22 



THE OOLOGIST. 



looked for appearance of a Sharp-shin- 

 ned Hawk. 



Flying low over the marshes and open 

 meadows, may be seen the Barn and 

 White-bellied Swallows and Chimney 

 Swifts, busily engaged in gathering up 

 all insects that may venture to fly 

 about. 



The beaches are practically deserted 

 save for an occasional Sandpiper or a 

 few Sparrows or a Kingfisher or two, 

 the former seeking among the dry grass 

 and sea-weed for some especially delic- 

 ious morsel with which to partially sat- 

 isfy their extremely voracious appetite; 

 the latter making trips from some fish 

 trap pole to its hole in some one of the 

 numerous bluffs with a small fish to 

 feed its young. 



In the tall grass by the shore above 

 the high water mark, we flush the 

 Finches and Sparrows, only to see them 

 settle after a flight of only a few yards. 



The shores of the numerous ponds are 

 more prolific in bird life. Here we find 

 the Kingfisher in larger numbers and 

 now and then a Heron, standing silent 

 and watchful in some secluded nook, 

 while the rank grasses, shrubs and 

 bushes growing luxuriantly by the edge, 

 furnish shelter to many a Warbler or 

 Thrush. 



Thus we find the birds about us in 

 this locality wherever we may turn and 

 the following list will show what variet- 

 ies we were able to note during our 

 short stay of two weeks. 



The Terns will be made the subject of 

 a special paper and discussed at length 

 later. 



Not much time was spent upon the 

 water and very few sea birds were not- 

 ed, but it is doubtful if there were many 

 more to see at this time of the year. 



1. Urinator imber; Loon. Two spec- 

 imens seen in Buzzards Bay. 



2. Larus atricilla; Laughing Gull. 

 Two adults seen at Wupecketts Islands 

 in Buzzards Bay. They kept at a great 

 height, their cry sounding very clear 



and distinct over the screaming of the 

 Terns. 



3. Sterna hirundo; Common Tern. 

 Very common. Found breeding on the 

 Wupecketts Islands. 



4. Sterna dougalli; Roseate Tern. 

 Common. Breeding at Wupecketts Is- 

 lands 



5. Sterna paradisea; Arctic Tern. 

 Common. Breeding at Wupecketts. 



6. Merganser serrator; Shelldrake. 

 Several specimens seen about the shores 

 and were at first supposed to be injured 

 birds, but we soon found that they 

 could fly, dive and swim perfectly. In 

 fact we saw several fly long distances, 

 proving conclusively that they remained 

 in this locality from choice, and were 

 not maimed in any manner. 



7. Oidema deglandi; White-winged 

 Scoter. Several seen. All were in per- 

 fect condition and flew long distances. 



8. Ardeaherodias; Great Blue Heron. 

 One seen. 



9. Ardea virescens; Green Heron. 

 Numerous adults seen and three nest- 

 lings noted in small cedar swamp. 



10. Nycticorax nycticorax naeviens; 

 Black-crowned Night Heron. Common. 

 Breed in large numbers in rookeries. 



11. Tinga minutilla; Least Sandpi- 

 per. Several seen on the beaches. 



12. Actitis m acularia; Spotted Sand- 

 piper. Common. Both on beaches and 

 along the edge of ponds. 



13. Accipiter vclox; Sharp-shinned 

 Hawk. One seen. 



14. Acoipiter cooperi ;Cooper's Hawk . 

 One seen. 



15. Buteo Uneatus; Red-shouldered 

 Hawk. One observed with large flock 

 of Crows in full pursuit. 



16 Fialco sparveritis; American Spar- 

 row Hawk. One seen. 



17. Megascops asio; Screech Owl. 

 One seen near Cotnit. 



18 Goccyzus americanus; Yellow- 

 billed Cuckoo. One shot. 



19. Ceryle alcyon; Belted Kingfisher. 

 Common about ponds and shores. 



