Terns SWIMMING BIRDS. 



in unprotected lands. I quote the following, relative to 

 the protection of these birds, from Mr. F. M. Chapman: 

 " Through the efforts of a number of bird-lovers, who raised 

 a sum of money for the purpose, permission has been 

 obtained from the Lighthouse Board to have the light-keeper 

 on Little Gull Island appointed a special game-keeper, 

 whose duty it shall be to protect the Terns on Great Gull 

 Island." A few days later, in reading a copy of Our 

 Animal Friends for December, 1894 (the humanizing monthly 

 magazine of the American Society for the Prevention of 

 Cruelty to Animals), I saw the ensuing statement, which 

 supplements Mr. Chapman's very opportunely : 



" We have received a report from Mr. Dutcher, 1 which lies 

 before us and contains much interesting information. Mr. 

 Dutcher says : ' I take pleasure in reporting that, during 

 the season of 1894, protection was given to the colony of 

 Terns on Great Gull Island, New York, during the breeding- 

 season. In 1886 the island was visited, and a colony of from 

 three to four thousand Terns was found there, but it was a 

 common practice for persons to visit the island and shoot 

 the birds, taking the eggs for various purposes, principally, 

 however, for eating. Subsequently it was ascertained that 

 the colony was decreasing year by year, and the necessity 

 of protection became apparent if it was not to be entirely 

 destroyed, as many others have been on the Long Island 

 coast. 7 In a letter, dated October 4, Captain Field reports 

 the result of one single year's protection to be most satis- 

 factory. The increase of the Tern colony at the close of 

 the season is estimated to have been from one thousand to 

 fifteen hundred birds, or, in other words, the colony has 

 been increased by one-half." 



1 Mr. William Dutcher, through whose efforts mainly the Terns were 

 taken under protection of the A. O. U., the Linnean Society, and the 

 A. S. P.O. A. 



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