The Wilson Bulletin — No. 



93 



be allowed to pass unnoticed. The bird was in full breeding dress, and 

 gave evidence by its actions, of belonging to the island. Many of the 

 other birds were in molt, but this specimen gave no evidence of molt. 



Black Tern.i Hi/drochclidoii nif/rd sin-inc?na)isis.) No birds were 

 to be seen at their regular breeding places in the Sandusky marshes, 

 August 24 to 27, but they were found in numbers at the Chicken islands 

 with the Common Terns, most of them in transition molting i)lumage. 

 Some had almost completed the molt, while others had scarcely more 

 than begun. A few Black Terns were also found with small companies 

 of Common Terns roosting on the sand spits among the Bass islands. 



It may be interesting to note that North Harbor island, which was 

 a favorite breeding place for the Common Terns in 1901, gave little 

 evidence of having been inhabited by more than a handfull of birds the 

 past season. Likewise, Chick island, which was a low reef supi)orting 

 a considerable growth of Smart- weed (Poli/c/anum) and numerous 

 nesting terns in 1901, was reduced to a wave washed reef entirely devoid 

 of either vegetation or tern nests on the day of our visit, August 26. 

 However, roosting terns of both species, Herring and Bonaparte Gulls, 

 were numerous enough to almost completely cover the rocks. The gulls 

 were also in molting plumage. 



The lagoon of Middle Bass island, which yielded such rich bird life 

 in 1901, was full to the brim, and surrounded by three feet of water on 

 all sides. Consequently there were no mud flats, and no shore birds. A 

 flock of Shoveller— decoys gave me palpitation of the heart until their 

 true structure was revealed, when three small boys in a boat rowed 

 through their midst. A single Least Bittern made an additional record 

 for the lagoon. Black Terns were also in evidence here. Numerous 

 Pied billed Grebes seemed entirely at home, and probably bred here 

 during the summer, with the King Rails and Florida Gallinules. both 

 of which were feeding everywhere. 



The only shore birds recorded among these islands were Sander- 

 lings, Turnstones, Spotted Sandpipers and Killdeers. This was disap- 

 pointing, in view of the records of others at Oberlin earlier in the month. 

 I have noticed, however, that many of the shore birds seem to prefer in- 

 land ponds and mud flats during their southward journey. 



Lynds Jones. 



