I 66 Di'TcHER, Report of Connnie/ee 07i Fird Protection. Xjm 



statement, it is based upon imperfect observations, for while it is 

 true that the gulls seem to be very partial to areas of dead and 

 decaying wood lots, as they are at Little Spoon, Heron, Duck, 

 Otter and Brothers Islands, and also formerly Cone Island, it is 

 highly probable that they are attracted there by the security they 

 afford, and in no small degree by the abundance of insect food, as 

 I have just observed they use. On the other hand, it has clearly 

 been determined that the spruce is subject to the attacks of several 

 insects, to a serious extent. This matter has been made the sub- 

 ject of a bulletin by the United States Department of Agriculture 

 (Bulletin No. 28, Division of Entomology, 1901, N. S.). 



" Not only are the lumber regions affected, but the islands as well; 

 two instances having fallen under my notice. One of these cases 

 was a tract of several acres of standing spruce on Metinic Island, 

 certainly not used by any sea-birds. The other one is the island 

 of Seguin, once heavily wooded but now, through the attack of an 

 insect, entirely devastated. Beyond the possibility of a question, 

 no birds were instrumental in this destruction. The other islands 

 named, where the gulls now breed, undoubtedly owe the death of 

 their timber to a similar cause and in no way to the birds. 



" Here it might be emphasized that these dead trees are often 

 riddled by the large ants, which .are eaten so extensively by the 

 gulls and terns. 



" Concerning the question of the birds injuring the pasture, the 

 belief is based upon equally unscientific grounds. I have observed 

 that some of the islands having a surface soil composed of deposits 

 of drift, gravel and loam of varying coarseness, yield an abundant 

 return in hay or vegetables. As instances, I can mention Bluff, 

 Metinic, Metinic Green Islands, the two Green Islands east of 

 Metinic, parts of No-Mans Land, Matinicus, Seal and Libby 

 Islands. Of this list Bluff, Metinic Green, and Libby Islands are 

 now the homes of many terns, which cause no complaint from 

 sheep raisers on account of the pasture. 



"Metinic Green Island, which has only three sheep, has a stand 

 of hay waist high, while Bluff Island returned a profitable harvest 

 of the same product this year. 



"The two Green Islands formerly supported large colonies of 

 terns, while the smaller one had, in former days, a colony of about 



