546 Hathaway, Notes on Rhode Island Birds. [o c t. 



the last two are in my collection. Air. Clarke writing of their habits says, 

 " I shot five birds in all in 1909 at Cormorant Rock, all single birds shot 

 over duck decoys. They decoyed readily, but I do not know whether they 

 would alight to them as I never gave them a chance. I have, however, 

 before this, seen them swimming in the water, resembling a grebe very much 

 but they are somewhat quicker in diving. One that I shot was under 

 water before the shot got there and when he came up he was flying. He 

 did n't go very far for the next shot brought him down." 



Alca torda. Razor-billed Auk. — ■ A male was sent me in the meat, 

 shot by Mr. C. B. Clarke at Newport on January 9, 1909. This bird was 

 minus a tarsus and foot lost in early life. Upon skinning I found eighteen 

 " Silver sides " (Menidia gracilis) a small fish two to three inches in length, 

 in its gullet. 



Stercorarius pomarinus. Pomarine Jaeger. — One seen chasing a 

 Tern on August 9, 1909, at Quonochontaug. Jaegers were fairly common 

 during August and early September, 1910. The first ones noted were seen 

 August 18th, at Quonochontaug, and three or four followed the Terns 

 every day, making them drop the fish they were carrying to their young, 

 which the Jaegers quickly secured. Eight were the most seen in a day, on 

 August 26th. I have referred them to this species as being the commoner 

 one in our waters. Two immature birds and an adult in fall plumage, shot 

 at Point Judith on September 13, 1910, by Mr. H. S. Charnplin, were sent 

 to me in the meat . 



Stercorarius parasiticus. Parasitic Jaeger. — An additional record 

 for this uncommon migrant is one taken by Mr. C. B. Clarke at Eastons 

 Pond, Newport, on the late date of November 27, 1909. It was sent to me 

 in the meat in a very emaciated condition. 



Larus atricilla. Laughing Gull. — Formerly a rare migrant, this 

 bird has rapidly increased in numbers since 1909 and during August and 

 early September of 1912 it was fairly common along the south coast of this 

 state, most of the birds being in immature plumage. An adult bird ap- 

 peared off Quonochontaug on August 7, 1909, and up to the 27th of that 

 month seventeen individuals were seen at various times in company with 

 the Common Terns with which thej' mingled on the sand flats in Quono- 

 chontaug Pond. I shot a young female August 21, 1910, in this locality. 

 Eight birds, the first noted in 1912 at Quonochontaug, were flying west 

 along shore on August 4th. On the afternoon of August 19th a flight of 

 Herring Gulls occurred on our coast and among them I saw about twenty 

 Laughing Gulls in bunches of twos and threes all flying in a southwesterly 

 direction toward Long Island Sound. Mr. Israel R. Sheldon reported that 

 there were on August 22, 1912, about one hundred Laughing Gulls with at 

 least two thousand Common Terns at Point Judith. An adult male and 

 female were shot May 17, 190S. at Point Judith by Mr. C. B. Clarke and 

 on May 26, 1912, I saw three adults on the Sakonnet River near Tiverton. 



Sterna hirundo. Common Tern. — The protection given the Terns on 

 their breeding grounds has led to a notable increase in their numbers along 



