Reports of Special Agents 323 



ones once in the western half of Maine. Without protection, this species would 

 soon have been blotted out of our state fauna. It is a species calculated to fill 

 a place that no other bird can fill, to these generations who are to find enjoyment 

 in the wild life of our coast, such as their forefathers could not know. A pair 

 was seen swooping down over the Shark Rock, indicating that thc\- have taken 

 to breeding there again. 



Common and Arctic Terns. — Terns are abundant and very tame on the 

 Maine coast, from Englishman's to Saco Bay. Large numbers were still on the 

 breeding grounds and many young ones were observed. On August 31, the first 

 }-oung t)nes were observed at sea, near the outer limits of Penobscot Bay. Sev- 

 eral of the old resorts have been reoccupied since our last trip of inspection. 

 These are Ship Island, Green Islands below Blue Hill Bay, and Shark Rock. 



Large numbers of young Terns perished at Matinicus Rock at the time of 

 hatching, by reason of a heavy cold rain; and wherever I observed, a consider- 

 able number of dead young were seen, of all sizes, even well-fledged. Captain 

 James Hall, of Matinicus Rock, whose opportunities for observation are unrivaled, 

 expressed the belief that food is scarce and starvation is the cause of much 

 death, late in the season. 



My visit to Libby Island was on Jul}- 26, when I found the large colonv of 

 that place entirely gone. Before I left the place, about twenty Terns flew in 

 over the island and then away. Captain McKlusky said that many returned 

 in the spring. No migratory movement was detected until August 16, certainly 

 none being in progress on August 9. I was assured by several persons that they 

 were abundant over the water far up Machias Bay. These probablv belong 

 to this colony. The presence of the Peregrine Falcon at the Brothers seemed 

 to me sufficient reason to account for the abandonment of Libbv Island by the 

 Terns. One of these birds took up its abode at the Egg Rocks, in Muscongus 

 Bay, in 1901, and the Terns abandoned the place and their eggs. There I col- 

 lected pellets filled with feathers and bones of Terns and Petrels. 



A new colony of Common Terns was visited at Ballast Island, Englishman's 

 Bay. It was in good condition. 



At Freeman's and Egg Rocks very large numbers were seen, both old 

 and young, though the young had not left the shore. About a dozen had 

 evidently bred successfully on Green Island, near the southwestern entrance 

 to Blue Hill Bay. None were seen there on my former visit. About fifty old 

 and young were also seen on Ship Island, also abandoned at the time of my 

 former visit, 1904. 



Throughout upper Penobsco't Bay, Common Terns were abundant and tame, 

 belonging to the ledges northwest of Eagle Island. None were seen in Jericho 

 Bay, though a close approach was made to Saddleback Ledge and Southern 

 Mark Island. At Matinicus Rock and Metinic Green Island the large colonies 

 seemed undisturbed by man. 



Very few Cas usual) were at the Western Egg Rock, Muscongus Ba\-, but 



