Vol. XXXIII 



1915 



Bailey, Plum Island Night Herons. 439 



is several hundred yards away, and often impossible to locate. 

 From the numbers of these dusky and elusive sprites that I have 

 seen and heard all along the Island and borders of the marshes 

 through the breeding season, I should judge that there must be 

 many nesting pairs of them there. 



The Song Sparrow is commonly seen throughout all the warmer 

 months as is also the Vesper Sparrow. Without doubt both 

 these species breed here. Probably a careful survey of the entire 

 region would add several more nesting species to the list. During 

 the month of April, September and October, thousands of sparrows 

 tarry for a time on the Island, finding there an abundance of favor- 

 ite food, and shelter to their liking. With the possible exception 

 of the rank growths of wild rice, Zizania aquatica, found along the 

 flats of the Merrimac River, I know of no place, locally, where the 

 bird student may find a greater number of these birds during the 

 seasons of migration. 



My next visit to the rookery was not made until the spring of 

 1908 when on May 10 I spent a few hours in the locality, finding 

 at this time an apparent increase in the number of herons present 

 and nesting. And this increase despite a considerable amount of 

 harrying and wanton disturbances made during the year previous, 

 by thoughtless and unsportsmanlike persons. Rumors of these 

 annoyances had reached my ear from time to time and their 

 truth was attested to, even at this late date, by unmistakable 

 evidences, such as empty gun shells and shrivelled carcasses or 

 skeletons of last season's birds in the undergrowth or caught 

 in the thicker trees, and by dismantled nests and faded pieces 

 of egg shells protruding here and there in the sand. 



At the time of this visit many of the nests already contained full 

 sets of eggs and one I saw with young birds two or three days old, 

 showing that family duties must have commenced at an early date 

 this spring. Several pairs of Green Herons, (Butorides virescens 

 virescens) were nesting here also, their nests placed on or near the 

 ground among the rank growth of bushes and grass in the lowest 

 portion of the' hollow. 



A cold rain storm on this occasion cut my visit short and it was 

 not until four weeks later, June 7, that I was again able to get there. 



