8o DuTCHER, Proteciion of Gulls and Terns. V^^ 



At the time of my visit only the Black Skimmers were to be 

 found at their nesting places, two in number. About two 

 thousand five hundred birds were found at the southern end. A 

 few young birds barely able to fly were seen. The second nesting 

 place was estimated to have about one thousand five hundred 

 birds; here also a few young were found in all stages up to those 

 ready to fly, while quite a number of young birds were seen flying 

 with the adults, showing that while this more nortiiern breeding 

 place may have been robbed some early in the season, the other 

 had evidently escaped. Altogether the evidence fairly showed 

 that the birds had been protected. As Cobbs Island is out of the 

 track of the summer visitor and rather difficult to get to, I see no 

 reason why the birds should not again breed numerously here. 

 On my way north I stopped on one of the little marshes marked 

 on the chart and counted thirty-nine Laughing Gull nests, and as 

 immature gulls and terns were seen flying round the island the 

 prospects seem fair. Capt. Andrews says he stopped two or three 

 gunning parties that came early in the season and that none came 

 afterwards. 



Hog Island. 



Capt. Johnson reported that he had protected Laughing Gulls 

 i^Larus atricilla) , Terns or Strikers {Sterna hirundo et antillaritju')., 

 Willet {Sympheinia semipalmafa) , and Clapper Rails {Ralliis 

 crepitans) . The numbers were hard to estimate, but there were a 

 great many of all the species, and that the increase during the 

 season had been large. He feels sure that there has been a less 

 number of birds and eggs destroyed this summer than for a num- 

 ber of years past. One party had prepared to shoot Laughing 

 Gulls for market but Capt. Johnson notified the Commonwealth 

 and the plume hunter received a letter that stopped him at once. 

 There were no further violations of the law. I believe Capt. 

 Johnson to be entirely in sympathy with the movement to protect 

 the birds. 



Paraviores Beach. 



Capt. Richardson is a man thoroughly in earnest and very con- 

 scientious, and I am confident that he can be relied upon ; he 



