1A.O DuTCHER, Report of Committee on Bird Protection. \ r " 



I would like to make especial mention of Mr. Fred Rackliff, who 

 rendered gratuitously invaluable aid ; Capt. Hall of Matinicus Rock, 

 for making my stay there successful and pleasant ; Mr. Martin 

 Talmon and wife of the same place for entertainment and many 

 kindnesses ; Mr. and Mrs. Robinson of Libby Island for acts of 

 courtesy, and Capt. and Mrs. Small of Cross Island for entertain- 

 ment and aid of much value. The work was indeed pleasant and 

 one in which I take great interest." The report of Mr. Norton is 

 so e.xhaustive and interesting that it is thought best to quote from 

 it very freely : 



"On June 20, 1903, I paid a visit to the Night Heron colony in 

 Falmouth. This is on the main land, upon the estate of Gen. John 

 Marshall Brown, of Portland, which is his country home, known as 

 Thornhurst. This colony is within ten minutes' walk from a much 

 traveled town road, traversed by an electric car line. Under date 

 of Feb. 7, 1903, Gen. Brown wrote me that the birds have been in 

 his woods for twenty-five years, to his knowledge, where they have 

 been protected by him ; he thinks they occupy twenty acres. 



" On the date of my visit the birds seemed to be enjoying secu- 

 rity ; no evidence of shooting (which is the real danger threatening 

 the nesting species) was observed. The nests were built near the 

 tops of tall, slender pines and many of the young were large enough 

 to clamber from the nest out on the branches. The crows, which 

 were abundant, seem to destroy some of the eggs, as I found a 

 number of shells that clearly had been broken by these birds. I 

 visited the tern colony in charge of Mr. Cushman and found it in 

 good condition. 



" Mr. G. E. Cushman, warden, has charge of the above men- 

 tioned colony, also of the tern colony on Bluff Island. He reports 

 an increase of six hundred terns during the season, and adds : 

 * The eggs were so plenty one had to walk carefully to prevent 

 stepping upon them.' 



"On June 30, I boarded at Portland the little packet 'Mineola' 

 for a trip of 65 miles east to Port Clyde. Passing the Outer Green 

 Island, six miles east of Portland, about half-a-dozen terns were 

 seen over the shore of the island, one of which was carrying fish: 

 The war manoeuvres on this coast this summer, it is to be feared, 

 may again cause these birds to abandon the place, as it is used as 

 a base for the targets for the heavy guns at the forts inshore. 



