102 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXIV. 



trees, bushes, or ferns, no doubt many nesis, prob- 

 ably about one-third of the total number present, 

 escaped my eye. A much larger proportion of the 

 young birds, perhaps four-fifths, must have been 

 passed unseen by me. Not long after hatching, 

 these young Gulls are able to leave the nest, and at 

 the approach of danger, to hide in the abundant 

 cover. The skill with which they do this, and the 

 very large proportion which in consequence are 

 passed unnoticed are well shown by my experience 

 in July, 1914, when banding young Gulls on Big 



of which was already banded. In other words, 

 less than 7'/, of the first lot of young birds could 

 be found in the second search, while more than 

 95';^ of the second lot escaped observation at the 

 time of the first search. 



In addition to counting exactly the young birds, 

 nests, and eggs seen, I made careful estimates of 

 the number of grown-up Gulls belonging to each 

 island. This was very difficult because, when I 

 visited an island. Gulls from other islands would 

 fly over, in greater or less numbers, to join the 



A QUIET nozt: TWO lakp: george coffin-carriers resting on their 



NESTING-ISLAND. 



Photo by Howard H. Cleaves: reiiroducecl by permission Cut by courtesy of 



Dominion Parlis Branch. 



Gull Island. A careful search of the island at 

 that time revealed but 19 young Gulls, of which I 

 banded 16, all that were large enough for the pur- 

 pose. I then went to another island, and was there 

 long enough to allow resumption of normal life and 

 a general moving about on the part of the young 

 Gulls on Big Gull Island. Then I returned to Big 

 Gull Island and searched it a second time, finding 

 21 young Gulls large enough for banding, but one 



actual residents of the island in protest. Neverthe- 

 less, I made repeated, careful estimates, with all 

 the known conditions in view, and with the exer- 

 cise of the strongest conservatism. A few Herring 

 Gulls (Larus argentatus) are included in the 

 colony, but they are almost lost in the clouds of 

 Black-backs, in comparison with whose grandeur 

 they, splendid birds though they are, seem small 

 and very ordinary. 



