86 DuTCHER, Protection of Gulls and Tertts. Vltxi. 



Union may have noted nesting birds. The islets I have men- 

 tioned on the Connecticut shore were not used as nesting places, 

 as far as I have observed, prior to the scattering of the colony at 

 Great Gull Island. Few are aware that they are now so used, 

 and it may be owing to this fact that they are not greatly molested. 

 " Unfortunately there is no Connecticut law protecting gulls 

 and terns, as they do not come under the head of song or insettiv- 

 orous or game birds. It is our purpose to send in a petition to 

 put gulls, terns and ospreys in the protected list at the next ses- 

 sion of the legislature. 



" New York. 



" At the eastern end of Fishers Island, about two or three 

 miles distant from the Connecticut shore is Wicopesset, a small, 

 sandy, rocky island. Here a colony of about three hundred 

 Wilson's and a few Roseate Terns nest. With this colony I 

 noticed six or seven Laughing Gulls, but they have never been 

 known to nest on this island as far as my observations extend. 

 This island is about one half mile from the eastern point of 

 Fishers Island, and the waters about it are usually quite boister- 

 ous, owing to the strong tides ; being exposed to the ocean, it is 

 quite difficult to reach and protect. 



" On June i8 I found six sets of 3 eggs, 22 of 2, 17 of i, and indi- 

 cations were that more birds intended nesting. Unfortunately 

 I was unable to make a landing on my visit to this island July 

 4, on account of the rough weather, but we are under the impres- 

 sion that at least one hundred or one hundred and twenty-five 

 young were successfully raised in spite of the depredations of the 

 ^gg thieves. Two warning notices were put up on this island on 

 the first of June. It was impossible to make any provision for 

 protecting the birds on this island this year, as its area does not 

 permit a camp without disturbing the birds, and the nearest house 

 is two miles distant. If this island, though Umited in area, could 

 be fully protected, it would be one of the best breeding grounds 

 on the Sound. Perhaps a person tenting on East Point with a 

 boat handy could give the desired protection. 



