JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



19 



wings, it detects a small fish near the 

 surface. Poising itself with a quick 

 fluttering of its wings, it darts down 

 like an arrow and disappears beneath 

 the surface, reappearing in a moment, 

 if successful holding the fish with the tip 

 of its bill, it rises quickly in air, and 

 giving 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 vicinity, 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 liberty, but will follow around like 

 a tame crow. They are always depend- 

 ent on their captor for food, never seem- 

 ing to learn to capture it for themselves 

 as they do when reared by the parent 

 bird, nor do they learn to oil their feath- 

 ers, but will stay in the water and 

 drown like a shore bird, if not taken 

 out. This is my own experience. 



Of the Caspian Tern I can say but 

 little. It seems to be more pelagic than 

 the others as I have seen it a long dis- 

 tance from laud. I have seen it but 

 twice since 1884. The last of August 

 of that year I was walking across Saga- 

 dahoc Bay in Georgetown, Me., when 

 my attention was attracted to five birds 

 sitting on the sand near the middle of 

 the bay, it being low tide. I thought 

 them gulls and paid but little 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 

 toward 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 Aug. 1893, I saw this species last, 

 three specimens passing Seguin Island. 

 I would say in closing, that although I 

 have not yet seen the Glaucous Gull to 

 recognize it, I anticipate adding it to the 

 gulls and terns of Sagadahoc County in 

 the near future. 



The Birds of Old English Literature. 

 — By Charles Huntington Whitman, F. 

 E. Y. U. Reprinted from the Journal 

 of Germanic Philology, 1898. 



This is a carefully prepared list of the 

 bird-names which occur in Old English 

 Literature, and the author states that he 

 has brought to light some one hundred 

 and forty bird-names, several of which 

 are synonyms. He has been able to 

 identify some sixty-seven species which 

 were, and most of which still are, resi- 

 dents of Great Britain. Included in the 

 discussion of each species are their mod- 

 ern scientific and common names with 

 derivations, their Old English name or 

 names, and a long list of references to 

 old literature. The work is of value to 

 students of bird-nomenclature and a 

 great credit to its author. 



O. W. K. 



The executive committee have elected 

 Evelyn M. Buck of Bucksport, to active 

 membership in the Society. 



