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4 In 1898 there were 845 nests on the island, of which 251, or 42 per cent, were occupied at the time the count was made. In 1900 only 710 nests had been built, of which 179, or 34 per cent, were found to con- tain eggs or young, on April 24, as follows: 23 nests with i egg each 38 " ' ■ 2 eggs 26 " ' 3 " 43 " I young 42 " 2 7 " ' 3 " A high rate of nest mortality is indicated by the fact that while 26 nests, or 30 per cent, contained tliree eggs each, only 7, or about 8 per cent, contained three young each, and a similar difference was observed in 1898. Estimating, as in 1898, that three birds would reach maturity from