4o8 Bird - Lore 



REPORTS OF FIELD AGENTS 



REPORT OF EDWARD HOWE FORBUSH, GENERAL AGENT 

 FOR NEW ENGLAND 



Perhaps the greatest catastrophe to bird-life in New England during the 

 year was the severe, cold storm of March 29, coming as it did after a long period 

 of mild weather, which had tempted many birds to advance into New England. 

 In western Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont this storm was very 

 cold, with high winds and deep snow, and all through the region thousands 

 of birds perished. Bluebirds and Tree Swallows particularly suffered severely 

 and many of the more hardy birds, such as Juncos, were overwhelmed in the 



storm. 



The Massachusetts law, under which foreigners are not allowed to carry 

 guns, has resulted in the seizure of many firearms formerly employed by aUens 

 in shooting birds. These weapons were seized by officers of the Massachusetts 

 Conmiissioners on Fisheries and Game, but it is impossible to stop altogether 

 the snaring, netting, and trapping of small birds by these foreign fowlers. 

 Also many young birds are taken from the nests when nearly fledged and are 

 plucked and dressed for the table. An instance of this came to light on Cape 

 Cod during the past summer: Two Greek fishermen were arrested in a colony 

 of common Terns. They had two large sacks, one of which was already filled 

 with young birds, and they were fiUing the other when they were taken. 

 Only a few of the birds were dead, and the others were liberated by the officers. 

 It is said that these fishermen visit the colonies of sea-birds and take the 

 young birds to their boats, where they are kept on ice and used both as 

 food and as bait. 



Your agent has visited most of the colonies of Gulls and Terns in Massa- 

 chusetts during the past summer, and finds that they not only have increased 

 in number but several new and large colonies have become estabUshed. In 

 two localities on Cape Cod, where in recent years the sea has built up large 

 shoals colonies of Common and Roseate Terns have settled and thrived. Late 

 in the season a considerable number of Arctic Terns appeared and nested in 

 one of these colonies. Their eggs were laid late in July or early in August, 

 and nearly all the young birds were able to fly by September i . The increase in 

 nesting Arctic Terns this season was very marked. 



Laughing Gulls, which have been nesting in the protected colony on Muske- 

 get Island for many years but until this year have not been known to nest 

 elsewhere, have become disseminated along the coast well to the northward of 

 Cape Cod. A few are beheved to have bred on the Cape during the past season. 

 The number of Herring Gulls remaining on the coast of Massachusetts in 

 summer has been increasing gradually, and a few now are breeding here. Least 



