78 BIRDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGION 



Unfortunately for the bird student, several species are ex- 

 ceedingly difficult to identify in life, and when immature or in 

 winter plumage are indistinguishable. Few of our local 

 birds have suffered more from persecution, and twenty years 

 ago they were on the verge of extinction. The Common 

 Tern was an abundant summer resident on Long Island in the 

 days of Giraud. It last nested on the South Shore in 1884. 

 Four colonies are known at the eastern end of Long Island. 

 Recent efficient protection has seen a gratifying increase in 

 these birds, and for the last ten years their numbers have 

 steadily grown. Twenty years ago at the western end of the 

 island, it was very rare in spring, uncommon but regular in 

 fall. Now it is regular in spring and abundant from early 

 August to November, remaining later in numbers every year, 

 and common in the harbor and the lower Hudson, a familiar 

 sight from the ferries. Above 125th Street it is casual. It is 

 recorded as casual at Ossining (Fisher), but Mr. Brandreth 

 now regards it as a regular transient there in August and 

 September. These statements about the present day status 

 of the Common Tern are based entirely on observation. 

 While the great majority of these observations cannot be 

 regarded for a moment as scientifically accurate identifica- 

 tions, this species is so well known to outnumber enormously 

 all our others combined, that it would be captious to base 

 its status on the relatively few specimens taken locally, or to 

 pretend that all the birds in the harbor might be Forster's, 

 Arctic, and Roseate Terns. 



Long Island. Common transient, local summer resident; 

 increasing. Middle of April (Giraud); May 1 to October 15, 

 exceptionally to November 6. 



ORIENT. Locally abundant summer resident, a common 

 summer visitant throughout. May 1, 1910 to October 2, 

 1912; average May 12 to September 22. Breeds on Fisher's 

 Island, Gull Island, Gardiner's Island, and Orient. 

 MASTIC. Common transient visitant. 

 LONG BEACH. Now a regular spring and common fall 

 transient; May 4, 1922 (Bicknell) to June 16, 1919 (Bicknell); 



