Page:Condor17(1).djvu/36

.[an., 1915 BIRDS OBSERVED ON FORRESTER ISLAND, ALASKA 35 in the case of the Cassin Auklet, the burrows appear to have served originally as the homes of mice, or at all events to have housed them during the winter; for small heaps of gnawed cones were frequently found in some of the lateral branches of the tunnel. The opening of the burrow is situated among the roots of the spruce and under logs or more rarely beneath stones or in crevices among the rocks. The tunnel pursues an irregular course from the entrance for a distance ranging from eighteen inches to four. feet, with from one to three short, lateral cham- bers leading off from the main trunk in the case of the larger burrows. This season the period of egg-laying probably commenced early in May, though the greater number presumably lay about the 20th. At all events newly hatched chicks were seen as early as May 29, and were very abundant during the sec- ond week in June. After this date the numbers rapidly diminished, though young birds were seen as late as July ]. It is claimed that the duties of incu- bation are performed by the. female, and an examination of four individuals dug out of the nest showed this to be 'the case. The diurnal absentees put in an appearance shortly after nightfall, or more accurately from about 11 r. ?. until midnight. An outgoing stream commences during the latter part of this period and continues until about 2 A. ?. Very few return after ? A. ?. The journey of the young to the sea is one of the most interesting sights on the island, and by the aid of a lantern was witnessed on several occasions. The pilgrimage is made during the night within a day or two after hatching, and is evidently initiated by one or both of the parents who take up a position on the sea not far from the shore. Here, about midnight, they commence 'a chorus of calls resembling the chirp of an English sparrow with the tremulo stop open, and in response the young, beautiful, black and white creatures as active as young quails, soon pour in a living flood down the hillsides. Falling over roots, scrambling through the brush or sprawling headlong over the rocks, they race at a surprising rate of speed drawn by the all-compelling instinct to reach the sea. They may be temporarily attracted by the lantern's light, and flutter aimlessly about one's feet; but sooner or later they heed the calls and once more plunge down the slopes. Almost every night during these migra- tions the surf was pounding violently on the rocky beaches, and many times one could see the young swept off the cliffs, and after struggling a moment in the waves they disappeared from sight and seemed doomed to destruction. Notes made at this time run as follows: "The tremendous violence of the break- ers, churned to foam on the low yet precipitous cliffs, have destroyed birds of larger size and smashed boats to splinters. It is therefore altogether probable that the life of many of these delicate and diminutive birds is snuffed out dur- ing each migration." To test the correctness of this observation a young murrelet, which came down the slopes early one evening, was liberated on the beach close to the dashing surf. Without a moment's hesitation, and without the stimulus of a parent's call it plunged boldly into the water, poised a moment on the summit of a great foam-crested wave, and dived with surprising speed and accuracy to reappear ten seconds later as many feet at sea. A momentary appearance, another dive and still another carried it beyond the swirl of the surf, and, swimming rapidly and paddling across patches of kelp always in a bee line, it soon disappeared from view. It is evident therefore that the last sentence of the preceding paragraph is in need of revision.