58 JOURNAIv OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



i6tli. Mr. Norton on this trip finished the inspection of all the princi- 

 pal Sea Bird colonies on the Maine coast, a work which he has had 

 in hand this summer, under the direction of Mr. William Dutcher, 

 President of the National Audubon Society, whose efforts to pre- 

 serve and protect our birds have for some years been far-reaching 

 and signally successful. 



It was a glorious morning, with a light southerly breeze, when 

 we steamed out past Junk of Pork and Outer Green islaijd. On 

 these rocks many Herring Gulls were resting and over them hovered 

 scores of Terns, probably visitors from Bluff island, a dozen miles 

 away from home, in search of fish. A pair of Loons, farther in- 

 shore, gazed at us with mild curiosity, as we passed. Porpoises 

 rolled lazily on the surface of the water, which was filled with 

 millions of small jelly-fish, both red and white. A great sunfish 

 came near us and stuck his shark-like fin above the surface of the 

 water, as he moved, with no effort at haste, out of our way. By 

 and by a Petrel pattered along the crest of the waves, an ocean 

 wanderer, breeding in southern seas and making northern waters 

 simply a summer resort. Perched on the top of a spar buoy was a 

 Double-crested Cormorant, called "Shag" by fishermen. This is a 

 large brown bird which breeds far north and which is just now pass- 

 ing the shores of Maine on a southern migration. It is a curious 

 bird, built, as it seems, for the purpose of catching fish with ease and 

 celerity. It swims under water with great rapidity and thus it is 

 able to capture almost any finnj^ prey which comes within its range 

 of vision. Considerable flocks of these birds linger for a time among 

 the outer islands of this coast during August. 



At New Harbor we secured the services of lyincoln Parsons and 

 his sturdy fishing boat, fitted with both sail and motor. Mr. Par- 

 sons entered into the spirit of our quest as if it were his own, and we 

 found his knowledge of the sea and his craft of invaluable service. 

 As we drew near Western Egg Rock we saw that the ledges on the 

 southern end were white with Gulls. Pretty soon a great flock of 

 Herring Gulls, disturbed by our landing, took alarm and flew off 

 eastward. They left behind a bunch of smaller Gulls, which 



