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 Nov., 1910 NOTF, S FROM I,OS COR/)NAI)/)S ISLANDS 187 During my whole stay I saw but one covey of about twenty Valley Quail (Lophorlyx californicusvall/cola), on July 7. They were so far advanced in molt at this date that they were almost naked. According to some authorities these birds are very slightly different from those on the mainland, but I am afraid that they will never reach the rank of sub-species, for unless someone succeeds in killing the one black cat that is now on the island, they are destined to be speed- ily exterminated. On May 26 I discovered a male Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) percht upon a rock above the sea and occupied in gazing longingly at the water. This bird staid near camp for two days and then disappeared. On June 11 I caught sight of two yellowthroatsost unusual birds to be Fig. 58. COLONY OF BRANDT CORMORANTS V,'HERE SEVERAL BLACK PTRLS V,'RE ALSO FOUND NESTING found on a dry island. I had no gun with me and could not again find them on sueceding days, so I have no idea as to their identity except that I do not think they were (eolhlypis lric$as arizela. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first record of either of the two last species having occurred on Los Coronados. The study of our sea-birds in their nesting haunts contains elements of inter- est which no other form of field-work holds. Too little is known about the nidifi- cation and habits of most of our deep sea wanderers. To be among a colony of petrels after dark, or to sit on the rocks at dawn and listen to the love-talk of the pigmy tourres as they-return from a night's fishing, is alone worth the stale water, the hard work and the loneliness of a long stay of weeks on one of the desert islands of the Pacific.