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Nov., 1913 THE BIRDS OF SAN MARTIN ISLAND 207 some other contrivance, but the passing of men, horses and carriages in and out of the room was too much for the nerves of the builder and it was abandoned when about two-thirds finished. THE BIRDS OF SAN MARTIN ISLAND, LOWER CALIFORNIA By HOWARD W. WRIGHT WITH SIX PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR N THE EVENING of July 5, I913, the sloop"Siwash", with Messrs. J. R. Maclintock, W. S. Wright, E. W. Roche, F. E. McClure and the writer aboard, slipped quietly into a little bay, known as Hassler's Cove. located iu the island of San Martin, Lower California. This island is situated about two hundred and forty miles south of S an Diego, lies about four miles off-shore, and is ten or twelve miles to the northwest of San Quentin Bay. It is the result of a volcano that has shoved its peak above the sea, forming a round PORTION OF FARALLON CORMORANT ROOKERY ON SAN MARTIN ISLAND, LOWER CALIFORNIA island about a mile and a half in diameter, with a qmall bay situated on tke northeast side. There is a well-formed cone in the center, which rises to a height of about five hundred feet. On the night of our arrival we were greeted with a strong stench of guano, which gave promise of large bird colonies; for the other islands we had visited did not smell badly until we were actually among the birds. We anchored too close to shore and as a consequence were awakened about three-thirty :x. _xi. by the keel scraping on the ground. We were well repaid for the trouble of arising at this hour, however, for we heard the swish of many wings long before day- light, aud with the first streaks of dawn we beheld a sight that will long be re- membered. From the hills there poured a steady stream of cormorauts, flying