376 Scott, Binfs of Ihe Gulf Coast of Florida. [Ociobcr 



birds arrive at Tarpon Springs early in April, many pass on north, and 

 the breeding season is at its height late in May. They remain till 

 late in September commonh', and a few are to be seen until about No- 

 vember I. I only noticed a single bird among many hundreds of this 

 species during the month of May, 1SS6, that still retained the plumage of 

 the first year. 



Referring to this species on the Island of Key West, Mr. Atkins says : 

 " I have found the Least Terns breeding on the beach of a partially dried- 

 up pond in the woods." 



Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis. Black Tern. — This species was 

 abundant in large flocks at John's Pass in the early part of June, 1886, and 

 equally common when I visited this point in September (12-24) of the 

 same year. About thirty per cent of the birds observed in the spring 

 were in adult breeding plumage. Mr. Atkins obtained the species in 

 midsummer at Punta Rassa commonly. 



Rynchops nigra. Black Skimmer. — ^ An abundant migrant and com- 

 mon resident at points visited on the Gulf Coast. Many breed at suitable 

 localities. 



In concluding my remarks on the Gulls and Terns of the Gulf Coast, I 

 wish to present to the reader some facts that have only recently been fully 

 authenticated by me, and which of course contradict in a certain sense 

 some of the foregoing remarks as to the points at which certain of the 

 species enumerated breed. Having heard of the wholesale destruction of 

 the Gulls and Terns on their breeding grounds at the mouth of Tampa 

 Bay on Passage Key, and on the low sand islands and bars oft" Pass Agrille, 

 I determined to look into the matter. I was familiar with both breeding 

 places where only a few years ago countless hosts of Terns, Gulls, and 

 Black Skimmers nested. 



On July 2 of the present year I sent Mr. W. S. Dickinson and Mr. 

 Parkes to carefully look over these breeding grounds and to report to me 

 in detail. For this work Mr. Dickinson was well fitted and capable, hav- 

 ing had very considerable experience, working with me and under my 

 direction for an entire year. 



The two gentlemen were gone six days and though the results of the 

 expedition were negative in one sense, they were conclusive and positive 

 in another. 



Not a Ten/ of any kind was found breeding or with young at any of the 

 points in question. The only Terns seen were about fifty Sterria maxima, 

 a number of 5. antillarum, twelve or fifteen Forster's or Common Terns 

 that were so wild that it was impossible to identify them, and a flock of 

 some three hundred H. nigra surinamensis. About fifty Black Skimmers 

 were breeding and had fresh eggs on the beach near Pass Agrille, and 

 a dozen were found nesting at Passage Key. 



This was all that was left of a breeding colony that had once numbered 

 its tens of thousands, and the evidence tells its own story. 



Not a single Cabot's Tern luas seen where they had once bred in great 

 numbers, and the birds that were seen were so wild and shy as to make 

 identification a very difficult task. 



