74 VoL. XII

A GLIMPSE OF BIRD LIFE ON THE WEST COAST OF MEXICO By CHESTER I,AMB N MARCH 27, 1909, the writer was one of a party of three that embarkt 'from San Diego on a little wind-jammer, bound for San Bias, Territory of Tepic, Mexico, some 1200 miles southeast )f Los Angeles. On account of some misunderstanding about our quarters we were compelled to share them with two cows and a dozen chickens, which, as some of us were suffering from mal-de- ruer at first, was not very pleasant. Just at dusk we passed the Coronado Islands, the northernmost known breeding place of the Xantus Murrelet, (t3racyrampus ypoleucus) and the recipient of an occasional visit from the Frazar Oyster-cat. cher ( IYaemalop us frazari). The first few days out Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis) and two or three Black-footed Albatross (9iomedea nigripes) were following in our wake, but on the 31st, just off Magdalena Bay, our last gull left us, and we did not see another till we reacht San Bias, and then only three or four individuals. We saw the last albatross just before we past Cape St. Lucas. Before we reacht the. Cape, Cassin Anklets (Plychoramphus aleuticus), Black Petrels (Oceanodroma melania) Least Petrels (IYalocyptena microsoma), shearwaters and a few migrating shore birds going north, were frequently observed. We did not make acquaintance with the Frigate Bird (Fregata aquila) till the day after we past the Cape; from then on our hopes were high that we would become acquainted with many birds new to us, and we were not disappointed, altho we met many of our California friends as well. On April 4, while about seventy-five miles from the Tres Marias Islands i couple of Red-billed Tropic Birds (]9haethon aelhereus) flew slowly over us, the only ones I saw on the expedition. The next day Blue-footed Boobies (Xula nebouxi) could be seen on all sides busily fishing. They fish much 'like a tern, plunging from a great height head first into the water. Brewster Boobies (Xula brewsleri) were not plentiful but those seen erinted considerable interest in us, flying about the ship and trying to alight in the rigging. My first impression of them was of their awkwardness in alighting. One finally managed to perch on the forecastle. After carefully photographing him we thought we would see how close we could get to him without his flying, and were indeed surprised when he allowed us to pick him up. He could not rise from the deck but after hopping around for awhile finally succeeded in climbing up on the railing, where he sat for awhile before he flew away. On the tenth day out we reacht San Bias, and, landing at just about dusk, our ears were greeted with a terrible din and some melody, as if we were in an enormous aviary. After investigating we found .the source to be great numbers of Colima Boat-tails (Megaquiscalus major obscurus) and Mexican Crows (Corvus mexicanus). The Boat-tails were present in great numbers and it seemed as if they were all trying to use the same tree to roost in. They are very bold and cause considerable annnoyance by coming into the houses and carrying off food. The Crows are much smaller than ours and have quite a pleasant and peculiar calL.' The next most conspicuous birds are the Black Vultures, (Calharisla urubu) With

an occasional Turkey Vulture, (Calhartes aura) flying around, tho they do not in- 

fest the market places as I have seen them in Acapulco, several hundred miles farther south. On April 7 I f6und a young Black Vulture about two days old, in a ruined stone building near the town. After the vultures in noise if not in numbers are the