388 Mackay, The Ter7is of Mitskeget Isla7zd. [^^J' 



neither did I notice but few chicks which were unable to fly ; 

 everything in fact evidenced a most successful and prolific 

 breeding year for the birds. As the whole month of July had 

 been wet and cold, with a very heavy gale, accompanied with 

 torrents of rain, commencing on the night of July 4 and continu- 

 ing until the afternoon of the 5th, I feared that a diminution in 

 the number of young birds might be expected as a result of these 

 conditions. Contrary, however, to these expectations nothing 

 disastrous took place. The young were flying earlier than usual, 

 and I cannot help thinking that the mortality among the young 

 chicks from natural causes was less than usual. It will certainly 

 be a grand sight to see them all here next season. 



During my first visit here, June 27, 1896, I observed one Short- 

 eared Owl {Asio accipitrinus) . This bird evidently had a mate, and 

 together they raised a brood of four young, for during my last visit 

 I noted six on the 27th of July. I devoted much time in trying to 

 get near enough to shoot them. After much labor, as they were 

 very shy, I killed one of the younger ones, which was fully grown. 

 Together they must have destroyed a good many young Terns 

 this season, and are likely to return next year to their breeding 

 haunt.-^ It was particularly interesting to note with what perfect 

 indifference they received the attacks of a thousand or more Terns 

 which collected around them, whenever they appeared in the air, 

 and even when alighted on the sand there was usually a large 

 concourse hovering over them. I could not perceive that the 

 Terns annoyed them in the least. 



As heretofore, I desire to say a few words regarding the status 

 of the Laughing Gulls (Zarus atricilla) for 1S96. For several 

 days previously it had been thick, foggy weather ; when it cleared, 

 on May 9, the Laughing Gulls were heard for the first time this 

 season. On the 17th of May Mr. Sandsbury noted that there 

 seemed to be more of them than usual. On May 29 he wrote me 

 that he "never saw so many." On June 27, 1896, I carefully 

 walked all over their breeding ground, which is the same as last 

 year, and the only one on these islands. It is located on the 



^ All but one were shot before the close of the season. The one left was 

 probably a migrant, as six in all had been killed. 



