AMID SPRUCES AND SEA-GIRT ROCKS i8i 
fell out upon the rocks, and it was a mere chance it was not 
ruined. 
By far the most abundant bird on the island is the Herring 
Gull, the common large white scavenger of our harbors in 
the winter season. They nest in scattered colonies all over 
the island, mostly in the woods or openings in them, also in 
tracts of “stump land” along the shore, where the woods 
have been cut off. 
1 he largest of these colonies is in the midst of the woods 
on the northern lobe of the island, and it was the first one we 
visited. After a two-mile walk along the shore, we struck in 
by a sheep-path through the thick spruces. Soon we began 
to hear the screams and cacklings of the gulls and to see the 
great white fellows flying over the trees above us. Now and 
then we passed a bulky nest of sticks, grass, and seaweed in 
the thick top of a tree, whither persecution often drives these 
otherwise ground-nesting birds. Presently we emerged into 
a partially open area where the trees were scattering. Several 
hundred gulls were flying about excitedly, making a great 
racket. Their nests were scattered about on the ground, 
usually at the foot of a tree or under a young spruce. Two 
or three large, drab-colored eggs, spotted with black, are the 
usual laying, but many of the nests were empty. Fishermen 
had recently landed and robbed them. 
On the previous visit the gulls had boldly circled about 
close over one’s head. Since then they have been robbed 
and shot until they are now nearly as shy as hawks. Indeed, 
in the first colony visited, I could not get near enough to 
a gull to secure a single satisfactory photograph, and I felt 
pretty well disheartened, especially after making such an 
effort to reach the island. 
Retracing our steps, we followed the shore along the 
northern end. Groups of seals, or single ones, basked upon 
