312 Philipp, Birds Observed in the Carolinas. [july 



Annotated List of Birds Observed. 

 Compiled by P. B. Philipp. 



1. Podilymbus podiceps. Pied-billed Grebe. — Abundant at Ellis 

 Lake, N. C, where it was seen daily June 16-20. Breeds in the reedy 

 marshes surrounding the lake; three nests were found June IG and 20, one 

 with 1 egg, one with 5 fresh eggs, and one with 4 fresh eggs; on June 20, 

 one newly hatched chick was captured after a hard chase. The nests were 

 all in patches of reeds where there was good di\'ing water. 



Mr. H. H. Brimley, of the North Carolina Museum, informs me that this 

 nesting is the first record for the State. The birds have not heretofore 

 been found nesting at Lake Ellis. 



2. Lams atricilla. Laughing Gull; Black Head; Summer Gull. — 

 A fair sized breeding colony of this gull was observed on Royal Shoal, 

 Pamlico Sound, N. C, comprising some two hundred and fifty birds. The 

 colony was visited on June 24, and at this date many of the nests were 

 empty, the young having hatched; many other nests had 2 and 3 eggs, all 

 advanced in incubation. The nests on the shoal were all carefully hidden 

 in the rank beach grass and low bushes, and were found by following paths 

 made by the birds. This gull was not noted breeding elsewhere on the trip. 



3. Gelochelidon nilotica. Gull-billed Tern. — Seen only in Pamlico 

 Sound, N. C, and there rare. A single tern of this species was seen June 



25, in a large colony of Common Terns (Sterna kirundo), on Royal Shoal. 

 On Miller Lump, off Buxton, further up the sound, a pair were seen June 



26, which the warden told me had nested the previous week, the young 

 having hatched. These could not be found. 



4. Sterna maxima. Roy.\l Tern. — Common in suitable localities 

 along the coasts and among the shallow bays of North and South Carolina. 

 Four breeding colonies were found. The first was situated on Vessel 

 Reef, a low sand key in Bulls Bay, S. C, visited on June 12. About 75 

 "birds were seen there and nesting had just begun, 3 fresh eggs being found. 

 The second colony was on Royal Shoal, Pamlico Sound, N. C. Here, 

 instead of the enormous numbers of the preceding season, estimated at 

 isome 7,000 birds, only fifty were found. On June 24 one fresh egg was 

 noted. The third and largest colony was found on June 26, on Miller Lump, 

 ■a small low sand bar in Pamlico Sound, lying in a broad expanse of very 

 shallow water. This colony comprised 1,000 adult birds; the nesting was 

 advanced. Some 258 good eggs were counted, usually one egg to a set, 

 though a few doubles were found; there were also many young, some of 

 which were able to run about. All the eggs were advanced in incubation. 

 The fourth breeding colony visited was on Davis Lump, a small sand bar 

 near Miller Lump. Here about 60 pairs of birds were breeding. Thirty- 

 two eggs were counted, for the most part advanced in incubation; half a 

 dozen newly hatched young were also seen. 



