84 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



century, when feathers of terns became extremely fashionable, 

 the Least Tern was nearly exterminated from eastern North 

 America, and we now have in Massachusetts the remnant of 

 this species saved from the slaughter in the northeastern 

 United States. 



It is important to protect the elegant Roseate Tern here, as 

 Massachusetts is near the northern limit of its breeding range, 

 while this State is the southern limit of the breeding range of 

 the Arctic Tern. All these birds within the borders of this 

 Commonwealth should be preserved. They are elegant, grace- 

 ful and beautiful, giving an added attraction to our seaside, 

 and they are useful to the fishermen, as their constant activ- 

 ities point out the schools of edible fish. Shore fishermen 

 recognize this fact. 



The protection of Herring Gulls was imperative at the time 

 when it was inaugurated on the Maine coast, and also when 

 the law protecting them was passed in Massachusetts, for they 

 had been threatened with extinction for millinery purposes; 

 but now their increase as breeding and summering birds on our 

 coast will probably prove an added menace to the terns. Pos- 

 sibly they cannot maintain themselves here long, as their nest- 

 ing places will undoubtedly be raided by fishermen and eggers 

 as soon as the localities become well known. 



It seems probable that the increase of our people, particu- 

 larly the summer population, will result in increasing disturb- 

 ance of the birds, and that the terns nesting along our coasts 

 will eventually be? driven from the mainland and all near-by 

 islands. But there are two offshore islands that these birds 

 now occupy and on which they can be perpetuated if given ade- 

 quate protection. One is Muskeget in Nantucket County, the 

 other is Penikese in Dukes County. Penikese Island is well 

 away from the coast; it is the property of the Commonwealth 

 and has been used as a place for segregating lepers. The leper 

 colony has now been removed. A large number of Roseate 

 Terns and Common Terns nest there. There are some small 

 ponds on the island. It would make an ideal reservation not 

 only for terns but for wild fowl and shore birds also. This, 

 the only large island now owned by the Commonwealth, should 

 be mainly devoted to the preservation of these birds. Penikese 



