Part 4

Nest.—Their two eggs are laid on the bare rocks in dark places under the rocks, are pale blue or green in color with black or brown markings and paler spots of lilac.

Range.—Pacific coast of North America.

CALIFORNIA MURRE. 30. Uria troille californica. 15 to 16 inches.

This is one of the most abundant birds breeding on the Farallones. Large numbers of their eggs are taken yearly to the San Francisco and other market places and disposed of as a food product, and as yet the birds do not seem to diminish to any great extent.

Nest.—But a single white egg is laid on the bare ledges. They vary greatly in color, from nearly white without markings to a deep greenish blue with an endless variety of patterns in light and dark brown (3.40 × 2.00).

Range.—Pacific coast, breeding from the Farallones north to Alaska.

POMARINE JAEGER. 36. Stercorarius pomarinus. 21 inches.

These birds are slender and graceful in form and flight, but are the real pirates of bird life, especially among the terns and gulls. This species has two color phases regardless of sex or age. In the light plumage the top of the head is black, rest of the bird brownish. Easily identified by the lengthened central tail-feathers.

Nest.—Two olive brown eggs spotted with black (2.20 × 1.70).

PARASITIC JAEGER. 37. Stercorarius parasiticus. 17 inches.

This bird has the two phases of color similar to the last. The two central tail-feathers are longer and more pointed, projecting about four inches beyond the others. All of the Jaegers have grayish blue legs with black feet, and brown eyes.

Nest.—A slight hollow in the marshy ground in which the two brownish eggs are laid (2.15 × 1.65).

Range.—Northern part of North America, south in winter to southern California, breeding in the Arctic regions.

LONG-TAILED JAEGER. 38. Stercorarius longicaudus. 20 inches.

This is the most swift and graceful of this family in flight. Similar to the last species, but the central pointed tail-feathers extend eight or ten inches beyond the others. It is more often found in the lighter phase.

Nest.—Their eggs are either laid on the bare ground or in a slight depression, scantily lined with grass (2.10 × 1.50).

Range.—Arctic America; south in winter to South America.

GULLS AND TERNS—Family Laridæ.

IVORY GULL. 39. Pagophila alba. 17 inches.

The little Snow Gull, as it is often called, in the breeding season is entirely white; the bill is tipped with yellow and there is a red ring about the eye.

Nest.—Of grasses and seaweed, on the cliffs in the Arctic regions. Three grayish buff eggs are laid marked with brown and black (2.30 × 1.70).

Range.—North of the Arctic Circle, and winters south to British Columbia.

PACIFIC KITTIWAKE. 40a. Rissa tridactyla pollicaris. 16 inches.

These birds breed in immense rookeries on some of the islands in the Bering Sea.

Nest.—On almost inaccessible cliffs, made of sticks, moss and seaweed, making the interior cup-shaped, to hold the two or three eggs, which are buffy brown or grayish, spotted with darker shades of brown (2.20 × 4.70).

Range.—Coast of the North Pacific, wintering as far south as Lower California.

RED-LEGGED KITTIWAKE. 41. Rissa brevirostris. 16 inches.

This Kittiwake is very much like the former, excepting that the legs are bright red, the mantle is darker and the bill shorter. They usually nest in separate colonies from the former, and can be readily identified when in flight by the red legs.