No. 123.] DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY. 83 



to Little Pine Island, others may have gone elsewhere, but 

 probably not over 100 broods were reared this year on the 

 Wepecket Islands. The Least Terns, which had been decreas- 

 ing in numbers for several years on the south shore of Marthas 

 Vineyard, almost disappeared this year, but some of them 

 nested elsewhere, as they were found in two localities farther 

 north. At Chatham there is an increase of Roseate Terns, 

 some of which may have come from the Wepeckets, but there 

 are many small colonies of terns on the mainland which, like 

 the Least Terns on the south shore of Marthas Vineyard, can- 

 not maintain themselves in any one locaHty because of cats 

 and other natural enemies, Including man. The difficulty in 

 protecting these birds on the Massachusetts coast is this: most 

 of the islands on which they breed are close to shore or In bays 

 and harbors where they are likely to be overrun by summer 

 visitors with their dogs, by eggers or by fishermen. Several 

 colonies were raided this year by eggers or by egg-eating natural 

 enemies, and if the birds succeeded in raising any young, it was 

 not until very late In the season. It Is known that foreign 

 fishermen steal the well-grown young of terns and gulls for 

 food and for bait. They also take the eggs. At least two of 

 these men have been taken in the act by an officer of the law. 

 The Least Tern breeds on the open outer beaches. It is said 

 that they formerly bred on Nantucket, and that a colony or 

 two has existed there for several years. In 1921 I was unable 

 to find a Least Tern on the Island, but have been told that a 

 small colony appeared this year directly in front of a summer 

 hotel. If so, what happened to them may be imagined. 

 Their best chance was on the Island of Marthas Vineyard, 

 where there are comparatively few of their natural enemies. 

 Having largely left that Island now they will be unable to 

 maintain themselves elsewhere unless wardens can be appointed 

 to guard the colonies closely during the breeding season. The 

 locations on the mainland which they have chosen are likely to 

 be overrun by cats, dogs and various other natural enemies, 

 and the extinction of the Least Terns In Massachusetts will 

 surely follow unless a greater measure of protection can be af- 

 forded them. Such an outcome would be unfortunate, as dur- 

 ing the "feather craze" of the latter part of the nineteenth 



