AMID SPRUCES AND SEA-GIRT ROCKS 181 



fell out upon the rocks, and it was a mere chance it was not 

 ruined. 



By far the most abundant bird on the island is the Herring 

 Gull, the common large white scavenger of our harbors in 

 the winter season. They nest in scattered colonies all over 

 the island, mostly in the woods or openings in them, also in 

 tracts of " stump land" along the shore, where the woods 

 have been cut off. 



The largest of these colonies is in the midst of the woods 

 on the northern lobe of the island, and it was the first one we 

 visited. After a two-mile walk along the shore, we struck in 

 by a sheep-path through the thick spruces. Soon we began 

 to hear the screams and cacklings of the gulls and to see the 

 great white fellows flying over the trees above us. Now and 

 then we passed a bulky nest of sticks, grass, and seaweed in 

 the thick top of a tree, whither persecution often drives these 

 otherwise ground-nesting birds. Presently we emerged into 

 a partially open area where the trees were scattering. Several 

 hundred gulls were flying about excitedly, making a great 

 racket. Their nests were scattered about on the ground, 

 usually at the foot of a tree or under a young spruce. Two 

 or three large, drab-colored eggs, spotted with black, are the 

 usual laying, but many of the nests were empty. Fishermen 

 had recently landed and robbed them. 



On the previous visit the gulls had boldly circled about 

 close over one's head. Since then they have been robbed 

 and shot until they are now nearly as shy as hawks. Indeed, 

 in the first colony visited, I could not get near enough to 

 a gull to secure a single satisfactory photograph, and I felt 

 pretty well disheartened, especially after making such an 

 effort to reach the island. 



Retracing our steps, we followed the shore along the 

 northern end. Groups of seals, or single ones, basked upon 



