20 THE HOME-LIFE OF 
large colony of Florida Cormorants in North Carolina, 
and in a Night Heronry on Gardiner’s Island. They seldom 
molest other birds, but on the contrary, allow themselves 
to be pursued and harassed by assailants not one-tenth 
their size. On Gardiner’s Island their chief persecutors 
are the Kingbird, the Common Tern, and the Red- 
winged Blackbird. The Kingbird, or Tyrant Flycatcher, 
appears to regard the approach of any bird, large or small, 
into the neighbourhood of its nest, as an unwarranted 
trespass upon its chosen domain, and it promptly proceeds 
to drive the interloper out. It is almost laughable to 
watch the great Osprey fleeing ignominiously from its 
diminutive pursuer. In one instance I recall seeing a 
Kingbird displace with perfect ease an Osprey from a certain 
dead branch, for no more ostensible reason than that the 
Kingbird desired that particular perch from which to 
hawk for flies. 
At the southern extremity of Gardiner’s Island is a 
large colony of Common Tern, and close to, or among the 
Terns’ nests are three of four Ospreys’ nests. It is hard 
to understand why the Ospreys chose to build there, for 
they are being continually harried by the Terns. I have 
seen an Osprey driven from her nest by a Tern three or 
four times within a quarter of an hour. ‘The Tern would 
swoop at the Osprey close enough to make her “ duck.” 
After several swoops the Osprey would take flight, in a 
more or less unconcerned manner, circle about and alight 
again. The Tern seemed to take delight in tormenting 
her big neighbour from sheer “ cussedness.” Whenever 
an Osprey flew over the ‘Tern colony it was found to be 
pursued by several Terns, which would dart at it and 
cause it to dodge and veer in its flight. Were an Osprey 
bold enough to settle on a post or telegraph pole within the 
limits of the ‘Tern patrol, he was never allowed to rest in 
peace more than a few moments. Nevertheless, the 
Ospreys at the south end of the island are quite as successful 
as elsewhere in rearing their broods. 
