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May, 1909 THE PASSING OF THE PEDRO ISLAND SEA-BIRD ROOKERY 95 hearing this we did not expect to find ninny birds on the island, but decided, how- ever, to make the trip. l?Tear as the island is to the shore, it was necessary to row about a mile to reach it. The craft was rather small for four people and made slow progress against the waves of an open sea. Our boatman rowed to a spot ;vhich he claimed was the best on the island to land. As we neared the great mass of rock rising almost per- pendicularly out of the sea it seemed to me that there was but little choice in the matter, for it meant a hard and dangerous climb wherever we disembarked. As I have stated, Mr. Heinemann was one of the party, so it will be understood that we had the usual collection of cameras, tripods and packiug cases; these with a rope- ladder, provisions and other neeessities made a cousiderable load. Landing, one at a time, on a wave-splashed rock, between one breaker and another, was exciting if not enjoyable. Then by way of variety canoe the climb of a narrow and steep DISC?RNI?D Ol'q TH? ROCKS AT TH? RIGHT MIDDI?I? rocky passage to the top of the ridge. It took the combined effort of Oluf and myself to aid the heavy-weight member of our party, Snow, to the top. From here a descent was made to the southern side where traveling was easier. How- ever, the worst was yet to come, for, after a short distance, a steep bluff walled our way which we were forced to ascend, as the cliffs water-wise were as straight as a brick wall. At the foot of the bluff we lost a member of our party, for Snow found the climbing too difficult and so was left in charge of the conmfissary department while Oluf and I worked our way to the top. After reaching the sunrefit and wending our way along the ridge we came to a long level ledge which was no doubt in the past the main rookery. Many deserted cormorant nests still remained and in the rocky furroxvs were scattered egg-shells of the murre. There were but few birds about, however, and these were not nesting. Oluf remained behind to photograph