.54 JOUKNAI, OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



must have numbered over a thousand, and as many more in sight in 

 the water on the other side of the island. Besides these the farther 

 ends of the rocks were still covered with Gulls out of observation and 

 as yet resting easily, though as we progressed over the island they 

 constantly rose over us in a threatening cloud. 



"How many Gulls are there on the island?" I asked Captain 

 Young and he replied confidently, "Well, sir, we estimate them at 

 10,000." This was surprising and I looked around me with a 

 critical eye. But I could not contradict him, for that seemed to l)e 

 a fair computation. I counted a section of the swimming flocks 

 and judged that there were two or three thousand in the water, 

 while the birds were as thick over our heads as a swarm of mos- 

 quitoes. There may be no more than six thousand birds, and there 

 may be as many as twelve thousand ; no one can say, for it is 

 impossible to count them. Captain Young's estimate of ten thousand 

 therefore, will have to stand undisputed, at least until more accurate 

 information can be obtained. We saw not a single nest, but plenty 

 of places where they had been built. Captain Young says the birds 

 tear their nests to pieces as soon as they are done with them, Init 

 they are nothing Ijut a collection of sticks and soft material placed 

 on the ledges and grass ground and doubtless the young ]:)irds, 

 during their growth, scatter what is of no further use to them. On 

 the islands farther east Gulls often build their nests in trees, but we 

 saw none of that kind here. 



There is no breeding place for Herring Gulls nearer to Portland, 

 and doubtless many of the Gulls seen around Portland harbor, spring 

 and fall belong at No Man's I^and and to Captain Young, who fondly 

 claims ownership of them all, no matter where they are found. And 

 the way he protects them is good to behold. Mind you, he owns the 

 island on which they breed, and he is the warden selected by Mr. 

 Dutcher, of the Audubon society, to see that they are not molested. 

 Armed with this authority and being proprietor of their nesting 

 ground, he has an immense advantage over the lawless hunter of 

 eggs or pearly plumage. His big sign on the most conspicuous part 

 of the island warns off any intruder, in language that cannot be mis- 

 understood. Woe to the gunner who disregards that warning, for 

 the strong hand of the law is likely to lay hold of him. 



