Page:Condor13(6).djvu/7

 Nov.,1911 ANOTHER IORTNIGHT ON THE FARALLONES 175 promptly; the rest crowd to the edges. Fear becomes panic, and panic rout; while the gulls swarm down to feast on the abandoned eggs. It is possible that conditions would improve were the island absolutely unin- habited. The "XVest End" is preserved from human invasion with a fair degree of rigor; but ten men marooned on government service require some little breath- ing space and cannot always wait on the affairs of foolish Murres. The tradition holds, and will till the end of time--or until such time as the Government decides which it will protect, Murres or Gulls. There was a steady increase in the number of Murres hauling out upon the ledges up to May 30, when the movement ceased. The Murres enjoy a wide and practically general distribution throughout the group, but the larger colonies are on I2ig. 50. A MOUNTAIN RANGE IN MINIATURE VIE,v ON SOUTHEAST FARALLON LOOKING SOUTH the off-shore rocks and outermost promontories. Thus, Seal Rock, or "Saddle- back", as it is called locally, lying southwest from the keepers' houses, was black with them above the range of the lions. In like manner, Sugar Loaf and its asso- ciated rocks on the northeast presented most favorable conditions. A flat-topped rock at the extreme west end and the great arch hard by, perhaps came next in point of numbers, but the slopes and ledges on the north side of Maintop harbor thousands, and Indian Head became so popular latterly that we did not go near it. The "great Murre cave", likewise, at the extreme eastern end of the island, we did not dare visit latterly, although it is quite certain that it does not nearly measure up to its ancient standards in point of population.