° o 1 DuTCHER, Report of Commt't/ee oh Bird Protection. I2Q 



Capt. W. F. Stanley, keeper of the Great Duck Island Light- 

 house and the warden, reports as follows regarding the large 

 colony of Herring Gulls in his charge : " Commenced to arrive 

 March 12, and the number increased until the last of May. The 

 first egg was found May 15, and the first completed set of three 

 eggs May 22." He estimates that there are 3,400 birds on Great 

 Duck Island and about 2200 on Little Duck. He has had no 

 trouble in protecting the birds or eggs and the only mortality was 

 from natural causes, almost always accidents. 



Mr. Herrick, who spent some days on the Duck Islands, reports 

 these colonies in excellent condition. 



Mr. W. L. Baily, one of the members of the Union, also visited 

 the Duck Islands this season to complete his study of the life his- 

 tory of the Herring Gull. He reports that the "gulls were pos- 

 sibly more abundant than in 1901. There seemed to be more 

 birds but few more nests ; the great quantity of birds that were 

 hatched last year were not there and must be wanderers unless 

 they have settled in other parts." 



Capt. O. Cummings, keeper of the Nash Island Lighthouse and 

 the warden of Cone Island, reports as follows : " No eggs were 

 taken nor were the Herring Gulls disturbed." This colony num- 

 bers nearly 1,000 adult birds, and there was a normal increase 

 during the breeding season. This was the only colony that was 

 not inspected. 



Capt. O. B. Hall of the Crumple Island Life Saving Station 

 was the warden for the colonies of Terns, Herring Gulls and other 

 birds on the islands in his vicinity. He reports that all of the 

 Herring Gulls that bred in 1901 in this locality arrived as usual in 

 the spring, but shortly after left and bred further east on Pulpit 

 Rock. This he attributed to the fact that the herring were more 

 abundant there. He posted warning notices, and the birds were 

 not disturbed. Their increase was normal. 



The terns started to breed on Egg Rock as usual, but during a 

 very heavy storm on June 27, the rock was swept by the heavy 

 surf and all the eggs and young were destroyed. The adult birds 

 then deserted the rock. 



Mr. Norton visited this station and confirms the report of Capt. 

 Hall ; he also adds : " On Freeman's Rock, a mound or ledge 



