Reports of Special Agents 317 



hundri'ds of nests examined, we were able to find only two complete sets of three 

 eggs. It was surprising to see the thoroughness with which the nests were robbed. 

 Oystermen and fishermen are very numerous here, and, as they are busy on 

 their fishing-grounds at this season they live in small shanties on the marshes 

 and derive an important part of their food supply from the eggs of the sea-birds, 

 principally the Gulls. As the birds do not seem to be materially reduced in 

 numbers by their depredations, laying their eggs persistently like domestic 

 fowls, perhaps it would be hardly fair to deprive the men of this convenient 

 source of supply where provisions are so hard to obtain; but it does seem as if 

 the egging season might be shortened somewhat. The wardens, of course, are 

 powerless to stop egging until laws can be passed prohibiting it. 



Gull-billed Terns are rapidly disappearing from this region, where only 

 a few years ago they were common. Only two pairs were seen on Cobb's Island. 

 I saw a few Terns, not over two or three pairs, at Pig Island, which I thought 

 were this species. At Wreck Island we found a few Gull-billed Terns, — perhaps 

 eight or ten pairs, — breeding in the Black Skimmer colony. We found, in all, 

 only four nests, one on Cobb's Island and three on Wreck Island. 



A few Common Terns were seen almost everywhere, and a number of their 

 nests were found, but no large breeding colonies were noted. 



Forster's Terns were occasionally seen at various points, and a few frequented 

 a marsh on Cobb's Island almost constantly, but no nests were found there. 

 On June 28, we discovered a large breeding colony on Wreck Island. Probably 

 over one hundred pairs, and possibly nearly two hundred pairs, were breeding 

 on a salt-marsh, where their nests were thickly congregated on windrows of 

 driftwood along the edge of a creek. The birds can be easily recognized by their 

 notes, and their nests are characteristic, being very neat, well-built structures 

 on large piles of driftweed. These and the other Terns' eggs are apparently 

 not regularly taken by the fishermen, perhaps because they are too small, for 

 we found full sets of eggs in all stages of incubation and some young 

 birds. 



The Royal and Least Terns have now become {)ractically e.xtinct in this 

 region; we saw none of either species, but were told that a few Royal Terns 

 are seen occasionally. The Least Terns have been thoroughly annihilated for 

 millinery purposes. Our guides told us most appalling stories of the immense 

 numbers of these birds that were slaughtered here within the past few years; 

 the figures were almost incredible; he and nearly all of the gunners and fisher- 

 men on the coast took a hand in the game, and they kept at it until the last one 

 was gone, though at first the supply seemed inexhaustible. Probably this species 

 will never be reestablished on this coast, but I am happy to say that protection 

 has come in time to save the Forster's and Common Terns. 



I understand that shooting for the millinery trade has been entirely and 

 eflfectually stopped, as it is known to be illegal and the wardens are seeing that 

 the laws are enforced. 



