Violet-green Cormorant of Oregon, Washington Territory, and to the northward, 
is represented on the Californian coast by a smaller bird, which appears to be its south¬ 
ern race. The difference is one chiefly of size, the discrepancy being in this particular 
considerable and out of the range of purely individual differentiation. The proportions, 
colors, &c., of the two appear to be identical. 
This bird is very numerous all along the coast of Southern California, and probably 
reaches northward into Oregon. I saw mauy in San Francisco Bay in May, and on 
reaching the islands of the Santa Barbara Channel it was found congregated in great 
numbers. Most of the places they had selected as nesting-sites were inaccessible to 
me. At low tide I succeeded in entering one of the gloomy caverns, where a dozen pairs 
had established themselves. The nests were merely collections of weeds and sticks 
matted together and placed upon the shelves of rock sufficiently high to be out of dan¬ 
ger from the tide. This was June 4, and they all contained young in the downy state. 
The old birds forsook the place in a mass, and flew wildly about the entrance, but 
without attempting to re-enter, though the young birds kept up a vociferous calling 
all the while. In flying about the island, the old birds passed within easy gunshot of 
the rocky points, and I could have procured all the specimens I desired had it not been 
for the strong surf which swept the shores and made their recovery very hazardous. 
They never ventured over the land. It is a constant habit with these birds, having 
spent the morning in fishing, and having appeased their hunger, to sit in groups on the 
cliffs which immediately overhang the water, and often in such numbers as to blacken 
the rocks. When disturbed, those nearest to the edge drop overboard, while those in 
the rear scramble forward in the most awkward way, and, having made the plunge, 
swim underneath the water till they have gained a safe distance. 
The present species was immediately recognizable among its congeners by its small 
size. The white flank-tufts are, I think, a distinguishable feature of the breeding- 
period, and are soon lost. They were seen only in the males, and the size is extremely 
variable; being in some individuals scarcely discernible, while in others they were con¬ 
spicuous at a long distance. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Date. 
Collector. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Bill. 
Tarsus. 
784 
3 ad. 
3 ad. 
$ ad. 
Santa Cruz Island, Cal. 
June — 
H. W. Henskaw... 
9 75 
7. 00 
1. 85 
1. 90 
785 
.do. 
June — 
_do. 
9. 75 
7. 00 
1. 78 
1. 85 
783 
.do. 
June — 
_do. 
10.10 
7.50 
1. 97 
2.10 
LariDuE.—Gulls ; Terns. 
195. Laras argentatus, (Briinn.,) var. occidentals , Aud.—Pacific Herring Gull. 
This Gull is very numerous in San Francisco Harbor, as it is indeed in all the bays 
and inlets of the coast, and its numbers are perhaps greater the year round than any 
other species. Free from molestation, they have become almost semi-domesticated, and 
fly about the wharves and over the vessels with an impunity only born of long im¬ 
munity from danger. The rocky islets along the coast furnish them with safe and 
plentiful breeding-grounds. At Santa Cruz, thousands had congregated and were 
nesting in early June. In a few instances, they had attempted to nidificate on the 
mainland, but a few feathers and bits of egg-shells about the nests told in each case 
the fate of parent and eggs ; their enemy was the foxes, whose numbers are scarcely 
without limit. Only one of the small adjoining islets was accessible to me. A few 
pairs had nested here. The nests were made of a good generous supply of sea-weed 
and like material, well matted together, the cavity being quite deep. The eggs are of 
a greenish olive, spattered profusely and irregularly with blackish markings. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Date. 
Collector. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Bill. 
Tarsus. 
11 
Ad. 
Santa Cruz Island, Cal.. 
June 9 
II. W. Ilenskaw... 
16. 75 
7. 00 
2. 29 
o 07 
22 
9 ad. 
.do. 
June 11 
. .do 
15. 50 
6 . 60 
2 08 
2 34 
781 
Ad. 
.do. 
June 11 
. .do 
16. 10 
6 . 00 
2.34 
2. 4S 
