c^zj. Mack ay. Terns of Muskeget Island. \jta. 



I wish to say a few words before closing regarding the condi- 

 tion of the colony of Laughing Gulls (Larus atricilld), which are 

 domiciled on Muskeget Island proper. A more highly gratifying 

 stale is difficult to imagine. The increase of last season is unmis- 

 takable. ( )n June 9, 1895, Mr. Sandsbury found 10 nests, 4 of 

 which contained 1 egg each ; 5, 2 eggs each; and 1. 3 eggs. On 

 June 18, he found 4 nests, each containing r egg; 3 nests with 2 

 eggs ; 7 nests with 3 eggs each. On June 23 he again walked 

 over the ground and noted 3 nests of 1 egg each ; 3 nests of 2 

 eggs each ; and 9 nests of 3 eggs each. No nests containing 4 

 or 5 eggs each have been observed during the entire season. On 

 July 5 he again walked over the same ground, noting 4 nests of i 

 egg each ; 3 nests of 2 eggs ; 2 nests of 3 eggs each. He also 

 noted 18 young chicks in the clown. The greater part of the 

 nests above noted were marked with sticks during his walks, so 

 that they might not be counted a second time. 



( >n July 8 I went all over this breeding ground, which is located 

 this year where it was last season ; its area has, however, increased 

 very materially. It now embraced a strip nearly one quarter of a 

 mile long and one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards wide, 

 commencing at the North pond and extending in a westerly direc- 

 tion. I noticed a great many broken egg-shells, from which the 

 chicks had been hatched, but I failed to find any of them in the 

 grass. I judged these Gulls were feeling the utmost security, for 

 their nests this season have all been placed in plain view on the 

 top of a bunch of beach-grass stubs, of which materials the nests 

 were constructed. I saw only one ' alley ' nest this year. Besides 

 a number of abandoned nests from which the eggs had been 

 hatched, I noted 17 nests containing 37 eggs, most of which 

 had. however, been previously noted by Mr. Sandsbury. Two 

 of these nests contained each 1 egg; 6, 2 eggs each; 2 each 

 1 egg and 1 chick in the down: 7 nests contained 3 eggs each. 

 As nearly as I could judge, all these eggs were near the point of 

 hatching, a large portion of them being chipped. 



On July 30, during my second trip to Muskeget, I again went 

 carefully over all this breeding ground. Nearly all the eggs had 

 been hatched, but T did not see a single young bird in the air. 

 After considerable search Mr. Sandsbury and 1 found one nest 



