6 



BIRDS OF NORTH DAKOTA 



at this season. Many hunters seem to delight in shooting them at this season 

 of th'e year from pure wantonness apparently. As they are useless for food 

 and require no skill to get them, this is a deplorable habit, for they are very 

 beneficial as insect destroyers. No records of their nesting here, but have heard 

 of a large colony breeding near Devils Lake. 



1260. Bonaparte Gull. Lams Philadelphia. 



But few stragglers of this species seen during the spring and summer 

 months. 



1369. Forster Tern. Sterna forsterL 



An occasional specimen taken. Should be in hand to distinguish from 

 common Tern. 



14 70. Common Tern. Sterna hirundo. 



Tolerably common. Not found breeding in prairie region. May be found 

 breeding in Turtle Mountains. Nesting in some numbers on islands of Devils 

 and Stump Lakes. 



Breeding Place of Cormorants on Stump Lake 



1574. Least Tern. Sterna antillanim. 



Have a somewhat questionable record of this species. 



16 77. Black Tern. Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis. 



Abundant summer resident, nesting in colonies in suitable ponds and 

 sloughs. Average sets of eggs, two, often three. First seen about the third 

 week in May. Nesting commences a month later. 



17 120. Double-crested Cormorant. Phalacrocorax dilophus. 



Tolerably common migrant. No records of its breeding except in Devils 

 and Stump Lakes. 



18 125. American Write Pelican. Pelecanus erj throrhj nchos. 



Common migrant, stopping to rest in some of the larger lakes of prairie 

 region. Said to have been found breeding on east end of Devils Lake. 



19 129. American Merganser. Merganser nmericanns. 



Sometimes shot by hunters in the fall. 



20 130. Red-breasted Merganser. Merganser serrator. 



Tolerably common. Migrant especially in the fall. 



