10 The Wilson Bulletin — Xo. 78. 



Blue Jay, Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, 

 Bronzed Crackle, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Indigo 

 Bunting, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Bank Swallow, Ce- 

 dar Waxwing, Red-eyed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Yellow 

 Warbler, Redstart, Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Carolina 

 Wren, Robin. The only bird of special' interest found here 

 was the Carolina Wren. One would suppose that an island 

 of such diversified topography would have furnished a much 

 larger list of birds. There w^ere few birds in the open fields, 

 and even the woods were disappointing. 



Big Chicken Island, August 7 and 8, 1901.— We landed 

 before 7 o'clock in the morning, and spent about three hours 

 counting the nests, which were still occupied by either eggs 

 or young birds, and unoccupied nests, in the; effort to make a 

 fair estimate of the birds which were flying all about and 

 above us. The count resulted in placing the number at about 

 3000. Among these there were many Black Terns, mostly in 

 the transition plumage. Of course the nesting birds were 

 without exception Common Terns. The only birds seen here 

 were the Common and Black Terns, Spotted Sandpipers, and 

 a roving flock of Bronzed Crackles. There was pretty good 

 evidence that the Sandpipers were nesting. Big Chicken is 

 a mound of rounded limestone rocks lying upon a limestone 

 ledge, surrounded with scattering granite boulders, also 

 rounded. There is a small frame shack or shanty, two trees 

 about ten inches in diameter, and a clump of white willows, 

 all occupying the middle of the island. The top is also thickly 

 grown with wild gourd vines and some Polygonum weeds. 

 The terns nest everywhere above high water mark. 



Chick Island, August 7, 1901. — At normal water level this 

 island is scarcely more than a reef, w'ith no vegetation ex- 

 cept the algse, which cling to the rocks. On the occasion of 

 our visit there was a dense mass of Polygonum growing to 

 the height of three feet occupying the center of the exposed 

 rock some twenty feet wide by two hundred long. Here the 

 Common Terns were nesting among these wee.ds and on the 

 abundant drift wood which flanked the weeds on the south- 



