168 THE OREGON 
EASTERN DEPARTMENT. 
CONDUCTED BY THE ASSOCIATE EDITOR 
“CHAT.”’ 
A Merry! Merry! Christmas to our readers, 
If you haven’t ever taken a lesson in 
taxidermy, begin on Christmas, by s¢2/f- 
ing a turkey — and yourself. 
Any of our Eastern friends who are in- 
terested in Oology should make haste to 
join the Oologists Association. Full par- 
ticulars by applying to either ““Ye East- 
ern Editor’”’ or the president, Isador S.Tros- 
tler,4246 Farnham, St., Omaha, Neb. 
Can you get more genuine worth or in- 
formation from another magazine at any 
price? 
The editor is now preparing for public- 
ation at a future date an article upon the 
subject of ‘Odd and Peculiar Nests and 
Nesting.’’? The matter will be published 
under the direction of the “Oologists 
Association”’ and will be as exhaustive as 
possible. If you have any notes, speci- 
mens, etc.,which will be available, or use- 
ful in the publication of this ‘‘Report,”’ 
the writer as well as all the members of 
the association will feel highly honored 
and deeply grateful if such will be put at 
his disposal. Due credit for all manu- 
script, specimens, etc. will be given in the 
text and a safe return of same is guaran- 
teed. Address, C. C. Purdum, M. D. 
City Hospital, Baltimore, Md. 
WINTER BIRD LIFE IN SOUTHERN 
MASSACHUSETTS 
Cc. C. PURDUM. 
Continued from page 150. 
Sterna macrura 
ARCTIC TERN 
ta company with ‘‘Airuxdo and paradi ea”? 
this interesting bird inhabits the small is- 
lands in Buzzards bay, and are also found 
breeding quite abundantly upon some of 
NATURALIST. 
the larger islands which in a chain separate 
the water of ‘‘the bay”’ from those of Vin- 
yard sound. Thesethree species (27rundo, 
macrura and paradisea) are as a general 
thing found brooding together,even on the 
smaller of the islands. But the birds gen- 
erally keep to themselves and do not nest 
indiscriminately, but attempt some little 
colonization. The roseates build a scant 
nest upon the top of the island where they 
make a slight attempt at concealment un- 
der the low shrubs. The arctics and the 
common variety both deposit their eggs at 
the base of the island; sometimes making 
a slight excavation for a nest; sometimes 
doing nothing in the way of nest building 
but simply depositing their eggs upon the 
hot sand or seaweed, and often even upon 
the tops of rocks. 
A strange coincident about the breeding 
of the terns upon the ‘‘Weepeckets’’ is- 
lands is, that upon the outer two islands 
which are very small, the birds breed 
abundantiy, but upon the larger islands 
only a very few pairs breed annually. 
This has not always been the case how- 
ever for several years ago this island was 
the nesting ground of countless nunbd>-rs 
of terns, but for several years in succession 
the island was swept by fire and thus broke 
up the breeding. This together with many 
other causes has led to a great diminution 
in the numbers of terns breeding here, and 
if the ruthless d2struction of eggs by fisher- 
men and others who really have not the 
slightest object in taking them, is not soon 
stopped the tern breeding upon Weepeck- 
ets Island will be a thing of the past. 
A short distance from them, the casual 
observer would notice no difference be- 
tween ‘‘kirundo and macrura’’but the long 
tapering feathers of the tail will at once 
distinguish macrura. 
The bill upon close inspection is found 
to be shorter than the head and of a deep 
carmine in color, with no black as in hir- 
undo. The feet would at once attract at- 
tention for their weakness. They are ex- 
ceedingly small and weak for the size of 
