^THE # OOLOGIST> 



VOL. VIII. 



ALBION N. Y., JAN., 1891. 



No. 1 



A Day Among the Fish Hawks- 



Lying to tiie iKntli of the main land 

 of Mathews County, (Va.,) less than a 

 mile distant, is Gwyun's Island, the 

 greatei* portion of which, being cleared 

 land, is in cultivation; the southern 

 part, however, is a swampy low-laud 

 with extensive tracts of marsh, densely 

 covered with flags, bull-rushes, and 

 other grasses common to salt marshes; 

 here and there are small ponds of stag- 

 nant water, while other portions are 

 daily submerged by the Howiug tide. 

 Thus a most excellent breeding ground 

 is afforded for several species of the 

 family, Rallidae, such as the Clapper 

 and Sora Rails, and others; also thei-e 

 may be found breeding in this locality, 

 Marsli Wrens, Sharp-tailed and Seaside 

 Sparrows. The Hails being in good 

 demand for the table, ai*e much dis- 

 turbed by the sportsman about this 

 season, consequently, comparatively 

 few are left to breed. Fax'ther up the 

 island, adjoining these lowlands are 

 wooded tracts, consisting chiefly of 

 pine, with a profu.se undergrowth of 

 myrtle and gall bushes, making it at 

 times almost impenetrable. Here, too, 

 is furnisiied a summer home, unsur- 

 passed, for tiiat grand bird, American 

 Osprey, which breed in great numbers 

 ou the island. Then again, along the 

 high sandy beacli, to the eastward, a 

 favorite resort is found for the Least 

 Tern and Piping Plover, which breed 

 in company with each other, though, 

 the former many times outnumbers the 

 latter. Associated with this company 

 i.s an occasional Nighthawk, whose 

 presence is due, perhaps, to the 

 myriads of mo.squitocs that infest the 

 place, on which he is particularly fond 

 of feeding; also from the fact of its 

 being a favorable nesting site, rather 

 than from any disposition on his part 



to be neighborly. He is ever ou hand, 

 seemingly, to unite his harsh discordant 

 voice with tiie sharp deafening cries of 

 the Terns, which take to wing l)y the 

 hundreds upon the near approach of 

 anj^one to their nests. Such a i^lace 

 offers a tine tield for the oologist as well 

 as the ornithologist. 



It was here, with several friends, I 

 had the pleasure last season of visiting, 

 anil making some investigations with 

 reference to Inrd life. 



Having made all necessary prepara- 

 tions the day previous, we started out 

 early on the morning of May the 7, '90, 

 for the place. After several miles of 

 tramping, through fields and woods, wa 

 came to the landing from which we 

 were to sail for the island. Sailing 

 some miles down the river, we came in 

 full view of the island, and what a 

 beautiful scene gieeted our eyes this 

 tender spring morning! The island lay 

 in wide expanse before us, covered with 

 its luxuriant growth of vegetation; the 

 various shades and tints of green and 

 yellow, afforded by the young foliage 

 which ornamented every tree and 

 shrub, presented a picture lovely to 

 behold. 



The storm of tlie previous night had 

 chilled the morning air, but now as the 

 sun neared the zenith, the gathering 

 clouds were dispelled, and again the 

 bright gemial sunshine warmed the 

 atmosphere. With the azure sky above 

 and the silvery waters beneath, the 

 scene was, indeed, too grand to be 

 painted l)y any artist's l)rush. Such 

 surroundings tended to make the oc- 

 casion more delightful. 



Arriving at the shore, we secured our 

 boat ou the sheltered side of a little 

 cove and landed. Immediately the 

 Fish Hawks began to sail in graceful 

 circles over our heads, uttering tlie i 



