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Nov,, 1911 ANOTHER I*ORTNIGHT ON THE FARALLONES 173 practically every species of the eastern Mniolilti&e should report sooner or later at this inhospitable rock. We are not, of course, to suppose that it possesses unusual attractions for them. It is only that the slight percentage of alien blood always present in our coastwise migrations is here more readily, almost inevitably, detected. As to the relative abundance of the staple forms the writer is ill-prepared to record conclusions. The Murres are said to beless abundant than in the days of the eggers. If this be so, it is because of the domination of the Western Gull-- this and the ravages of the crude-oil plague. Th? region just outside of the Golden Gate is especially cursed by this unlawful practice, the cleaning out of the water (and oil waste) ballast of the "tankers" just previous to entering the harbor. That this is an active factor in bird destruction is attested by the abundance of oil- soaked carcasses which line the sparse beaches of the southeast Farallon. Murres are the chief sufferers, but Grebes, Loons, Scoters, and Pigeon Guilletnots are fre- quent victims, and the destruction goes relentlessly on in winter as well as summer. The statement sometimes made that Murres outnumber all other specie? combined upon the island is certainly ill considered. Cassin Anklets probably outnumber them two or three to one. The Petrels are a close second to the Anklets, and the Murres may come in third. Other resident species are represented in fair proportions,--all, that is, save the Farallon Cormorants. This colony has suf- fered from too much attention, human as well as Larine, and its numbers are slowly declining. But it is a very difficult task for humans to restore the "bal- ance" of Nature. The wrinkled'oral dame is under no contract to maintain equal- ity among the species, and laissevfaire is perhaps the best motto for us. We can be virtuous (or at least moderate) ourselves, but w,e cannot settle disputeg among Nature's children. Below follows an irregularly annotated list of all the species observed on the southeast Farallon from May 20 to June 3, 1911. 1. Gaviaimmer. Loon. One adult seen in Fisherman's Bay within twenty feet of shore, June'2nd. 2. Lunda cirrhata. Tufted Puffin. Present throughout our stay and breed- ing to the number of severalthousand. Athough eggs, and these somewhat ad- vanced in incubation, were to be found at the outset, there was a notable increase in numbers of these birds during the earlier days of our visit, and this movement did not culminate till about the 28th of May. Breedh?g is conducted chiefly on the West End and on the higher portions of Tower Hill. The birds have little opportunity for digging in earth, and little occasion for providing fresh burrows, since crannies and crevices of every sort abound. Many of these retreats have been worked in the softer strata of the rocks themselves, and bear evidence of occupa- tion measured by cycles rather than by generations. Many eggs or sitting birds are visible from the surface, and some of the nesting sites are nothing more than the innermost recesses of niches and caves occupied by Murres. 3. Ptychoramphus aleuticus. Cassin Anklet. The Cassin Auklets are every- where. Burrows predominate, but there is not a cleft, nook, crack, cranny, fis- sure, aperture, retreat, niche, cave, receptacle, or hidey-hole from the water's edge to the summit of the light-tower which is not likely to harbor this ubiquitous bird. The interstices of the stone walls contain them to the number of thousands. Every cavity not definitely occupied by puffin, petrel, or rabbit is tenanted by an Anklet; and in many cases quarters are shared. If one's imagination is not suf- ficiently stimulated by regular occurrences, it will be jogged by appearances in un-