"228 Shick on Birds of Seven Mile Beach, N. J. [October 



most common birds to be found here. Every small creek has its dozen 

 or more Clapper's nests along its banks in the high sedge grass. It is 

 quite easy to secure several hundred eggs in a day. The largest set I ever 

 took, was found hereon Seven Mile Beach and contained thirteen eggs. 

 I know certainly that the Clapper Rail remains here through the winter, 

 for several times in January and February of this year I flushed the birds 

 while walking the meadows in search of Ducks. My dog also flushed sev- 

 eral on different occasions. They bear the local name of 'Mud Hen.' 



Symphemia semipalmata. Willet. — Rather common. Found breed- 

 ing late in May and early in June on the salt marshes adjacent to the main 

 island. Last year I found two sets of four eggs each, among a colony of 

 Laughing Gulls on Gull Island. They are not as numerous as they were 

 formerly. 



Actitis macularia. Spotted Sandpiper. — This beautiful wader is 

 found abundantly all over the island. Its feet, peet, peet-weet can be 

 heard from every quarter. It breeds in the higher parts of the island, gen- 

 erally on a sandy knoll in the high, rank sedge grass. 



./Egialitis meloda. Piping Plover. — The dull, mournful, single note of 

 this bird can be heard at any hour of the day along the beach. It has a 

 habit, if you approach its nest, of leaving it before you come within sev- 

 eral hundred feet. Running along the ground in front of you, it will 

 not readily take wing. I have walked several miles along the beach with 

 a Piping Plover in front of me all the way. On this island it breeds in 

 very moderate numbers. Mr. Harry G. Parker took a number of sets 

 last season along the beach shingle, out of the reach of the tide. 



Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. American Osprey. — Very common. 

 Since 1884 it has been gradually becoming scarcer each year. I know that 

 in 1884 fully one hundred pairs occupied nests in every part of the 

 island, while this year not more than one fourth of that number remain. 

 Their usual complement of eggs is three, while sets of two and four are 

 not uncommon. 



Syrnium nebulosum. Barred Owl. — Probably breeding. On May 10 

 I flushed a pair from a clump of cedar trees and they flew away to another 

 clump some distance off". I searched for the nest in vain. Mr. Harry G. 

 Parker found these birds in the same place a few days later. 



Ceryle alcyon. Belted Kingfisher. — I found a nest in a hollow stump 

 in the summer of 1886, and from the appearance of the cavity am sure it 

 was occupied by a pair of Belted Kingfishers that were in the vicinity all 

 summer. 



Tyrannus tyrannus. Kingbird. — This bird is comparatively common, 

 and in June can be found breeding in every clump of cedar trees on the 

 island. It raises two broods every year. 



Contopus virens. Wood Pewee. — This is one of the rare birds here, 

 but a few pairs rear their young on the island. On the mainland they are 

 common. 



Corvus americanus. American Crow. — Quite common, breeding" 

 abundantly on the outer edge or strip of cedars near the meadows. 



