86 



THE MUSEUM 



in air with quick stiol<es of the wings, 

 it detects a small fish near the surface. 

 Poising itself with a quick fluttering 

 of its wings, it darts down like an ar- 

 row and disappears beneath the sur- 

 face, reappearing in a moment, if suc- 

 cessful holding the fish with the tip of 

 its bill, it rises quickly in air, and giv- 

 ing itself a quick, vigorous shake, 

 moves off swallowing its food as it flys. 

 Sometimes it carries the fish to its 

 young on some small islet in the vic- 

 inity, at others it is chased by other 

 terns until it either eludes them or 

 surrenders its food. They are very 

 solicitous for their young and in their 

 rage will often strike one's head when 

 on their breeding grounds. 



They can be readily tamed if taken 

 when young and will not leave when 

 given libert) , but will follow around 

 like a tame crow. They are always 

 dependent on their ca[itor for food, 

 never seeming to learn to capture it 

 for themselves as they do when reared 

 by the parent bird, nor do they learn 

 to oil their featheis, but will stay in 

 the water and diown like a shore bird, 

 if not taken out. Phis is my own ex- 

 perience. 



Of the Caspian Tern I can say but 

 little. Itseiins to be more pelagic 

 than the others as I have seen it but 

 twice since 1884. The last of August 

 of that year I was walking across Sag- 

 adahoc Bay in Georgetown, Me., 

 when my attention was attractt d to 

 five birds sitting on the sand near the 

 middle of the bay, it being low tide. 

 I thought them gulls and paid but lit- 

 tle attention to them. I had a small 

 dog with me which was running along 

 some distance in advance. All at 

 once I heard a squawking and my dog 

 came running towards me, the five 

 birds pursuing and uttering their harsh 

 cries. Before they were aware to 

 whom they were being introduced, I 

 had three of them lying dead on the 

 sand. Two of these were in full adult 

 plumage, the third a young of the year. 

 In the adult plumage, this beautiful 

 tern is at once recognized by its large 



size, stout orange red bill and black 

 crown and back of neck. Also by its 

 harsh voice which gives it the name of 

 "Squawker" by the fishermen. 



In August, 1893, I saw this species 

 last, three specimens passing Seguin 

 Island. I would say in closing, that 

 althiiugh I have not yet seen the 

 Glaucous Gull to recognize it, I anti- 

 cipate adding it to the gulls and terns 

 of Sagadahoc County in the near fu- 

 ture. 



NOTES. 



The Collecting Season. 



With this number the collecting 

 season fairly opens in most of the 

 Northern States. The ornithologist 

 begins to take recofds of the birds on 

 their spring migration The ool'-gist 

 is eagerly scanning the old hawk nests 

 in his vicinity to see if any owl feathers 

 are adhering to the edge.^, thereby 

 showing signs of occupancy. The tax- 

 idermist is busy with the 'wonderful" 

 birds that are brought in by the farm- 

 ers, to be stuffed The entomologist 

 is eagerly scanning trees, fences and 

 out-of-the-way places for cooons and 

 other signs of minute animal life that 

 will spring into existance a.-^ old Sol 

 creeps higher to the no; thera sky. The 

 botanist is watching with pleasure the 

 prospect of a large crop of ferns and 

 other handsome plants that will jield 

 up life and in a large measure beauty 

 for the aid of science and recreation. 

 And last, but not least of all, the con- 

 chologist is eagerly piodding and 

 searching the small creeks, streams, 

 canals, etc., for molluscan life that he 

 is sure to find there as soon as the ice 

 breaks awa}'. 



All this applies very nicely to our 

 northern and central area in March 

 and April but if we step down aud visit 

 our southern brothers in Florida, 

 Texas, New Mexico, and so on during 

 these cold spring months we see 

 quite a different scene. They were 

 carefully looking up their "outfit" long 

 in December. In January they were 

 watching the various forms of animal 



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