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166 THE CONDOR Vol. XIII

snow, adding to the scene. And it certainly looked a long way down to where the surf pounded against the bottom of the elifl. We had expected trouble from the old birds while getting the eggs, but they kept well out over the water while flying bak and forth, never coming closer than seventy-five yards while we were down at the nest. After eating lunch we went on around the end of the island, searching the eliifs for possible Duck Hawk nests. As nothing of interest was found we started back over the trail for camp. A pair of Sparrow Hawks (PIco sparz,er/us pha- Ioena) was noted on the way. They seemed to be much out of place in that tree- less place. A larger hawk was noted flying low over the cactus, which I was for- tunate in bringing down with the shot-gun. It was later identified as a male Marsh Hawk (Circus hudson/us) by Mr. G. Willett. Camp was reached in time to take a plunge in the surf before supper, which was very bracing after a strenuous day. The evening was spent in preparing the specimens collected on the trip. We had expected a big job in saving the set of eggs taken, but on blowing them found they were both infertile. Here rises a question for some of the learned ones. How long would the old bird have incu- bated the eggs before leaving them ? The eggs had already been in the nest per- haps long enough to have been hatched, for they xvere badly nest stained, and the lining of the shell came out with the contents of the eggs. The following day, Thursday, was spent in canvassing the middle island. Starting from camp we searched the cliffs along the north side of the island until we reached the point where the middle island is separated from the eastern by a small channel of water. At low tide a small beach is left bare between the .two islands, but it is impossible to cross over on account of the high cliff on either island. With the field glass the cliffs were carefully scanned on the south side of the east end, and a second nest of the Bald Eagle was soon located by Peyton. This nest was built in a similar location to the first one found, being on top of a sharp pinnacle well down from the top of the cliff. Looking through the glass a white head could be seen rising up above the edge of the nest, and the old male was located sitting on the top of a cliff near by. Nothing could be done with that nest until a landing could be made on the east island, so we started back for camp along the crest of the cliff on the south side. A pair of Duck Hawks (Falco pererinus analurn) was flushed from one of the high cliffs about the middle of the island. They probably had a nest some- where nearby, as they would not leave the cliff, but although we spent some time searching for it we were unable to locate it. As on the west island, we found the Island Horned Larks and Meadowlarks common along the top. A Mockingbird (Mimus pol.,lollos leucopterus) was also noted singing from the top of a bunch of cactus. Although none was seen by our party, Mr. Webster informed us that on several occasions be had obsei-ved Burrowing Owls on top of the island. On returning to camp and telling of our find, Mr. Webster agreed to take us aboard the launch and land us down on the east end the following morning. We found Mr. Webster very willing to assist us in any way he could during our stay on the island, and he favored us in several ways in order to make our collecting successful. The Bald Eagles are grand birds from an ornithological standpoint, but they are looked upon as pests by the sheep owners. ' Mr. Webster informed us that several of his small lambs were destroyed every year when the young eagles were almost large enough to leave the nests. We were aboard the launch and on our way to the east end by sunup the next morning. As the landing there is very poor xve were anxious to get on the island

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