396 Fowler, Birds of the Florida Keys. [£" k 



BIRDS OBSERVED IN THE FLORIDA KEYS. 



BY HENRY W. FOWLER. 



While searching for land snails in the Florida Keys for Mr. 

 Clarence B. Moore, between Cape Sable and the Marquesas Keys, 

 I incidentally observed a number of birds. As some of them may 

 prove of interest I give an annotated list made during June, 1904. 



1. Larus atricilla. Gullie; Gull; Black-headed Gull. — Seen 

 on the bouys approaching Key West, and also about Cudjoe's and Snipe 

 Keys. The bouys mentioned were whited with bird excreta and were 

 used either for resting or roosting by sea-birds. 



2. Sterna hirundo. Tern; Black-headed Tern; Redshank. — 

 One seen off the Marquesas and many others about West Cudjoe's and 

 Snipe Keys. June 22 they were found in numbers breeding on Hailer's 

 Rock. One egg contained a young bird about to hatch. 



3. Sterna antillarum. Killing-peter. — Breeding in some numbers 

 together with the former on Hailer's Rock. From an ornithologist's 

 point of view this is one of the most interesting places visited. It is a 

 low, small, flat island of sand, with a rocky foundation, off Bahia Honda 

 Key. The vegetation consists of a low growth of bushes, with here and 

 there more or less sand. The southern end is of broken or excavated rock 

 leaving numerous tide-pools with an abundant supply of food in the form 

 of anchovies, etc., for most water birds. Three eggs were found to be 

 the exception in the nest of this species, seldom more than two occurring, 

 and sometimes only one. The nest is a mere shallow depression in the 

 sand, and those found were all situated more or less to the lee of the island. 

 They were scattered here and there, and rather close at times. Some were 

 along the beach but always above tide-line. At our approach the birds 

 all flew from the ground in a body, and continued to utter their sharp, 

 grating cries while flying about overhead. The eggs of this and the pre- 

 ceding are robbed by the turtle-hunters, and others, and used as food. I 

 also saw this bird about Snipe Key. 



4. Pelecanus fuscus. Brown Pelican. — Key West, Boca Grande, 

 Boca Chica, Riding and Snipe Keys. They were numerous about the 

 Marquesas Keys catching mullets (Mugil) and other fish. When flying 

 the strokes of the wing may be heard at times for quite a distance. When 

 flying about the shallows they frequently drop into the water with a loud 

 clumsy splash, though not always successful in capturing a fish. One was 

 found which had apparently accidently committed suicide by transfixing 

 its beak in a forked branch of a mangrove. A flock of these birds fre- 

 quented the rocks about Hailer's Rock where they can easily obtain plenty 

 of finny food. 



